(08-07-2021 07:08 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(08-07-2021 04:08 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(08-07-2021 10:39 AM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(08-07-2021 10:34 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I think swapping programs with the SBC might gain some traction once it’s clear who the AAC loses and back fills with. By that point, maybe the pragmatists in both conferences will win the day, understanding that the the travel costs don’t way the benefits when you’re outside the top 5-6 conferences.

Way too many moving parts created by the Texas/Oklahoma move. Those programs who might get a call from the AAC or MWC will not want to advocate merger right at this moment.

Quite ... there are too many unknowns, but first and foremost:
(1) Does the Big12 take 2 or 4, and is BYU in the mix? That means the raid of the AAC can be from 1 to 4
(2) Does the AAC rebuilt to 10 or 12 ... that means the raid of CUSA can be from 0 to 5

There is absolutely no way to do a West+West, East+East reshuffle until (2) is sorted out.

It is a possibility that the aftershocks creates enough slack between the two conferences that a win-win reshuffle can be created. But it is not a certainty, since it could be the AAC loses one, and stand pat at 10... and even even if the AAC does do a rebuild, which exact reshuffle is a win-win depends on exactly which schools the AAC takes.

Yup. If, for example, four AAC teams move to the Big 12, then the AAC is left with six full members who play FBS football, and the AAC has to add at least two new FBS full members to remain an FBS conference. The possibility of those two or four new FBS full members coming out of the SBC or CUSA is about 99.9 percent.

Not to be arrogant or anything, but it won't be Appy or Coastal Carolina. Their Carnegie Classification will keep them out. Everyone in the AAC is an R1 OR R2. Both Appy and Coastal are Masters College or University. It was one of the sticking points that kept Marshall out in 2012-13. Marshall had been working on changing its classification but didn't get R2 status until March of 2019.

There are only 3 schools now that are not R1 or R2 in FBS, Appy State, Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt) and San Jose State (MNT West).

If anyone from the Sun Belt is taken, it would probably be GA State.