JMU will go FBS soon, according to their coach Matt Houston. Won't be to the Sun Belt, but they are obviously gunning for CUSA or the AAC, but the MAC would be acceptable. Think FBS independence might be possible too, especially if more CAA schools make the jump. JMU wants CAA type schools academically, and that's what holding them from going to the Sun Belt. Even staying in the CAA but playing Liberty, EKU, and Jax St would probably meet their admins academic requirements, if a CUSA or AAC bid can reasonably be expectedly later.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca...560269001/

Won't be AAC

(08-21-2017 04:41 PM)NoDak Wrote:  JMU will go FBS soon, according to their coach Matt Houston. Won't be to the Sun Belt, but they are obviously gunning for CUSA or the AAC, but the MAC would be acceptable. Think FBS independence might be possible too, especially if more CAA schools make the jump. JMU wants CAA type schools academically, and that's what holding them from going to the Sun Belt. Even staying in the CAA but playing Liberty, EKU, and Jax St would probably meet their admins academic requirements, if a CUSA or AAC bid can reasonably be expectedly later.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca...560269001/

Not sure about sure where Coach Houston saying "Soon". He said if a conference offer would happen, JMU would jump. Not sure anyone is looking to add any teams in the near future. Did not see anywhere about going independent.

Although no formal discussions have occurred, Houston said the idea of moving up to the FBS has crossed his mind.

“There’s been a lot of talk, and the talk is legitimate,” Houston said. “I think JMU is a very attractive institution for a lot of the FBS conferences, because our entire athletic program operates at a pretty high level. … If that opportunity comes to us, I think JMU would enthusiastically transition and would not hesitate.”

(08-21-2017 04:41 PM)NoDak Wrote:  JMU will go FBS soon, according to their coach Matt Houston.

BZZZZZT. Wrong. He didn't say that.

Quote:“There’s been a lot of talk, and the talk is legitimate,” Houston said. “I think JMU is a very attractive institution for a lot of the FBS conferences, because our entire athletic program operates at a pretty high level. … If that opportunity comes to us, I think JMU would enthusiastically transition and would not hesitate.”

IF the opportunity comes along. IF.

Meanwhile, the opportunity came along, and JMU's administration passed because they're too good for the Sun Belt. Since nobody else is looking to expand, JMU will be staying in FCS for the next decade or so.

People around that program have been saying the same thing for like ten years now. They've used it for recruiting, and they've used it for fundraising, and it was all a load of crap. Until the university president says it's happening, just ignore it.

(08-21-2017 04:41 PM)NoDak Wrote:  JMU will go FBS soon, according to their coach Matt Houston. Won't be to the Sun Belt, but they are obviously gunning for CUSA or the AAC, but the MAC would be acceptable. Think FBS independence might be possible too, especially if more CAA schools make the jump. JMU wants CAA type schools academically, and that's what holding them from going to the Sun Belt. Even staying in the CAA but playing Liberty, EKU, and Jax St would probably meet their admins academic requirements, if a CUSA or AAC bid can reasonably be expectedly later.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca...560269001/

JMU can't afford to pay teams to play them as an indy. JMU would need a place to play its Olympic sports, as the CAA would eject them. The Belt has multiple schools with better academic profiles than any of the schools you mentioned. The AAC won't take them. The MAC has already turned them down. CUSA is full. The Belt probably isn't interested anymore. The CAA isn't moving up period. Richmond has the money but doesn't have the enrollment to support FBS (and they like being in the A-10) and they'd need facilities. W&M doesn't have facilities and there's no interest in moving up. Delaware has the enrollment, but would need facilities. Rhode Island isn't moving up. Villanova could move up, but is focused on basketball. Maine and NH....not moving up. Towson? Not interested. Elon? Not big enough. Stony Brook? Maybe. So AFAIK, there's about a billion bucks of facilities needed to just bring these teams up to a minimum level in FBS.

I don't know what the coach at JMU is saying, but I just don't see it anymore.

