(01-21-2021 12:01 PM)BKTopper Wrote: [ -> ] (01-21-2021 12:51 AM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote: [ -> ] (01-20-2021 10:16 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote: [ -> ] (01-19-2021 03:43 PM)The Cats Wrote: [ -> ] (01-19-2021 02:39 AM)Kit-Cat Wrote: [ -> ]They are positioning themselves to become a fall back FBS conference for programs that get left out of the CUSA/SBC shuffle.
ASun and the WAC in FBS would create a low major tier in FBS football much like there is a tier like that in NCAA basketball. More stratification in performance outside the P5.
The WAC has a "possible" entry into the FBS as a conference (being a former FBS conference), the ASUN does not, and Liberty's threat of "religious persecution" will not get the ASUN a waiver like it did Liberty.. 
Heck, the SoCon was a former 1A conference, it has a better chance of moving up as a conference than does the ASUN.
ULM and Troy could be left floating out there. Liberty is already in the ASun so that makes 3.
NMSU and UMass could be hired in as FB only schools.
Then the ASun could upgrade Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville St and voila.....you've got yourself an FBS conference. Actually need 8 all sport but could get a temp waiver.
This is not entirely different from where the SBC was sitting 7-8 years ago trying to rebuild.
I can assure you Troy wouldn’t get left behind by their current peers. That’s nonsense.
Sun Belt has a good thing going and is a stable conference. They have ZERO incentive to rearrange with CUSA if they don’t want to. In fact, in a few seasons, the Sun Belt could target top members of CUSA if they felt inclined.
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Never say never 
I don’t think it would have anything to do with the institution itself or athletic programs, since Troy is synonymous with football success.
More so, geography is the problem. I have a hard time seeing UAB wanting them or USA in a conference with them. So if realignment happens and UAB is not invited to the AAC it is highly doubtful they want to be in the same conference as USA/Troy.
I could be wrong, but if I’m not, then Troy’s only real option would be a TX-heavy western-based league made up of mostly C-USA west schools.
That only works if UTEP is gone, and the hypothetical league doesn’t have to reserve a spot for UTEP’s potential travel partner NMSU.
You can probably tell my thinking is heavily influenced by the idea of a C-USA split. That probably won’t happen, so Troy and USA are safe.
That also means Monroe is safe FOREVER 
I still think the CUSAE and SBC East could end up merging at some point in the future and the west divisions do the same, if the money doesn't come back for either. Question is does Troy/UAB swap in that scenario conferences
(01-21-2021 03:33 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote: [ -> ] (01-21-2021 12:01 PM)BKTopper Wrote: [ -> ] (01-21-2021 12:51 AM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote: [ -> ] (01-20-2021 10:16 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote: [ -> ] (01-19-2021 03:43 PM)The Cats Wrote: [ -> ]The WAC has a "possible" entry into the FBS as a conference (being a former FBS conference), the ASUN does not, and Liberty's threat of "religious persecution" will not get the ASUN a waiver like it did Liberty..
Heck, the SoCon was a former 1A conference, it has a better chance of moving up as a conference than does the ASUN.
ULM and Troy could be left floating out there. Liberty is already in the ASun so that makes 3.
NMSU and UMass could be hired in as FB only schools.
Then the ASun could upgrade Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville St and voila.....you've got yourself an FBS conference. Actually need 8 all sport but could get a temp waiver.
This is not entirely different from where the SBC was sitting 7-8 years ago trying to rebuild.
I can assure you Troy wouldn’t get left behind by their current peers. That’s nonsense.
Sun Belt has a good thing going and is a stable conference. They have ZERO incentive to rearrange with CUSA if they don’t want to. In fact, in a few seasons, the Sun Belt could target top members of CUSA if they felt inclined.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Never say never
I don’t think it would have anything to do with the institution itself or athletic programs, since Troy is synonymous with football success.
More so, geography is the problem. I have a hard time seeing UAB wanting them or USA in a conference with them. So if realignment happens and UAB is not invited to the AAC it is highly doubtful they want to be in the same conference as USA/Troy.
I could be wrong, but if I’m not, then Troy’s only real option would be a TX-heavy western-based league made up of mostly C-USA west schools.
