IT seems with the talent pool out there and with some of the moving pieces to things that it might come down to CUSA being ripped apart for MWC and AAC expansion/backfilling needs that could most likely leave the lower end schools that came to CUSA out in the cold because at that point I don't think CUSA would have anything to offer a current MAC or SBC school to gravitate towards it financially.

I highly doubt it. C-USA has too many schools as it is. They could lose 4 or even 6 and still survive. There are still several FCS schools that would like to move up, and I don't see the AAC going past 10 if they drop to or below 10.

(07-28-2016 08:49 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  I highly doubt it. C-USA has too many schools as it is. They could lose 4 or even 6 and still survive. There are still several FCS schools that would like to move up, and I don't see the AAC going past 10 if they drop to or below 10.

Yeah, only way it happens is if C-USA is eaten by MWC, AAC and SB/MAC at the same time. Which is entirely possible, if unlikely.

If the AAC loses Cincy, Memphis, and Houston as rumored...

conference down to 9 football/8 all-sports...

The thing that's tough is that the conference would pretty much be forced to add 2 all sports bare minimum- to remain at a 10 team conference for all-sports. You have to have 10 to have 18 conference games(which is pretty much the minimum now). Or add 1 all sports team and then a bball only school.

(07-28-2016 09:04 AM)stever20 Wrote:  If the AAC loses Cincy, Memphis, and Houston as rumored...

conference down to 9 football/8 all-sports...

The thing that's tough is that the conference would pretty much be forced to add 2 all sports bare minimum- to remain at a 10 team conference for all-sports. You have to have 10 to have 18 conference games(which is pretty much the minimum now). Or add 1 all sports team and then a bball only school.

Makes it bad for UConn and USF. But it's hard to see UConn going independent in football; scheduling is just too difficult later in the season.

What if everyone decides to go to 14?

B12: BYU, Houston, UC, UM
AAC: Rice, USM, UAB, MU, ODU
MWC: UTSA, UTEP
MAC: WKU, MTSU
SBC: FAU, FIU, Charlotte, UNT

More likely I guess would be CUSA waiting around to take hits to 8 or 9 teams and then go back to 14 themselves finishing off the SBC.

(07-28-2016 09:15 AM)Kittonhead Wrote:  What if everyone decides to go to 14?

B12: BYU, Houston, UC, UM
AAC: Rice, USM, UAB, MU, ODU
MWC: UTSA, UTEP
MAC: WKU, MTSU
SBC: FAU, FIU, Charlotte, UNT

More likely I guess would be CUSA waiting around to take hits to 8 or 9 teams and then go back to 14 themselves finishing off the SBC.

Yea, like the Sun Belt would ever consider inviting FAU, FIU, or UNT to rejoin the conference.

I actually am sitting here feeling bad for all the teams left behind (including Memphis if they dont make the cut).
What is happening is terrible.

AAC East:
UConn.
UMass.
UCF
USF
Temple
East Carolina
Old Dominion

AAC West:
Houston
SMU
Navy
Tulane
Tulsa
Southern Mississippi
UTSA

That is still not a bad line up for a new tv contract.

Houston not going in the Big 12. Somebody needs to be a travel partner for BYU, and that is Boise State. They are looking at schools that could bring money into the conference. Right now, Colorado State can't.

C. Austin Cox ‏@C_Austin_Cox 26m26 minutes ago
With the AAC looking at multiple C-USA schools, it seems like the Big 12 going to 14 is a lock. Memphis fans can start breathing easier.

(07-28-2016 08:43 AM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  IT seems with the talent pool out there and with some of the moving pieces to things that it might come down to CUSA being ripped apart for MWC and AAC expansion/backfilling needs that could most likely leave the lower end schools that came to CUSA out in the cold because at that point I don't think CUSA would have anything to offer a current MAC or SBC school to gravitate towards it financially.

It appears that the CUSA will be the one that gets hit hard.

(07-28-2016 09:42 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  AAC East:
UConn.
UMass.
UCF
USF
Temple
East Carolina
Old Dominion

AAC West:
Houston
SMU
Navy
Tulane
Tulsa
Southern Mississippi
UTSA

That is still not a bad line up for a new tv contract.

Houston not going in the Big 12. Somebody needs to be a travel partner for BYU, and that is Boise State. They are looking at schools that could bring money into the conference. Right now, Colorado State can't.

Best of the rest for AAC to look at.
C-USA
Southern Mississippi football
Western Kentucky football, basketball
Middle Tennessee State football
UAB basketball
Old Dominion basketball, football could get better.
La. Tech football
UTEP basketball

MAC:
Ohio U. basketball/football
Toledo football
Bowling Green football
Northern Illinois football
Buffalo basketball

Sun Belt:
Arkansas State football
Appalachian State football
Georgia Southern football
South Alabama football
La.-Lafayette football

Independent:
UMass. basketball, football is getting better.
New Mexico State basketball


FCS (some schools have better facilities than some FBS)
Montana football
Montana State football
Portland State football
Northern Colorado basketball
Eastern Washington football

Liberty baseball, football

Delaware (they need a change of scenery to get better football recruits)
James Madison football
Stony Brook football, basketball and baseball on the rise
New Hampshire football
Towson football

North Dakota State football, basketball and several olympics sports.
South Dakota State football, basketball
Illinois State football
Indiana State football
Northern Iowa football
Wichita State if they add football, basketball
Youngstown State football

Jacksonville State football
Tennessee State football
Eastern Kentucky football

Fordham football, have upset FBS schools in recent years.

