Quote:If they do the NCAA tourney ratings will go way down. We love the upsets. They don't even need to leave. They NCAA doesn't really have any power over them anyway.

I don't think it's in reference to basketball -- just football. Like the G5 becoming an FCS 2.0 for football. So 3 different sub-divisions for football.

For hardcore football fans who watch all the FBS teams (like myself) -- sounds awesome at first. We have our own 8-team playoff. And they'll have theirs. Except wait -- what about the FCS 2.0's best once in a while being as good as the 7th or 8th team in FBS going to theirs? Especially since they're conf champs to boot? Oh sh!t.

With the FBS expanding (as I'm sure CUSA will add at least a couple more FCS teams up)....

- 12 team National Champ Playoff (+Top G5 Conf Champ if ranked; almost always will be) [2nd round of 8 = 4 bowls + Final Four = 2 bowls = 6 total bowls; Nat Champ not being a bowl]
- Different "tournaments" of 8 teams instead of straight-up bowls where 2nd-rnd & final would be a bowl
- A 2nd-best tournament (like NIT; but Way better since it's not a field of 64ish in the main one) -- it's 2nd + final round as bowls [3 bowls]
- A P5 vs G5 tournament of the remainders in it's 1st round [3 bowls]
- Some other tournament with the best remaining teams [3 bowls]
- The rest, regular bowls of lesser importance

Here is what I am thinking. I think WKU and MTSU on the lead on this to salvage C-USA for them to stay. EKU may not be on the table, but Murray State.

The question is if you get NDSU as football only and UMass a well? You can get Grand Canyon and a North Florida.


Chattanooga, Murray State, Missouri State, Grand Canyon, Liberty and New Mexico State good in basketball.
Sam Houston State, Jacksonville State and North Dakota State football.
UCA, SFAU and Lamar could be future adds along with North Carolina A&T.

As for P5 want to break away? I don't think so when schools like Texas A&M is spearheading some of their schools to the highest level. PAC 12 would love UC-Davis go FBS and build onto their stadium and the UC-San Diego to restart their program.

(11-01-2021 08:19 PM)shizzle787 Wrote:  I assume this means WKU and MTSU are leaving. If so, they are up to 7 members. They still need one more all sports member. Who could it be?

I assume this means they’re trying to convince WKU and MTSU to stay. If they stay, this is a 9-member conference that plays an 8-game round robin in football. When Marshall was thinking about staying or going, they also floated a 9-member alignment, which UConn poo-pooed. If these new members are real this time, are the outer Nashville duo better off in the stability of the MAC or would they rather play these teams in the South?

(11-02-2021 02:30 AM)All4One Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 02:26 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 02:19 AM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 01:50 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 01:41 AM)bullet Wrote:  Says a fan rooting for one of the airport 5?

No. Just wish they would split if they’re not going to cut off the G5 from having any playoff hopes. Not sure what the hell you’re talking about airport 5.

airport meeting that created the MWC, led by BYU and Utah

As much as it’s great seeing Utah and BYU in a P5 now. They haven’t necessarily done anything of REAL significance since leaving the MWC besides Utah getting their ass kicked in 2019 to Oregon.

My point is that it’s a travesty that the G5 have no access to the playoffs under an 8 or 12 team format.

I’ve always liked the 5-1-2 system but Notre Dame and SEC have to whine about it. So 6-6 it is I guess.

When is Utah Valley getting a football team? I see the school finally finished the pedestrian bridge across I-15 to some student housing west of the freeway. Looks pretty cool. I drove through there last weekend for a wedding. My wife and I have friends in Orem.

No idea. Kinda hope they don’t, but then again they might need to start a team to help their basketball program get going. They would fit in the WAC with Dixie State (Utah Technical now) & Southern Utah.

There’s no stadium in Provo. I actually think it’s dumb they underbuilt the USL soccer team in Herriman because it would be a good spot for a FCS Utah Valley team.

Hopefully the basketball team can win the WAC because they’re overdue. Historically pretty good, Ronnie Price played, Mark Pope moved his way up thru them, Mark Madsen had a few moments of fame in the NBA.

