(08-30-2015 09:29 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-29-2015 11:10 PM)NoDak Wrote:  No surprise, Coastal Carolina will be in the Sun Belt

https://mobile.twitter.com/sunbeltblogger?lang=en

I'll admit that I'm surprised. You're taking a school that needs to probably spend tens of millions of dollars to bring their revenue sport venues up to FBS and G5 code. EKU's there and has been trying at this a little longer. Sucks to be them or any program who's put in the work but can't get the support.

EKU is 15 miles from UK. It would be the 4th football school in a basketball crazy state (although EKU historically has been good in football and awful in basketball). Coastal Carolina would be the 3rd FBS school in a similar sized state to Kentucky and is on the coast, away from S. Carolina and Clemson. Lot more upside.

Back to the topic.

If EKU leaves the OVC, who replaces them?

The Commish of the Big Sky mentioned a possiblity that Idaho and New Mexico State will be all sports members of the Big Sky. I do not see how Idaho and New Mexico State will agree to drop to FCS where they are happy where they are yet unless there are changes coming to the rules that the Big Sky are going to FBS as a whole. Could be room being made in P5 conferences to add G5 schools and maybe some FCS academic heavy weights? It is only Big 12 and Sun Belt that wants CCG with 10 schools. The other conferences will vote against them. I do not see the other conferences will give both Big 12 and Sun Belt an easy way into bowl games and all that.

FBS Big Sky:
West:
Sacramento State
Cal-Davis
Cal-Poly
Portland State
Eastern Washington
Idaho
Northern Arizona

East:
Weber State
Southern Utah
Northern Colorado
New Mexico State
Montana
Montana State
North Dakota

Lamar who wants FBS could go into the west.
Missouri State
Sam Houston State
SFA
Alabama State
Jacksonville State
North Alabama
Northern Iowa
Youngstown State
Delaware State
Liberty
Stony Brook

All hinted FBS as well. If more schools leave? I could see MVFC as a whole will move up.
Some CAA schools decides that there is no competition left at FCS will move up like James Madison, Delaware and so forth.
Would Chattanooga, Western Carolina and East Tennessee State with Eastern Illionis, Tennessee State, Jackson State, Southern U. and some others with FBS already made stadiums move up as well?

Would Wichita State, Long Beach State, Fullerton State, Cal-Irvine and some others launch football to be involve?
Would some D2 conferences move up to the FCS level like GNAC and RMAC?

There are questions right now what will happen including why D2 member representives are involved in D1 meetings for rules and all that? I think there could be rules changes coming, but not in favor of the Big 12 or Sun Belt.
I could see more bowls created to include Big Sky, MVFC and maybe Southern and CAA schools.

(08-30-2015 03:50 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  Back to the topic.

If EKU leaves the OVC, who replaces them?

My bet is on Kennesaw State simply because they play football and are adjacent to the footprint. No one is leaving the MVFC for the OVC, so that rules out everyone to the north. The OVC has to like being at a 9/12 alignment.

OVC (*non-football member)
Jacksonville St (AL)/Kennesaw St
Tenn Tech/Morehead St (KY)*
Belmont*/Tenn St
SIUE*/Eastern Illinois
Murray St/SE Missouri St
Austin Peay/Tenn-Martin

(08-30-2015 05:51 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 03:50 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  Back to the topic.

If EKU leaves the OVC, who replaces them?

My bet is on Kennesaw State simply because they play football and are adjacent to the footprint. No one is leaving the MVFC for the OVC, so that rules out everyone to the north. The OVC has to like being at a 9/12 alignment.

OVC (*non-football member)
Jacksonville St (AL)/Kennesaw St
Tenn Tech/Morehead St (KY)*
Belmont*/Tenn St
SIUE*/Eastern Illinois
Murray St/SE Missouri St
Austin Peay/Tenn-Martin

Would they look at Chattanooga again, or is that boat off the horizon?

(08-30-2015 05:51 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 03:50 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  Back to the topic.

If EKU leaves the OVC, who replaces them?

My bet is on Kennesaw State simply because they play football and are adjacent to the footprint. No one is leaving the MVFC for the OVC, so that rules out everyone to the north. The OVC has to like being at a 9/12 alignment.

OVC (*non-football member)
Jacksonville St (AL)/Kennesaw St
Tenn Tech/Morehead St (KY)*
Belmont*/Tenn St
SIUE*/Eastern Illinois
Murray St/SE Missouri St
Austin Peay/Tenn-Martin

Could see Western Illinois taking refuge in the OVC, because they cant keep up with the MVFC teams and won't have to worry about Summit instability.

