(10-22-2021 10:06 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Screw this. No more wannabe move ups. And I say that with the full recognition that my school’s only options are Independent or drop down. There are enough FBS teams. Only those that are genuinely capable and prepared should even be considered and IMO there aren’t enough to save C-USA. JMU is about the only one who I think is ready but honestly I really don’t know enough about them to say for certain and while they sit right off the interstate on 81 it’s not an easy place to get to if you have to fly. Closest airport is Roanoke, Richmond or Dulles and all three are at least an hour and a half away.

NDSU IS prepared. It has a G5 athletics budget that is only 30% subsidized. It has a traveling fan base. It has a basketball program that has been to the NCAA tourney 4 times in the past decade (would have been 5 but Covid canceled the tourney). They've won 2 tourney games (including vs. #5 Oklahoma). They play in a 6000 seat arena (unlike some of the high school gym schools joining the AAC). Direct flights to Fargo from several major cities. Airport is 2 miles from the campus. If you want a school with growth potential for the CUSA, NDSU should be in the mix.

Throw in Liberty, NMSU, and maybe SDSU or Mo State, or UMass, and the conference is saved with decent basketball and at least a few decent football teams.

What I would love about NDSU in the CUSA as an NDSU fan is that we've been rejected by other conferences too--particularly the MWC and the MAC. The CUSA will have a chip on its shoulder going forward. A conference with a chip on its shoulder and with something to prove in showing up other conferences is precisely where NDSU should be. I think NDSU would relish the chance to help the CUSA prove that rumors of its demise were not only exaggerated but downright incorrect.

(10-22-2021 11:20 AM)GreenFreakUAB Wrote:  ...why not just call up the 'whole' of the A-SUN and the WAC and make a new C-USA? Not sure if all the teams from those two conferences will make the cut as to FBS status, but I think ALL of them are working to that goal... so, 5 C-USA 'remnants', + 5 WAC + 5 ASUN + Liberty = 16 team conference.

...because then your geography stretches from Virginia to Utah, which is awful. I get adding NMSU as a genuine busable travel partner with UTEP, but otherwise focus on schools located in the Appalachians out to the Mississippi River (or at least in a state touching it). Outside of the UTEP/FIU islands, there's a chance to have a very reasonable geographic footprint.

(10-22-2021 11:34 AM)NDSUGopher Wrote:  What I would love about NDSU in the CUSA as an NDSU fan is that we've been rejected by other conferences too--particularly the MWC and the MAC. The CUSA will have a chip on its shoulder going forward. A conference with a chip on its shoulder and with something to prove in showing up other conferences is precisely where NDSU should be. I think NDSU would relish the chance to help the CUSA prove that rumors of its demise were not only exaggerated but downright incorrect.

NDSU would obviously be a solid addition but how would your administration feel about the travel for your olympic sports? That could be offset a bit if SDSU and Missouri St also joined but still a lot of long trips.

(10-22-2021 11:34 AM)NDSUGopher Wrote:  What I would love about NDSU in the CUSA as an NDSU fan is that we've been rejected by other conferences too--particularly the MWC and the MAC. The CUSA will have a chip on its shoulder going forward. A conference with a chip on its shoulder and with something to prove in showing up other conferences is precisely where NDSU should be. I think NDSU would relish the chance to help the CUSA prove that rumors of its demise were not only exaggerated but downright incorrect.

Personally, I’m a huge fan of NDSU but I doubt it has any chance of happening due to the location. For us, the travel would be just as bad as going to UTEP. I can’t see them gaining support for this alone. But we look fairly desperate so I guess anything is possible.

(10-22-2021 11:34 AM)NDSUGopher Wrote:  What I would love about NDSU in the CUSA as an NDSU fan is that we've been rejected by other conferences too--particularly the MWC and the MAC. The CUSA will have a chip on its shoulder going forward. A conference with a chip on its shoulder and with something to prove in showing up other conferences is precisely where NDSU should be. I think NDSU would relish the chance to help the CUSA prove that rumors of its demise were not only exaggerated but downright incorrect.