(11-02-2021 12:24 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 12:13 AM)Scoochpooch1 Wrote:  

(11-01-2021 09:58 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  This is looking like the outcome I wanted most. No conf. dies, and we had the maximum movement. I hope the MEAC can survive. I'm worried about Howard, NCCU leaving for better conferences. Hoping the OVC, SLC bring in more D-II schools, ASUN bring in UWF

Really? Consolidation is what FBS really needs, not adding FCS crap.
All this will do is hasten a split by the major schools.

And honestly, what network will pay for this amalgamation?

The G4 or G5 should split. This is turning into a power joke anyway. We would not need consolidation if Texas and a few other schools weren’t beyond greedy.

CBS Sports, Stadium, and maybe ESPNU along with local TV.

What’s it to you . What the G5 bring in doesn’t effect the P5 one bit.

(11-02-2021 06:49 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 12:24 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 12:13 AM)Scoochpooch1 Wrote:  

(11-01-2021 09:58 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  This is looking like the outcome I wanted most. No conf. dies, and we had the maximum movement. I hope the MEAC can survive. I'm worried about Howard, NCCU leaving for better conferences. Hoping the OVC, SLC bring in more D-II schools, ASUN bring in UWF

Really? Consolidation is what FBS really needs, not adding FCS crap.
All this will do is hasten a split by the major schools.

And honestly, what network will pay for this amalgamation?

The G4 or G5 should split. This is turning into a power joke anyway. We would not need consolidation if Texas and a few other schools weren’t beyond greedy.

CBS Sports, Stadium, and maybe ESPNU along with local TV.

What’s it to you . What the G5 bring in doesn’t effect the P5 one bit.

Lol “what’s it to you”. Lame-o.

You’re right. It means nothing to me. I should go jump off a bridge.

WKU and MTSU staying means less exit fees for the UTEP and LATech. Doubt they want to travel to Texas and mountain time zones either… every year. There is no possible way the stay unless the MAC low balls them (and ESPN).

(11-02-2021 08:26 AM)RUScarlets Wrote:  WKU and MTSU staying means less exit fees for the UTEP and LATech. Doubt they want to travel to Texas and mountain time zones either… every year. There is no possible way the stay unless the MAC low balls them (and ESPN).

That's not happening. That MAC announcement is going to be today. Just wait and see.

(11-02-2021 01:50 AM)Frontierman Wrote:  If report does end up being true I don't understand why liberty would make this move. We are better off as an independent in football and making annual trips to the ncaa tournament in basketball. While this new c-usa will likely still be better than the sunbelt at basketball they are still one bid leagues most years. Our 2025 and later football schedules all have home games against regional P5s so it's not like we are still struggling to schedule games like we were when we just moved to fbs. Disappointed

I agree with this. Liberty joining this incinerated CUSA is a head-scratcher.

Only thing that comes to mind is that Liberty knows there is a stigma against it with conferences, and this is your chance to break that ice, and set yourself up to join a better conference in a few years.

Everyone remains at risk for a further expansion of the B12 and its trickle down effects. If the B12 goes to 14 or 16, either the MWC or AAC, or both, would be looking to backfill. If I'm Liberty, I'd definitely be looking for "no exit fee" deal from CUSA if the AAC comes calling.

Separately, I would expect UConn and/or UMass to be offered football-only memberships. 9 or 10 football playing members would make scheduling much easier than with 8.

(11-02-2021 09:03 AM)orangefan Wrote:  Separately, I would expect UConn and/or UMass to be offered football-only memberships. 9 or 10 football playing members would make scheduling much easier than with 8.

Eh. I'm more confident in UConn's ability to sell 4-6 games a year to CBS/Fox directly than I am in the future CUSA's ability to land 60-100% of their games on TV across any network.

(11-02-2021 09:03 AM)orangefan Wrote:  Separately, I would expect UConn and/or UMass to be offered football-only memberships. 9 or 10 football playing members would make scheduling much easier than with 8.

Scheduling for 8 isn't THAT hard. 7 conference games + 5 non-con. With Uconn and UMASS still independent, they'll still be looking to fill out their schedule (and who better than CUSA teams?).