Murray St and Jacksonville St will jump ship given an opportunity.

(08-30-2015 07:43 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 05:51 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 03:50 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  Back to the topic.

If EKU leaves the OVC, who replaces them?

My bet is on Kennesaw State simply because they play football and are adjacent to the footprint. No one is leaving the MVFC for the OVC, so that rules out everyone to the north. The OVC has to like being at a 9/12 alignment.

OVC (*non-football member)
Jacksonville St (AL)/Kennesaw St
Tenn Tech/Morehead St (KY)*
Belmont*/Tenn St
SIUE*/Eastern Illinois
Murray St/SE Missouri St
Austin Peay/Tenn-Martin

Would they look at Chattanooga again, or is that boat off the horizon?

That's a sobering question to ask: what do you want out of a conference? Where is SoCon now and where is OVC?

I think OVC can probably take anyone they want out of ASun, Big South, and maybe Southland. It would be fascinating if OVC was "good enough" for some of those MEAC schools to consider taking the flack from their alumni to depart.

(08-30-2015 04:55 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  The Commish of the Big Sky mentioned a possiblity that Idaho and New Mexico State will be all sports members of the Big Sky. I do not see how Idaho and New Mexico State will agree to drop to FCS where they are happy where they are yet unless there are changes coming to the rules that the Big Sky are going to FBS as a whole. Could be room being made in P5 conferences to add G5 schools and maybe some FCS academic heavy weights? It is only Big 12 and Sun Belt that wants CCG with 10 schools. The other conferences will vote against them. I do not see the other conferences will give both Big 12 and Sun Belt an easy way into bowl games and all that.

FBS Big Sky:
West:
Sacramento State
Cal-Davis
Cal-Poly
Portland State
Eastern Washington
Idaho
Northern Arizona

East:
Weber State
Southern Utah
Northern Colorado
New Mexico State
Montana
Montana State
North Dakota

Lamar who wants FBS could go into the west.
Missouri State
Sam Houston State
SFA
Alabama State
Jacksonville State
North Alabama
Northern Iowa
Youngstown State
Delaware State
Liberty
Stony Brook

All hinted FBS as well. If more schools leave? I could see MVFC as a whole will move up.
Some CAA schools decides that there is no competition left at FCS will move up like James Madison, Delaware and so forth.
Would Chattanooga, Western Carolina and East Tennessee State with Eastern Illionis, Tennessee State, Jackson State, Southern U. and some others with FBS already made stadiums move up as well?

Would Wichita State, Long Beach State, Fullerton State, Cal-Irvine and some others launch football to be involve?
Would some D2 conferences move up to the FCS level like GNAC and RMAC?

There are questions right now what will happen including why D2 member representives are involved in D1 meetings for rules and all that? I think there could be rules changes coming, but not in favor of the Big 12 or Sun Belt.
I could see more bowls created to include Big Sky, MVFC and maybe Southern and CAA schools.

Big Sky FBS:

Cal Poly
UC Davis
Sac St
Portland St (major hurdles)
EWU
Idaho
Montana
Mont St
UND

Will be invited: NMSU, NDSU, SDSU, USD

Big Sky FCS

Idaho St
Weber St
S Utah
N Arizona
Dixie St
N Colo
CSU Pueblo

Will join the WAC en masse

(08-30-2015 07:58 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:43 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 05:51 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 03:50 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  Back to the topic.

If EKU leaves the OVC, who replaces them?

My bet is on Kennesaw State simply because they play football and are adjacent to the footprint. No one is leaving the MVFC for the OVC, so that rules out everyone to the north. The OVC has to like being at a 9/12 alignment.

OVC (*non-football member)
Jacksonville St (AL)/Kennesaw St
Tenn Tech/Morehead St (KY)*
Belmont*/Tenn St
SIUE*/Eastern Illinois
Murray St/SE Missouri St
Austin Peay/Tenn-Martin

Would they look at Chattanooga again, or is that boat off the horizon?

That's a sobering question to ask: what do you want out of a conference? Where is SoCon now and where is OVC?

I think OVC can probably take anyone they want out of ASun, Big South, and maybe Southland. It would be fascinating if OVC was "good enough" for some of those MEAC schools to consider taking the flack from their alumni to depart.

ETSU and Chattanooga are now a combo. They will move together.

