(01-29-2021 08:21 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  The OVC should stand.

We are seeing FCS conferences trend toward 6 or 7 as that is enough to get you an AQ. More may look snazzier, but it doesn't get you an extra bid. This is becoming critical as two more conference appear reducing the at-large.

The OVC stand at 7, the SLC stand at 8 (down from 13), the Big South drop down to 7, the ASUN start at 6 (in a year), the WAC come in at 7. The NEC at 8, the Patriot at 7. Even the Big sky dropped from 13 to 11.

Bigger is not better in the AQ dominated playoff access.

Also reducing the travel at the FCS is something for football. Dropping down to 6 or 7 is not safe if 1 or 2 schools get picked off. Than, your conference gets no AQ bid.

OVC Likely Expansion Targets

Youngstown State
Southern Illinois
Indiana State
Western Illnois
Chattanooga
East Tennessee State
Elon
SWAC teams
Big South teams


There is report in here that Chattanooga is looking to move. The SoCon have not been very good in football in recent years, and it is hurting the Mocs.

On WIU from WIU AD

Quote:“Things are shuffling and reshuffling and it’s happening very fast, right now everything is fluid,” Western Illinois Director of Athletics Danielle Surprenant told Scott Holland of The McDonough County Voice. “We’re seeing things happening with conference realignment and we’re all watching the impact it is having on college sports as a whole, especially since our program has FCS football.”

On Chatty from Kevin Marshall of FCS Nation Radio

Quote:"The OVC is hurting right now no doubt. We don't expect them to just take anyone they can get. Expect them to add quality to replace the departed members. Chattanooga has been rumored to be looking to move from the SoCon but did not do so in this round of realignment. Not sure how serious the Mocs are about leaving."

Here's an article from the WIU perspective

https://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/story/spo...386863001/

(02-05-2021 07:59 PM)solohawks Wrote:  Here's an article from the WIU perspective

https://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/story/spo...386863001/

Lotta words in that article for no new information.

(02-05-2021 07:45 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  OVC Likely Expansion Targets

Youngstown State
Southern Illinois
Indiana State
Western Illnois
Chattanooga
East Tennessee State
Elon
SWAC teams
Big South teams

The article did not say that. It just quoted some idiot who looked at a map and word-vomited a bunch of teams.

There is one school in that list who would move to the OVC.

(02-05-2021 08:34 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(02-05-2021 07:45 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  OVC Likely Expansion Targets

Youngstown State
Southern Illinois
Indiana State
Western Illnois
Chattanooga
East Tennessee State
Elon
SWAC teams
Big South teams

The article did not say that. It just quoted some idiot who looked at a map and word-vomited a bunch of teams.

There is one school in that list who would move to the OVC.

Youngstown and East Tennessee St. have been members before. WIU would consider it. No way the MVC schools would.

Chattanooga wouldn't leave the socon for a depleted ovc.

(01-29-2021 02:44 PM)UNAfied Wrote:  

(01-29-2021 02:17 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The great irony in all of this is it would have been all avoided had they just offered Kennesaw St and UNA full membership.

I was thinking about that earlier. I believe the board's lion1983 knows more about it than I do, but the OVC passed on us in I think 2011 or 2012, as we were otherwise ready to make the jump from D2 at that time. I'm pretty sure we had even been all but assured that an invitation was coming, before someone or multiple somones changed their mind. Supposedly Jacksonville State was upset about it, and maybe a few others (EKU?). From what I understand the OVC is where our administration preferred to be, by far. Thankfully the ASUN gave us the opportunity a few years later.

What I know and things I was told by people that was there,...

I know the OVC was looking to add UNA and NKU at the same time. That was 2011. We began talks in 2008.

2008- We (UNA) approached the OVC. They took another school... Wupemall can tell you more about that. No problem, they told us we would definitely be considered in the next expansion.

2011- UNA and NKU both wanted in the OVC... cant speak for NKU, but OVC officials stayed in Florence, I was beginning to think that they would put OVC headquarters here. They told UNA that we would definitely get in. Then, they added another school.

What I was told, Murray St and a couple of other basketball schools voted against UNA for Hope's of pulling in a basketball only school. They also voted against NKU and sited they didn't want that many D2 transition schools. EKU didnt vote against either...

What I do know is, that started some disconnect with JSU and EKU and the rest of the conference.

And for yall thinking that Tenn State may be an ASUN option, if that happened, JSU and EKU would both look elsewhere. That's another sour spot in the OVC... Tenn St gets what they want in the OVC, a playoff opportunity and Classic games... now they dont have to drop to less conference games to do it. They have it made... I'm sure JSU and EKU fans could elaborate on that.

And Austin Peay is not the ASUNs first choice. But probably top 3.

And Western Illinois would gladly take an invite to the OVC.

The OVC needs to be realistic with their expansion prospects. WIU is probably the only program with a football team that would hop on board that train.

(02-05-2021 08:07 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(02-05-2021 07:59 PM)solohawks Wrote:  Here's an article from the WIU perspective

https://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/story/spo...386863001/

Lotta words in that article for no new information.

I took the WIU statements as very generic and open ended. One thing it didn't include was a strong commitment to the Summit. The Summit was spoken very highly of with contentment and excitement for stability but to me there was a tone of openness to other options

Chatty isn't leaving the for the OVC

Call me crazy, but what if the OVC football schools migrated to the ASUN as either full or fb affiliates, and then the OVC took on Lipscomb and Bellarmine and then expanded as a basketball conference.

(02-06-2021 10:42 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Call me crazy, but what if the OVC football schools migrated to the ASUN as either full or fb affiliates, and then the OVC took on Lipscomb and Bellarmine and then expanded as a basketball conference.