That only works if UTEP is gone, and the hypothetical league doesn’t have to reserve a spot for UTEP’s potential travel partner NMSU.
You can probably tell my thinking is heavily influenced by the idea of a C-USA split. That probably won’t happen, so Troy and USA are safe.
That also means Monroe is safe FOREVER
I still think the CUSAE and SBC East could end up merging at some point in the future and the west divisions do the same, if the money doesn't come back for either. Question is does Troy/UAB swap in that scenario conferences
I think UAB would want to be in the East and we'd want them. Would Troy prefer to go East or West in your opinion? Seems like USA would make sense to join with the other Gulf coast schools which would likely be the west.
I would not be surprise if Youngstown State be in the running for ASUN North. They had the same goals as Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State to move to FBS. They can't do it being in the Horizon League.
(01-21-2021 02:45 PM)solohawks Wrote: [ -> ]Its been over 60 days since the news of 60 day discussions with Jax St, EKU, and UCA.
Only UCA is official. I wonder if that means the OVC held strong
Has it? That would suck.
(01-20-2021 02:56 PM)Stugray2 Wrote: [ -> ]There is not going to be another FBS conference. You guys have tortured Dr. Teague's remarks to fulfill your fantasies.
What he said is
1) Central Arkansas wants to start a move to FBS in 2-3 years
2) He "hopes" other schools are similarly interested
// he went off in happy dreamland about how that would be great, they'd join Liberty in a new ASUN FBS conference
// reminds me of Moccia making a happy dream comments, that it'd be great if the WAC schools wanted to go FBS giving his NMSU a home
3) He mentioned that Sam Houston has expressed interest in getting to FBS (eventually)
// but he tempered his comments on the above (both conferences IMO) saying some schools are moving for basketball.
Moccia made a more sober remark, that possibly one or two of the moving schools might move up to FBS in the future.
That does not constitute a conference moving up. And there is no mechanism for such to happen anyway. Not even the WAC, despite the "loophole" in the ByLaws. The powers that be will gatekeep any move up schools. They made Liberty jump through hopes, demonstrate the financial resources and commitment to schedule as an Independent for the better part of a decade to get a waiver from the conference invite rule. All these move up fantasies ignore that. The WAC loophole can be removed as soon as it looks like it's about to be invoked, or it can be ruled not to be applicable. None of the G5 want an additional G5 conference, and the P5 are already annoyed there are so many G5 schools.
Central Arkansas is no doubt looking at Coastal Carolina and thinking they can do the same thing. But their problem is that Arkansas has less football talent than South Carolina and there's already a G5 school in the state recruiting that talent. Coastal is in a better position being the only G5 school in a state for kids who don't want to leave and don't have Clemson/USC offers.
Central Arkansas would be, I believe, the second smallest FBS public school after UL-Monroe. They're about the same size as Coastal. While it's near Little Rock and maybe some FBS games will draw people from Little Rock to care, it's not a school that has a deep tradition of being Little Rock's team -- after all, there is UALR, and they're not much of an attraction for basketball.
UCA should focus on being a good FCS program. I'd love to know what their leadership is thinking and what their strategic plan is, if they even have one.
Maybe things have sputtered out with the OVC schools. It would sure help if some current schools like UNF and FGCU would commit to football
(01-21-2021 03:38 PM)mturn017 Wrote: [ -> ]....
(01-21-2021 03:33 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote: [ -> ]I still think the CUSAE and SBC East could end up merging at some point in the future and the west divisions do the same, if the money doesn't come back for either. Question is does Troy/UAB swap in that scenario conferences
I think UAB would want to be in the East and we'd want them. Would Troy prefer to go East or West in your opinion? Seems like USA would make sense to join with the other Gulf coast schools which would likely be the west.
I agree on UAB. I think if a CUSA break away happens it will be the East (but not the Florida schools) plus UAB. They would likely go for Liberty and the two of strongest brands in the SBC close by, App State and Georgia Southern.
But they need a 7th CUSA school for continuity and a 10th. They would need a TV contract to make it worth the bother, which might override the 7th, instead targeting Jame Madison from the Colonial.
But no TV deal, no break away.
