I was looking up the 2003-2005 conference realignment and noticed that schools like UCF, USF, UCONN, FIU, and FAU had contradictory information about what their classification was. back then the NCAA had a two year transitional period, however I can't figure when precisely they joined.

The rules on transition were changed after Marshall moved up in 1997 in response to complaints that Marshall had loaded up on 1-A transfers in 1996 (subsequently going 15-0 that year) knowing they were moving up and the players didn't have to sit a year with their transfer. The MAC didn't like that Marshall brought in a level of talent that immediately dominated the conference and the big conferences didn't like the fact that players could transfer "down" and play immediately to only return right back to the 1-A level.

The rules requiring a transition period were implemented, I believe, in 1999. It was initially just that a team could not play in a bowl their first year, so many conferences excluded them from participating in the conference championship game.

(12-20-2015 07:34 PM)banker Wrote:  The rules on transition were changed after Marshall moved up in 1997 in response to complaints that Marshall had loaded up on 1-A transfers in 1996 (subsequently going 15-0 that year) knowing they were moving up and the players didn't have to sit a year with their transfer. The MAC didn't like that Marshall brought in a level of talent that immediately dominated the conference and the big conferences didn't like the fact that players could transfer "down" and play immediately to only return right back to the 1-A level.

The rules requiring a transition period were implemented, I believe, in 1999. It was initially just that a team could not play in a bowl their first year, so many conferences excluded them from participating in the conference championship game.

This is absolutely correct. Cheers!

Marshall: Gaming The System since 1996!


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UCF transitioned before that.

(12-20-2015 09:17 PM)PurpleReigns2012 Wrote:  Marshall: Gaming The System since 1996!


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Actually since 1971 when we got the rules concerning freshman eligibility changed.

(12-20-2015 07:34 PM)banker Wrote:  The rules on transition were changed after Marshall moved up in 1997 in response to complaints that Marshall had loaded up on 1-A transfers in 1996 (subsequently going 15-0 that year) knowing they were moving up and the players didn't have to sit a year with their transfer. The MAC didn't like that Marshall brought in a level of talent that immediately dominated the conference and the big conferences didn't like the fact that players could transfer "down" and play immediately to only return right back to the 1-A level.

The rules requiring a transition period were implemented, I believe, in 1999. It was initially just that a team could not play in a bowl their first year, so many conferences excluded them from participating in the conference championship game.

from what I can tell there is at least a two year transition rule. I'm just seeing a lot of these schools listed as FBS independents, and non FBS members in the same year by different websites