(08-02-2021 05:05 PM)JSchmack Wrote:  

(08-02-2021 01:09 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  This is nothing new. I've heard Marshall, ODU, and a few others have been in contact collectively with the A-10 conference about them sponsoring football. Something was supposed to potentially emerge this past spring but Covid and a few other things have thrown a wrench into it. We'll see what happens.

Yeah, first 18 pages were about it, right? I'm an A-10 guy and they brought me here. But revisiting the topic is smart for us AND the members of C-USA.

War-Game the scenarios and executing a 7-team departure NOW and REGARDLESS of the B12/AAC chaos makes even more sense.

Old Dominion & Marshall are the ringleaders, and appears Charlotte was on board. So they've been asking Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, UAB, and likely La Tech (we all assume) to break off.


So you see that:
1. Big 12 ain't dissolving
2. AAC probably losing 2+ members, which means C-USA is probably losing about the same or less members.

3. For anyone 3-6 on the list of attractive AAC candidates, your conference is getting worse by losing members AND...
4. The only way you get in is if the AAC loses 3+ members.

5. If the AAC does loses 4+ members, UCF and maybe USF will be leaving; which makes FAU/FIU MOVE UP THE LIST, POSSIBLY AHEAD OF YOU.

6. SMU, Tulane and ECU are likely stuck outside the Big 12; and likely opposing North Texas, La Tech and Charlotte for AAC expansion (unless it was a very deep raid).


How much does this change things for the people ODU/Marshall were calling to join them and split? A LOT. (Part 2 coming)

LaTech would not be interested in being in a conference with no Texas schools, or so I have heard from several LaTech posters in the past on the C-USA board. Now I can see USM being interested in this conference, and like Marshall, Southern Miss hasn't been too fond of the direction C-USA has been going either. I don't think USM gets along with ODU too well, but USM and Marshall do have a great relationship, from what I've seen. If USM is interested, UAB would be as well, because UAB and USM are institutional partners, similar to how TCU and SMU were pre-TCU getting into the MWC & Big 12.