(08-30-2015 07:58 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:43 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 05:51 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 03:50 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  Back to the topic.

If EKU leaves the OVC, who replaces them?

My bet is on Kennesaw State simply because they play football and are adjacent to the footprint. No one is leaving the MVFC for the OVC, so that rules out everyone to the north. The OVC has to like being at a 9/12 alignment.

OVC (*non-football member)
Jacksonville St (AL)/Kennesaw St
Tenn Tech/Morehead St (KY)*
Belmont*/Tenn St
SIUE*/Eastern Illinois
Murray St/SE Missouri St
Austin Peay/Tenn-Martin

Would they look at Chattanooga again, or is that boat off the horizon?

That's a sobering question to ask: what do you want out of a conference? Where is SoCon now and where is OVC?

I think OVC can probably take anyone they want out of ASun, Big South, and maybe Southland. It would be fascinating if OVC was "good enough" for some of those MEAC schools to consider taking the flack from their alumni to depart.

I'd think the OVC's relative stability makes them more attractive to Chattanooga than it might have been even three years ago. But as NoDak points out, now that ETSU is back as a football-playing member of the SoCon, that's a consideration. Would a newly minted FCS program be worth the effort to get Chatt as well? If nothing else, it would take care of any travel partner questions right out of the gate.

I think the MEAC is too far away for any of their schools to be a serious consideration for the OVC. The closest school to an OVC school would be, what, North Carolina A&T or South Carolina State? And South Carolina State is more likely to drop athletics than it is to move conferences at this point. Would Tennessee State want more HBCU representation, or are they happy as things are?

To me, the more interesting issue is what happens to the South FCS conferences if Coastal Carolina moves to the Sun Belt. Does the SoCon raid the Big South and try to put them out of business (or force a merger with the Atlantic Sun while dropping football sponsorship)? With no Coastal Carolina, the Big South drops to six football members (four full, two affiliate) — with Liberty trying to jump to FBS by any means necessary, and Kennesaw State a likely candidate for a conference better than the Big South down the line. Plus there's no backfills unless D2 schools move up, and that's no sure thing, none of the nonfootball-playing members are starting programs, and Campbell would probably consider moving only if the Big South went to no or greatly reduced scholarships.

Would Samford consider moving to the OVC?

(08-30-2015 09:02 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  Would Samford consider moving to the OVC?

Why? They moved from the OVC to the SoCon less than 10 years ago.

(08-30-2015 08:24 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:58 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:43 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 05:51 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 03:50 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  Back to the topic.

If EKU leaves the OVC, who replaces them?

My bet is on Kennesaw State simply because they play football and are adjacent to the footprint. No one is leaving the MVFC for the OVC, so that rules out everyone to the north. The OVC has to like being at a 9/12 alignment.

OVC (*non-football member)
Jacksonville St (AL)/Kennesaw St
Tenn Tech/Morehead St (KY)*
Belmont*/Tenn St
SIUE*/Eastern Illinois
Murray St/SE Missouri St
Austin Peay/Tenn-Martin

Would they look at Chattanooga again, or is that boat off the horizon?

That's a sobering question to ask: what do you want out of a conference? Where is SoCon now and where is OVC?

I think OVC can probably take anyone they want out of ASun, Big South, and maybe Southland. It would be fascinating if OVC was "good enough" for some of those MEAC schools to consider taking the flack from their alumni to depart.

I'd think the OVC's relative stability makes them more attractive to Chattanooga than it might have been even three years ago. But as NoDak points out, now that ETSU is back as a football-playing member of the SoCon, that's a consideration. Would a newly minted FCS program be worth the effort to get Chatt as well? If nothing else, it would take care of any travel partner questions right out of the gate.

I think the MEAC is too far away for any of their schools to be a serious consideration for the OVC. The closest school to an OVC school would be, what, North Carolina A&T or South Carolina State? And South Carolina State is more likely to drop athletics than it is to move conferences at this point. Would Tennessee State want more HBCU representation, or are they happy as things are?

To me, the more interesting issue is what happens to the South FCS conferences if Coastal Carolina moves to the Sun Belt. Does the SoCon raid the Big South and try to put them out of business (or force a merger with the Atlantic Sun while dropping football sponsorship)? With no Coastal Carolina, the Big South drops to six football members (four full, two affiliate) — with Liberty trying to jump to FBS by any means necessary, and Kennesaw State a likely candidate for a conference better than the Big South down the line. Plus there's no backfills unless D2 schools move up, and that's no sure thing, none of the nonfootball-playing members are starting programs, and Campbell would probably consider moving only if the Big South went to no or greatly reduced scholarships.