Dayton football and basketball if they decide to give scholarships for football, and get into a better conference.

Chattanooga football
Furman football

Sam Houston State football
Lamar football, baseball
Central Arkansas football
McNeese State football
SFA basketball

Alabama State football
Jackson State football

Florida A&M football

Just a couple of D2 schools as a good measure.
North Alabama football
Azusa Pacific football
West Texas A&M football.

(07-28-2016 10:06 AM)No Bull Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 09:42 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  AAC East:
UConn.
UMass.
UCF
USF
Temple
East Carolina
Old Dominion

AAC West:
Houston
SMU
Navy
Tulane
Tulsa
Southern Mississippi
UTSA

That is still not a bad line up for a new tv contract.

Houston not going in the Big 12. Somebody needs to be a travel partner for BYU, and that is Boise State. They are looking at schools that could bring money into the conference. Right now, Colorado State can't.

UMass is a travel partner for UConn.
Old Dominion is a bridge from Temple to East Carolina.

Southern Mississippi is on the short list to go on the west side. Their football is coming back.

UTSA have made the 68 team basketball tournament a few years ago.

If MW and AAC start poaching, the MAC would take Marshall and Western Kentucky.

.

(07-28-2016 10:13 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 10:06 AM)No Bull Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 09:42 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  AAC East:
UConn.
UMass.
UCF
USF
Temple
East Carolina
Old Dominion

AAC West:
Houston
SMU
Navy
Tulane
Tulsa
Southern Mississippi
UTSA

That is still not a bad line up for a new tv contract.

Houston not going in the Big 12. Somebody needs to be a travel partner for BYU, and that is Boise State. They are looking at schools that could bring money into the conference. Right now, Colorado State can't.

UMass is a travel partner for UConn.
Old Dominion is a bridge from Temple to East Carolina.

Southern Mississippi is on the short list to go on the west side. Their football is coming back.

UTSA have made the 68 team basketball tournament a few years ago.

You will see UConn and UMass as a pair in the Big East with both schools having Indy football teams before you will see that.

The thought of being stuck in that for basketball makes me need a drink right now.


Then again, I don't see Memphis being taken by the Big 12 over UConn. Other than geography (from a plane miles perspective), the numbers are on UConn's side. Bigger TV market (geography in UConn's favor there), no in state competition for eyeballs, bigger budget, better men's basketball, better women's basketball, and football a wild card at both schools with the current coaches. Justin Fuente is gone and Memphis was terrible in football before his arrival. There is no way to predict if Mike Norvell is going to be successful as he hasn't coached a single game as a head coach yet. With Bob Diaco at UConn, we have proof that he is trending in the right direction and the team should be better this year than most national sports writers are predicting. Anyway, the bottom line is that the Big 12 is most concerned about money, and UConn will make them more of that.

at some point geography matters. And UConn's geography sucks for the Big 12.

And while UConn's basketball may be better than Memphis- the Big 12 already has that in spades. They're not looking to upgrade in basketball. And Memphis is still good enough to make their basketball a positive.

(07-28-2016 10:13 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 10:06 AM)No Bull Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 09:42 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  AAC East:
UConn.
UMass.
UCF
USF
Temple
East Carolina
Old Dominion

AAC West:
Houston
SMU
Navy
Tulane
Tulsa
Southern Mississippi
UTSA

That is still not a bad line up for a new tv contract.

Houston not going in the Big 12. Somebody needs to be a travel partner for BYU, and that is Boise State. They are looking at schools that could bring money into the conference. Right now, Colorado State can't.

UMass is a travel partner for UConn.
Old Dominion is a bridge from Temple to East Carolina.

Southern Mississippi is on the short list to go on the west side. Their football is coming back.

UTSA have made the 68 team basketball tournament a few years ago.

Southern Miss has my vote. Solid fan base. Good football history. A lot of our members have a football history with the Golden Eagles... it was a crime that they got left behind in the last round of expansion...

Really doubt it.
Not with the current amount of $10 million/conference payout from the CFP.

(07-28-2016 08:51 AM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  

(07-28-2016 08:49 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  I highly doubt it. C-USA has too many schools as it is. They could lose 4 or even 6 and still survive. There are still several FCS schools that would like to move up, and I don't see the AAC going past 10 if they drop to or below 10.

Yeah, only way it happens is if C-USA is eaten by MWC, AAC and SB/MAC at the same time. Which is entirely possible, if unlikely.

Not unless they are going to 16. Still too many schools left.

They will always be able to get Sun Belt schools, who are mostly new move-ups. Plus it enables the Sun Belt schools to slip away from the hybrid membership with UTA and UALR.