(06-30-2020 06:34 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(06-30-2020 06:24 PM)FloridaJag Wrote:  

(06-30-2020 06:18 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(06-30-2020 05:46 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Wild idea that probably violates NCAA FCS rules:

A scheduling alliance between the 12 SWAC schools and the 6 MEAC FB schools

SWAC goes to 3 divisions:

West-PVAMU, Texas So, Southern, Grambling
Central-UAPB, Miss Valley St, Jackson St, Alcott St
East-Alabama A&M, Alabama St, FAMU, B-C

West champ plays Central Champ in NO
East champ plays MEAC Champ in ATL
Winners advance to HBCU Nat’l Championship/Celebration Bowl

At that point, why not have the MEAC drop football and its members become a division in the SWAC? Four division winners play in the semis, then the Celebration Bowl for the title. The MEAC could still theoretically exist as a non-football conference, though they'd have to come up with a way to meet the D1 sport-sponsorship requirements without football.

The conferences could have merge years ago. The problem is travel cost.

This would be for football only, which would mitigate the costs. It might be the only way the MEAC schools can stay in D1 if there's one more football departure. Plus the original plan is very similar; this just formalizes it.

Except you're correct in pointing out that the MEAC's survival as multisport conference hinges on retaining 6 FB members right now. They could certainly use a big donation that would let them 6 of them start up a new men's team sport.