(09-17-2020 07:57 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  When all the starry-eyed nostalgists on GSUfans start talking about how good we had it in the FCS, I have to remind them that the D1-AA they long for no longer exists. The teams we were so proud to have beaten back when we were winning national titles in the 80's and 90's have either all moved up to the G5 (Arkansas State, Marshall, UCF, etc.) or have severely relaxed their commitment to competitive athletics (Furman, Youngstown St). There was nothing left for us in that subdivision, and even though we were one of the last to get the wake up call to move on, I'm glad we did when we did.

Agreed.

Furthermore, I think that App State and Ga. Southern needed to move up to FBS if they wanted to maintain a shot at having a highly successful program.

Imagine if they stayed FCS. Just within the their states and surrounding states, Liberty, ODU, Charlotte, Coastal, Ga. State, and South Alabama would be FBS. Most recruits who formerly would have gone to Southern or App would have instead chosen one of the new G5's, meaning the talent level at Southern at App would have been diminished. Maybe they could have still competed for SoCon titles, but they probably would have flamed out early in the FCS playoffs against teams whose regions haven't had so many new G5 programs. Hence, the MVC and the Big Sky, whose territories have seen no new FBS programs in the past 20 years or so, have come to dominate FCS. JMU is the anomaly.

App State and Ga. Southern are proud programs who want to win as much as possible against at the highest level that they can. I think they HAD to move up just to keep up.

(09-17-2020 08:09 AM)Bigtom12 Wrote:  Let’s take NDSU, and James Madison I think we be set as a league

I don't want that travel at all. We are set now.

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CCU didn’t start football to go FBS

If the big south had grown without Liberty- everybody knew they were eventually going up

Or if we had gotten a chance to join SOCON or CAA we would still be FCS

The handwriting was on the wall we weren’t SOCON high falutin enough and didn’t fit what CAA was after

The moving forces behind GS and Ap leaving SOCON were the same people who helped CCU to get where we are now

(09-17-2020 08:03 AM)panama Wrote:  All of this is conditional. NDSU is in a conference and level where they are surrounded by regional rivals. They are not hurting attendance wise being in FCS. If they moved up what conference would it be in? Who would be their closest rivals? I doubt they would want to give up playing the schools in the Dakotas and the other surrounding states.

The only way they could make that work is to convince a sizable chunk of the Big Sky and Missouri Valley to move up with them...NDSU, Montana, Idaho (could be a path for them to get back to the show if they wanted it), Eastern Washington, maybe Northern Iowa. But it would’ve been nearly impossible to get the finances together even pre-COVID.

Let’s face it, they’re stuck where they are unless the Mountain West breaks bad and picks up the phone.

For reference, while Montana and North Dakota share a boarder, Fargo to Missoula is a thirteen hour drive. Fargo to Cheney (EWU) sixteen. Fargo to Moscow, SEVENTEEN HOURS. And we think WE have travel gripes.

(09-17-2020 08:17 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(09-17-2020 07:57 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  When all the starry-eyed nostalgists on GSUfans start talking about how good we had it in the FCS, I have to remind them that the D1-AA they long for no longer exists. The teams we were so proud to have beaten back when we were winning national titles in the 80's and 90's have either all moved up to the G5 (Arkansas State, Marshall, UCF, etc.) or have severely relaxed their commitment to competitive athletics (Furman, Youngstown St). There was nothing left for us in that subdivision, and even though we were one of the last to get the wake up call to move on, I'm glad we did when we did.

Agreed.

Furthermore, I think that App State and Ga. Southern needed to move up to FBS if they wanted to maintain a shot at having a highly successful program.

Imagine if they stayed FCS. Just within the their states and surrounding states, Liberty, ODU, Charlotte, Coastal, Ga. State, and South Alabama would be FBS. Most recruits who formerly would have gone to Southern or App would have instead chosen one of the new G5's, meaning the talent level at Southern at App would have been diminished. Maybe they could have still competed for SoCon titles, but they probably would have flamed out early in the FCS playoffs against teams whose regions haven't had so many new G5 programs. Hence, the MVC and the Big Sky, whose territories have seen no new FBS programs in the past 20 years or so, have come to dominate FCS. JMU is the anomaly.

App State and Ga. Southern are proud programs who want to win as much as possible against at the highest level that they can. I think they HAD to move up just to keep up.