I’d be okay with NDSU and SDSU. I think travel would cause the conference not to make the move but I think y’all are more than ready. Honestly at this point if CUSA loses nine programs it should only focus on best available. IMO that’s Missouri St, NDSU, SDSU, EKU, JSU, JMU and obviously Liberty/NMSU. If UMASS was willing to throw all sports in I’d include them in the mix too.

Question - How much time do the remaining CUSA members have to figure out what their membership would be, going forward?

At least a few months, no?

One can imagine several of the FCS schools going through a process over the next few weeks and deciding whether or not to take the plunge.

EKU has been pushing hard for a move up to FBS. Missouri State's AD has said that they would definitely consider it. Two or three schools in the Dakotas could do it.

CBS Sports could be a key player in all of this. One wonders what their position is, and what kind of assistance they might offer to keep CUSA going.

Doubt Liberty has any interest in joining at all. They wanted a regional conference that included ODU, JMU, and Marshall. Now all 3 are gone, the worst possible outcome. I do think Liberty would schedule La. Tech, Middle Tenn, and WKU in football and basketball.

(10-22-2021 06:36 AM)Hilltop75 Wrote:  I have never seen anything quite like this. A 14 team Conference and 9 schools leave. And why are we being delayed by FCS school. JMU has been trying to make up their mind for a decade to go FBS.

We have to rebuild CUSA there is not another conference to go to.

It is so amazing, Winning records don't matter, stadium or arena size don't matter, nor does good healthy rivals. (Its all about market size and the benjamins)

College Athletics is going down the drain. Heck Coach Huggins just announced that the Power 5 should have their own basketball tournament at the end of the season and screw all the other conferences. Cinderella is dead.


You cannot survive as a FBS Independent unless you have the money Liberty has. Liberty has their own media contract so they are not coming.

Here is my suggestion to get to 8 schools. If Marshall and ODU did not
have to bail as well we would have 10

WKU - Kentucky
LaTech - Louisiana
UTEP - Texas
FIU - Florida
MTSU - Tennesse

Kennesaw State (FCS to FBS) - Georgia
Jacksonville State (FCS to FBS) - Alabama
Missouri State (FCS to FBS) - Missouri

For the 9th school you have to decide if you want to give
UTEP a travel partner in NMSU.
(or if there are any Football only possibilities)

Now you could say you don’t want FCS upgrades but by using
Them you can get your regional conference.
Otherwise you can do a Hybrid with some
Football only and some Olympic Sports only.

UCONN
ARMY
UMASS
Liberty
Some of the Texas schools could move up to FBS too.

(10-22-2021 12:00 PM)Milwaukee Wrote:  Question - How much time do the remaining CUSA members have to figure out what their membership would be, going forward?

At least a few months, no?

One can imagine several of the FCS schools going through a process over the next few weeks and deciding whether or not to take the plunge.

EKU has been pushing hard for a move up to FBS. Missouri State's AD has said that they would definitely consider it. Two or three schools in the Dakotas could do it.

CBS Sports could be a key player in all of this. One wonders what their position is, and what kind of assistance they might offer to keep CUSA going.

Eku has done nothing in basketball or football , no thanks
There are Schools that have recently won the FCS championship or
A school like JSU that just knocked off Florida State.

(10-22-2021 12:03 PM)sstaedtler88 Wrote:  Doubt Liberty has any interest in joining at all. They wanted a regional conference that included ODU, JMU, and Marshall. Now all 3 are gone, the worst possible outcome. I do think Liberty would schedule La. Tech, Middle Tenn, and WKU in football and basketball.

Liberty doesn't want a chance at the Access Bowls? Good probability they could represent CUSA if the other G5 conferences beat each other up and Liberty is the last man standing.

