IMO, I believe that all of the new adds of the Sun Belt have the potential to make the conference stronger than it has ever been. We just have to prove it with wins. Just speaking for GSU, although our football program has had 2 disappointing seasons, I believe that we are on the brink of turning it around. Our basketball team is very strong and will be even better this upcoming season. Folks seem to overlook that.

A lot of articles coming out today, and probably tomorrow on schools officially
changing conferences. Have yet to see one, and probably will not, that says
they are doing the wrong thing.

(06-30-2013 12:28 PM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 12:02 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 11:46 AM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  CUSA is adding La Tech who went 9-3 last season, MT who was 8-4, UTSA that went 8-4, and FCS team Old Dominion who have gone 10-3 and 11-2 the past two seasons. So I agree, CUSA got some markets and no good football teams.

1) La Tech is rebuilding last year
2) UTSA's schedule last year was not comparable to other FBS teams (They went 8-4 by playing USA, Texas State, Idaho, NMSU, 2 FCS teams, and 2 Div II teams). They might be slightly ahead of some of the other moveups, but not so much. We shall see how they finish this year. I'm not expecting much.
3) Appy and Georgia Southern did quite well over the last few years in FCS. Old Dominion is a good FCS program. There's no evidence they'll perform any better than Appy or Ga Southern.

La Tech, WKU and MTSU were good adds. Although La Tech isn't going to be very good this year.
UTSA, Old Dominion, UNCC, FAU, UNT, and FIU were not.

Ark State and ULL will be the best teams of CUSA or the Belt for the next two years.

La Tech, historically, has a good football program. They were a quality add for CUSA period. Old Dominion is just as good an add as App St. and GA South in my opinion. They don't have the history that the other 2 have but they have been tearing it up in FCS ranks and their fan support is absolutely incredible.

Don't act like the Belt has all these great adds as well. I mean, Georgia St., Idaho, NMSU? Now ASU, GSU, and Texas St. are really good adds, in my opinion.

I don't think either Arkie St. or ULL will be as good as Tulsa this year. Arkie St. is rebuilding but ULL should be really good.

So that would mean we would only beat you by what...30 points?

Also, I appreciate becoming the first team returning starters at all its skill positions, and returning its entire offensive line to be considered rebuilding. I guess I never knew that Aplin played every position on the team.

(06-30-2013 01:06 PM)BariBlue Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 12:49 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 12:28 PM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 12:02 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 11:46 AM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  CUSA is adding La Tech who went 9-3 last season, MT who was 8-4, UTSA that went 8-4, and FCS team Old Dominion who have gone 10-3 and 11-2 the past two seasons. So I agree, CUSA got some markets and no good football teams.

1) La Tech is rebuilding last year
2) UTSA's schedule last year was not comparable to other FBS teams (They went 8-4 by playing USA, Texas State, Idaho, NMSU, 2 FCS teams, and 2 Div II teams). They might be slightly ahead of some of the other moveups, but not so much. We shall see how they finish this year. I'm not expecting much.
3) Appy and Georgia Southern did quite well over the last few years in FCS. Old Dominion is a good FCS program. There's no evidence they'll perform any better than Appy or Ga Southern.

La Tech, WKU and MTSU were good adds. Although La Tech isn't going to be very good this year.
UTSA, Old Dominion, UNCC, FAU, UNT, and FIU were not.

Ark State and ULL will be the best teams of CUSA or the Belt for the next two years.

La Tech, historically, has a good football program. They were a quality add for CUSA period. Old Dominion is just as good an add as App St. and GA South in my opinion. They don't have the history that the other 2 have but they have been tearing it up in FCS ranks and their fan support is absolutely incredible.

Don't act like the Belt has all these great adds as well. I mean, Georgia St., Idaho, NMSU? Now ASU, GSU, and Texas St. are really good adds, in my opinion.

I don't think either Arkie St. or ULL will be as good as Tulsa this year. Arkie St. is rebuilding but ULL should be really good.

Tulsa and ECU, like WKU already have one foot out the door. I don't really count any of them as part of their current conference.

