(06-22-2019 07:04 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Byu...boise.. or sit

(06-22-2019 07:44 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 07:04 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Byu...boise.. or sit

this

(06-22-2019 07:04 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Byu...boise.. or sit

(06-22-2019 07:59 PM)mptnstr@44 Wrote:  No one available that adds value?...add no one.

(06-22-2019 07:45 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 07:44 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 07:04 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Byu...boise.. or sit

this

Ummm you just texted me that you want to make a play for Xavier

(06-22-2019 07:45 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 07:44 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(06-22-2019 07:04 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Byu...boise.. or sit

this

Ummm you just texted me that you want to make a play for Xavier

Quote:With UConn likely moving back to the Big East, where could the AAC turn for a replacement?

Conference realignment is back! Or, at the very least, a much smaller version of it could be on the verge of happening.

On Saturday, CBSSports.com's Matt Norlander was able to confirm reports that UConn plans to leave the American Athletic Conference and return its sports to the Big East. (At least, the sports that the Big East sponsors.) UConn had been a member of the Big East since its inception, but left the conference in 2013 when the previous round of realignment split the conference in half with the smaller, basketball-only schools creating a new Big East, and the larger schools with football programs left for Power Five conferences, or helped form a new league in the American Athletic Conference. UConn chose the AAC, and it seems to regret the decision.

The problem for UConn and the AAC is that, as CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd reported, if the Huskies do return to the Big East, the AAC has no interest in remaining the home of UConn football, which is understandable.

UConn's departure would leave the AAC as an 11-team conference, making it the second-smallest FBS conference in the country, ahead of only the 10-school Big 12 (ah, conference realignment math, how we've missed you). So, if UConn does leave, and the AAC boots out its football program, where would the conference turn to for a UConn replacement?

Let's speculate recklessly and try to figure that out.

The service academies
When the AAC expanded after forming, it was Navy that shed its independence to become the conference's 12th school. Could the conference look to another service academy to join them? Air Force would make a lot of sense for the conference, as would Army. While neither brings an attractive market, they're the Army and the Air Force. They have strong followings that could make the conference stronger than UConn ever did. The question is, would either want to join the AAC?

If you're Air Force, being in the same division as Navy would add another dimension to a rivalry that already exists, but do you want to take on that kind of travel schedule? Air Force is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The closest AAC school is Tulsa in Oklahoma. That's a 10-hour drive or a 90-minute flight.

As for Army, the Cadets have given the conference thing a try before. From 1998 to 2004, Army was a member of Conference USA. It didn't go very well. Over the course of seven seasons, the Knights won 13 games. Maybe things have changed, but Army does value its independence and freedom to schedule as it pleases.

An old flame
Remember when Boise State was a member of the Big East for like 10 minutes that one time? Well, what if the AAC checks in to see if the Broncos are interested one more time? While I'm sure there would be some interest from both parties here, I'm not sure either will be willing to try it again given what happened last time. Boise State had second thoughts for a reason, and I'm not sure if those reasons have changed. Though I suppose that with the AAC separating itself a bit from the rest of the Group of Five, maybe it would look more attractive than last time. Still, Boise State would face all the same travel problems Air Force would have, except the distances are even greater.

Take another Independent
There aren't many big brand schools out there for the taking right now, and if Army isn't available, the biggest name would be BYU. The question here is could BYU make more money as a member of the AAC than it currently does as an Independent. The school has a TV deal with ESPN, and it's expected to renew that contract soon. How much more money would being in the AAC be worth than the exclusive deal it has now? And would it be enough to offset the travel costs?

Other possibilities
Buffalo: If you look at current AAC schools, you typically find schools located in larger metro areas. Buffalo would fit that profile, and the school has a strong enrollment with over 30,000 students. It would also keep the conference's profile in the northeast if that's important to them after losing UConn.

Appalachian State: It has a strong football program, but it's not an exceptionally large school with an enrollment of just over 19,000. Plus, as mentioned before, the AAC is already in North Carolina with ECU. Charlotte would probably be a more attractive option.