Exactly. We enjoyed quite a number of years being the only other D1 football school in Georgia outside of the big two. Then in about a 5 year span, Georgia State, KSU, and Mercer all popped up. That lit a fire under our @$$ real quick.

I still follow FCS because I love football. The SoCon might not be a power conference at the moment (there's no real power conference now in FCS, only power teams) but the parity in the SoCon is almost perfect and fun to watch.

Football in general is getting better athletes, FCS included. G5 locking down 3/4 star recruits. FCS teams grabbing what the G5 was getting 10 yeara ago.

Those that don't watch think it's boring because of NDSU, and are right, but good/fun ball is being played.

Bit don't take that as I wish App was still FCS. I don't. But lets not turn our nose up to our past

(09-17-2020 08:31 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  I still follow FCS because I love football. The SoCon might not be a power conference at the moment (there's no real power conference now in FCS, only power teams) but the parity in the SoCon is almost perfect and fun to watch.

Football in general is getting better athletes, FCS included. G5 locking down 3/4 star recruits. FCS teams grabbing what the G5 was getting 10 yeara ago.

Those that don't watch think it's boring because of NDSU, and are right, but good/fun ball is being played.

I'd argue recruiting is actually going the opposite direction. As the FBS balloons in size, there's more room for recruits to play FBS ball who would have gone to play in the FCS otherwise. Back two or so decades ago, it was a lot easier to pick up talent as an FCS school than it is today.

(09-17-2020 08:34 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(09-17-2020 08:31 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  I still follow FCS because I love football. The SoCon might not be a power conference at the moment (there's no real power conference now in FCS, only power teams) but the parity in the SoCon is almost perfect and fun to watch.

Football in general is getting better athletes, FCS included. G5 locking down 3/4 star recruits. FCS teams grabbing what the G5 was getting 10 yeara ago.

Those that don't watch think it's boring because of NDSU, and are right, but good/fun ball is being played.

I'd argue recruiting is actually going the opposite direction. As the FBS balloons in size, there's more room for recruits to play FBS ball who would have gone to play in the FCS otherwise. Back two or so decades ago, it was a lot easier to pick up talent as an FCS school than it is today.

I just disagree. Look at the overall number of FCS to NFL recruits.

(09-17-2020 08:17 AM)panama Wrote:  

(09-17-2020 08:09 AM)Bigtom12 Wrote:  Let’s take NDSU, and James Madison I think we be set as a league

I don't want that travel at all. We are set now.

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NDSU would be a football-only member if they joined. Their other sports are in the Summit and the Summit isn't going to tell them they have to leave if their football isn't in the league.

If we could get them to join and maybe someone like Marshall from CUSA we'd be at least on the same plane as the MWC, no doubt.

(09-17-2020 08:37 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  I just disagree. Look at the overall number of FCS to NFL recruits.

The Sun Belt had more draftees last year than the entire FCS did.

(09-17-2020 08:00 AM)Bigtom12 Wrote:  Glad we have y’all, but what about the fans of the originally Sunbelt? How disconnected they are from D-IAA, media, newspaper, fans of D-IA just don’t follow FCS. I am just glad we got the best of what FCS had to offer ! Talking about App St, GS, and Troy. Don’t take offense CCU, USA, GSU y’all started football so yall can try to move up to D-IA.

Us IA boys got to keep up with IAA boys. Probably why we are so good as a conference now.

Take offense? Don't flatter yourself. South Alabama was only classified FCS (Division I-AA) for one only year on the way up from nothing. We had a conference opening in the Sun Belt because South was the only charter member left in the SBC in all other sports.

(09-16-2020 11:59 PM)Goronic Wrote:  App State was in the FCS just a few years ago. When we were in the Southern Conference I kept up with the FCS conferences, rankings, etc. I also kept one eye on the G5 and enjoyed P5 like everyone else.

After being in the FBS I don't have a clue who is good in FCS - or rankings - at ALL. No idea. I don't even know who won the SoCon last year or the year before...

I can see why App State wasn't all that visible to the G5 - let alone the P5. Do you guys that moved up recently have the same feeling? Do you keep up with the FCS at all?

I don't...and we just got to the FBS. I would think if you have been the FBS for a long time - or a P5 school - you wouldn't give 2 ***** about the FCS or what they are doing.