(01-21-2021 06:31 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote: [ -> ] (01-20-2021 02:56 PM)Stugray2 Wrote: [ -> ]There is not going to be another FBS conference. You guys have tortured Dr. Teague's remarks to fulfill your fantasies.
What he said is
1) Central Arkansas wants to start a move to FBS in 2-3 years
2) He "hopes" other schools are similarly interested
// he went off in happy dreamland about how that would be great, they'd join Liberty in a new ASUN FBS conference
// reminds me of Moccia making a happy dream comments, that it'd be great if the WAC schools wanted to go FBS giving his NMSU a home
3) He mentioned that Sam Houston has expressed interest in getting to FBS (eventually)
// but he tempered his comments on the above (both conferences IMO) saying some schools are moving for basketball.
Moccia made a more sober remark, that possibly one or two of the moving schools might move up to FBS in the future.
That does not constitute a conference moving up. And there is no mechanism for such to happen anyway. Not even the WAC, despite the "loophole" in the ByLaws. The powers that be will gatekeep any move up schools. They made Liberty jump through hopes, demonstrate the financial resources and commitment to schedule as an Independent for the better part of a decade to get a waiver from the conference invite rule. All these move up fantasies ignore that. The WAC loophole can be removed as soon as it looks like it's about to be invoked, or it can be ruled not to be applicable. None of the G5 want an additional G5 conference, and the P5 are already annoyed there are so many G5 schools.
Central Arkansas is no doubt looking at Coastal Carolina and thinking they can do the same thing. But their problem is that Arkansas has less football talent than South Carolina and there's already a G5 school in the state recruiting that talent. Coastal is in a better position being the only G5 school in a state for kids who don't want to leave and don't have Clemson/USC offers.
Central Arkansas would be, I believe, the second smallest FBS public school after UL-Monroe. They're about the same size as Coastal. While it's near Little Rock and maybe some FBS games will draw people from Little Rock to care, it's not a school that has a deep tradition of being Little Rock's team -- after all, there is UALR, and they're not much of an attraction for basketball.
UCA should focus on being a good FCS program. I'd love to know what their leadership is thinking and what their strategic plan is, if they even have one.
Their AD sounded a little delusional in that one interview, saying FBS could happen in 2-3 years. I’m not sure how much logic is going into their decisions — their rationale seems to be from an alternate reality.
(01-21-2021 03:38 PM)mturn017 Wrote: [ -> ] (01-21-2021 03:33 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote: [ -> ] (01-21-2021 12:01 PM)BKTopper Wrote: [ -> ] (01-21-2021 12:51 AM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote: [ -> ] (01-20-2021 10:16 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote: [ -> ]ULM and Troy could be left floating out there. Liberty is already in the ASun so that makes 3.
NMSU and UMass could be hired in as FB only schools.
Then the ASun could upgrade Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville St and voila.....you've got yourself an FBS conference. Actually need 8 all sport but could get a temp waiver.
This is not entirely different from where the SBC was sitting 7-8 years ago trying to rebuild.
I can assure you Troy wouldn’t get left behind by their current peers. That’s nonsense.
Sun Belt has a good thing going and is a stable conference. They have ZERO incentive to rearrange with CUSA if they don’t want to. In fact, in a few seasons, the Sun Belt could target top members of CUSA if they felt inclined.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Never say never
I don’t think it would have anything to do with the institution itself or athletic programs, since Troy is synonymous with football success.
More so, geography is the problem. I have a hard time seeing UAB wanting them or USA in a conference with them. So if realignment happens and UAB is not invited to the AAC it is highly doubtful they want to be in the same conference as USA/Troy.
I could be wrong, but if I’m not, then Troy’s only real option would be a TX-heavy western-based league made up of mostly C-USA west schools.
That only works if UTEP is gone, and the hypothetical league doesn’t have to reserve a spot for UTEP’s potential travel partner NMSU.
You can probably tell my thinking is heavily influenced by the idea of a C-USA split. That probably won’t happen, so Troy and USA are safe.
That also means Monroe is safe FOREVER
I still think the CUSAE and SBC East could end up merging at some point in the future and the west divisions do the same, if the money doesn't come back for either. Question is does Troy/UAB swap in that scenario conferences
I think UAB would want to be in the East and we'd want them. Would Troy prefer to go East or West in your opinion? Seems like USA would make sense to join with the other Gulf coast schools which would likely be the west.