There are several HBCU in the area in D2.
Fisk-Tennessee
Lincoln,PA.
Kentucky State
Bluefield State West Virginia
Cheney-PA.
Lincoln, MO.
Virginia State
West Virginia State
Lane-Tenn.
Lemoyne-Owen-Tenn.
Virginia Union
Central State Ohio
Wilberforce-Ohio

(08-30-2015 08:24 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:58 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:43 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 05:51 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 03:50 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  Back to the topic.

If EKU leaves the OVC, who replaces them?

My bet is on Kennesaw State simply because they play football and are adjacent to the footprint. No one is leaving the MVFC for the OVC, so that rules out everyone to the north. The OVC has to like being at a 9/12 alignment.

OVC (*non-football member)
Jacksonville St (AL)/Kennesaw St
Tenn Tech/Morehead St (KY)*
Belmont*/Tenn St
SIUE*/Eastern Illinois
Murray St/SE Missouri St
Austin Peay/Tenn-Martin

Would they look at Chattanooga again, or is that boat off the horizon?

That's a sobering question to ask: what do you want out of a conference? Where is SoCon now and where is OVC?

I think OVC can probably take anyone they want out of ASun, Big South, and maybe Southland. It would be fascinating if OVC was "good enough" for some of those MEAC schools to consider taking the flack from their alumni to depart.

I'd think the OVC's relative stability makes them more attractive to Chattanooga than it might have been even three years ago. But as NoDak points out, now that ETSU is back as a football-playing member of the SoCon, that's a consideration. Would a newly minted FCS program be worth the effort to get Chatt as well? If nothing else, it would take care of any travel partner questions right out of the gate.

I think the MEAC is too far away for any of their schools to be a serious consideration for the OVC. The closest school to an OVC school would be, what, North Carolina A&T or South Carolina State? And South Carolina State is more likely to drop athletics than it is to move conferences at this point. Would Tennessee State want more HBCU representation, or are they happy as things are?

To me, the more interesting issue is what happens to the South FCS conferences if Coastal Carolina moves to the Sun Belt. Does the SoCon raid the Big South and try to put them out of business (or force a merger with the Atlantic Sun while dropping football sponsorship)? With no Coastal Carolina, the Big South drops to six football members (four full, two affiliate) — with Liberty trying to jump to FBS by any means necessary, and Kennesaw State a likely candidate for a conference better than the Big South down the line. Plus there's no backfills unless D2 schools move up, and that's no sure thing, none of the nonfootball-playing members are starting programs, and Campbell would probably consider moving only if the Big South went to no or greatly reduced scholarships.

Why would the OVC be a better option for Chattanooga now versus when they tried to lure them out of the SoCon before? Now the Mocs have a clearer path to the autobid than before with more geographical friendly games with Samford, WCU, Mercer and ETSU on the schedule.

(08-31-2015 02:02 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 08:24 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:58 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:43 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 05:51 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  My bet is on Kennesaw State simply because they play football and are adjacent to the footprint. No one is leaving the MVFC for the OVC, so that rules out everyone to the north. The OVC has to like being at a 9/12 alignment.

OVC (*non-football member)
Jacksonville St (AL)/Kennesaw St
Tenn Tech/Morehead St (KY)*
Belmont*/Tenn St
SIUE*/Eastern Illinois
Murray St/SE Missouri St
Austin Peay/Tenn-Martin

Would they look at Chattanooga again, or is that boat off the horizon?

That's a sobering question to ask: what do you want out of a conference? Where is SoCon now and where is OVC?

I think OVC can probably take anyone they want out of ASun, Big South, and maybe Southland. It would be fascinating if OVC was "good enough" for some of those MEAC schools to consider taking the flack from their alumni to depart.

I'd think the OVC's relative stability makes them more attractive to Chattanooga than it might have been even three years ago. But as NoDak points out, now that ETSU is back as a football-playing member of the SoCon, that's a consideration. Would a newly minted FCS program be worth the effort to get Chatt as well? If nothing else, it would take care of any travel partner questions right out of the gate.

I think the MEAC is too far away for any of their schools to be a serious consideration for the OVC. The closest school to an OVC school would be, what, North Carolina A&T or South Carolina State? And South Carolina State is more likely to drop athletics than it is to move conferences at this point. Would Tennessee State want more HBCU representation, or are they happy as things are?