(10-22-2021 12:24 PM)JCMiner Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 12:03 PM)sstaedtler88 Wrote:  Doubt Liberty has any interest in joining at all. They wanted a regional conference that included ODU, JMU, and Marshall. Now all 3 are gone, the worst possible outcome. I do think Liberty would schedule La. Tech, Middle Tenn, and WKU in football and basketball.

Liberty doesn't want a chance at the Access Bowls? Good probability they could represent CUSA if the other G5 conferences beat each other up and Liberty is the last man standing.

I'm willing to bet Liberty would still be interested in joining CUSA. You don't always get what you want and at this point Liberty would benefit more by being in a conference than not. Join a conference, win a conference championship and build your profile.

(10-22-2021 10:18 AM)JCMiner Wrote:  Do you have a link to where 8 teams are needed? I've looked for one and can't find it. I clearly remember the WAC and SB being allowed to play with 7 teams. I just read an article from the NMSU newspaper saying only 6 are needed.

---
NCAA Bylaw 20.02.6 Football Bowl Subdivision Conference. A conference classified as a Football Bowl Subdivision conference
shall be comprised of at least eight full Football Bowl Subdivision members that satisfy all bowl subdivision requirements. An institution shall be included as one of the eight full Football Bowl Subdivision members only if the institution participates in the
conference schedule in at least six men's and eight women's conference-sponsored sports, including men's basketball and football
and three women's team sports, including women's basketball. A conference-sponsored sport shall be a sport in which regular-
season and/or championship opportunities are provided, consistent with the minimum standards identified by the applicable
NCAA sport committee for automatic qualification. (Adopted: 10/31/02 effective 8/1/05, Revised: 12/15/06)
---

CFP payout is per team, but capped at 10, after that the teams just split the same amount 10 teams would have. CUSA has to get to 8, but probably no more than 10.

(10-22-2021 10:01 AM)JCMiner Wrote:  All we need is 6 schools to compete at FBS. I'm not sure how long we would be allowed to remain at 6. Even if it turns out that only UTEP, LT, and FIU are remaining the conference will survive at least for a little bit. CUSA received 17 million last year from the playoffs money. Split a similar lower amount among 6 schools and that's reason enough to keep this conference going.

Where did you get 6 from? Please, don't say Brett McMurphy.

(10-22-2021 01:40 PM)Cerebus Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 10:18 AM)JCMiner Wrote:  Do you have a link to where 8 teams are needed? I've looked for one and can't find it. I clearly remember the WAC and SB being allowed to play with 7 teams. I just read an article from the NMSU newspaper saying only 6 are needed.

---
NCAA Bylaw 20.02.6 Football Bowl Subdivision Conference. A conference classified as a Football Bowl Subdivision conference
shall be comprised of at least eight full Football Bowl Subdivision members that satisfy all bowl subdivision requirements. An institution shall be included as one of the eight full Football Bowl Subdivision members only if the institution participates in the
conference schedule in at least six men's and eight women's conference-sponsored sports, including men's basketball and football
and three women's team sports, including women's basketball. A conference-sponsored sport shall be a sport in which regular-
season and/or championship opportunities are provided, consistent with the minimum standards identified by the applicable
NCAA sport committee for automatic qualification. (Adopted: 10/31/02 effective 8/1/05, Revised: 12/15/06)
---

CFP payout is per team, but capped at 10, after that the teams just split the same amount 10 teams would have. CUSA has to get to 8, but probably no more than 10.

Ok thank you. That's what I get for trusting Less Cruces reporting.

https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/sports/...121110001/

5 of:
+NMSU
+UMass
+Liberty
+MSU
+NDSU
+SDSU

(10-22-2021 01:19 PM)HiddenDragon Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 12:24 PM)JCMiner Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 12:03 PM)sstaedtler88 Wrote:  Doubt Liberty has any interest in joining at all. They wanted a regional conference that included ODU, JMU, and Marshall. Now all 3 are gone, the worst possible outcome. I do think Liberty would schedule La. Tech, Middle Tenn, and WKU in football and basketball.

