I guess the choices of teams to join the Eastern Division would be:
Missouri St.
Ark. St.
ULM
Louisiana

Which 1 of those 4 choices would go East?

(08-22-2014 08:50 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  I guess the choices of teams to join the Eastern Division would be:
Missouri St.
Ark. St.
ULM
Louisiana

Which 1 of those 4 choices would go East?

Idaho

LOL. Maybe we can get a replacement for Idaho in 4 years--- EKU, Liberty or JMU.

Though geographically Arkansas State would be the most logical team to move to the east, I think la-la and Astate officials would be adament about staying in the same division and Lafayette seems like an obvious western team based on location.

ULM would be pretty vocal about remaining in the same division with Astate and La-La as well; with that said, I think the three would all get their way and Missouri state would be the odd man out and go to the east.

NOW, lets say both Idaho and NMSU leaves or dropped out of the conference and both Missouri state and Eastern Kentucky gets picked up, then you'd see the bears in the west and the Colonels in the east.

If Idaho is dropped and NMSU gets a full invite...I think you could see astate move to the east.

Springfield is 215 miles from Jonesboro. It would be silly to bring them in just to send stAte east.

ULM would be a better choice, although Lafayette might make the most sense.

I would think Ark. St. would push hard to keep Missouri St. in the West. Of course that would mean it comes down to Louisiana or ULM moving East.

I think ULM would go east. UL would want to stay with TxSt, and Astate.

ULM could save on travel cost not going to NMSU, and Idaho and I think would love to be in association with the eastern schools.

Though I agree I think StAte is Missouri's biggest supporter for joining, I don't think you'd see them sacrificing losing the Louisiana schools to another division.

ULM is the easiest road trip for Astate fans to make (and they travel very well to Monroe)

La-La is the Red Wolves' longest played and most storied opponent in conference

I would bet if the Bears were to join, you'd see a conference system similar to that of the SEC, in which all division members would play (obviously), their'd be one permanent inter-divisional match up and another inter-divisional conference game that'd rotate. I'd see Arkansas State and Missouri state being obvious permanent inter-divisional matchup

12 teams = 2 6 team divisions. So if we are sticking with 8 conference games then 5 division games and 3 games vs. other division. I would favor playing 3 from the other division home/home (2 years), then playing the other 3 home/home (next 2 years)

(08-22-2014 08:58 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  LOL. Maybe we can get a replacement for Idaho in 4 years--- EKU, Liberty or JMU.

In all seriousness, it should be Idaho. They require a flight no matter what division they are in.

(08-22-2014 09:24 PM)GaStPanthers Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 08:58 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  LOL. Maybe we can get a replacement for Idaho in 4 years--- EKU, Liberty or JMU.

In all seriousness, it should be Idaho. They require a flight no matter what division they are in.

Plus, if the plan is for EKU to come in and ask Idaho to leave, then you wouldn't be re-shuffling divisions again!

(08-22-2014 09:24 PM)GaStPanthers Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 08:58 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  LOL. Maybe we can get a replacement for Idaho in 4 years--- EKU, Liberty or JMU.

In all seriousness, it should be Idaho. They require a flight no matter what division they are in.

Idaho is not a permanent member, lets be brutally honest.

I think we're seriously looking at JMU, Missouri State, EKU, and outsider chance for Liberty (in that order).

New Mexico State is a wild card-as mentioned before, stAte AD terry mohajir is in favor of them as full members. Apparently, their's a huge divide among the other ADs about NMSU's status in the conference.

Maybe the move for the SBC is to take a bite out of the MAC playbook and just let Idaho and NMSU go.

That way Missouri State becomes the 10th FB team of the SBC, not the 12th.

Whatever the SBC decides to do with its lineup it will need to do decide it fairly soon if it wants to get a 9 figure TV deal for itself. If the decision was made today to add Missouri State they are looking at a transition year in 2016 and full membership by 2017.

The SBC doesn't want to wait too long on getting its membership straight.

Ultimately we do want a 12-member league and a championship game....it's just not "critical" immediately.

The divisions are already fine...with the exception of Idaho. Idaho moves on and we add MoSt and one of the eastern schools. That is the only viable solution.