Kinda explains why some of our fans gave you less than the welcome you were expecting. Most of us only knew App from the great Michigan win and had no idea what GaSo brought with them. Add to that the historic struggles that every other move up had before you (FAU/FIU/WKU) and you can place that skepticism in its proper perspective.

All that said, I'm damn glad you're here.

(09-17-2020 08:32 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  Bit don't take that as I wish App was still FCS. I don't. But lets not turn our nose up to our past

I don't turn my nose up at Appalachian's past at all. To the contrary, I'm extremely proud of all of App's history.

But TrueBlueDrew is correct. The FCS of the past doesn't exist anymore. So many former FCS programs and start-from-scratch programs are gone. Remaining SoCon programs aren't near the heyday of when Marshall, App, Furman, and Ga. Southern were dominating. Furman has floundered for the better part of 15 years, and Wofford almost never advances far.

(09-17-2020 08:44 AM)AstroCajun Wrote:  

(09-16-2020 11:59 PM)Goronic Wrote:  App State was in the FCS just a few years ago. When we were in the Southern Conference I kept up with the FCS conferences, rankings, etc. I also kept one eye on the G5 and enjoyed P5 like everyone else.

After being in the FBS I don't have a clue who is good in FCS - or rankings - at ALL. No idea. I don't even know who won the SoCon last year or the year before...

I can see why App State wasn't all that visible to the G5 - let alone the P5. Do you guys that moved up recently have the same feeling? Do you keep up with the FCS at all?

I don't...and we just got to the FBS. I would think if you have been the FBS for a long time - or a P5 school - you wouldn't give 2 ***** about the FCS or what they are doing.

Kinda explains why some of our fans gave you less than the welcome you were expecting. Most of us only knew App from the great Michigan win and had no idea what GaSo brought with them. Add to that the historic struggles that every other move up had before you (FAU/FIU/WKU) and you can place that skepticism in its proper perspective.

All that said, I'm damn glad you're here.

For sure...that is really the point of my post. I bet it was a pleasant surprise that we competed so well out of the gate (GS as well). I wonder if the current Sun Belt schools are still kind of in disbelief at App State success.

I can remember when we got here....Sun Belt teams were leaving for CUSA, we got the "why in the hell did we get these schools, we need to get existing FBS programs". Now look at the Sun Belt, all the competition in our conference has sharped the knife and we are stronger than we have ever been (in my opinion)

I get it now. I would probably feel the same now as existing Sun Belt teams felt then "getting more FCS would more likely hurt the Sun Belt than helped". But it turned out OK. I think a few FBS fans knew App State and GS had good potential, but I would expect most did not.

Glad we were able to pull our own weight :)

I think part of GS' success in the late 90's early 00's was the fact that they WERE 1-AA/FCS, and they could recruit G5 level players with the notion of playing for national titles vs playing for a fledgling "1-A/FBS" program. Those kids were easier to get back then because recruiting was nothing like it is today with websites, camps, etc. Really solid talent flew under the radar and we were able to snag a few of them.

(09-17-2020 08:28 AM)Tealblood Wrote:  CCU didn’t start football to go FBS

If the big south had grown without Liberty- everybody knew they were eventually going up

Or if we had gotten a chance to join SOCON or CAA we would still be FCS

The handwriting was on the wall we weren’t SOCON high falutin enough and didn’t fit what CAA was after

The moving forces behind GS and Ap leaving SOCON were the same people who helped CCU to get where we are now

GaSt was also not tabbed for FBS when they started their program. They were originally designed to be FCS, but very quickly realignment happened, and they were given an invitation. They were an original member of the SBC from the 70’s, I’m sure that had something to do with it. Originally they were a terrible add to the conference in football, but I will eat crow on that one, they have developed faster then my school did. Now, 10 years later, they are a good add to the Belt.

South started football with the plan to be FBS and continue full membership is the SBC. We never had plans to hold at any level other then FBS.

(09-17-2020 08:44 AM)AstroCajun Wrote:  

(09-16-2020 11:59 PM)Goronic Wrote:  App State was in the FCS just a few years ago. When we were in the Southern Conference I kept up with the FCS conferences, rankings, etc. I also kept one eye on the G5 and enjoyed P5 like everyone else.

