It's easy for Nick Saban to advocate for this. Not so much for the bottom 32 of the new supergroup who would have losing records forever. Think of teams like Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Iowa State. They would never have a winning record again if they only played the "top 64". How exciting would that be for their fans? Many AQ teams depend on four cupcake OOC games to get them bowl eligible. Take those away and it gets ugly fast for the bottom half. I think you'll see them try to have the best of both worlds: allow games outside the top 64 but keep all the big bowls to themselves.

My guess is most schools stop scheduling FCS, and we see 20-25% less games against the Automatically-Rewarded conferences. I feel as if the playoff will expand once the $ potential is realized, maybe opening up another slot or two for the NIU's of the world. I also think that a partial-player paycheck arises of a few grand a year, thus bumping a few Emu's down a notch.

Whats most important is getting into a position to be the masters of our destiny. Continue to upgrade stadiums and facilities, grow fan base, care even less about the Illinois's and the Wake Forests of the world. I'd love to watch NIU play Toledo, Ohio or Wyoming in front of 30k, we can get there if people steer away from the "the sky is falling" attitude like MadDawg.

(05-14-2013 10:53 PM)NIU1981 Wrote:  It's easy for Nick Saban to advocate for this. Not so much for the bottom 32 of the new supergroup who would have losing records forever. Think of teams like Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Iowa State. They would never have a winning record again if they only played the "top 64". How exciting would that be for their fans? Many AQ teams depend on four cupcake OOC games to get them bowl eligible. Take those away and it gets ugly fast for the bottom half. I think you'll see them try to have the best of both worlds: allow games outside the top 64 but keep all the big bowls to themselves.

I don't think it will happen either, but two of the schools you named have played in BCS games and won their AQ conference in the past 10-15 years. Stanford went from 1-11 to 12-1 in the span of 4 years. Schools like Vanderbilt and Baylor were complete jokes for 25 years, couldn't make a bowl game to save their lives, and now they're both perfectly respectable programs. Things change. There's a very small number of teams that are, literally, never competitive.

I really do not think that Saban's idea will become reality. First and foremost major conference bottom feeders and middle of the road teams would be against it because their schedules would be a lot more difficult. If Indiana, Illinois or Minnesota could not have cupcakes on their schedule, they could possibly be 0-4 before Big 10 play. That would majorly kill their attendance. Also the big boys like Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, LSU and USC could not schedule their 7+ homes games in their mega large stadiums and would also take a big revenue hit. If they only played other big time teams, they would probably have to have a 6 home and 6 away schedule.

Also, if the major conferences only played each other there would be less bowl eligible teams among them, which also would not be popular with the schools or their fans. Also how would they schedule games? Alabama already has a tough schedule being in the SEC. Would Saban really be happy if Alabama's non conference schedule was also brutal? If he had last year's team he might not mind but if he had Bama's 2003 team that was plagued with injuries and other issues, it would be a long bad season.

My guess is that as long as state schools are involved in this conversation, Congresscritters will never let this happen.

(05-14-2013 07:57 PM)PiKappNoleATL Wrote:  Not sure I understand why anyone that graduated from NIU or roots for them now would have less interest based on anything that any other conference does.

If NIU had a full MAC schedule, wouldn't you still want them to beat every team and root for them with the same intensity as if they were playing any school?

I don't really get hyped about playing Wake, BC or Syracuse...but I still root for FSU just the same.

Strange to really see comments here where NIU fans would be less interested.

The ACC is essentially the same level of competition as the MAC now or marginally better. Wouldnt it bother you if the ACC was broken out into FCS? If NIU is not playing at the highest level of college football divisions I am out as a fan.

(05-15-2013 02:47 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-14-2013 07:57 PM)PiKappNoleATL Wrote:  Not sure I understand why anyone that graduated from NIU or roots for them now would have less interest based on anything that any other conference does.

If NIU had a full MAC schedule, wouldn't you still want them to beat every team and root for them with the same intensity as if they were playing any school?

I don't really get hyped about playing Wake, BC or Syracuse...but I still root for FSU just the same.

Strange to really see comments here where NIU fans would be less interested.

