Is anyone really surprised about Benson?
All he did was take in GaSt, who he was friends with the lady AD there for years, and two WAC members that were looking for a home when he was appointed and some people were talking about him being so active. The WAC would still be alive if he was all that and a bag of chips.

It's possible that all of Delaware, James Madison, and Appalachian State will get invites from the MAC. There's been smoke about those three in the past. Probably depends if UMass stays. If Stony Brook enters into play, Appy State probably drops out of consideration.

Delaware is even possible for CUSA, but they wouldn't go for the Sun Belt if offered. Doubt James Madison will either.

So that might leave, Ga Southern, Liberty, Lamar, Jacksonville St, and Sam Houston St as options, possibly even Coastal Carolina. Youngstown State would likely take a football only offer, just to get to the FBS (with Kent St and Akron nearby, the MAC just isn't interested). Maybe Missouri State is possible, but they would want football only. Doubt Idaho would accept an affiliate offer, as their Sun Belt affiliation last time killed their recruiting and fan interest. Kennesaw St would be a good add, but only if Ga State gets in CUSA.

Get UT-Arlington to start football.

(11-28-2012 05:51 PM)GoApps70 Wrote:  Is anyone really surprised about Benson?
All he did was take in GaSt, who he was friends with the lady AD there for years, and two WAC members that were looking for a home when he was appointed and some people were talking about him being so active. The WAC would still be alive if he was all that and a bag of chips.

The WAC was doomed anyway. With all the movements up, one of the conferences had to die, and it was either them or the MWC. In a game of musical chairs, all the fat kids pushed the thin, little kids out of their chairs. The WAC was mostly thin, little kids that were bullied, and they couldn't get other younger kids (Montana, Montana St) to join them.

NOT FREAKIN LIBERTY!

(11-28-2012 02:14 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  Well, 3 of those schools do average over 20k/game.

I can tell you this though......JMU will never be in a conference with Liberty. Our new Prez is a human rights and diversity champion.

Sounds like a good start to a good rivalry

(11-28-2012 07:14 PM)NoDak Wrote:  It's possible that all of Delaware, James Madison, and Appalachian State will get invites from the MAC. There's been smoke about those three in the past. Probably depends if UMass stays. If Stony Brook enters into play, Appy State probably drops out of consideration.

Delaware is even possible for CUSA, but they wouldn't go for the Sun Belt if offered. Doubt James Madison will either.

So that might leave, Ga Southern, Liberty, Lamar, Jacksonville St, and Sam Houston St as options, possibly even Coastal Carolina. Youngstown State would likely take a football only offer, just to get to the FBS (with Kent St and Akron nearby, the MAC just isn't interested). Maybe Missouri State is possible, but they would want football only. Doubt Idaho would accept an affiliate offer, as their Sun Belt affiliation last time killed their recruiting and fan interest. Kennesaw St would be a good add, but only if Ga State gets in CUSA.

Get UT-Arlington to start football.

James Madison would accept in a heartbeat. You think they want to stay in FCS? For small market teams, even those with fans, this is their only shot.

(11-28-2012 07:35 PM)GaSouthern Wrote:  

(11-28-2012 02:14 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  Well, 3 of those schools do average over 20k/game.

I can tell you this though......JMU will never be in a conference with Liberty. Our new Prez is a human rights and diversity champion.

Sounds like a good start to a good rivalry

Yes sir, seeing as how most on here don't want Liberty that would make for some heated games!

Every time this happens Liberty is some how brought into the fold. No means no! The only team from the FCS we should be looking at is App State. I'd rather not take any, but it looks like all the Sun Belt Conference ever will be is a FCS stepping stone conference...

(11-28-2012 07:18 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  NOT FREAKIN LIBERTY!

This.

(11-28-2012 07:37 PM)AlaIllTex Wrote:  

(11-28-2012 07:14 PM)NoDak Wrote:  It's possible that all of Delaware, James Madison, and Appalachian State will get invites from the MAC. There's been smoke about those three in the past. Probably depends if UMass stays. If Stony Brook enters into play, Appy State probably drops out of consideration.

Delaware is even possible for CUSA, but they wouldn't go for the Sun Belt if offered. Doubt James Madison will either.

So that might leave, Ga Southern, Liberty, Lamar, Jacksonville St, and Sam Houston St as options, possibly even Coastal Carolina. Youngstown State would likely take a football only offer, just to get to the FBS (with Kent St and Akron nearby, the MAC just isn't interested). Maybe Missouri State is possible, but they would want football only. Doubt Idaho would accept an affiliate offer, as their Sun Belt affiliation last time killed their recruiting and fan interest. Kennesaw St would be a good add, but only if Ga State gets in CUSA.

Get UT-Arlington to start football.