After being in the FBS I don't have a clue who is good in FCS - or rankings - at ALL. No idea. I don't even know who won the SoCon last year or the year before...

I can see why App State wasn't all that visible to the G5 - let alone the P5. Do you guys that moved up recently have the same feeling? Do you keep up with the FCS at all?

I don't...and we just got to the FBS. I would think if you have been the FBS for a long time - or a P5 school - you wouldn't give 2 ***** about the FCS or what they are doing.

Kinda explains why some of our fans gave you less than the welcome you were expecting. Most of us only knew App from the great Michigan win and had no idea what GaSo brought with them. Add to that the historic struggles that every other move up had before you (FAU/FIU/WKU) and you can place that skepticism in its proper perspective.

All that said, I'm damn glad you're here.

Georgia Southern fans were used to riding in on a high horse in FCS circles, so when we got here and realized everyone else's horses were the the same height, maybe even a little taller, I don't think we knew how to handle it at first. I like to think we humbled ourselves at least a little.

(09-17-2020 08:58 AM)ChiefGSU275 Wrote:  I think part of GS' success in the late 90's early 00's was the fact that they WERE 1-AA/FCS, and they could recruit G5 level players with the notion of playing for national titles vs playing for a fledgling "1-A/FBS" program. Those kids were easier to get back then because recruiting was nothing like it is today with websites, camps, etc. Really solid talent flew under the radar and we were able to snag a few of them.

It also helped that G5 games weren’t on TV, there weren’t the media outlets like there are today. Now even G5 games can be seen everywhere in the country if you want them. Furman-WCU, in normal times, aren’t making it on ESPN.

(09-17-2020 09:02 AM)Usajags Wrote:  South started football with the plan to be FBS and continue full membership is the SBC. We never had plans to hold at any level other then FBS.

Correct. Here’s the announcement from 12/6/2007:

https://usajaguars.com/news/2007/12/6/71426

Quote:MOBILE, Ala. -- The University of South Alabama Board of Trustees approved the addition of football to the intercollegiate athletic program at its regularly-scheduled meeting on Thursday. The decision came after a recommendation from USA President Gordon Moulton based on input from student, faculty, alumni and community groups.

The intention is that the Jaguars will field a team in 2009 with a full transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision by 2013. USA is a charter member of the Sun Belt Conference.

In conjunction with the football announcement, the Board also approved the addition of a 200-member marching band program for the Department of Music.

“This effort is really about the students and alumni, and bringing them closer to the University,” said Moulton. “We also believe this will strengthen our already close relationship with the community”

The University of South Alabama over the past four decades has grown from a startup urban institution to a comprehensive university with an ever-increasing traditional and residential student body. Throughout the maturing of the institution to its present status as one of Alabama’s fastest growing universities, the issue of NCAA-sanctioned intercollegiate football has arisen at numerous junctures.

In 1999, not long after the current administration began, the University responded to requests from some of its constituencies and conducted a formal analysis of the football issue. USA, with the assistance of external consultants, undertook a comprehensive review of the costs and benefits of such a program and gauged community interest through various means, including a season ticket drive. At the time, the University and its board of trustees determined the timing was not right for the addition of NCAA-sanctioned football. As an offshoot of the 1999 process, a club football program was developed at the University.

The football issue again arose this summer and was independently fueled by the Student Government Association, The Vanguard student newspaper and a group named “Students who Stand.” During the fall semester, a petition was arranged and over 2,500 signatures were presented to Moulton at the basketball home opener on Nov. 11.

“This is an historic day for the University of South Alabama and our athletics department,” Director of Athletics Joe Gottfried said. “With the future of intercollegiate athletics driven by football, we are excited as we enter a new era. College football will have a major impact on our athletics program, our university, Mobile and the surrounding communities.

“I want to thank President Moulton and Board of Trustees for their vision to establish football at our institution.”

“This is a good day for the Sun Belt Conference,” Commissioner Wright Waters said. “We are prepared to do whatever we can to help South Alabama, including with scheduling. As soon as they get their Division I-A certification, they will walk in automatically as our 10th football member.”

The Jaguars will begin their schedule at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in downtown Mobile in the fall of 2009. The 40,000-seat facility is home to the GMAC Bowl and the Senior Bowl, plus numerous high school football games each year.