(08-21-2017 05:07 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(08-21-2017 04:41 PM)NoDak Wrote:  JMU will go FBS soon, according to their coach Matt Houston. Won't be to the Sun Belt, but they are obviously gunning for CUSA or the AAC, but the MAC would be acceptable. Think FBS independence might be possible too, especially if more CAA schools make the jump. JMU wants CAA type schools academically, and that's what holding them from going to the Sun Belt. Even staying in the CAA but playing Liberty, EKU, and Jax St would probably meet their admins academic requirements, if a CUSA or AAC bid can reasonably be expectedly later.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca...560269001/

JMU can't afford to pay teams to play them as an indy. JMU would need a place to play its Olympic sports, as the CAA would eject them. The Belt has multiple schools with better academic profiles than any of the schools you mentioned. The AAC won't take them. The MAC has already turned them down. CUSA is full. The Belt probably isn't interested anymore. The CAA isn't moving up period.

The CAA didn't eject Hofstra and Northeastern for dropping football, so they have hardly a leg to stand on if JMU withdraws for fb only and goes FBS. With Liberty and UMass and Army already independent, with a few more teams they could schedule as an independent at little cost.

(08-21-2017 04:41 PM)NoDak Wrote:  JMU will go FBS soon, according to their coach Matt Houston. Won't be to the Sun Belt, but they are obviously gunning for CUSA or the AAC, but the MAC would be acceptable. Think FBS independence might be possible too, especially if more CAA schools make the jump. JMU wants CAA type schools academically, and that's what holding them from going to the Sun Belt. Even staying in the CAA but playing Liberty, EKU, and Jax St would probably meet their admins academic requirements, if a CUSA or AAC bid can reasonably be expectedly later.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca...560269001/

Obviously they are joining the Great Northern Conference. All but says it.

FCS schools want FBS before the next CFP negotiations otherwise they need to wait another decade. At the same time the Big12 almost certainly implodes so there will be another realignment. Its now or never. The "soon" is IMHO and the JMU admin knows it. Why would Coach Houston talk about FBS so openly if it isn't being seriously considered?

(08-21-2017 05:22 PM)NoDak Wrote:  FCS schools want FBS before the next CFP negotiations otherwise they need to wait another decade. At the same time the Big12 almost certainly implodes so there will be another realignment. Its now or never. The "soon" is IMHO and the JMU admin knows it. Why would Coach Houston talk about FBS so openly if it isn't being seriously considered?

To aid recruiting. I think there is really nothng to it. JMU missed the last bus for a long time. 2024 will be the next opportunity...maybe. And if an FBS opportunity comes knocking at the door---Its very likely to be the Sunbelt again. I know JMU thinks they are too good---but if they had made the jump to the Sunbelt when invited, in 2024 they might have had enough success to have a real shot of moving up to one of the conferences they profess a desire to join. Frankly, I think their pig headed "too good" attitude will leave them in FCS (which very well may be exactly want the administration frankly prefers).

Nothing has changed. The MAC is the most likely, since Buffalo, Ohio U and Miami U are seen as close to peers. Would be easier if UMass were still a member.

I would not rule out the AAC if/when the B12 exodus and subsequent back fill begins. I could see ODU, UAB and JMU all being roped into the the AAC as replacements for the likes of say USF (or UCF), Houston, Cincy, and maybe UConn.

Prospects for JMU as an FBS independent are kind of bleak. To get to 12 games they'd need:

Liberty
UMass
NMSU
FCS home game
P5 away game
P5 away game
plus 6 more

Maybe NMSU and the other 2 indies would be willing to do an in-season home & home like Liberty and NMSU are doing in '18 & '19.

As for joining a conference they would pretty much need C-USA East to break away to form a regional conference in order to get an invite.

(08-21-2017 05:36 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Nothing has changed. The MAC is the most likely, since Buffalo, Ohio U and Miami U are seen as close to peers. Would be easier if UMass were still a member.

I would not rule out the AAC if/when the B12 exodus and subsequent back fill begins. I could see ODU, UAB and JMU all being roped into the the AAC as replacements for the likes of say USF (or UCF), Houston, Cincy, and maybe UConn.

What incentive does the MAC have to add JMU?

They didn't want UMass as a football only and the addition of JMU and another divides a small pot 14 ways.