(08-22-2014 09:24 PM)GaStPanthers Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 08:58 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  LOL. Maybe we can get a replacement for Idaho in 4 years--- EKU, Liberty or JMU.

In all seriousness, it should be Idaho. They require a flight no matter what division they are in.

Please. USA wants some competition. Sticking USA with Idaho, Ga State, 2 newbies, and Troy isn't really fair to either USA or Troy.

I think moving ULL east would make sense in that case.

In that case, you'd see the east with USA, Troy and ULL
the west would be A State, ULM, and Texas State

ULL would have ULM as its cross rival
A State would have Troy
USA would have Texas State

It works.

If we go by geography, the answer is stAte.

(08-22-2014 10:57 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 09:24 PM)GaStPanthers Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 08:58 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  LOL. Maybe we can get a replacement for Idaho in 4 years--- EKU, Liberty or JMU.

In all seriousness, it should be Idaho. They require a flight no matter what division they are in.

Please. USA wants some competition. Sticking USA with Idaho, Ga State, 2 newbies, and Troy isn't really fair to either USA or Troy.

It may take a little while, but you'll get plenty of competition.

You move Idaho East. Pretty simple really. Otherwise you are guaranteed that each Western School would have to play both Idaho and NMSU. If you move Idaho East, then only 3 schools in each division would have to play both teams.

In a 4 year cycle, it would even out where everyone got the same number of trips to the Outlying members.

(08-23-2014 12:21 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  You move Idaho East. Pretty simple really. Otherwise you are guaranteed that each Western School would have to play both Idaho and NMSU. If you move Idaho East, then only 3 schools in each division would have to play both teams.

In a 4 year cycle, it would even out where everyone got the same number of trips to the Outlying members.

Again, I don't think USA would be happy with that. Actually, I think USA would rather have no divisions so we could continue to play teams like Ark State and ULL every year. Even when they make us play both of them on the road and in sequential weeks.

(08-23-2014 12:49 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(08-23-2014 12:21 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  You move Idaho East. Pretty simple really. Otherwise you are guaranteed that each Western School would have to play both Idaho and NMSU. If you move Idaho East, then only 3 schools in each division would have to play both teams.

In a 4 year cycle, it would even out where everyone got the same number of trips to the Outlying members.

Again, I don't think USA would be happy with that. Actually, I think USA would rather have no divisions so we could continue to play teams like Ark State and ULL every year. Even when they make us play both of them on the road and in sequential weeks.

That's out of your control either way. Even in an 11 team league, you're still missing two teams a year on a rotating basis. Eventually, you're going to miss us, divisions or not.

The reality is that USA would be unhappy regardless because if we add Liberty or EKU, that team would be assigned to the East, and USA still loses their West Division lifeline. Move Idaho, and then set up ULL and USA as permanent Cross Division Rivals. Problem Solved.

Here is your Mock

East:

Georgia Southern: Permanent Game: ULM
Georgia State: Permanent Game: Texas State
Appalachian State: Permanent Game: Missouri State
Troy: Permanent Game: Arkansas State
Idaho: Permanent Game: New Mexico State
South Alabama: Permanent Game: ULL

West:

Arkansas State/Troy
ULM/Ga Southern
ULL/South Alabama
Texas State/Georgia State
New Mexico State/Idaho
Missouri State/App State

(08-22-2014 10:57 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 09:24 PM)GaStPanthers Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 08:58 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  LOL. Maybe we can get a replacement for Idaho in 4 years--- EKU, Liberty or JMU.

In all seriousness, it should be Idaho. They require a flight no matter what division they are in.

Please. USA wants some competition. Sticking USA with Idaho, Ga State, 2 newbies, and Troy isn't really fair to either USA or Troy.

I think moving ULL east would make sense in that case.

In that case, you'd see the east with USA, Troy and ULL
the west would be A State, ULM, and Texas State

ULL would have ULM as its cross rival
A State would have Troy
USA would have Texas State

It works.

Some competition? Are you serious? We have more national championships than you do years playing football and you have the nerve to infer we won't be competitive?

Jaguar tears are almost as tasty as Panther tears.