If C-USA had exactly one opening, grab a bag of popcorn:

1) ODU will push for James Madison; Charlotte and Marshall would probably get behind JMU as well
2) UAB will want to move to the East, so they will push for a western school like Arkansas State or Louisiana
3) If one of the Texas schools leaves, the others will want Texas State
4) WKU may be under some political pressure to renew its rivalry with EKU
5) The current TV partner will probably want C-USA to look at Georgia State. The Florida schools will probably get behind GSU as well.
6) UTEP may try to sell the rest of the conference on adding New Mexico, especially if the conference is playing a 9-game schedule in football.

(09-08-2014 09:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  If C-USA had exactly one opening, grab a bag of popcorn:

1) ODU will push for James Madison; Charlotte and Marshall would probably get behind JMU as well
2) UAB will want to move to the East, so they will push for a western school like Arkansas State or Louisiana
3) If one of the Texas schools leaves, the others will want Texas State
4) WKU may be under some political pressure to renew its rivalry with EKU
5) The current TV partner will probably want C-USA to look at Georgia State. The Florida schools will probably get behind GSU as well.
6) UTEP may try to sell the rest of the conference on adding New Mexico, especially if the conference is playing a 9-game schedule in football.

4 is nonexistent and I think 6 was supposed to be NMSU

(09-09-2014 06:41 AM)panama Wrote:  

(09-08-2014 09:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  If C-USA had exactly one opening, grab a bag of popcorn:

1) ODU will push for James Madison; Charlotte and Marshall would probably get behind JMU as well
2) UAB will want to move to the East, so they will push for a western school like Arkansas State or Louisiana
3) If one of the Texas schools leaves, the others will want Texas State
4) WKU may be under some political pressure to renew its rivalry with EKU
5) The current TV partner will probably want C-USA to look at Georgia State. The Florida schools will probably get behind GSU as well.
6) UTEP may try to sell the rest of the conference on adding New Mexico, especially if the conference is playing a 9-game schedule in football.

4 is nonexistent and I think 6 was supposed to be NMSU

I don't think the SBC is going anywhere. There enough teams that want to move to FBS. NDSU, Liberty, E. Kentucky, JMU, Abilene Christian, W. Florida, etc. What amazes me, G5 fans are upset about being excluded, but God forbid they let another school move up to G5.

(09-09-2014 08:53 AM)msm96wolf Wrote:  

(09-09-2014 06:41 AM)panama Wrote:  

(09-08-2014 09:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  If C-USA had exactly one opening, grab a bag of popcorn:

1) ODU will push for James Madison; Charlotte and Marshall would probably get behind JMU as well
2) UAB will want to move to the East, so they will push for a western school like Arkansas State or Louisiana
3) If one of the Texas schools leaves, the others will want Texas State
4) WKU may be under some political pressure to renew its rivalry with EKU
5) The current TV partner will probably want C-USA to look at Georgia State. The Florida schools will probably get behind GSU as well.
6) UTEP may try to sell the rest of the conference on adding New Mexico, especially if the conference is playing a 9-game schedule in football.

4 is nonexistent and I think 6 was supposed to be NMSU

I don't think the SBC is going anywhere. There enough teams that want to move to FBS. NDSU, Liberty, E. Kentucky, JMU, Abilene Christian, W. Florida, etc. What amazes me, G5 fans are upset about being excluded, but God forbid they let another school move up to G5.

I don't care if any of those schools move up, but that doesn't mean a G5 league needs to make any of them an equity partner.

The current rules preclude moving up as an indy but that is a Division wide rule, you can't reclassify to or within Division I without an invite. The rule in football really just exists to make life easier for the NCAA and is subject to attack, assuming you can meet FBS criteria without league membership.

As for the idea that there are a LOT of schools wanting to go FBS, that's a bit of a myth.

JMU doesn't want to join FBS, if they did they'd have joined the Sun Belt and then worried about getting their dream date later.

West Florida is far from ready, ditto Abilene.

Eastern KY isn't ready, you can read their own report. Now they were willing to accept if Sun Belt invited but they haven't put together the financing to meet their own bare-bones movement plan.

NDSU isn't ready. Their hoops facility would be considered substandard in any G5 league and while the Fargodome might barely make the cut, they need another 3,000 seats at least to be taken seriously. Yeah it's better than Kibbie dome but Idaho was right place at the right time as the Big West was scrabbling to survive and then later Sun Belt needed numbers, then WAC needed numbers, then Sun Belt needed numbers again, otherwise they are in the Big Sky. NDSU is so far removed from everyone else that finding a home will be hard. The nearest G5 school is 600 miles away.

Missouri State needs a bit more work on the football field but also a culture shift.

The only schools truly "Ready" are Liberty and I think Jacksonville State.

The Sun Belt doesn't want a third Alabama school and I doubt Georgia State wants another school that close to them (JSU is closer to GaSt than any other Sun Belt team). CUSA doesn't seem to be clamoring for a second Alabama team and if they were, Troy and USA are there and already FBS.

Liberty just is going to find it hard to get a league that is willing to make them an equity member.

Eastern KY isn't ready, you can read their own report. Now they were willing to accept if Sun Belt invited but they haven't put together the financing to meet their own bare-bones movement plan.

EKU has put together enough financing to start the RKS stadium upgrade. Supposed to be done for the start of the 2016 season.

(09-09-2014 10:36 AM)EKUSteve Wrote:  Eastern KY isn't ready, you can read their own report. Now they were willing to accept if Sun Belt invited but they haven't put together the financing to meet their own bare-bones movement plan.

