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.

(10-22-2021 06:36 AM)Hilltop75 Wrote:  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.

I believe Liberty could be persuaded to join.

Any chance MTSU and WKU bail to the MAC?

12th spot just re-opened in the MVC…

(10-22-2021 06:46 AM)Jugnaut Wrote:  Any chance MTSU and WKU bail to the MAC?

Has the MAC invited them yet?

Yes. CUSA will survive. Whether there’s 5 or 3 left. There are some strong FCS teams that will be good additions and thrive and with the CFP $$ currently and will get more as the CFP expands.

(10-22-2021 06:56 AM)HiddenDragon Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 06:46 AM)Jugnaut Wrote:  Any chance MTSU and WKU bail to the MAC?

Has the MAC invited them yet?

All quiet on the MAC front from what I gather no whispers of an invite yet. My thinking MAC is gonna do what MAC does best, nothing unfortunately

(10-22-2021 06:46 AM)Jugnaut Wrote:  Any chance MTSU and WKU bail to the MAC?

I do not think the MAC wants to expand and our fans and recruiting is all southern based

Kennesaw State can’t afford to move to FBS. 93% of their athletic budget is subsidized by students fees and state money. State law in Georgia sets a cap on FBS schools at 60%. Even if they were somehow magically able to make up that 30% reduction in their budget by finding new revenue sources like donations and sponsorships, their athletic budget would be the second lowest in all of FBS.

(10-22-2021 07:28 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Kennesaw State can’t afford to move to FBS. 93% of their athletic budget is subsidized by students fees and state money. State law in Georgia sets a cap on FBS schools at 60%. Even if they were somehow magically able to make up that 30% reduction in their budget by finding new revenue sources like donations and sponsorships, their athletic budget would be the second lowest in all of FBS.

How do you know their budget would be the second lowest? If a school moves from FCS to FBS the budget normally changes. The current budget doesnt mean anything

(10-22-2021 07:28 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Kennesaw State can’t afford to move to FBS. 93% of their athletic budget is subsidized by students fees and state money. State law in Georgia sets a cap on FBS schools at 60%. Even if they were somehow magically able to make up that 30% reduction in their budget by finding new revenue sources like donations and sponsorships, their athletic budget would be the second lowest in all of FBS.

This is odd because they just joined the ASUn
Football conference. And the goal is
For the whole conference to go FBS

Be disgusted if UMass was not working the phones. Perhaps no one is answering. But calling Marshall and ODU after the MAC commissioner for his take. Depending on feed back call Judy. It has to be all sports for CUSA if stays intact. Of course it's the only way in the MAC. If CUSA does not hold Marshall, ODU, WKU etc then FB only is the lower best option that we need to secure.

IDK if UMass is to far out of the footprint or if NMSU would be offered to make UTEP happier and for votes if the east even wants UMass.

(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 io 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)

North Dakota State and South Dakota State would be much better additions than JSU or KSU IMO. The Dakotas are actually good enough in basketball that if you add Missouri State, Liberty, and can maybe pull in bring in another MVC school such as UNI, Illinois State, or a couple basketball only schools like Loyola-Chicago/Belmont or somehow pull in SLU/Dayton, etc then CUSA could be rebuilt into a top 10-12 basketball league vs adding KSU/JSU which would kill the conference RPI.

(10-22-2021 06:54 AM)BKTopper Wrote:  12th spot just re-opened in the MVC…

Don't think I'd state it that way.

Quote:Jackson on expansion — Conference realignment continues to shake the world of college athletics. The MVC got into the mix when it added Belmont in late September. However, early October scuttlebutt that Murray State would join the MVC as the 12th league member has not come to pass. Jackson feels no pressure to add a school just for the sake of adding one or for any other reason.

https://www.tribstar.com/sports/local_co...a5b6d.html

(10-22-2021 08:45 AM)msu_bears Wrote:  

(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 io 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)

North Dakota State and South Dakota State would be much better additions than JSU or KSU IMO. The Dakotas are actually good enough in basketball that if you add Missouri State, Liberty, and can maybe pull in bring in another MVC school such as UNI, Illinois State, or a couple basketball only schools like Loyola-Chicago/Belmont or somehow pull in SLU/Dayton, etc then CUSA could be rebuilt into a top 10-12 basketball league vs adding KSU/JSU which would kill the conference RPI.

Non Starter. We want teams close by We are trying to have
Close Rivals and a few hours for team and fan travel.
Yes the Dakotas have been very successful but
Way too far away

(10-22-2021 08:51 AM)Hilltop75 Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 08:45 AM)msu_bears Wrote:  

(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 io 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)

North Dakota State and South Dakota State would be much better additions than JSU or KSU IMO. The Dakotas are actually good enough in basketball that if you add Missouri State, Liberty, and can maybe pull in bring in another MVC school such as UNI, Illinois State, or a couple basketball only schools like Loyola-Chicago/Belmont or somehow pull in SLU/Dayton, etc then CUSA could be rebuilt into a top 10-12 basketball league vs adding KSU/JSU which would kill the conference RPI.

Non Starter. We want teams close by We are trying to have
Close Rivals and a few hours for team and fan travel.
Yes the Dakotas have been very successful but
Way too far away

They aren't my first choice as they are low population states with far travel, but I'd also rather be in a 10th rated basketball conference vs a 20th rated one.

(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)

. . .Sorry, Did you not see the WAC implode ?

. . and when you say it’s all about “Markets and the Benjamin’s,” that’s only partially correct. For the large monied players, that’s what it’s about. For smaller, more rural traditional colleges it’s about finding a niche . . .

The fallacy has always been the idea that these smaller G5 programs could create big far flung conferences, in essence making themselves mini P5’s, and compete with the Big guys. That was sustainable for only so long, and we were never going to get a seat with the really Big Boys.

just one fan’s opinion . .

BTW, I sincerely hope CUSA survives, we were in the WAC when it imploded, that’s a real suck of a feeling that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

(10-22-2021 08:45 AM)msu_bears Wrote:  

(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 io 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)

North Dakota State and South Dakota State would be much better additions than JSU or KSU IMO. The Dakotas are actually good enough in basketball that if you add Missouri State, Liberty, and can maybe pull in bring in another MVC school such as UNI, Illinois State, or a couple basketball only schools like Loyola-Chicago/Belmont or somehow pull in SLU/Dayton, etc then CUSA could be rebuilt into a top 10-12 basketball league vs adding KSU/JSU which would kill the conference RPI.

JSU is rated higher than ISUr in basketball 134 v 202
NDSU 125
SDSU 89
UNI 110
Liberty 97

Other FCS mentioned at times as potential FBS movers:
JMU 182
SFA 138
Delaware 150
Chattanooga 156
Montana 148
Montana St 176
Sam Houston 196
UC Davis 213
EKU 218
Kennesaw 293
Austin Peay 308
McNeese St 328
UCA 332

(10-22-2021 06:54 AM)BKTopper Wrote:  12th spot just re-opened in the MVC…

What happened?

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.