Fighting Muskie
Senior Chief Realignmentologist
Posts: 11,797
Joined: Sep 2016
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I Root For: Ohio St, UC,MAC
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RE: Has FAU and FIU moving from the SBC to C-USA been a Bust?
(11-18-2020 10:14 AM)BePcr07 Wrote: (11-18-2020 10:03 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote: C-USA made a tactical error in May 2012, when they replaced the 4 schools they lost with 6 replacements:
UTSA, UNT, and FIU were sensible adds—they were meant to replace the lost market/recruiting ground presence of the 2 Texas and 1 Florida schools they lost.
Adding all 3 of LA Tech, ODU, and Charlotte was a blunder. LA Tech stands out as the kind of pick you’d make if you’re going to go with the best available option. however you had ECU clamoring for an add that was travel friendly for them. So rather than picking one or the other they chose both and then rounded things off with a 2nd school near ECU.
Making expansion moves based on ECU’s desires proved to be a poor choice because they were gone 6 months later. C-USA had a chance to right their past wrongs after the departure of ECU and Tulane and stand pat at 12 but they didn’t—they went for the next 2 options on their pecking order list: MTSU and FAU.
The following Spring they substituted departing Tulsa with WKU.
To me, there were 2 critical points where C-USA could have fixed their expansion problem:
May 2012: they should have replaced on a 1:1 basis. Ideally, they should have taken the best available (LA Tech) and let ECU deal with it. After ECU and Tulane are gone MTSU and FAU get the call up and then WKU for Tulsa:
West: UTEP, UNT, UTSA, Rice, LA Tech, USM
East: UAB, MTSU, WKU, Marshall, FAU, FIU
The other option is Nov 2012: After going to 14 due to ECU’s insistence that ODU and Charlotte be added for their convenience, they choose not to expand and stand at 12. In April 2013, when they lose Tulsa they reload with MTSU. (I’m presuming they try to replace the lost Tenn presence rather than doubling down on southern Florida)
West: UTEP, UNT, UTSA, Rice, LA Tech, USM
East: UAB, MTSU, FIU, Charlotte, ODU, Marshall
If CUSA did not take in Charlotte or Old Dominion, would the Sun Belt have been interested?
Sun Belt
East: Appalachian St, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia St, Old Dominion
West: Arkansas St, South Alabama, Texas St, Troy, UL Lafayette, UL Monroe
I’m of the opinion that if C-USA took a pass in Charlotte and ODU the SBC would have been interested. I also think JMU would have jumped into the mix as well at the expense of CCU:
West: Texas St, Ark St, ULL, ULM, USA, Troy
East: JMU, ODU, App St, Charlotte, GA St, GA South
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