(06-07-2015 04:42 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  Schools shouldn't be allowed to move up. Need to keep the riffraff out.

List of G5 that have been FBS/1-A/1 since modern era of college football:
San Jose State
San Diego State
Fresno State
Hawaii
Central Michigan
Air Force
Army
Ball State
Bowling Green
BYU
Cincinnati
Colorado State
Eastern Michigan
East Carolina
Houston
Kent State
Louisiana
Memphis
Navy
New Mexico
New Mexico State
NIU
Ohio
Rice
SMU
Southern Miss
Temple
UTEP
Toledo
Tulane
Tulsa
Utah State
Western Michigan
Wyoming

That's only 34 schools + 65 from P5 (all have been playing FBS/1-A since beginning also) comes to 99 schools still playing FBS since the beginning. Many conferences and schools have dropped down like the Ivy League and Big West. That list of G5 have more in common with P5 schools then they do some start-ups but instead get bunched together with them. Start ups and FCS move ups are a good thing and I have no problem with them but I feel like you need to prove something before you can move up. App State, GA Southern, Old Dominion, and UTSA all have proved a strong following and winning tradition all ready. However schools like FIU and Georgia State moved up with no history or stadium and got in because of location. Georgia State hasn't won a FBS game I don't think. FIU use to play in a high school stadium and hasn't really seemed as committed to FBS as Florida Atlantic who has a nice stadium, a new marketing plan 'ATLANTIC', and ability to start winning. You shouldn't be allowed to move up because you want to but because you can prove you belong. ND State, Missouri State, Liberty, and James Madison seem like schools that should be allowed based on winning, money into program, and fan base.

Zero disrespect intended, but one could argue it's a race to the top of the hill and SoMiss, Rice & UTEP have been matched by MT, WKU, and ODU.

The Western 3 have earned more brand equity over time, the Eastern 3 arguably have more up-market momentum today. Having both types of programs in C-USA provides opportunity for all members.

(06-08-2015 04:20 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-08-2015 03:13 AM)MJG Wrote:  

(06-07-2015 08:24 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(06-07-2015 10:04 AM)MJG Wrote:  Eight teams have recently moved up .

UTSA
Texas ST
ODU
Appalachian ST
Georgia ST
Charlotte
Georgia Southern
South Alabama


Say these schools moved up together as a conference it would have been pretty good.
Six have pretty good markets and the two rural schools strong fan support.
travel partners works out pretty good facilities will be good once Charlotte expands their stadium.

That looks like a stronger conference than this one:

New Mex St
N Texas
Ark St
LA LA
LA Monroe (fb only)
M Tenn St
Idaho (fb only)

Which was the Sun Belt in 2001, their first year in FBS. Didn't have a bowl tie in or conference TV package. Some of those schools have made great leaps forward, but others not so much.

Idaho
Montana
Mt State
E Wash
Cal Poly
UC Davis
Sac St
Portland St
N Dakota
NDSU

would not struggle as much as the Belt in 2001. They already have a built in Bowl tie with the Famous Idaho Potato which would drop the MAC instantly and probably get others in Minneapolis, Seattle, and California, and they have Root Sports now as a network.

Rate the three the imaginary move up conference vs hypothetical Big Sky vs original Sun Belt. Take into account the state of the programs when they made the move.You could assume the typical facilities investment before a move for the BSC schools. Obviously EWU and UND would have their stadium plans finished. NDSU would have its dome expansion done already.

If MVC have kept sponsoring football? They might still be in FBS conference.

Eastern Washington, Missouri State, Northern Iowa and New Hampshire all are making plans in upgrading their stadiums to 15,000 or more. There are some D2 schools with some work could be FBS ready. Wichita State has the stadium for FBS whenever they restart their program. There are a lot of schools that have hinted they want to go to FBS including Dayton as well. North Alabama and Tuskegee would be blocked as well.

Dayton is not moving back up.

(06-08-2015 08:13 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(06-07-2015 04:42 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  Schools shouldn't be allowed to move up. Need to keep the riffraff out.

I wasn't serious.

The NCAA could easily come up with a fair rule.
Allow schools to move up together as independents.
Counting games against each other towards the five FBS home games.
keep the current rules for scholarships and sports offered.
Charlotte is entering FBS with a 15300 seat SRO stadium.
So tickets sold like Georgia ST having averaged five thousand actual attendance year one of FBS.

Include a large fee to join like three million .
Make any FBS independent eligible for the three hundred thousand APR money.
When the CFP is renewed allow only conferences to be eligible for G5 /G? money.
All other current independents at that time would get the current independent pay out . I think that is three hundred thousand so six hundred thousand total possible for future independents vs 1.5 and up for conference members. This allows advancement but the G5 keeps their advantage.

(06-07-2015 06:44 PM)e-parade Wrote:  So does UMass no longer count as a recent move up, or is this more of a "not in the right part of the country for this" sort of thing?

I think this is their second stint at FBS or 1A at the time.
Former FBS Conferences?
Ivy :league
MVC
CAA
Southland
Southern
Patriot

Army and Navy stayed in FBS while their whole conference mates downgraded. A couple of OVC schools were FBS as well. U. Mass. was one of them until the mid 1980s, several conferences downgraded. The D2 Rocky Mountain Conference was a D1. Some schools there were with the likes of Colorado, Colorado State, Northern Colorado, Montana State, Wyoming and some others.