(10-20-2026 10:46 AM)SMUfan Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 10:12 AM)JTApps1 Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 07:30 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  I was curious to see how much farther north U of Delaware is compared to Ohio U. Surprised they are almost parallel.

Makes the decision easier to put:

Ohio U and Delaware in the east and WKU in the west. Deal done.

Since you brought it up...

Ohio is on average just under 7 hours and 425 miles from the East members. Delaware is 8:45 hours and 525 miles away. Arkansas State is the closest West member to Ohio at 10 hrs and 635 miles. Troy is the closest to Delaware at 14.5 hours and 930 miles.

That doesn't sound very good.

So why not negotiate with the 2 best football candidates in the footprint? ((psss keep it quiet, don't tell anybody, that's Liberty and Jax State.))

Well, we need 1 or 3, not 2.

(10-20-2026 10:55 AM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 10:46 AM)SMUfan Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 10:12 AM)JTApps1 Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 07:30 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  I was curious to see how much farther north U of Delaware is compared to Ohio U. Surprised they are almost parallel.

Makes the decision easier to put:

Ohio U and Delaware in the east and WKU in the west. Deal done.

Since you brought it up...

Ohio is on average just under 7 hours and 425 miles from the East members. Delaware is 8:45 hours and 525 miles away. Arkansas State is the closest West member to Ohio at 10 hrs and 635 miles. Troy is the closest to Delaware at 14.5 hours and 930 miles.

That doesn't sound very good.

So why not negotiate with the 2 best football candidates in the footprint? ((psss keep it quiet, don't tell anybody, that's Liberty and Jax State.))

Well, we need 1 or 3, not 2.

You may have missed the word, "negotiate".

(10-20-2026 10:46 AM)SMUfan Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 10:12 AM)JTApps1 Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 07:30 PM)SMUfan Wrote:  I was curious to see how much farther north U of Delaware is compared to Ohio U. Surprised they are almost parallel.

Makes the decision easier to put:

Ohio U and Delaware in the east and WKU in the west. Deal done.

Since you brought it up...

Ohio is on average just under 7 hours and 425 miles from the East members. Delaware is 8:45 hours and 525 miles away. Arkansas State is the closest West member to Ohio at 10 hrs and 635 miles. Troy is the closest to Delaware at 14.5 hours and 930 miles.

That doesn't sound very good.

So why not negotiate with the 2 best football candidates in the footprint? ((psss keep it quiet, don't tell anybody, that's Liberty and Jax State.))

Ohio University is 80 miles east of Marshall.

Captain obvious says--Ohio will have less reason with Marshall "shopping".

(10-19-2026 10:48 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  In the blind poll thread, Delaware was the 7th team listed. Out of those 7, this is how they fared:

Average Football Rating: 109 (6th)
Average Football Wins: 6.8 (5th)
Average Basketball NET/RPI: 215.4 (7th)
Average Baseball RPI: 172.6(5th)
Average Attendance Rank Football/Basketball: (6th)

Maybe Charlotte would be worse? Definitely closer to Charlotte than JMU.

Yes, but that's just this season. Not lifetime, nor is it potential.

BTW - football attendance is a bit lower because Delaware temporally lowered the #of seats in the stadium in add more club sections & more chair backs. Eventually, the North Endzone project will happen which will increase the stadium size again and also a project to bowl in the South Endzone too.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm indifferent to Delaware joining the SunBelt. Whatever increases our chances to joining the American and/or eventually ACC (if ACC loses 10 schools).

BTW - I also don't think Delaware's administration and major donors will be interested in joining the SunBelt without JMU.

(10-21-2026 01:53 PM)sigke Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 10:48 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  In the blind poll thread, Delaware was the 7th team listed. Out of those 7, this is how they fared:

Average Football Rating: 109 (6th)
Average Football Wins: 6.8 (5th)
Average Basketball NET/RPI: 215.4 (7th)
Average Baseball RPI: 172.6(5th)
Average Attendance Rank Football/Basketball: (6th)

Maybe Charlotte would be worse? Definitely closer to Charlotte than JMU.

Yes, but that's just this season. Not lifetime, nor is it potential.

BTW - football attendance is a bit lower because Delaware temporally lowered the #of seats in the stadium in add more club sections & more chair backs. Eventually, the North Endzone project will happen which will increase the stadium size again and also a project to bowl in the South Endzone too.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm indifferent to Delaware joining the SunBelt. Whatever increases our chances to joining the American and/or eventually ACC (if ACC loses 10 schools).