The ACC is essentially the same level of competition as the MAC now or marginally better. Wouldnt it bother you if the ACC was broken out into FCS? If NIU is not playing at the highest level of college football divisions I am out as a fan.

You mean the AAC right?...please say that is what you meant.

(05-15-2013 02:50 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(05-15-2013 02:47 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-14-2013 07:57 PM)PiKappNoleATL Wrote:  Not sure I understand why anyone that graduated from NIU or roots for them now would have less interest based on anything that any other conference does.

If NIU had a full MAC schedule, wouldn't you still want them to beat every team and root for them with the same intensity as if they were playing any school?

I don't really get hyped about playing Wake, BC or Syracuse...but I still root for FSU just the same.

Strange to really see comments here where NIU fans would be less interested.

The ACC is essentially the same level of competition as the MAC now or marginally better. Wouldnt it bother you if the ACC was broken out into FCS? If NIU is not playing at the highest level of college football divisions I am out as a fan.

You mean the AAC right?...please say that is what you meant.

LOL, classic MD post.

(05-15-2013 02:50 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(05-15-2013 02:47 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-14-2013 07:57 PM)PiKappNoleATL Wrote:  Not sure I understand why anyone that graduated from NIU or roots for them now would have less interest based on anything that any other conference does.

If NIU had a full MAC schedule, wouldn't you still want them to beat every team and root for them with the same intensity as if they were playing any school?

I don't really get hyped about playing Wake, BC or Syracuse...but I still root for FSU just the same.

Strange to really see comments here where NIU fans would be less interested.

The ACC is essentially the same level of competition as the MAC now or marginally better. Wouldnt it bother you if the ACC was broken out into FCS? If NIU is not playing at the highest level of college football divisions I am out as a fan.

You mean the AAC right?...please say that is what you meant.

Im talking about ACC football, not basketball.

In the Trib. today some B10 rep said they wanted to basically halt FCS scheduling, and also steer away from the Arkansas State Vs. Wisconsin September games.

He didn't say no non-AQ, but sounds like no FCS, and slightly less FBS, and then only the top half. He said "games that interest our fans". Probably a lot of rhetoric there, sounds like some changes but nothing horrific for us. Maybe we go 9 games, with one Aq and two non AQ pre-conference?

(05-15-2013 02:50 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(05-15-2013 02:47 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-14-2013 07:57 PM)PiKappNoleATL Wrote:  Not sure I understand why anyone that graduated from NIU or roots for them now would have less interest based on anything that any other conference does.

If NIU had a full MAC schedule, wouldn't you still want them to beat every team and root for them with the same intensity as if they were playing any school?

I don't really get hyped about playing Wake, BC or Syracuse...but I still root for FSU just the same.

Strange to really see comments here where NIU fans would be less interested.

The ACC is essentially the same level of competition as the MAC now or marginally better. Wouldnt it bother you if the ACC was broken out into FCS? If NIU is not playing at the highest level of college football divisions I am out as a fan.

You mean the AAC right?...please say that is what you meant.

Well, if you don't count FSU and Clemson, there isn't that much difference.

(05-15-2013 03:00 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  In the Trib. today some B10 rep said they wanted to basically halt FCS scheduling, and also steer away from the Arkansas State Vs. Wisconsin September games.

He didn't say no non-AQ, but sounds like no FCS, and slightly less FBS, and then only the top half. He said "games that interest our fans". Probably a lot of rhetoric there, sounds like some changes but nothing horrific for us. Maybe we go 9 games, with one Aq and two non AQ pre-conference?

Although Arkansas State's been good lately. They could do a lot worse. Maybe the Big 14 fans are less familiar with non-AQ schools that are far away, particularly Sun Belt, so they don't want to play them. I could understand that somewhat.

(05-15-2013 03:05 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(05-15-2013 02:50 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(05-15-2013 02:47 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-14-2013 07:57 PM)PiKappNoleATL Wrote:  Not sure I understand why anyone that graduated from NIU or roots for them now would have less interest based on anything that any other conference does.

If NIU had a full MAC schedule, wouldn't you still want them to beat every team and root for them with the same intensity as if they were playing any school?

I don't really get hyped about playing Wake, BC or Syracuse...but I still root for FSU just the same.