Liberty doesn't want a chance at the Access Bowls? Good probability they could represent CUSA if the other G5 conferences beat each other up and Liberty is the last man standing.

I'm willing to bet Liberty would still be interested in joining CUSA. You don't always get what you want and at this point Liberty would benefit more by being in a conference than not. Join a conference, win a conference championship and build your profile.

Which is why North Dakota State and South Dakota State should get serious looks with Missouri State as additions.

I know CUSA leftovers minus UTEP want a southeast-based conference, but there just isn't enough schools in that region capable of that. Jacksonville State is probably the ONLY one that could possibly be ready when everyone is gone in 2023, and that's a BIG maybe.

(10-22-2021 02:42 PM)All4One Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 01:19 PM)HiddenDragon Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 12:24 PM)JCMiner Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 12:03 PM)sstaedtler88 Wrote:  Doubt Liberty has any interest in joining at all. They wanted a regional conference that included ODU, JMU, and Marshall. Now all 3 are gone, the worst possible outcome. I do think Liberty would schedule La. Tech, Middle Tenn, and WKU in football and basketball.

Liberty doesn't want a chance at the Access Bowls? Good probability they could represent CUSA if the other G5 conferences beat each other up and Liberty is the last man standing.

I'm willing to bet Liberty would still be interested in joining CUSA. You don't always get what you want and at this point Liberty would benefit more by being in a conference than not. Join a conference, win a conference championship and build your profile.

Which is why North Dakota State and South Dakota State should get serious looks with Missouri State as additions.

I know CUSA leftovers minus UTEP want a southeast-based conference, but there just isn't enough schools in that region capable of that. Jacksonville State is probably the ONLY one that could possibly be ready when everyone is gone in 2023, and that's a BIG maybe.

What do SDSU and NDSU bring in terms of non-football sports?

(10-22-2021 02:42 PM)All4One Wrote:  Which is why North Dakota State and South Dakota State should get serious looks with Missouri State as additions.

I know CUSA leftovers minus UTEP want a southeast-based conference, but there just isn't enough schools in that region capable of that. Jacksonville State is probably the ONLY one that could possibly be ready when everyone is gone in 2023, and that's a BIG maybe.

In my opinion, I'd rather CUSA not now be focused on the southeast. That overlaps the SBC and AAC too much...as well as the ACC and SEC. Far too many FBS teams in that area. Adding teams in the KY/TN/MO area or not too far out of that zone, like LaTech, may be the niche we find......Missouri State, Chattanooga, EKU, Central ARk, Southern Ill, etc....Granted some of them aren't interested in moving to FBS but if we are to keep this conference together, we have to give up on the southeast notion...it's saturated. Obviously we still have UTEP and FIU to shore up the two big recruiting states.

(10-22-2021 02:52 PM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 02:42 PM)All4One Wrote:  Which is why North Dakota State and South Dakota State should get serious looks with Missouri State as additions.

I know CUSA leftovers minus UTEP want a southeast-based conference, but there just isn't enough schools in that region capable of that. Jacksonville State is probably the ONLY one that could possibly be ready when everyone is gone in 2023, and that's a BIG maybe.

In my opinion, I'd rather CUSA not now be focused on the southeast. That overlaps the SBC and AAC too much...as well as the ACC and SEC. Far too many FBS teams in that area. Adding teams in the KY/TN/MO area or not too far out of that zone, like LaTech, may be the niche we find......Missouri State, Chattanooga, EKU, Central ARk, Southern Ill, etc....Granted some of them aren't interested in moving to FBS but if we are to keep this conference together, we have to give up on the southeast notion...it's saturated. Obviously we still have UTEP and FIU to shore up the two big recruiting states.

This is a big thing, I think. The realistic scope of CUSA potentials has now expanded, because two weights on the conference geography have left. No longer anchored to West Virginia or Virginia (or North Carolina). This frees CUSA up to pursue schools in the middle or the west without stretching too vast ... if you leave FIU on an island.