BTW - I also don't think Delaware's administration and major donors will be interested in joining the SunBelt without JMU.

It was an average of the past 10 years. Charlotte has potential too. I think the Sun Belt membership and Delaware are on the same page now that JMU has moved on.

(10-21-2026 01:56 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(10-21-2026 01:53 PM)sigke Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 10:48 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  In the blind poll thread, Delaware was the 7th team listed. Out of those 7, this is how they fared:

Average Football Rating: 109 (6th)
Average Football Wins: 6.8 (5th)
Average Basketball NET/RPI: 215.4 (7th)
Average Baseball RPI: 172.6(5th)
Average Attendance Rank Football/Basketball: (6th)

Maybe Charlotte would be worse? Definitely closer to Charlotte than JMU.

Yes, but that's just this season. Not lifetime, nor is it potential.

BTW - football attendance is a bit lower because Delaware temporally lowered the #of seats in the stadium in add more club sections & more chair backs. Eventually, the North Endzone project will happen which will increase the stadium size again and also a project to bowl in the South Endzone too.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm indifferent to Delaware joining the SunBelt. Whatever increases our chances to joining the American and/or eventually ACC (if ACC loses 10 schools).

BTW - I also don't think Delaware's administration and major donors will be interested in joining the SunBelt without JMU.

It was an average of the past 10 years. Charlotte has potential too. I think the Sun Belt membership and Delaware are on the same page now that JMU has moved on.

If Delaware has been on average the 109th best team in the country over the last 10 years that's a real indictment on at least 20-30 FBS schools.

(10-21-2026 02:02 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(10-21-2026 01:56 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(10-21-2026 01:53 PM)sigke Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 10:48 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  In the blind poll thread, Delaware was the 7th team listed. Out of those 7, this is how they fared:

Average Football Rating: 109 (6th)
Average Football Wins: 6.8 (5th)
Average Basketball NET/RPI: 215.4 (7th)
Average Baseball RPI: 172.6(5th)
Average Attendance Rank Football/Basketball: (6th)

Maybe Charlotte would be worse? Definitely closer to Charlotte than JMU.

Yes, but that's just this season. Not lifetime, nor is it potential.

BTW - football attendance is a bit lower because Delaware temporally lowered the #of seats in the stadium in add more club sections & more chair backs. Eventually, the North Endzone project will happen which will increase the stadium size again and also a project to bowl in the South Endzone too.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm indifferent to Delaware joining the SunBelt. Whatever increases our chances to joining the American and/or eventually ACC (if ACC loses 10 schools).

BTW - I also don't think Delaware's administration and major donors will be interested in joining the SunBelt without JMU.

It was an average of the past 10 years. Charlotte has potential too. I think the Sun Belt membership and Delaware are on the same page now that JMU has moved on.

If Delaware has been on average the 109th best team in the country over the last 10 years that's a real indictment on at least 20-30 FBS schools.

Poster did some finagling to make it work for the several teams that had been FCS.

Pretty good article from ODU oriented site

https://odumonarchists.com/blogs/news/jm...g-now-what

PS - someone needs to cleanup the bot post above.

(10-21-2026 07:00 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  Pretty good article from ODU oriented site

https://odumonarchists.com/blogs/news/jm...g-now-what

PS - someone needs to cleanup the bot post above.

One dude wants Campbell, wtf?

Another dude wants Deleware in the tent pissing out and not out of the tent pissing in

(10-21-2026 07:31 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  

(10-21-2026 07:00 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  Pretty good article from ODU oriented site

https://odumonarchists.com/blogs/news/jm...g-now-what

PS - someone needs to cleanup the bot post above.

One dude wants Campbell, wtf?

Another dude wants Deleware in the tent pissing out and not out of the tent pissing in

He mentioned picks that would be best for baseball.

Rummaging through the discount bin to find a replacement is not a good strategy.
When App State leaves you will be down to 12 and have what you need.

(10-21-2026 07:00 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  Pretty good article from ODU oriented site

https://odumonarchists.com/blogs/news/jm...g-now-what

PS - someone needs to cleanup the bot post above.

I honestly can't grasp the WKU, MTSU, Kennesaw, Jacksonville, Charlotte picks.... those are not who we need to be associated with. Hell I would rather have UMass before any of them.