I disagree about backfill in the AAC. Think that conference is willing to shrink to 10 members if they lose two in order to try to maintain an image of being better than the rest of the G5. If they were to lose more than two members maybe the engage in some strategic replacements but I don't see JMU at the very top of that list.

It's the Liberty route or bust for them...no more open doors.

(08-21-2017 06:20 PM)I AM an Eagle! Wrote:  It's the Liberty route or bust for them...no more open doors.

I don't think the Liberty route is open to them.

Liberty had a pretty credible claim that they were A) financially capable of supporting FBS, even without a conference and B) kept out of FBS on religious grounds. That gave them a fairly credible case if they went to court against the NCAA.

James Madison had an FBS invite. They held out for a "better" one. Too bad, so sad, case dismissed.

Their message board right now has been a disaster area for the last 3-4 days because of the new TV "deal" that the CAA announced. Part of the deal was that one game would be done from every school in the league. The problem is, JMU only has one game on the package, and it is on CBS Sports Digital with their College Sports Live package, not a linear network. For a defending national champion, that is a disaster.

JMU currently only has two games on TV, a home game against Villanova and the ECU road opener (ESPN3). The rest of the games are on Stretch Internet online.

Almost 25 pages on the move: http://csnbbs.com/thread-785465-page-45.html

A coach saying this stuff is a total hail mary for a quick grab of recruits he couldn't otherwise attract. Nova's guy did this...it was a shame when his school shut the lights off on him. He lost most of the bites, too.

Madison's in the same boat. That deal is about as rotten as it gets. But, what will it take to get the Dukes to do something about it? Coach is tossing it up so the school still looks good, but gives the guy the opening to leave because the mixed messages.

So, who's the other team going to the MAC?

(08-21-2017 05:22 PM)NoDak Wrote:  FCS schools want FBS before the next CFP negotiations otherwise they need to wait another decade. At the same time the Big12 almost certainly implodes so there will be another realignment. Its now or never. The "soon" is IMHO and the JMU admin knows it. Why would Coach Houston talk about FBS so openly if it isn't being seriously considered?

Because Coach Houston is preparing for his next job at Houston.
Houston HC Houston.

(08-21-2017 09:33 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  A coach saying this stuff is a total hail mary for a quick grab of recruits he couldn't otherwise attract. Nova's guy did this...it was a shame when his school shut the lights off on him. He lost most of the bites, too.

Madison's in the same boat. That deal is about as rotten as it gets. But, what will it take to get the Dukes to do something about it? Coach is tossing it up so the school still looks good, but gives the guy the opening to leave because the mixed messages.

So, who's the other team going to the MAC?

UMASS

(08-21-2017 06:10 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(08-21-2017 05:36 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Nothing has changed. The MAC is the most likely, since Buffalo, Ohio U and Miami U are seen as close to peers. Would be easier if UMass were still a member.

I would not rule out the AAC if/when the B12 exodus and subsequent back fill begins. I could see ODU, UAB and JMU all being roped into the the AAC as replacements for the likes of say USF (or UCF), Houston, Cincy, and maybe UConn.

What incentive does the MAC have to add JMU?

They didn't want UMass as a football only and the addition of JMU and another divides a small pot 14 ways.

I disagree about backfill in the AAC. Think that conference is willing to shrink to 10 members if they lose two in order to try to maintain an image of being better than the rest of the G5. If they were to lose more than two members maybe the engage in some strategic replacements but I don't see JMU at the very top of that list.

replace EMU ... I really don;t think they will be able to hang on another 6 years. The financials, demographics and metrics are really bad for them.

The AAC might lose 3 or 4 schools (I am of the opinion the B12 will lose 4 to 6 schools, forcing them to back fill with 3 or 4 AAC schools plus maybe and MWC school and possibly BYU ... I just don't see Texas remaining after KU, OU and OSU bolt, and TCU might go with Texas, possibly also another school). That means the AAC is likely to be down to 9 schools, perhaps as few as 8. So they will have to back fill even to get to 10. But once gutted, they are likely to push to 12 simply to "not look weak."