Strange to really see comments here where NIU fans would be less interested.

The ACC is essentially the same level of competition as the MAC now or marginally better. Wouldnt it bother you if the ACC was broken out into FCS? If NIU is not playing at the highest level of college football divisions I am out as a fan.

You mean the AAC right?...please say that is what you meant.

Well, if you don't count FSU and Clemson, there isn't that much difference.

That is probably the big difference, the top 1 or 2 team in the ACC is usually better than the MAC but as a whole the gap is very very small.

(05-15-2013 03:00 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-15-2013 02:50 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(05-15-2013 02:47 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-14-2013 07:57 PM)PiKappNoleATL Wrote:  Not sure I understand why anyone that graduated from NIU or roots for them now would have less interest based on anything that any other conference does.

If NIU had a full MAC schedule, wouldn't you still want them to beat every team and root for them with the same intensity as if they were playing any school?

I don't really get hyped about playing Wake, BC or Syracuse...but I still root for FSU just the same.

Strange to really see comments here where NIU fans would be less interested.

The ACC is essentially the same level of competition as the MAC now or marginally better. Wouldnt it bother you if the ACC was broken out into FCS? If NIU is not playing at the highest level of college football divisions I am out as a fan.

You mean the AAC right?...please say that is what you meant.

Im talking about ACC football, not basketball.

(05-15-2013 03:00 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  In the Trib. today some B10 rep said they wanted to basically halt FCS scheduling, and also steer away from the Arkansas State Vs. Wisconsin September games.

He didn't say no non-AQ, but sounds like no FCS, and slightly less FBS, and then only the top half. He said "games that interest our fans".

Not trying to be difficult, but Arkansas State is not an FCS school. They -- like us -- are FBS level, but belong to a non-automatic qualifying league. So either the B10 rep doesn't know what he's talking about or they don't consider the Sun Belt or the MAC schools to be of "interest" to their fans.

In addition, you talked about DII schools insisting on being called DI-FCS, that's not accurate either. DII is an entirely different level just above DIII. What was formerly called Division I-AA (the ISUs, WIUs, Charleston Southern, Montanas, etc.) constitutes what is FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) as opposed to FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision).
IF, and only if, the NCAA was ever truly in charge of college football, could the rich not devise ways to continue giving themselves advantages. As has already been suggested, make those "power" conferences play at least one or two road games a year against the non-AQ FBS programs and you'd have more excitement ala first-round NCAA basketball upsets. Attendance would go up at non-AQ schools whenever they'd get such an attractive game on their schedules.

(05-15-2013 10:36 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  Not trying to be difficult, but Arkansas State is not an FCS school. They -- like us -- are FBS level, but belong to a non-automatic qualifying league. So either the B10 rep doesn't know what he's talking about or they don't consider the Sun Belt or the MAC schools to be of "interest" to their fans.

...

(05-16-2013 07:43 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(05-15-2013 10:36 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  Not trying to be difficult, but Arkansas State is not an FCS school. They -- like us -- are FBS level, but belong to a non-automatic qualifying league. So either the B10 rep doesn't know what he's talking about or they don't consider the Sun Belt or the MAC schools to be of "interest" to their fans.

...

I would hope NIU wouldn't make the "uninterested list" as we've played each other (PIG10) a ton, have alumni in each others areas, and we (NIU) have won a butt load of games this decade.

If NIU makes the uninterested list, good luck to the other non-AQ teams, they'll need it.

(05-15-2013 10:36 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(05-15-2013 03:00 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  In the Trib. today some B10 rep said they wanted to basically halt FCS scheduling, and also steer away from the Arkansas State Vs. Wisconsin September games.

He didn't say no non-AQ, but sounds like no FCS, and slightly less FBS, and then only the top half. He said "games that interest our fans".

Not trying to be difficult, but Arkansas State is not an FCS school. They -- like us -- are FBS level, but belong to a non-automatic qualifying league. So either the B10 rep doesn't know what he's talking about or they don't consider the Sun Belt or the MAC schools to be of "interest" to their fans.