I think Troy would be torn so I’m not sure, but if I have to make an educated guess I would say West. Having a division where South, Southern Miss, Louisiana, stAte, and ULM all play yearly is interesting because it’s very convenient travel and our traditional peers. I would say baseball is important to us and having Rice, Texas State, USM, USA, Louisiana all for baseball is good too. I know EL Paso is an outlier of a city but there isn’t frequent travel there so I think it can work more so than yearly trips to southern Florida.
In a 12/12 split I think we would stay with the people we been longest, those mentioned above. It would suck losing the Ga Southern, App State, Ga State, and CCU games but that can be done OOC in football.
That’s my educated guess at least.
(01-21-2021 07:11 PM)Stugray2 Wrote: [ -> ] (01-21-2021 03:38 PM)mturn017 Wrote: [ -> ]....
(01-21-2021 03:33 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote: [ -> ]I still think the CUSAE and SBC East could end up merging at some point in the future and the west divisions do the same, if the money doesn't come back for either. Question is does Troy/UAB swap in that scenario conferences
I think UAB would want to be in the East and we'd want them. Would Troy prefer to go East or West in your opinion? Seems like USA would make sense to join with the other Gulf coast schools which would likely be the west.
I agree on UAB. I think if a CUSA break away happens it will be the East (but not the Florida schools) plus UAB. They would likely go for Liberty and the two of strongest brands in the SBC close by, App State and Georgia Southern.
But they need a 7th CUSA school for continuity and a 10th. They would need a TV contract to make it worth the bother, which might override the 7th, instead targeting Jame Madison from the Colonial.
But no TV deal, no break away.
I think more Sun Belt people would be more open to a merging and dividing of teams if CUSA could offer those 4 or 5 who go that way a better TV contracts. I also think they way bowls are done are in CUSA’s favor so that would also need to be addressed for the teams “joining” the SBC
I think the egos and politics are going to stop these things from happening for better or for worse.
(01-21-2021 07:24 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote: [ -> ] (01-21-2021 06:31 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote: [ -> ] (01-20-2021 02:56 PM)Stugray2 Wrote: [ -> ]There is not going to be another FBS conference. You guys have tortured Dr. Teague's remarks to fulfill your fantasies.
What he said is
1) Central Arkansas wants to start a move to FBS in 2-3 years
2) He "hopes" other schools are similarly interested
// he went off in happy dreamland about how that would be great, they'd join Liberty in a new ASUN FBS conference
// reminds me of Moccia making a happy dream comments, that it'd be great if the WAC schools wanted to go FBS giving his NMSU a home
3) He mentioned that Sam Houston has expressed interest in getting to FBS (eventually)
// but he tempered his comments on the above (both conferences IMO) saying some schools are moving for basketball.
Moccia made a more sober remark, that possibly one or two of the moving schools might move up to FBS in the future.
That does not constitute a conference moving up. And there is no mechanism for such to happen anyway. Not even the WAC, despite the "loophole" in the ByLaws. The powers that be will gatekeep any move up schools. They made Liberty jump through hopes, demonstrate the financial resources and commitment to schedule as an Independent for the better part of a decade to get a waiver from the conference invite rule. All these move up fantasies ignore that. The WAC loophole can be removed as soon as it looks like it's about to be invoked, or it can be ruled not to be applicable. None of the G5 want an additional G5 conference, and the P5 are already annoyed there are so many G5 schools.
Central Arkansas is no doubt looking at Coastal Carolina and thinking they can do the same thing. But their problem is that Arkansas has less football talent than South Carolina and there's already a G5 school in the state recruiting that talent. Coastal is in a better position being the only G5 school in a state for kids who don't want to leave and don't have Clemson/USC offers.
Central Arkansas would be, I believe, the second smallest FBS public school after UL-Monroe. They're about the same size as Coastal. While it's near Little Rock and maybe some FBS games will draw people from Little Rock to care, it's not a school that has a deep tradition of being Little Rock's team -- after all, there is UALR, and they're not much of an attraction for basketball.
UCA should focus on being a good FCS program. I'd love to know what their leadership is thinking and what their strategic plan is, if they even have one.
