(07-09-2012 10:30 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  The biggest problem they have in saving football is that there is a school of thought (I've heard the NCAA has actually released a private interpreptation confirming this but those aren't public info) that holds the rule which permits an FBS playing a second year transition team to count the transition team as if they were an FBS, does not apply to second year transition teams.

For example, in 2012 I believe both USA and UMass are second year transition teams. UMass can play Buffalo and obviously count Buffalo toward meeting the schedule requirements and Buffalo use the rule to count UMass toward the requirements. Likewise Troy and USA can play and of course USA can count Troy toward the schedule requirement, but Troy is allowed to count USA. BUT if UMass and USA were to play neither could take advantage of the rule and count the other toward scheduling except as their one countable home game or one of the up to 4 FCS road games they can play.

If you look, Texas State has five FBS home games this year (plays UTSA on the road), UTSA plays 2 countable home games, three if Texas State counts. Texas State is transition year 2 this season and can compete for a bowl in 2013, UTSA is in transition year 1, will do transition year 2 in C-USA and be able to compete for bowls in 2014. Note that Old Dominion plans to do transition year 1 in 2013, 2 in 2014 and compete for bowls in 2015, and Charlotte will follow a year behind ODU.

Why is that significant? Because I suspect that schedule element is correct. A second year transitional cannot count another second year transitional as an FBS opponent.

If you have all your move-ups coming in different years, it makes scheduling easier, you don't have to make sure that any second year transitional has 4 FBS opponents in addition to games against other transitional teams.

It may well be that ODU agreed to join C-USA initially and the acceptance was delayed to avoid having to deal with ODU and UTSA both doing second year transition in 2013.

In that case the NCAA would not have to change there bylaws only there interpreptation of said rules.

(07-10-2012 11:25 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  There is one problem with waiving FBS criteria. The bylaws specifically prohibit any waivers.

Maybe they can waive the bylaws preventing waivers?