Georgia State was a terrible add that appears to be falling flat on its face. Idaho and NMSU were bad adds too, and I fail to see why we had to take them.

CUSA in 2014.... Rice, Marshall (by the way, when was the last time they finished about 7 wins - Its a surprisingly long time), UAB, UNT, UTSA, UTEP, Charlotte, FIU, FAU, USM, ODU, MTSU, WKU, and La Tech. If USM doesn't get better quick, or LA Tech takes longer to reload than expected...its not going to be pretty.

MTSU was the loss that hurt (because that caused WKU to jump as well). But your new conference isn't any better than the Belt in football and barring CUSA going to 16 or 18 teams by taking Belt teams, isn't likely to be much better in the future.

But we STILL beat you... If we are terrible, then you must be complete trash having lost to us.

Yes you did beat us 2 years ago. Congrats. I'm sorry Ga State, but it seems as though you guys have been marching steadily backwards since then.

I hope you guys pull it around. But I'm not seeing any positive movement.

I get it, we aren't great either. But we were at least competitive in our games (and we even won one at FBS level). And our attendance, while not great, isn't abysmal. We seem to moving forward.

I really wish I could say the same for Ga State. I hope you prove me wrong. I'm just not seeing it. Especially after last season and the turmoil with the coaching change.

I'm afraid Ga State may lose ALL of their games next year, including all of its FCS games. That's gonna look really bad.

(06-30-2013 01:38 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  I'm afraid Ga State may lose ALL of their games next year, including all of its FCS games. That's gonna look really bad.

That would be awful for everyone in the SBC. I think State will win their first game against Samford. I wouldn't be shocked if they won 4 games next year. They should be the favorite against Chattanooga and Jacksonville State as well.

So long as our cats can beat your cats its all good

(06-30-2013 06:59 AM)mufootballfan Wrote:  Wow! Somebody hates the SunBelt.

Not just anybody, but one of the heavy hitters in the Palm Beach media:

http://www.fauowlaccess.com/authors/chuck-king.aspx

Quote:King started covering Florida Atlantic in 2002 for the Boca Raton News... Two years later he made the move to the Palm Beach Post, and has written for that paper as a staff member and a freelancer ever since. King served as Marcus Nelson's backup, writing stories about athletes in nearly every sport FAU offers...
 
Not always a sports writer, King has also worked for IBM as a multimedia producer and WPEC News 12 as a weather producer... King received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Hartford...

(06-30-2013 07:24 AM)Louisianafanrcajun90 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 07:12 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  "But the biggest reason the move to Conference USA is the most important story for FAU over the past year is that it gives FAU fans a reason to believe the Owls are moving forward as a program. The move restored hope that FAU can some day join the elite schools across the nation. With one quick move, there is suddenly a reason to have faith in FAU again."

They needed a reason to have faith in their program?
They plan to join the elite schools across the nation?

The article is right on the money. I have no problem with it.

It is very loose with the facts if you are okay with that. FAU is leaving a conference to play against FCS startups, the teams that were left behind by the AAC and former Sun Belt teams. They are not getting a $2m increase and the increase is temporary and based on the previous conference membership.

If they truly think that the new conference is better than the SB that they were hardly dominating, how do they think they will improve?

Just like all articles on realignment, it is self-serving and that includes those of us that are remaining in the SBC.

(06-30-2013 01:56 PM)sidslidkid Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 01:38 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  I'm afraid Ga State may lose ALL of their games next year, including all of its FCS games. That's gonna look really bad.

That would be awful for everyone in the SBC. I think State will win their first game against Samford. I wouldn't be shocked if they won 4 games next year. They should be the favorite against Chattanooga and Jacksonville State as well.

I think Georgia State might go 0-7 in league, but I fully believe they'll win against Samford and Chatanooga.

(06-30-2013 12:28 PM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 12:02 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 11:46 AM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  CUSA is adding La Tech who went 9-3 last season, MT who was 8-4, UTSA that went 8-4, and FCS team Old Dominion who have gone 10-3 and 11-2 the past two seasons. So I agree, CUSA got some markets and no good football teams.