Georgia State: Don't laugh! I wrote it off when initially considering this list, but Georgia State does have some things that would make it attractive to the AAC. The school has an enrollment of over 52,000 (including online-only students) and is located in Atlanta, the unofficial capital of college football. Georgia State would give AAC schools easier access to recruits in the state of Georgia as well. I certainly wouldn't call it a favorite, but don't be shocked if you hear the Panthers mentioned. I mean, if the Big Ten can look at Rutgers and say "we want that," then the AAC could see the same thing in Georgia State.

Staying at 11
Go ahead and reread the list of options you just went through. Do any of them seem like a slam dunk to you? Is there one school out there that you can say improves the conference without a doubt? I'm not sure that option exists, so it's possible the American sticks at 11 schools. The Big Ten did it for 20 years, so it's not like it can't be done.

(06-22-2019 06:12 PM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  I continue to vote for Marshall, Dayton, and VCU. Move conference tournament to Cincinnati.

Marshall has won 10 games or more in football 8 times since 1997. History with C-USA version 2 schools.

Dayton and VCU also have some ties to current members. Overall this isn’t a home run addition but a 12/14 model is the safe bet to get 4 plus tournament bids every season while improving football.

I keep going back to making the eastern flank stronger.

(06-22-2019 07:56 PM)converrl Wrote:  Smart move for UConn. the FB was rotting and a net loss for their AD. In this reconfiguration, they'll profit by playing elevated competition in MBB and will also benefit from the title IX reduction in women's scholarships for non-revenue sports. Gives them 2 revenue sports they can concentrate on: MBB and WBB.

Quote:Who will replace UConn in AAC? Ranking the top candidates | Army, BYU, who else?

The American Athletic Conference is likely losing UConn as a football member.

The AAC should not be terribly broken up about this - the Huskies have been an on-field tire fire recently - but it does present a new challenge: Who replaces UConn as the conference’s 12th football-playing member, assuming the Huskies do not stay on as a football-only member?

The conference expansion wheel is about to start spinning again, albeit with smaller stakes than when the Power 5 leagues are involved. Here’s a look at some of the schools that could be in the mix to join the AAC:

1. Army: AAC commissioner Mike Aresco has to make the call and see if the Black Knights want to join Navy as football-only members. But it will take a lot to get West Point to say yes. While joining the AAC as a football-only member would give Army access to the New Year’s Six bowl games - something it lacks as an independent but may covet given the program’s recent revival - the challenges and downsides are likely too much to overcome.

The Army-Navy Game is the sport’s most sacred institution. The game will never move, and it never should move. The AAC could craft a schedule format that puts Army and Navy in separate divisions and allows them to play a non-conference game after the title game each season. But what happens when the programs win those divisions? Is the AAC ready to cancel its title game and hand out an afterthought trophy at Army-Navy. Because that would be the only solution. The AAC has a hell of a lot more to gain here than Army does. That’s why it won’t happen.

2. BYU: The AAC is not going to do much better in terms of adding a quality program and BYU would likely be a football-only member. If the money is right, it makes sense for both sides. But BYU may prefer life as an independent unless it can get into a Power 5 league.

3-4. Air Force and Boise State: This one is more complicated because Air Force and Boise State would likely need to leave the Mountain West entirely rather than join the AAC for football only. It makes football sense at both schools and the AAC makes more money than the other Group of 5 leagues. But the Falcons or Broncos would be spending much more on travel for their other athletics programs as well as a full-fledged member.

5. UMass: The Minutemen should be doing everything they can to swap spots with UConn as New England’s hopeless independent program and get into the AAC. It would not be the sexiest pick the AAC can make, but it may be a smart one. UMass has a quality all-around athletics department and allows the AAC to maintain a presence in the region while moving to a bigger media market in Boston.

6. Buffalo: The Bulls have strong football and men’s basketball programs and are a geographic outlier in the MAC. They may be willing to move and they would also allow the AAC to stay in the region.

7. UAB: The Blazers are hot in football, have a quality men’s basketball program and are successful in other sports. UAB would expand the league’s footprint while meshing quite easily with its existing members.

8. Take your pick: The options are pretty slim. The AAC is obviously not about to snag a Power 5 program and the programs listed above are the best options. Liberty desperately wants in a conference, but there’s a lot of baggage to take on there. Marshall would be a solid-enough fallback plan. Maybe Southern Miss? Or Florida Atlantic or Florida International?