https://twitter.com/brett_mcmurphy/statu...11297?s=21

Sun Belt could add 2 new members.

Would the Sun Belt consider Liberty? Would Liberty be interested?

Dear gosh. This site is going to go down because of traffic to it. Holy cow.

(09-09-2021 08:47 PM)GoBuckeyes1047 Wrote:  https://twitter.com/brett_mcmurphy/statu...11297?s=21

Sun Belt could add 2 new members.

I hope they don't add FCS members. And I can't see any CUSA members going to the Sun Belt, especially before the AAC makes its moves.

(09-09-2021 08:50 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(09-09-2021 08:47 PM)GoBuckeyes1047 Wrote:  https://twitter.com/brett_mcmurphy/statu...11297?s=21

Sun Belt could add 2 new members.

I hope they don't add FCS members. And I can't see any CUSA members going to the Sun Belt, especially before the AAC makes its moves.

Southern Miss might make the jump before any AAC moves if they’re pursued. I think personally the Sun Belt should Marshall and either Liberty or James Madison (the only FCS team worth pursuing), but I could also see Southern Miss or ODU considered.

All because Texas and Oklahoma decided to move. AAC, MWC, Sun Belt looking to add teams. Is this the end of CUSA as we know it?

TwoB

Marshall? Liberty? ODU? Maybe even UTSA.

This rates up there with the story about the AAC aggressively pursuing Big 12 teams.

We all know how that turned out.

(09-09-2021 09:14 PM)bullet Wrote:  This rates up there with the story about the AAC aggressively pursuing Big 12 teams.

We all know how that turned out.

I mean not really, since I think the Sun Belt might make more in TV revenue than C-USA, or at the very least the difference is so close it's not even worth distinguishing. I don't really think there's much point in schools from either league moving from one to the other, but maybe if the AAC took 2 C-USA members that would tip the balance toward the Sun-Belt.

(09-09-2021 09:02 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  All because Texas and Oklahoma decided to move. AAC, MWC, Sun Belt looking to add teams. Is this the end of CUSA as we know it?

I don't think so, at worst, they drop to 8 members and could add New Mexico St. and Liberty to get back to 10 or 12, if needed, so I think they survive this time around. Now if you see the leftover eastern schools break away to team up with some of the ASUN football members, that could be a different story.

Back in 2011, the ACC forged a path to survival by aggressively raiding the Big East. It wasn't so much that the ACC was trying to become a dominant force, they were trying to prevent other leagues from raiding them. It mostly worked.

Perhaps the Sun Belt sees some vulnerabilities and is saying it's time to grow or weaken, there's no in between.

But hey, Liberty and New Mexico State should be easy grabs.

Southern Miss (my 4th choice for the AAC) isn’t super popular here as an AAC expansion candidate. Perhaps they don’t believe they are on the AAC’s list and they do close a geographical gap for the SBC. If I’m the SBC, I’m interested in 2 of Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, North Texas, Southern Miss, and UAB.

(09-09-2021 09:19 PM)GoBuckeyes1047 Wrote:  

(09-09-2021 09:02 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  All because Texas and Oklahoma decided to move. AAC, MWC, Sun Belt looking to add teams. Is this the end of CUSA as we know it?

I don't think so, at worst, they drop to 8 members and could add New Mexico St. and Liberty to get back to 10 or 12, if needed, so I think they survive this time around. Now if you see the leftover eastern schools break away to team up with some of the ASUN football members, that could be a different story.

I didn't mean CUSA would disband but if 4 or more members were poached it would really be a crusher for them. Then again, maybe in their case a smaller conference would be addition by subtraction. From the list below of their current members several make sense for the AAC and Sun Belt.

Charlotte
FIU
FAU
Louisiana Tech
Marshall
Middle Tennessee
North Texas
Old Dominion
Rice
Southern Miss
UAB
UTEP
UTSA
WKU

This is called the panic period of realignment.

Texas and OU are out the door.

Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF have forced the AAC to raid C-USA.

The Sun Belt know that C-USA is going to raid them next and they are trying to beat C-USA to the punch, by tempting a few key programs into jumping conferences, and shifting the balance of power.

I won't work. C-USA is still a the better overall conference. And any C-USA program the Belt would target knows it.

(09-09-2021 09:32 PM)Side.Show.Joe Wrote:  This is called the panic period of realignment.

Texas and OU are out the door.

Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF have forced the AAC to raid C-USA.

The Sun Belt know that C-USA is going to raid them next and they are trying to beat C-USA to the punch, by tempting a few key programs into jumping conferences, and shifting the balance of power.

I won't work. C-USA is still a the better overall conference. And any C-USA program the Belt would target knows it.

Maybe there are some metrics that define this, but I see the two leagues as essentially indistinguishable.

What they should really do is form a partnership and scheduling alliance. If the AAC takes a few, and I think it remains to be seen what their strategy is, then there's strength in numbers.

(09-09-2021 09:32 PM)Side.Show.Joe Wrote:  This is called the panic period of realignment.

Texas and OU are out the door.

Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF have forced the AAC to raid C-USA.

The Sun Belt know that C-USA is going to raid them next and they are trying to beat C-USA to the punch, by tempting a few key programs into jumping conferences, and shifting the balance of power.

I won't work. C-USA is still a the better overall conference. And any C-USA program the Belt would target knows it.

No one is leaving the Sun Belt for CUSA.

We might just do anything to get away from Judy. Our fanbase has had enough.

(09-09-2021 09:32 PM)Side.Show.Joe Wrote:  This is called the panic period of realignment.

Texas and OU are out the door.

Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF have forced the AAC to raid C-USA.

The Sun Belt know that C-USA is going to raid them next and they are trying to beat C-USA to the punch, by tempting a few key programs into jumping conferences, and shifting the balance of power.

I won't work. C-USA is still a the better overall conference. And any C-USA program the Belt would target knows it.

I dont see any difference between the two, honestly. Maybe Texas St would jump to CUSA but theres a couple teams from CUSA that would go to the Sun Belt.

Or just NMSU and Liberty to the Sun.

I don't really see any reason anyone should leave the Sun-Belt for C-USA or vice versa. C-USA at this point would probably benefit from losing a couple of members to the AAC. It would probably make them more money just splitting the rest of league wide distributions less ways.

(09-09-2021 09:38 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  

(09-09-2021 09:32 PM)Side.Show.Joe Wrote:  This is called the panic period of realignment.

Texas and OU are out the door.

Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF have forced the AAC to raid C-USA.

The Sun Belt know that C-USA is going to raid them next and they are trying to beat C-USA to the punch, by tempting a few key programs into jumping conferences, and shifting the balance of power.

I won't work. C-USA is still a the better overall conference. And any C-USA program the Belt would target knows it.

Maybe there are some metrics that define this, but I see the two leagues as essentially indistinguishable.

What they should really do is form a partnership and scheduling alliance. If the AAC takes a few, and I think it remains to be seen what their strategy is, then there's strength in numbers.

Look at the athletic budgets, coaches salaries, and NCAA results...

C-USA's champ (UNT), beat Purdue in the opening round of March Madness. The Sun Belt champ (App State) was forced to compete in a #16 seed play-in game and lost it to Norfolk State. The Sun Belt champ didn't even merit a guaranteed slot in March Madness. In fact C-USA's champ has won something like 5 of their last 6 opening round games at the NCAA Tournament. I couldn't tell you the last time a Sun Belt team won a game in March Madness.