1) La Tech is rebuilding last year
2) UTSA's schedule last year was not comparable to other FBS teams (They went 8-4 by playing USA, Texas State, Idaho, NMSU, 2 FCS teams, and 2 Div II teams). They might be slightly ahead of some of the other moveups, but not so much. We shall see how they finish this year. I'm not expecting much.
3) Appy and Georgia Southern did quite well over the last few years in FCS. Old Dominion is a good FCS program. There's no evidence they'll perform any better than Appy or Ga Southern.

La Tech, WKU and MTSU were good adds. Although La Tech isn't going to be very good this year.
UTSA, Old Dominion, UNCC, FAU, UNT, and FIU were not.

Ark State and ULL will be the best teams of CUSA or the Belt for the next two years.

La Tech, historically, has a good football program. They were a quality add for CUSA period. Old Dominion is just as good an add as App St. and GA South in my opinion. They don't have the history that the other 2 have but they have been tearing it up in FCS ranks and their fan support is absolutely incredible.

Don't act like the Belt has all these great adds as well. I mean, Georgia St., Idaho, NMSU? Now ASU, GSU, and Texas St. are really good adds, in my opinion.

I don't think either Arkie St. or ULL will be as good as Tulsa this year. Arkie St. is rebuilding but ULL should be really good.

Really not true at all..........last year they were rebuilding.

As far as losing Aplin, anyone who attended ASU practices a few years ago left talking about Philip Butterfield, not Aplin, and there are good reasons. It was obvious to everyone that Butterfield was the better QB, and Aplins would either transfer or spend his carrier at ASU as Butterfields backup.

Granted Butterfield is not as mobile has he was before his injury's, but it was his arm strength, accuracy, toughness and leadership that made him #1.

Malzahn ( who he had committed to when Malzahn was at Tulsa) made the decision this past season to let him get totally healthy, thn let him take over this season. He is listed as a senior he will have no problem getting a 6th year, and his skills may fit Harsins offense better than Aplins.

Of course Butterfield has to beat out some other challengers, all of whom are considered better prospects than Aplin, and there is a little Parade All-American in the mix that will dazzle the SBC no matter who starts.

Bottom line this ASU team is 10+ points better than last years version.

(06-30-2013 08:59 AM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  FWIW: Not many FAU fans like OwlAccess.com because of pieces like this.
I'd hate FAU's last day in the SBC be surrounded with this laughable article. FAU fans love the Sun Belt, and we have the upmost respect for the conference and it's programs.

Thanks. Writers like that can do a lot of damage and they usually are the ones who haven't a clue about what they write.

(06-30-2013 10:25 AM)Franko Wrote:  Personally I think there is little, if any, seperation in football but CUSA has the upper hand in everything else. The article states "FAU wasn't left behind to play FCS schools" but CUSA has UTSA, Old Dominion and start up Charlotte? I would've definitely left that statement out.

Yeah, that was pretty dumb. If by "everything else" you mean basketball then I agree. CUSA does not have the edge in baseball.

(06-30-2013 12:28 PM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 12:02 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 11:46 AM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  CUSA is adding La Tech who went 9-3 last season, MT who was 8-4, UTSA that went 8-4, and FCS team Old Dominion who have gone 10-3 and 11-2 the past two seasons. So I agree, CUSA got some markets and no good football teams.

1) La Tech is rebuilding last year
2) UTSA's schedule last year was not comparable to other FBS teams (They went 8-4 by playing USA, Texas State, Idaho, NMSU, 2 FCS teams, and 2 Div II teams). They might be slightly ahead of some of the other moveups, but not so much. We shall see how they finish this year. I'm not expecting much.
3) Appy and Georgia Southern did quite well over the last few years in FCS. Old Dominion is a good FCS program. There's no evidence they'll perform any better than Appy or Ga Southern.

La Tech, WKU and MTSU were good adds. Although La Tech isn't going to be very good this year.
UTSA, Old Dominion, UNCC, FAU, UNT, and FIU were not.