To me, the more interesting issue is what happens to the South FCS conferences if Coastal Carolina moves to the Sun Belt. Does the SoCon raid the Big South and try to put them out of business (or force a merger with the Atlantic Sun while dropping football sponsorship)? With no Coastal Carolina, the Big South drops to six football members (four full, two affiliate) — with Liberty trying to jump to FBS by any means necessary, and Kennesaw State a likely candidate for a conference better than the Big South down the line. Plus there's no backfills unless D2 schools move up, and that's no sure thing, none of the nonfootball-playing members are starting programs, and Campbell would probably consider moving only if the Big South went to no or greatly reduced scholarships.

Why would the OVC be a better option for Chattanooga now versus when they tried to lure them out of the SoCon before? Now the Mocs have a clearer path to the autobid than before with more geographical friendly games with Samford, WCU, Mercer and ETSU on the schedule.

I was really hoping James Madison took a walk from CAA this summer to FBS. What effects that would have had on CAA/F, SoCon, Patriot, Big South, A-Sun, maybe OVC...all could have been impacted by the move. If nothing else, I suspect CAA would have gone after Furman again. And if Furman left, where would that have left SoCon?

I mean, it *has* to be on the minds at some of these SoCon schools that they have options or feel like they should keep channels open should certain landscapes change before them. Change the dynamic of SoCon in that way, and is it better for UTC or worse?

That aside, would UTC really need to take ETSU with them to OVC when Tennessee's already well represented in the conference?

(08-31-2015 08:41 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-31-2015 02:02 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 08:24 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:58 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:43 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Would they look at Chattanooga again, or is that boat off the horizon?

That's a sobering question to ask: what do you want out of a conference? Where is SoCon now and where is OVC?

I think OVC can probably take anyone they want out of ASun, Big South, and maybe Southland. It would be fascinating if OVC was "good enough" for some of those MEAC schools to consider taking the flack from their alumni to depart.

I'd think the OVC's relative stability makes them more attractive to Chattanooga than it might have been even three years ago. But as NoDak points out, now that ETSU is back as a football-playing member of the SoCon, that's a consideration. Would a newly minted FCS program be worth the effort to get Chatt as well? If nothing else, it would take care of any travel partner questions right out of the gate.

I think the MEAC is too far away for any of their schools to be a serious consideration for the OVC. The closest school to an OVC school would be, what, North Carolina A&T or South Carolina State? And South Carolina State is more likely to drop athletics than it is to move conferences at this point. Would Tennessee State want more HBCU representation, or are they happy as things are?

To me, the more interesting issue is what happens to the South FCS conferences if Coastal Carolina moves to the Sun Belt. Does the SoCon raid the Big South and try to put them out of business (or force a merger with the Atlantic Sun while dropping football sponsorship)? With no Coastal Carolina, the Big South drops to six football members (four full, two affiliate) — with Liberty trying to jump to FBS by any means necessary, and Kennesaw State a likely candidate for a conference better than the Big South down the line. Plus there's no backfills unless D2 schools move up, and that's no sure thing, none of the nonfootball-playing members are starting programs, and Campbell would probably consider moving only if the Big South went to no or greatly reduced scholarships.

Why would the OVC be a better option for Chattanooga now versus when they tried to lure them out of the SoCon before? Now the Mocs have a clearer path to the autobid than before with more geographical friendly games with Samford, WCU, Mercer and ETSU on the schedule.

I was really hoping James Madison took a walk from CAA this summer to FBS. What effects that would have had on CAA/F, SoCon, Patriot, Big South, A-Sun, maybe OVC...all could have been impacted by the move. If nothing else, I suspect CAA would have gone after Furman again. And if Furman left, where would that have left SoCon?

I mean, it *has* to be on the minds at some of these SoCon schools that they have options or feel like they should keep channels open should certain landscapes change before them. Change the dynamic of SoCon in that way, and is it better for UTC or worse?

That aside, would UTC really need to take ETSU with them to OVC when Tennessee's already well represented in the conference?

Probably the last team to leave the SoCon would be Furman. They have been the driving force behind just about every membership move the SoCon has taken.

(08-31-2015 08:41 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-31-2015 02:02 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 08:24 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:58 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-30-2015 07:43 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  Would they look at Chattanooga again, or is that boat off the horizon?

That's a sobering question to ask: what do you want out of a conference? Where is SoCon now and where is OVC?