(10-22-2026 06:53 AM)polkhigh Wrote:  

(10-21-2026 07:00 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  Pretty good article from ODU oriented site

https://odumonarchists.com/blogs/news/jm...g-now-what

PS - someone needs to cleanup the bot post above.

I honestly can't grasp the WKU, MTSU, Kennesaw, Jacksonville, Charlotte picks.... those are not who we need to be associated with. Hell I would rather have UMass before any of them.

Agreed.

(10-22-2026 06:53 AM)polkhigh Wrote:  

(10-21-2026 07:00 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  Pretty good article from ODU oriented site

https://odumonarchists.com/blogs/news/jm...g-now-what

PS - someone needs to cleanup the bot post above.

I honestly can't grasp the WKU, MTSU, Kennesaw, Jacksonville, Charlotte picks.... those are not who we need to be associated with. Hell I would rather have UMass before any of them.

Charlotte and Kennesaw especially

Sent from my SM-S928U using Tapatalk

MUHERD's Top 7 List (minus FIU) is probably the most Logical list of candidates.

(10-20-2026 07:37 AM)JMad03 Wrote:  I thought it was UD, JMU and UMass. UMass said no because the MAC wanted them for all sports and UMass only wanted football only.

UD and JMU had a pretty strong rivalry in the Atlantic 10/CAA days. And it did appear that JMU and UD were connected in moving up.
I think JMU wanted to move with UD but at the time UD wasn't ready to make the move.
I think the big problem for UD right now is moving to the Sun Belt doesn't really solve the geography problem. CUSA and the Sun Belt are not great for UD from a geographic standpoint. UD to the American is absolutely perfect for them. But I have a feeling that UD needs to do more for the American to consider them right now.
The problem with moving up to the Sun Belt is that they just paid an exit and entrance fee to CUSA. Have they received anything from CUSA to make it a net positive? If not, how do they go even more in the negative and pay another exit and entrance fee that will take even longer to see a profit?

I believe UD would be very competitive in the Sun Belt. They have a rich history.

The UD, JMU, UMass pod idea was later. The first pod idea, BEFORE the Big East welcomed UCONN & then again after UCONN left the American was for UD, JMU & UCONN. Then, there was the UD, JMU, & UMass pod idea too

Also, in 2021, the SunBelt had discussions about Delaware joining the SunBelt with JMU, but Delaware refused because they thought the CAA would simply replace JMU with only Monmouth, allowing Delaware to remain the football rivalries with Villanova, and fellow flagships Rhode Island, New Hampshire & Maine.

But when JMU left, the CAA panicked and instead of adding just one school, added Monmouth, Hampton, North Carolina A&T, Campbell, promoted Stony Brook to full membership, later added Bryant as football only.

This was the straw that broke the camel's back for Delaware, because it quickly lowered the football strength of schedule and the basketball NET

(10-21-2026 01:56 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(10-21-2026 01:53 PM)sigke Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 10:48 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  In the blind poll thread, Delaware was the 7th team listed. Out of those 7, this is how they fared:

Average Football Rating: 109 (6th)
Average Football Wins: 6.8 (5th)
Average Basketball NET/RPI: 215.4 (7th)
Average Baseball RPI: 172.6(5th)
Average Attendance Rank Football/Basketball: (6th)

Maybe Charlotte would be worse? Definitely closer to Charlotte than JMU.

Yes, but that's just this season. Not lifetime, nor is it potential.

BTW - football attendance is a bit lower because Delaware temporally lowered the #of seats in the stadium in add more club sections & more chair backs. Eventually, the North Endzone project will happen which will increase the stadium size again and also a project to bowl in the South Endzone too.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'm indifferent to Delaware joining the SunBelt. Whatever increases our chances to joining the American and/or eventually ACC (if ACC loses 10 schools).

BTW - I also don't think Delaware's administration and major donors will be interested in joining the SunBelt without JMU.

It was an average of the past 10 years. Charlotte has potential too. I think the Sun Belt membership and Delaware are on the same page now that JMU has moved on.

Delaware's basketball NET/RPI was 10 year average was wrecked by the panic the CAA had after JMU's departure.

Instead of replacing JMU with one school (Delaware wanted a 1 for 1 replacement to be Monmouth), the other members of the CAA panicked thinking Delaware and William & Mary would leave, so they replaced JMU with Monmouth and 4 additional crappy programs in Hampton, Stony Brook, North Carolina A&T and Campbell.