Ark State and ULL will be the best teams of CUSA or the Belt for the next two years.

La Tech, historically, has a good football program. They were a quality add for CUSA period. Old Dominion is just as good an add as App St. and GA South in my opinion. They don't have the history that the other 2 have but they have been tearing it up in FCS ranks and their fan support is absolutely incredible.

Don't act like the Belt has all these great adds as well. I mean, Georgia St., Idaho, NMSU? Now ASU, GSU, and Texas St. are really good adds, in my opinion.

I don't think either Arkie St. or ULL will be as good as Tulsa this year. Arkie St. is rebuilding but ULL should be really good.

ASU is not rebuilding and Tulsa is gone after this year. ASU returns their top 8 on defense, 4 OL, all RBs, top WR and top TE.

(06-30-2013 02:05 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 01:56 PM)sidslidkid Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 01:38 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  I'm afraid Ga State may lose ALL of their games next year, including all of its FCS games. That's gonna look really bad.

That would be awful for everyone in the SBC. I think State will win their first game against Samford. I wouldn't be shocked if they won 4 games next year. They should be the favorite against Chattanooga and Jacksonville State as well.

I think Georgia State might go 0-7 in league, but I fully believe they'll win against Samford and Chatanooga.

I don't understand why a lot of people think Georgia State will be heavy favored against either of these teams. IIRC, Samford took App to the last few seconds, and it took us 3 overtimes to beat Chatty. Both are dangerous teams. I fully expect Chatty's QB to have a field day.

With that being said, there's no way the Panthers are as bad as they were last year. They will be better, however, so will the competition. Their record may be the same as last year, but I think the coach should institute some toughness and discipline. They will keep some games interesting, and eventually become competitive. Not sure about support though.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2

(06-30-2013 02:08 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 12:28 PM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 12:02 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 11:46 AM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  CUSA is adding La Tech who went 9-3 last season, MT who was 8-4, UTSA that went 8-4, and FCS team Old Dominion who have gone 10-3 and 11-2 the past two seasons. So I agree, CUSA got some markets and no good football teams.

1) La Tech is rebuilding last year
2) UTSA's schedule last year was not comparable to other FBS teams (They went 8-4 by playing USA, Texas State, Idaho, NMSU, 2 FCS teams, and 2 Div II teams). They might be slightly ahead of some of the other moveups, but not so much. We shall see how they finish this year. I'm not expecting much.
3) Appy and Georgia Southern did quite well over the last few years in FCS. Old Dominion is a good FCS program. There's no evidence they'll perform any better than Appy or Ga Southern.

La Tech, WKU and MTSU were good adds. Although La Tech isn't going to be very good this year.
UTSA, Old Dominion, UNCC, FAU, UNT, and FIU were not.

Ark State and ULL will be the best teams of CUSA or the Belt for the next two years.

La Tech, historically, has a good football program. They were a quality add for CUSA period. Old Dominion is just as good an add as App St. and GA South in my opinion. They don't have the history that the other 2 have but they have been tearing it up in FCS ranks and their fan support is absolutely incredible.

Don't act like the Belt has all these great adds as well. I mean, Georgia St., Idaho, NMSU? Now ASU, GSU, and Texas St. are really good adds, in my opinion.

I don't think either Arkie St. or ULL will be as good as Tulsa this year. Arkie St. is rebuilding but ULL should be really good.

Really not true at all..........last year they were rebuilding.

As far as losing Aplin, anyone who attended ASU practices a few years ago left talking about Philip Butterfield, not Aplin, and there are good reasons. It was obvious to everyone that Butterfield was the better QB, and Aplins would either transfer or spend his carrier at ASU as Butterfields backup.

Granted Butterfield is not as mobile has he was before his injury's, but it was his arm strength, accuracy, toughness and leadership that made him #1.

Malzahn ( who he had committed to when Malzahn was at Tulsa) made the decision this past season to let him get totally healthy, thn let him take over this season. He is listed as a senior he will have no problem getting a 6th year, and his skills may fit Harsins offense better than Aplins.