I think OVC can probably take anyone they want out of ASun, Big South, and maybe Southland. It would be fascinating if OVC was "good enough" for some of those MEAC schools to consider taking the flack from their alumni to depart.

I'd think the OVC's relative stability makes them more attractive to Chattanooga than it might have been even three years ago. But as NoDak points out, now that ETSU is back as a football-playing member of the SoCon, that's a consideration. Would a newly minted FCS program be worth the effort to get Chatt as well? If nothing else, it would take care of any travel partner questions right out of the gate.

I think the MEAC is too far away for any of their schools to be a serious consideration for the OVC. The closest school to an OVC school would be, what, North Carolina A&T or South Carolina State? And South Carolina State is more likely to drop athletics than it is to move conferences at this point. Would Tennessee State want more HBCU representation, or are they happy as things are?

To me, the more interesting issue is what happens to the South FCS conferences if Coastal Carolina moves to the Sun Belt. Does the SoCon raid the Big South and try to put them out of business (or force a merger with the Atlantic Sun while dropping football sponsorship)? With no Coastal Carolina, the Big South drops to six football members (four full, two affiliate) — with Liberty trying to jump to FBS by any means necessary, and Kennesaw State a likely candidate for a conference better than the Big South down the line. Plus there's no backfills unless D2 schools move up, and that's no sure thing, none of the nonfootball-playing members are starting programs, and Campbell would probably consider moving only if the Big South went to no or greatly reduced scholarships.

Why would the OVC be a better option for Chattanooga now versus when they tried to lure them out of the SoCon before? Now the Mocs have a clearer path to the autobid than before with more geographical friendly games with Samford, WCU, Mercer and ETSU on the schedule.

I was really hoping James Madison took a walk from CAA this summer to FBS. What effects that would have had on CAA/F, SoCon, Patriot, Big South, A-Sun, maybe OVC...all could have been impacted by the move. If nothing else, I suspect CAA would have gone after Furman again. And if Furman left, where would that have left SoCon?

I mean, it *has* to be on the minds at some of these SoCon schools that they have options or feel like they should keep channels open should certain landscapes change before them. Change the dynamic of SoCon in that way, and is it better for UTC or worse?

That aside, would UTC really need to take ETSU with them to OVC when Tennessee's already well represented in the conference?

Chattanooga would have a spot in the Sun Belt in the future if the Sun Belt gets raided even more. They do have options because of their TV market.

(08-31-2015 09:37 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  Probably the last team to leave the SoCon would be Furman. They have been the driving force behind just about every membership move the SoCon has taken.

I didn't get the impression Furman told CAA where they could stick it when they approached them some years ago. Or that it was a more diplomatic "thank you, we'll call if we need to." It sounded like it might have been a little serious, but to what extent, I've not heard or read.

And who knows with these things. Some schools talk and make it public without having any expectation of going anywhere but stirring up enough crap to get concessions out of it. I've heard the UTC-OVC thing described as both serious interest and just to get another local school onto the SoCon schedule. Some were saying Elon and CoC were "concessions" to UNCW in CAA (goofy, since the prizes were Davidson and Furman), but where was UNCW really going to go, you know?

(08-31-2015 02:14 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(08-31-2015 09:37 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  Probably the last team to leave the SoCon would be Furman. They have been the driving force behind just about every membership move the SoCon has taken.

I didn't get the impression Furman told CAA where they could stick it when they approached them some years ago. Or that it was a more diplomatic "thank you, we'll call if we need to." It sounded like it might have been a little serious, but to what extent, I've not heard or read.

And who knows with these things. Some schools talk and make it public without having any expectation of going anywhere but stirring up enough crap to get concessions out of it. I've heard the UTC-OVC thing described as both serious interest and just to get another local school onto the SoCon schedule. Some were saying Elon and CoC were "concessions" to UNCW in CAA (goofy, since the prizes were Davidson and Furman), but where was UNCW really going to go, you know?

Had CoC and Davidson stayed in the SoCon, I could have seen UNCW migrating there. The CAA lost East Carolina and was about to lose Old Dominion; meanwhile, with the exception of Georgia State (which also left), the CAA's expansion eyes were firmly cast to the northeast. UNCW was transitioning from the southern point of the conference to an island. A SoCon with CofC, Furman and The Citadel would have looked ... maybe not attractive, but suddenly more desirable than a CAA that kept adding northeastern schools (including Northeastern).