This caused Delaware's basketball NET/RPI to CRASH (along with everyone else in the CAA). Delaware's NET went from 155 to 285 overnight. All the other CAA schools had similar issues, as the CAA went from a Quad 2 conference to a Quad 4 conference overnight by letting in 5 schools to replace JMU.

Delaware's men's basketball team was historically better than JMU's including even in the final 5 seasons that JMU was in the CAA, with Delaware going to the NCAA tourney in 2022.

The crash in NET scores due to the "JMU panic" hurt Delaware's recruiting big time in basketball, as Delaware's top Philly, NJ & NYC recruits were not interested in the CAA anymore.

Point is: historically, Delaware's NET ranking was not historically 215. That was a result of the CAA's collapse by watering down the conference after JMU's departure.


The irony is that the panic actually forced Delaware to leave (and William & Mary, Richmond & Villanova to leave in football).

(10-22-2026 04:44 PM)sigke Wrote:  Delaware's basketball NET/RPI was 10 year average was wrecked by the panic the CAA had after JMU's departure.

Instead of replacing JMU with one school (Delaware wanted a 1 for 1 replacement to be Monmouth), the other members of the CAA panicked thinking Delaware and William & Mary would leave, so they replaced JMU with Monmouth and 4 additional crappy programs in Hampton, Stony Brook, North Carolina A&T and Campbell.

This caused Delaware's basketball NET/RPI to CRASH (along with everyone else in the CAA). Delaware's NET went from 155 to 285 overnight. All the other CAA schools had similar issues, as the CAA went from a Quad 2 conference to a Quad 4 conference overnight by letting in 5 schools to replace JMU.

Delaware's men's basketball team was historically better than JMU's including even in the final 5 seasons that JMU was in the CAA, with Delaware going to the NCAA tourney in 2022.

The crash in NET scores due to the "JMU panic" hurt Delaware's recruiting big time in basketball, as Delaware's top Philly, NJ & NYC recruits were not interested in the CAA anymore.

Point is: historically, Delaware's NET ranking was not historically 215. That was a result of the CAA's collapse by watering down the conference after JMU's departure.

The irony is that the panic actually forced Delaware to leave (and William & Mary, Richmond & Villanova to leave in football).

JMU joined the Sun Belt for the 2022-2023 season. Here is Delaware's NET for each of the last 10 seasons (RPI for 16-17 and 17-18 that preceded NET):
16-17: 237
17-18: 233
18-19: 240
19-20: 180
20-21: 220
21-22: 134
Average with JMU in league: 207.33

22-23: 224
23-24: 165
24-25: 237
25-26: 284
Average without JMU in league: 227.5

Average last 10 years: 215.4
Years worse than 200: 7

(10-21-2026 03:53 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  Poster did some finagling to make it work for the several teams that had been FCS.

Initially I used just the Massey Composite ratings I could get. They don't include FCS teams with the FBS so my data was very limited with Delaware (last year and current rating) so they showed 109.0. I mentioned at the time that metric wasn't strong for the recent FCS callups, so I included average number of wins as a second metric.

I later found a way to get the Sagarin ratings for the past 10 years that do rank both FBS and FCS together, so I compiled that data. I only included FBS teams and all teams being considered in the rating. So all FCS teams, other than the FBS teams that were FCS at the time, were removed. If one of the teams was rated something like #184 and behind a bunch a other FCS teams, I wouldn't use 184 as the ranking but instead move them up to the the last FBS spot instead. That way we got a true 1-136 ranking for each school to compare against. With that rating Delaware fared worse, averaging 121.6 and was the worst of all teams.

77.3 - Ohio (best 54 - worst 111)
81.8 - Western Kentucky (best 19 - worst 111)
94.2 - Liberty (best 51 - worst 128)
102.1 - Jacksonville State (best 74 - worst 129)
108.0 - Middle Tennessee (best 86 - worst 132)
119.8 - Missouri State (best 95 - worst 131)
121.6 - Delaware (best 113 - worst 129)

Another way to think about it - # of times each team was worse than 100:
1 - Ohio
4 - Western Kentucky
5 - Liberty / Jacksonville State
7 - Middle Tennessee
9 - Missouri State
10 - Delaware