(06-25-2015 11:34 PM)blunderbuss Wrote:  

(06-25-2015 06:35 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(06-25-2015 12:24 PM)blunderbuss Wrote:  If there's no minimum number, is it possible we could see conference contraction? NCAA rules say 7 years together gets an autobid, right? If that's the case why have 14-16 members?

An FBS conference has to have at least 8 full members.

So if a conference gets to 16—plus, there could be a MWC type split where half the conference leaves at once and starts a new league.

OK, for some reason I was thinking you could get away with 7 members.

You can in FCS. The Patriot, for example, has seven football members.

(06-26-2015 04:35 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-25-2015 11:34 PM)blunderbuss Wrote:  

(06-25-2015 06:35 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(06-25-2015 12:24 PM)blunderbuss Wrote:  If there's no minimum number, is it possible we could see conference contraction? NCAA rules say 7 years together gets an autobid, right? If that's the case why have 14-16 members?

An FBS conference has to have at least 8 full members.

So if a conference gets to 16—plus, there could be a MWC type split where half the conference leaves at once and starts a new league.

OK, for some reason I was thinking you could get away with 7 members.

You can in FCS. The Patriot, for example, has seven football members.

Correct. FBS conferences must have 8 full time/all sport members. Other D1 conferences (FCS and non-football) are only required to have 7.

If C-USA can hold it together for a few more years, it could split like the Big East, either 7/7 or 8/6, but each side would need to pick up additional FBS members (no FCS invites, at least initially, for the side that is leaving the legal entity known as C-USA). The problem is that only the side that is the legal continuation of C-USA is a party to the CFP contract, and there would be no bowls for the new conference.