(04-22-2013 08:13 AM)KnightLight Wrote:  

(04-21-2013 09:00 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(04-21-2013 08:55 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  Based the results as of right now, long-term expected success would be balanced in the divisions:

East

USF
UCF
ECU
UConn

West

Cincinnati
Tulsa
Houston

Since things rarely turn out as expected, Tulane will probably win the most conference championships.

For the last time, there is a 99.99999999% chance that both divisions will have a presence in Florida.

If teams like Louisville and Rutgers especially (both rely heavily on FLA recruiting) were going to stay in this new AAC....then yes, I think neither of them would have accepted a division without Florida exposure...but since both of those teams will be gone after the 2014 season....I wouldn't be surprised if UCF and USF are now put in the same division.

With "less presence" up north (now just Cinci, Temple and UCONN), and with the 2014 addition of ECU....(Navy in 2015), probably won't see ANY divisional make-up till AAC reaches 12 teams in 2015 (i.e. divisional winners play in first championship game).

Till then...it will be a 10-11 team conf....no divisions.

...and Texas is a HUGE recruiting ground as well. I'm sure many of the schools view Texas much the way they do Florida.

I voted Houston, UCF, USF, ECU, Cincy, and UCONN. Large public universities with decent to good history, fan bases, and commitment to facility improvement.

I voted UCF, USF, SMU, Tulane, Cinci, ECU.

UCF & USF - large schools in Florida
SMU - tons of $$$$$
Tulane - Good recruiting area, and if money is put into the program it could really explode with a lack of other BCS teams in Louisiana outside of LSU.
Cinci - Has really made the most of their move up since 2003. Can't deny their continued improvement
ECU - Huge fanbase that finally gets a chance to see what it can do in a real league. Needs to win and im not sure Ruff is the guy to do it, but should be a player in the BE regardless.

My Top 6:

1/2 South Florida/Central Florida - Young, large public schools in a fertile recruiting area. Both schools are investing heavily in football, with coaches and recruits taking notice. It feels like a matter of when, not if, these programs have a huge season and compete for a national title.
3 UConn - National brand in most sports. They have only been FBS since 2000, but have accomplished a good amount, including a conference title and BCS appearance. If they continue to invest in football, they could become the best FBS program in the Northeast in the next decade.
4 East Carolina
5 Memphis
6 Houston

(04-22-2013 10:57 AM)BullsFanatic Wrote:  My Top 6:

1/2 South Florida/Central Florida - Young, large public schools in a fertile recruiting area. Both schools are investing heavily in football, with coaches and recruits taking notice. It feels like a matter of when, not if, these programs have a huge season and compete for a national title.
3 UConn - National brand in most sports. They have only been FBS since 2000, but have accomplished a good amount, including a conference title and BCS appearance. If they continue to invest in football, they could become the best FBS program in the Northeast in the next decade.
4 East Carolina
5 Memphis
6 Houston

What's your rationale for Memphis over UC?

*edit - hell, even Tulsa or SMU for that matter.

(04-22-2013 09:23 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  I voted Houston, UCF, USF, ECU, Cincy, and UCONN. Large public universities with decent to good history, fan bases, and commitment to facility improvement.

These would be the schools I would pick as well. UConn is the one out of that group that I think could be replaced by another school. UConn's location in the northeast hurts them. Every other schools is located in a football hotbed.

If a school in the northeast was going to rise up I would assume it would be one of the traditional schools like Pitt, Penn State, or Syracuse. UConn, BC, Rutgers, UMass, Buffalo, and Temple round out that region. I would place UConn in better position to win than Buffalo, UMass, Temple, and BC at this point but behind the traditional powers and Rutgers.

USF, UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, and ECU all could field top ten teams over the next five years and that would not surprise me at all.

(04-21-2013 09:00 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(04-21-2013 08:55 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  Based the results as of right now, long-term expected success would be balanced in the divisions:

East

USF
UCF
ECU
UConn

West

Cincinnati
Tulsa
Houston

Since things rarely turn out as expected, Tulane will probably win the most conference championships.

For the last time, there is a 99.99999999% chance that both divisions will have a presence in Florida.

I won't say I agree with the 99.9999% that it happens, but it does make sense to me that UCF and USF will/could be split between the divisions with USF going West and UCF going East. Gives both divisions games in Florida and when looking at a map, distance wise it wouldn't matter if either had to travel to UConn/Temple versus traveling to Houston, SMU or the other way around. Then they just end up being a permanent crossover game.

UCF, USF, ECU, Cincy, SMU, Houston