EKU has put together enough financing to start the RKS stadium upgrade. Supposed to be done for the start of the 2016 season.

Report addresses more than seats. Added scholarships, higher salaries, larger recruiting budgets. EKU's leadership seems intent to the get there, but getting there and being there aren't the same.

(09-09-2014 10:10 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(09-09-2014 08:53 AM)msm96wolf Wrote:  

(09-09-2014 06:41 AM)panama Wrote:  

(09-08-2014 09:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  If C-USA had exactly one opening, grab a bag of popcorn:

1) ODU will push for James Madison; Charlotte and Marshall would probably get behind JMU as well
2) UAB will want to move to the East, so they will push for a western school like Arkansas State or Louisiana
3) If one of the Texas schools leaves, the others will want Texas State
4) WKU may be under some political pressure to renew its rivalry with EKU
5) The current TV partner will probably want C-USA to look at Georgia State. The Florida schools will probably get behind GSU as well.
6) UTEP may try to sell the rest of the conference on adding New Mexico, especially if the conference is playing a 9-game schedule in football.

4 is nonexistent and I think 6 was supposed to be NMSU

I don't think the SBC is going anywhere. There enough teams that want to move to FBS. NDSU, Liberty, E. Kentucky, JMU, Abilene Christian, W. Florida, etc. What amazes me, G5 fans are upset about being excluded, but God forbid they let another school move up to G5.

I don't care if any of those schools move up, but that doesn't mean a G5 league needs to make any of them an equity partner.

The current rules preclude moving up as an indy but that is a Division wide rule, you can't reclassify to or within Division I without an invite. The rule in football really just exists to make life easier for the NCAA and is subject to attack, assuming you can meet FBS criteria without league membership.

As for the idea that there are a LOT of schools wanting to go FBS, that's a bit of a myth.

JMU doesn't want to join FBS, if they did they'd have joined the Sun Belt and then worried about getting their dream date later.

West Florida is far from ready, ditto Abilene.

Eastern KY isn't ready, you can read their own report. Now they were willing to accept if Sun Belt invited but they haven't put together the financing to meet their own bare-bones movement plan.

NDSU isn't ready. Their hoops facility would be considered substandard in any G5 league and while the Fargodome might barely make the cut, they need another 3,000 seats at least to be taken seriously. Yeah it's better than Kibbie dome but Idaho was right place at the right time as the Big West was scrabbling to survive and then later Sun Belt needed numbers, then WAC needed numbers, then Sun Belt needed numbers again, otherwise they are in the Big Sky. NDSU is so far removed from everyone else that finding a home will be hard. The nearest G5 school is 600 miles away.

Missouri State needs a bit more work on the football field but also a culture shift.

The only schools truly "Ready" are Liberty and I think Jacksonville State.

The Sun Belt doesn't want a third Alabama school and I doubt Georgia State wants another school that close to them (JSU is closer to GaSt than any other Sun Belt team). CUSA doesn't seem to be clamoring for a second Alabama team and if they were, Troy and USA are there and already FBS.

Liberty just is going to find it hard to get a league that is willing to make them an equity member.

Roll Credits

(09-09-2014 10:10 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  NDSU isn't ready. Their hoops facility would be considered substandard in any G5 league and while the Fargodome might barely make the cut, they need another 3,000 seats at least to be taken seriously. Yeah it's better than Kibbie dome but Idaho was right place at the right time as the Big West was scrabbling to survive and then later Sun Belt needed numbers, then WAC needed numbers, then Sun Belt needed numbers again, otherwise they are in the Big Sky. NDSU is so far removed from everyone else that finding a home will be hard. The nearest G5 school is 600 miles away.

Our basketball arena is undergoing a $40 million renovation. The dome is workable for the short term but it will need to be addressed and I think it will be.

Geography is our issue. We are ready, just can't find a league.

(09-09-2014 11:44 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(09-09-2014 10:36 AM)EKUSteve Wrote:  Eastern KY isn't ready, you can read their own report. Now they were willing to accept if Sun Belt invited but they haven't put together the financing to meet their own bare-bones movement plan.

EKU has put together enough financing to start the RKS stadium upgrade. Supposed to be done for the start of the 2016 season.

Report addresses more than seats. Added scholarships, higher salaries, larger recruiting budgets. EKU's leadership seems intent to the get there, but getting there and being there aren't the same.

You speaking about the data in the atheletics forum in April? Waiting to see what else happens.

Did find in the student paper that the student fees got delayed a year.

(09-05-2014 09:08 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  The Sun Belt dumped doormats F_U and added powerhouses Ga Southern and App St.

Powerhouses? wow.

(09-10-2014 09:00 AM)blunderbuss Wrote:  

(09-05-2014 09:08 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  The Sun Belt dumped doormats F_U and added powerhouses Ga Southern and App St.

Powerhouses? wow.

Compared to the resumes FAU and FIU brought when they were added? Yeah powerhouses.

(09-10-2014 09:11 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(09-10-2014 09:00 AM)blunderbuss Wrote:  

(09-05-2014 09:08 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  The Sun Belt dumped doormats F_U and added powerhouses Ga Southern and App St.

Powerhouses? wow.

Compared to the resumes FAU and FIU brought when they were added? Yeah powerhouses.

Good point. Those 2, especially FIU, have no business playing at the FBS level IMO.

Since all the schools will be around - who cares which conference? The SBC will either continue, merge or be replaced - just like every other conference - G5 and P5.