Now we're talking. Might be able to save MurraySt and Belmont.

OVC conference for men's basketball is a joke. They are more FCS football conference better. Whoever in that conference thinks their conference is basketball first conference needs their butts kick. They need to build on both football and men's basketball with schools who think of both as being important.

Since the private MVC keeps blocking football schools from joining that conference, OVC should target Southern Illinois, Illinois State, Western Illinois, Indiana State and Youngstown State.
Northern Iowa and Missouri State to the Summit League which SL will take over the MVFC spot.

MVC can take Detroit-Mercy, Saint Thomas, UIC, Indiapolis, Lindenwood, Bellarmine and any non-football schools.

(02-05-2021 09:45 PM)cleburneslim Wrote:  Chattanooga wouldn't leave the socon for a depleted ovc.

I know. I think it only gets play because they toyed with SoCon over ETSU and tossed out this idea that OVC gave them all of these TN games.

To me, if UTC is saying anything, it’s probably fishing for another new western SoCon school.

Irony would also be that with these OVC schools leaving for ASun, watch Bellarmine waltz right on over for one of the open spots.

(02-07-2021 12:45 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(02-05-2021 09:45 PM)cleburneslim Wrote:  Chattanooga wouldn't leave the socon for a depleted ovc.

I know. I think it only gets play because they toyed with SoCon over ETSU and tossed out this idea that OVC gave them all of these TN games.

To me, if UTC is saying anything, it’s probably fishing for another new western SoCon school.

Irony would also be that with these OVC schools leaving for ASun, watch Bellarmine waltz right on over for one of the open spots.

They will have to do a Northern Kentucky and complete their D-II to D-I transition first

The Hypothetical question is, does Chatty leave the SoCon for the OVC or ASUN?

OVC- UTM, TTU, Tennessee State, Austin Peay, SEMO, Eastern Illinois, Murray State

Other than 1 or 2 Tennessee schools, is there any fan interest there?

ASUN- Jacksonville State, Kennessaw State, North Alabama, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky

Other than possibly Central Arkansas, I see fan interest all over. And maybe some interest in Central Arkansas, they have been good lately.

(01-29-2021 12:34 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  There is a move that improves football to Austin Peay's liking ... NOT
There is a move that improves basketball to Murray State and Belmont's liking ... NOT

The OVC should stand at 10. I would not move on any school unless it looked like two more were leaving.

It's more important to keep Belmont, Murray State and APSU happy. Adding junk schools that suck at football and basketball, have severe financial pinch doesn't do that.

There is no indication the MVC wants to expand, or importantly Belmont, the one school they might seriously consider as helping their chances at multiple bids, has any desire to leave the Tennessee heavy league. So why antagonize them or Murray State with another weak basketball school. Tennessee State has it's reasons not to join the SWAC; they have been asked again and again, always saying no, much like Belmont to the Horizon, SoCon and MVC.

The biggest flight risk seems to be Austin Peay. They are both decent at basketball and football. There is not much doubt they are the first target of the ASUN for next year to get that 6th football school. The Tennessee schools have held firm, but they will be tested.

The OVC could survive fine at 9 schools, 6 with football. So I would take my

Tennessee State was given a formal invite to the SWAC a grand total of ONE time and that was in 2010. I keep reading on this board that Tennessee State has constantly turned down the SWAC when that's false as hell. The SWAC considered Tennessee State in conference expansion in 1997 but those talks ended because Tennessee State was nervous about the political fallout of making that move. They never received a formal invite, instead those invitations went to Alabama A&M and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. FAMU, Morris Brown, and Savannah State were also considered. Tennessee State received a formal invite in December of 2010 but did not accept due to not having a full-time President at the time. Dr.Melvin Johnson was the full-time President when Tennessee State was in conversations with the SWAC which started in 2007. When the invite was finally sent in December of 2010, Dr.Johnson was no longer in office. The SWAC commissioner at that time Duer Sharpe absolutely butchered that deal. Tennessee State's invite was supposed to be sent in June of 2010 and announced in July of 2010 which didn't happen. Sharpe was backdoor talking to FAMU and dropped the ball completely on Tennessee State. If he'd not done that Tennessee State would've been in the SWAC by the 2012 season. Dr. Portia H. Shields was the interim President at Tennessee State starting January of 2011 and made it clear that she wouldn't be focusing on anything athletics wise. The invite sat until the SWAC rescinded it and she began an internal battle with others in the schools administration during her almost 9 year tenure as interim President which resulted in TSU athletics taking major hits. Tennessee State has not received any invites from the SWAC since that time.

(02-07-2021 08:07 AM)lion1983 Wrote:  The Hypothetical question is, does Chatty leave the SoCon for the OVC or ASUN?

OVC- UTM, TTU, Tennessee State, Austin Peay, SEMO, Eastern Illinois, Murray State

Other than 1 or 2 Tennessee schools, is there any fan interest there?

ASUN- Jacksonville State, Kennessaw State, North Alabama, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky

Other than possibly Central Arkansas, I see fan interest all over. And maybe some interest in Central Arkansas, they have been good lately.

I love the way you word this “other than one or two Tennessee schools.” Lol. Of course there is fan interest. Alumni and students know people that went/go to all of those Tennessee schools, which there are four. Plus, UT Martin is part of the same system so don’t diminish that fact.

I get it you obviously want “Chatty” in your new conference, but don’t gloss over fanbase facts like where the majority of students and alumni are from. I’ll give you a hint, it’s not the suburbs of Atlanta, Huntsville, or Kentucky.

I would be highly surprised (if not stunned) if Chattanooga leaves the Southern Conference for the OVC or ASUN.