Their AD sounded a little delusional in that one interview, saying FBS could happen in 2-3 years. I’m not sure how much logic is going into their decisions — their rationale seems to be from an alternate reality.
He back tracked and said later date.
ASUN FOOTBALL
North Alabama - Kennesaw St. - EKU - Jax St. - C. Arkansas - Chattanooga - E. Tennessee St. - W. Carolina - North Florida - West Florida
ASUN OLYMPIC SPORTS TEAMS
Liberty - Lipscomb - Bellarmine - FGCU - Jax - Stetson
That’s a pretty dang good conference, dad-gummit!
There's no chance the SoCon publics split off. Again I'll make am avatar bet. Just zero chance of it. It's almost bonkers that people keep pulling it from imagination land.
(01-23-2021 10:34 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote: [ -> ]There's no chance the SoCon publics split off. Again I'll make am avatar bet. Just zero chance of it. It's almost bonkers that people keep pulling it from imagination land.
You are 100% correct. WCU and ETSU will not go, and Chatty would only leave for an FBS conference, with the recent records of the Sun Belt, they might go there if asked again.
I know Western could not afford the $1 million buy-out to leave the conference......
(01-23-2021 11:09 AM)The Cats Wrote: [ -> ] (01-23-2021 10:34 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote: [ -> ]There's no chance the SoCon publics split off. Again I'll make am avatar bet. Just zero chance of it. It's almost bonkers that people keep pulling it from imagination land.
You are 100% correct. WCU and ETSU will not go, and Chatty would only leave for an FBS conference, with the recent records of the Sun Belt, they might go there if asked again.
I know Western could not afford the $1 million buy-out to leave the conference......
True. But you gotta admit, an ASUN in that configuration would be a really good conference for those schools.
I hope ASUN and WAC pull it off. I am for more FBS not less. Also, I would like it to go back to regional conferences. While I doubt it happens, I would like to go to the back BCS computer rankings and just take the top two teams. Get rid of committees, go to the computer rankings and use all metrics including margin of win and SOS. Use all data, not remove any data points. I honestly prefer that including all conferences. One Tie-in for conference except B12 exemption. Make bowls mean something again. 50 million to each champ / 25 million to at large.
Rose - Big 10 vs Pac 12 (Tradition)
Orange ACC vs At-large
Cotton - Big 12 vs At-large
New Orleans - SEC vs At-large
Peach - AAC vs At -large
Fiesta G# or highest rated INDY not name ND vs At- large
WAC - Hawaii Bowl
Sun Belt - New Orleans Bowl
CUSA - Indy Bowl
MAC - Detroit
ASUN - Florida Site
Keep 14 bowls for at-large vs at-large bringing the number to 25 bowls. Based 50 bowl teams only.
The 60 days expired January 17th.
I can find no Board of Trustee meetings for any of the possible schools in the OVC (APSU, SMO, Murray, Jax State, EKU) or SoCon (UTC). On the flip side I can find nothing about any OVC meetings to smooth things out. So flying blind.
I am starting to think it's just Central Arkansas who will move this year to the ASUN and be in Big South football. We can put nails in the coffin for this year around mid-March.
you're all forgetting how EXTREMELY funny it would be to drag ETSU back to the ASUN after they spent about a decade trapped with us before finally getting sprung from the clink to go home to the SoCon.
Yeah, but it would be a completely different ASUN
A poster on the EKU board is reporting its a done deal with EKU, Jax St, and Austin Peay as school #4, #5, and #6 to be announced soon.
https://www.maroon-nation.com/forum/view...&start=180
If that is true then the ASun will have a nice tight group of 5 football schools and 2 non football schools plus 1 slight outlier that doesn't have a better option
Austin Peay
EKU
Jax St
UNA
Kennesaw
UCA
Lipscomb
Bellarmine
Those 8 would join with the 4 FL schools and Liberty to form a 13 team conference.
However, the OVC will need to expand. Western Illinois is the most logical option fill one of the football gaps, but there aren't any others for the other 2. I could see Belmont pushing for Lipscomb to take one of the now open slots.
That would put the Asun at 12 and allow Kennesaw to be in the FL/Liberty division with the other 6 in a tight KY/TN/AL footprint with UCA as an outlier with nowhere better to go