(02-24-2021 02:57 PM)CenterSquarEd Wrote:  

(02-24-2021 11:42 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Are there any other realistic football schools the OVC could add outside of WIU? Even D2 looks pretty bare.

Robert Morris just joined the Horizon and would really stretch the footprint so I don't consider them realistic.

Perhaps if by some miracle they could convince Youngstown State to join in, the two could be packaged together, but that's a very big stretch.

Maybe Lindenwood, Arkansas Tech, UAH, or North Georgia? I dunno their interest level or if one of them is destined for the ASUN. Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois are pretty picked over. University of Indianapolis (private school, not IUPUI) could be interesting as a non-football school.

Alabama-Huntsville and North Georgia are non-football. Indianapolis is not interested. Lindenwood has been a full D2 member only since 2013, yes that was also the year California Baptist became a full D2 member but Lindenwood has 27 sports (most in D2) including football compared to CBU's 18 sports and no football. And we at Arkansas Tech have no desire for D1.

Stu, OVC would not be as Tenn. heavy with WIU. You would have:

--WIU
--EIU
--SIU-e
--SEMO (close-by)

AND... a possible future addition of close-by D2 USI (univ. of southern indiana).

Anyone else find it ironic that most of the OVC is actually in the Tennessee River Valley or that not a single MVC school is in the Missouri River watershed?

Its almost stupid why Indy isn't D1 smh

(02-24-2021 04:20 PM)KingSean Wrote:  Its almost stupid why Indy isn't D1 smh

I think it has something to do with the fact that football scholarships and facilities are expensive

(02-24-2021 04:22 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(02-24-2021 04:20 PM)KingSean Wrote:  Its almost stupid why Indy isn't D1 smh

I think it has something to do with the fact that football scholarships and facilities are expensive

I'm sure Indy could afford it and be competitive as well

What about WIU to OVC then NWMS to Summit

I'd love to see North Dakota State vs Northwest Missouri State

(02-24-2021 12:47 PM)nodak651 Wrote:  

(02-24-2021 10:42 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(02-24-2021 03:35 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  If West Texas A&M's ad is correct that the large D2 public schools who are not happy with the D2 leadership and are ready to make a jump to D1? You have the large schools in Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas and Colorado that could make the jump from D2 to D1. I could see the Summit to go after the Minnesota schools and maybe Fort Hays State and Washburn in Kansas to fill in spots. Central Oklahoma and NE Oklahioma State will also fit.

Jumping to D1 for most D2 schools is an ego move only. Financially, it usually results in taking a bath.

Yeah... of these, the only one the I could see mutual benefit with, between the summit and the potential school, is Minnesota State (Mankato).

They have enrollment of over ten thousand and are a perfect geographic fit, as they are almost half way between the Twin Cities (St. Thomas) and Sioux Falls (Summit Headquarters/Basketball tourney location).

They also have a strong athletics tradition and have a shared history with pretty much all summit schools. They have a D1 basketball arena as well, and they are in a different system than the U of M.

Only issue is probably football. Mankato has a huge football tradition, and I doubt they could afford to move their highly successful football and hockey teams up to D1. I doubt the MVFC football schools would want to the extra recruiting competition in MN either. It's a great fit though.. just dont see it happening. That's the only move up that most summit schools would prob be happy with, other than maybe St. Johns (prob would be a love/hate add), but it would have to be Pioneer Football only.

If WIU and Oral Roberts left, adding Mankato and St. Johns would be huge, IMO. We would see some amazing rivalries and fan interest. Football at both schools would have to be non scholly or dropped. If non scholly, there would be a decent little pod with St. Johns, St. Thomas, Mankato, and Drake. I don't see Mankato ever going non scholly though, but could be wrong.

This isn't a prediction of what will happen - I highly doubt it does, but there would be some great synergies between all of these schools. Per capita/alumn, St. Johns probably has the best alumni support of almost any school in the country, and the St. Thomas/St. Johns rivalry would be awesome to see at the D1 level.

Mankato's hockey is already D1.

(02-24-2021 04:18 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Anyone else find it ironic that most of the OVC is actually in the Tennessee River Valley or that not a single MVC school is in the Missouri River watershed?

Good point.

Of note: Akron and Youngstown State were members of the OVC when I was a student at Middle Tennessee State in the early 1980s.

I’m curious what the sentiments would be in the room if you gathered the 10 OVC university presidents in a room.

Belmont is probably the loudest voice in the room and they are only concerned about basketball. If they aren’t getting what they want, they have options and they’ll dart.

WIU and USI seem like the most obvious 1-2 punch but the net gain for football is just +1 and the potential D2 call ups in the region are pretty slim.

(02-24-2021 03:59 PM)AZcats Wrote:  

(02-24-2021 02:57 PM)CenterSquarEd Wrote:  

(02-24-2021 11:42 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Are there any other realistic football schools the OVC could add outside of WIU? Even D2 looks pretty bare.

Robert Morris just joined the Horizon and would really stretch the footprint so I don't consider them realistic.

Perhaps if by some miracle they could convince Youngstown State to join in, the two could be packaged together, but that's a very big stretch.

Maybe Lindenwood, Arkansas Tech, UAH, or North Georgia? I dunno their interest level or if one of them is destined for the ASUN. Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois are pretty picked over. University of Indianapolis (private school, not IUPUI) could be interesting as a non-football school.

Alabama-Huntsville and North Georgia are non-football. Indianapolis is not interested. Lindenwood has been a full D2 member only since 2013, yes that was also the year California Baptist became a full D2 member but Lindenwood has 27 sports (most in D2) including football compared to CBU's 18 sports and no football. And we at Arkansas Tech have no desire for D1.

Good catch, I didn’t do my homework, I just looked for the big schools in the region. I’m surprised that Georgia’s military college isn’t a football school. UAH, I should’ve caught that. Nobody else in Arkansas Tech’s conference is a flight risk, so if they don’t want out, nothing should force their hand.