In addition, you talked about DII schools insisting on being called DI-FCS, that's not accurate either. DII is an entirely different level just above DIII. What was formerly called Division I-AA (the ISUs, WIUs, Charleston Southern, Montanas, etc.) constitutes what is FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) as opposed to FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision).
IF, and only if, the NCAA was ever truly in charge of college football, could the rich not devise ways to continue giving themselves advantages. As has already been suggested, make those "power" conferences play at least one or two road games a year against the non-AQ FBS programs and you'd have more excitement ala first-round NCAA basketball upsets. Attendance would go up at non-AQ schools whenever they'd get such an attractive game on their schedules.

Well he isn't saying they're FCS. So he must be just implying that that sort of game isn't interesting. I think the teams in the bottom half of the Big 10 would find a game against them more "interesting" than they would perhaps prefer.

(05-15-2013 02:47 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-14-2013 07:57 PM)PiKappNoleATL Wrote:  Not sure I understand why anyone that graduated from NIU or roots for them now would have less interest based on anything that any other conference does.

If NIU had a full MAC schedule, wouldn't you still want them to beat every team and root for them with the same intensity as if they were playing any school?

I don't really get hyped about playing Wake, BC or Syracuse...but I still root for FSU just the same.

Strange to really see comments here where NIU fans would be less interested.

The ACC is essentially the same level of competition as the MAC now or marginally better. Wouldnt it bother you if the ACC was broken out into FCS? If NIU is not playing at the highest level of college football divisions I am out as a fan.

You can't possibly be serious with this post???

I know NIU had a good year and could probably have beat some teams in the ACC last year, but not sure they would have won more than they lost. The MAC lost every game they played against the ACC last year. How do you really say as a conference, that the MAC is equal or only marginally different? Are you even watching the games?

If you run through the teams, there are really only 3 definite wins for NIU against the ACC - Wake, BC, Maryland. Duke, Virginia, NC State would be toss-ups. NIU loses to Miami, Clemson, FSU, GT, North Carolina, Va Tech. If the conf champion could not win more than they lose, and 3-4 ACC teams could go undefeated against the MAC schedule, how do you feel they are equal?

I like NIU and I don't look down on the MAC, but I would not say that the SEC is only marginally better than the ACC just because FSU is in the ACC.

By the way, I graduated from FSU, have been a fan before that, I don't care if they line up against a high school team, I am going to root for them to crush them.

(05-16-2013 09:45 PM)PiKappNoleATL Wrote:  

(05-15-2013 02:47 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(05-14-2013 07:57 PM)PiKappNoleATL Wrote:  Not sure I understand why anyone that graduated from NIU or roots for them now would have less interest based on anything that any other conference does.

If NIU had a full MAC schedule, wouldn't you still want them to beat every team and root for them with the same intensity as if they were playing any school?

I don't really get hyped about playing Wake, BC or Syracuse...but I still root for FSU just the same.

Strange to really see comments here where NIU fans would be less interested.

The ACC is essentially the same level of competition as the MAC now or marginally better. Wouldnt it bother you if the ACC was broken out into FCS? If NIU is not playing at the highest level of college football divisions I am out as a fan.

You can't possibly be serious with this post???

I know NIU had a good year and could probably have beat some teams in the ACC last year, but not sure they would have won more than they lost. The MAC lost every game they played against the ACC last year. How do you really say as a conference, that the MAC is equal or only marginally different? Are you even watching the games?

If you run through the teams, there are really only 3 definite wins for NIU against the ACC - Wake, BC, Maryland. Duke, Virginia, NC State would be toss-ups. NIU loses to Miami, Clemson, FSU, GT, North Carolina, Va Tech. If the conf champion could not win more than they lose, and 3-4 ACC teams could go undefeated against the MAC schedule, how do you feel they are equal?

I like NIU and I don't look down on the MAC, but I would not say that the SEC is only marginally better than the ACC just because FSU is in the ACC.

By the way, I graduated from FSU, have been a fan before that, I don't care if they line up against a high school team, I am going to root for them to crush them.

If you want to think teams like Duke, Wake Forest, North Carolina are juggernauts knock yourself out, but you arent seeing things objectively. FSU is a solid team most years but feeds off some very marginal competition in conference.