James Madison would accept in a heartbeat. You think they want to stay in FCS? For small market teams, even those with fans, this is their only shot.

JMU priorities are CUSA, MAC, Sun Belt, in that order. They will wait before they are absolutely sure that CUSA and the MAC will not invite them, before agreeing to join the Sun Belt. JMU looks at itself as a level above ODU, so pride would come into play in being in the feeder conference to ODU's conference.

Some of the fans are complaining about Benson on this thread, but Sun Belt Presidents were the ones that didn't want more FCS schools added this past summer, not Benson. Sun Belt Presidents didn't want their NCAA and BCS money split among two more mouths. Why would have MTSU, WKU, and FAU be in support of adding more mouths, if they knew they were close to the top of CUSA's list for any future addtion?

(11-28-2012 07:54 PM)troy4ever21 Wrote:  Every time this happens Liberty is some how brought into the fold. No means no! The only team from the FCS we should be looking at is App State. I'd rather not take any, but it looks like all the Sun Belt Conference ever will be is a FCS stepping stone conference...

Stepping stone conferences:

Sun Belt
CUSA
MWC
Big East
MAC (at times)

It's never been fair to the smaller guys, especially now when media markets are what matter.

(11-28-2012 07:54 PM)troy4ever21 Wrote:  Every time this happens Liberty is some how brought into the fold. No means no! The only team from the FCS we should be looking at is App State. I'd rather not take any, but it looks like all the Sun Belt Conference ever will be is a FCS stepping stone conference...

No means no, unless it doesn't...

(11-28-2012 08:05 PM)Liberty22 Wrote:  

(11-28-2012 07:54 PM)troy4ever21 Wrote:  Every time this happens Liberty is some how brought into the fold. No means no! The only team from the FCS we should be looking at is App State. I'd rather not take any, but it looks like all the Sun Belt Conference ever will be is a FCS stepping stone conference...

No means no, unless it doesn't...

Dude get over yourself. There are plenty of other FCS teams that are more appealing than Liberty. You are at the bottom of a very large FCS move-up barrel. I'm not trying to be mean, but we're not interested. Move along.

I absolutely love the folks with "We are not interested". Are you Comissoner Benson or a conference AD/President who can vote? Come on man. Liberty is a player in this process, like it or not. It may not be SBC but LU will find an FBS home.

Well hello again, Sun Belt fans. Here's to another round of Sun Belt discussion!!

(11-28-2012 08:20 PM)knucklehead Wrote:  I absolutely love the folks with "We are not interested". Are you Comissoner Benson or a conference AD/President who can vote? Come on man. Liberty is a player in this process, like it or not. It may not be SBC but LU will find an FBS home.

No, but we pay for tuition, alumni fees, and football tickets. We have a say in what our Chancellors, Presidents, and AD's do and in turn what our conference does. Troy University's Chancellor is the president of the conference. I'm sure several hundred emails/letters would help in his decision.

Liberty won't be getting into Big East or CUSA so they better be begging the Belt.

(11-28-2012 08:32 PM)BeliefBlazer Wrote:  Liberty won't be getting into Big East or CUSA so they better be begging the Belt.

We certainly have been, much to the dismay or SBC fans.

They could do worse. At least Liberty has money.

(11-28-2012 08:14 PM)troy4ever21 Wrote:  

(11-28-2012 08:05 PM)Liberty22 Wrote:  

(11-28-2012 07:54 PM)troy4ever21 Wrote:  Every time this happens Liberty is some how brought into the fold. No means no! The only team from the FCS we should be looking at is App State. I'd rather not take any, but it looks like all the Sun Belt Conference ever will be is a FCS stepping stone conference...

No means no, unless it doesn't...

Dude get over yourself. There are plenty of other FCS teams that are more appealing than Liberty. You are at the bottom of a very large FCS move-up barrel. I'm not trying to be mean, but we're not interested. Move along.

So honestly you would take Jacksonville St, Lamar, and Sam Houston before Liberty?

The sad fact is that the Sun Belt Presidents screwed the pooch by not offering Appalachian St and Georgia Southern this summer. They didn't even need to start their FBS transition right away, but could have offered a transition period like ODU received from CUSA.

The bigger issue is that the Sun Belt needs to have a plan to add for 12 football members right now, as ACC/Big East events can lead to even further poaching. One can only imagine what would have happened today if the ACC took all three of UConn, Louisville, and Cincy, as had been rumored.

Looked at this board on Monday, and thought it would be panic city. But it wasn't, when it should have been. Only today has there been a meltdown, while the writing has been on the wall ever since the Maryland rumors. Not trying to be harsh or anything, but this board is as guilty of not being proactive as your Presidents.

I used to live near the campus of USA, and knew people in the athletic department there. So I'm an advocate of the Sun Belt, but there should have been serious concerns this summer, and especially earlier this month.