JMU seems to be saying they are ready for FBS. Is there reason to believe that CUSA is interested in adding JMU?

No.

The short answer is "There's no room at the inn."

The conference leadership has both overtly and in their not so obvious communications stated that the league is not expanding.

Any additions would have to come from further subtraction and even then I'm not sure we would add unless Fox and CBS told us we have to.

No to anybody right now.

Please no.

I still don't understand why CUSA went to 14. Absolutely no need for more now.

(11-23-2013 01:27 PM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  I still don't understand why CUSA went to 14. Absolutely no need for more now.

The TV deal. It was required to maintain.

Can always pull them from Sunbelt in the future if needed. If we lose anymore teams I hope we stay at 12.

CUSA is full, go home!

(11-23-2013 01:06 PM)CoachMaclid Wrote:  The short answer is "There's no room at the inn."

This.

If -- repeating, *IF* -- some current members leave (like UTEP going to the Mtn.), then it becomes feasible. Nothing to talk about unless and until that happens.

(11-23-2013 01:27 PM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  I still don't understand why CUSA went to 14. Absolutely no need for more now.

Or why they kept expanding when ECU and Tulane hit the exit door....

If they stayed at 12 post ECU/Tulane departure they could be sitting at 12 now with MTSU replacing Tulsa and no WKU/FAU.

Unless something forces a change on C-USA, I don't see it happening. 14 is fine, we've had a competitive, fun football season, and the league is fairly well, balanced, geographically. At one time, Commissioner Banowsky publicly stated he wanted to go to 16, but there doesn't seem to be any appetite for that by member schools. I've heard of no President or AD asking for that. Internally, my take is that conference folks are pretty satisfied with the status quo.

Yes

(11-23-2013 01:01 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  JMU seems to be saying they are ready for FBS. Is there reason to believe that CUSA is interested in adding JMU?

CUSA is welcome to extend a bid to JMU. I'm pretty much tired of them as far as the Sun Belt goes.

They're playing a real dangerous game, unless they want to sit in the CAA (read - new Big South)

JMU has kind of thumbed their nose at CUSA and the SBC.

The SBC (which needs 1 school to get to 12) would take JMU in a heartbeat. The MAC (which needs 1 school to get to 14), though, would be a better landing spot for JMU. CUSA (which is already at 14) has no reason to be considering anybody else.

(11-25-2013 02:08 PM)orangefan Wrote:  The SBC (which needs 1 school to get to 12) would take JMU in a heartbeat. The MAC (which needs 1 school to get to 14), though, would be a better landing spot for JMU. CUSA (which is already at 14) has no reason to be considering anybody else.

MAC doesn't seem to be interested in going to 14. SBC is growing irritated by the second at all the posturing out of JMU's athletic department.

Much more screwing around and we'll sit at 11, wait on Missouri State, and let the Dukes rot. The only impetus for 12 is a league title game,...but the biggest push for that game comes from our commish, and a league member in Western Kentucky that will be gone July 1.

Strange things happen routinely in college football but I find it difficult to believe that CUSA would take any action until they are actively engaged in negotiating the next tv deal and have some clue what sort of money is available for 2017 and beyond.

(11-25-2013 02:30 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  MAC doesn't seem to be interested in going to 14.

No reason to think we'd know whether or not they are interested.

They need to either expand by one FB school and two all-sports schools by UMass upgrading to all-sports and taking an all-sports expansion, or else expand by one FB school but stand pat at 12 all-sports schools by adding one FB-only school.

If all 12 were agreed on a course of action on UMass this past summer, it could have already happened. So it seems likely they haven't decided yet.

They are in no hurry ~ there is no urgent need to expand for expansions sake for the MAC, so no reason to try to jam something through over the objections of several members.