Of course Butterfield has to beat out some other challengers, all of whom are considered better prospects than Aplin, and there is a little Parade All-American in the mix that will dazzle the SBC no matter who starts.

Bottom line this ASU team is 10+ points better than last years version.

You lost me at the part about Aplin being a backup...

I really don't see GA St. Beating UTC and Samford will be tough. UTC has a good defense, a good QB, and a very good athlete at WR.

FAU slamming the Sun Belt is like McDonalds attacking fast food.
With three football wins last year, one being Wagner wherever that is barely 7-3, they
may be wishing for the good old days in the SBC soon.

(06-30-2013 02:08 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  Bottom line this ASU team is 10+ points better than last years version.

So 45+ ppg this year?

(06-30-2013 02:27 PM)GoApps70 Wrote:  FAU slamming the Sun Belt is like McDonalds attacking fast food.
With three football wins last year, one being Wagner wherever that is barely 7-3, they
may be wishing for the good old days in the SBC soon.

But you're one of the many beating the "Sun Belt will surpass CUSA" drum, so by your rhetoric shouldn't this move be beneficial?

(06-30-2013 02:08 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 12:28 PM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 12:02 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(06-30-2013 11:46 AM)BlueRaider0x0 Wrote:  CUSA is adding La Tech who went 9-3 last season, MT who was 8-4, UTSA that went 8-4, and FCS team Old Dominion who have gone 10-3 and 11-2 the past two seasons. So I agree, CUSA got some markets and no good football teams.

1) La Tech is rebuilding last year
2) UTSA's schedule last year was not comparable to other FBS teams (They went 8-4 by playing USA, Texas State, Idaho, NMSU, 2 FCS teams, and 2 Div II teams). They might be slightly ahead of some of the other moveups, but not so much. We shall see how they finish this year. I'm not expecting much.
3) Appy and Georgia Southern did quite well over the last few years in FCS. Old Dominion is a good FCS program. There's no evidence they'll perform any better than Appy or Ga Southern.

La Tech, WKU and MTSU were good adds. Although La Tech isn't going to be very good this year.
UTSA, Old Dominion, UNCC, FAU, UNT, and FIU were not.

Ark State and ULL will be the best teams of CUSA or the Belt for the next two years.

La Tech, historically, has a good football program. They were a quality add for CUSA period. Old Dominion is just as good an add as App St. and GA South in my opinion. They don't have the history that the other 2 have but they have been tearing it up in FCS ranks and their fan support is absolutely incredible.

Don't act like the Belt has all these great adds as well. I mean, Georgia St., Idaho, NMSU? Now ASU, GSU, and Texas St. are really good adds, in my opinion.

I don't think either Arkie St. or ULL will be as good as Tulsa this year. Arkie St. is rebuilding but ULL should be really good.

Really not true at all..........last year they were rebuilding.

As far as losing Aplin, anyone who attended ASU practices a few years ago left talking about Philip Butterfield, not Aplin, and there are good reasons. It was obvious to everyone that Butterfield was the better QB, and Aplins would either transfer or spend his carrier at ASU as Butterfields backup.

Granted Butterfield is not as mobile has he was before his injury's, but it was his arm strength, accuracy, toughness and leadership that made him #1.

Malzahn ( who he had committed to when Malzahn was at Tulsa) made the decision this past season to let him get totally healthy, thn let him take over this season. He is listed as a senior he will have no problem getting a 6th year, and his skills may fit Harsins offense better than Aplins.

Of course Butterfield has to beat out some other challengers, all of whom are considered better prospects than Aplin, and there is a little Parade All-American in the mix that will dazzle the SBC no matter who starts.

Bottom line this ASU team is 10+ points better than last years version.

That's totally BS Aplinis the best QB to EVER play at ASU and you are trying to make people believe there was a better QB on the bench but the coaches chose to keep him there.

Then you go on to say there are other challengers???? If you have a QB that's better than the best QB to ever play at ASU and other QB's that might challenge him...WOW ASU must have more collective talent at QB than any school in FBS.

Do you honestly know how stupid those comments by you sound?