A tight knit 8-team conference makes significantly more sense than adding the two Northeast schools for football only.

(11-02-2021 09:07 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:03 AM)orangefan Wrote:  Separately, I would expect UConn and/or UMass to be offered football-only memberships. 9 or 10 football playing members would make scheduling much easier than with 8.

Eh. I'm more confident in UConn's ability to sell 4-6 games a year to CBS/Fox directly than I am in the future CUSA's ability to land 60-100% of their games on TV across any network.

Go football only and keep your own media contract for home games. Be the bigger name that helps sell the other CUSA home games.

(11-02-2021 08:59 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 01:50 AM)Frontierman Wrote:  If report does end up being true I don't understand why liberty would make this move. We are better off as an independent in football and making annual trips to the ncaa tournament in basketball. While this new c-usa will likely still be better than the sunbelt at basketball they are still one bid leagues most years. Our 2025 and later football schedules all have home games against regional P5s so it's not like we are still struggling to schedule games like we were when we just moved to fbs. Disappointed

I agree with this. Liberty joining this incinerated CUSA is a head-scratcher.

Only thing that comes to mind is that Liberty knows there is a stigma against it with conferences, and this is your chance to break that ice, and set yourself up to join a better conference in a few years.

That's likely the decision here. If Liberty ever wants to join an FBS conference, then this is the only option.

The fact of the matter is that no stable conference was ever going to take Liberty. That's the dilemma that Liberty faces because of the *heavy* opposition against them in academia. Only a conference fighting for survival was ever going to invite them and that's what we're seeing now.

Liberty, LaTech, NMSU, and UTEP is not bad at all for a basketball conference’s core.

Jacksonville St. and Sam Houston being in oversaturated football states is a nice little eff you to the Sun Belt and AAC.

FIU needs to figure themselves out.

C-USA needs one more full-time member and they’re good to go.

After seeing the UMass AD tweet, I imagine they’re trying to join as a football-only member. UConn might opt for Independence, but the two as a pair make more sense.

(11-02-2021 09:14 AM)e-parade Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:07 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:03 AM)orangefan Wrote:  Separately, I would expect UConn and/or UMass to be offered football-only memberships. 9 or 10 football playing members would make scheduling much easier than with 8.

Eh. I'm more confident in UConn's ability to sell 4-6 games a year to CBS/Fox directly than I am in the future CUSA's ability to land 60-100% of their games on TV across any network.

Go football only and keep your own media contract for home games. Be the bigger name that helps sell the other CUSA home games.

Yes, if UConn is going to make this move (and to be clear, I would NOT suggest them to make this move if I were running that school), then it needs to be where UConn can keep its own football TV deal. Otherwise, it's a non-starter.

(11-02-2021 09:14 AM)e-parade Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:07 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:03 AM)orangefan Wrote:  Separately, I would expect UConn and/or UMass to be offered football-only memberships. 9 or 10 football playing members would make scheduling much easier than with 8.

Eh. I'm more confident in UConn's ability to sell 4-6 games a year to CBS/Fox directly than I am in the future CUSA's ability to land 60-100% of their games on TV across any network.

Go football only and keep your own media contract for home games. Be the bigger name that helps sell the other CUSA home games.

I mean, if CUSA wants to treat UConn like Boise+ with all sorts of special carve-outs that's potentially different, but I doubt they'd be interested in that.

(11-02-2021 09:17 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:14 AM)e-parade Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:07 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:03 AM)orangefan Wrote:  Separately, I would expect UConn and/or UMass to be offered football-only memberships. 9 or 10 football playing members would make scheduling much easier than with 8.

Eh. I'm more confident in UConn's ability to sell 4-6 games a year to CBS/Fox directly than I am in the future CUSA's ability to land 60-100% of their games on TV across any network.

Go football only and keep your own media contract for home games. Be the bigger name that helps sell the other CUSA home games.

Yes, if UConn is going to make this move (and to be clear, I would NOT suggest them to make this move if I were running that school), then it needs to be where UConn can keep its own football TV deal. Otherwise, it's a non-starter.

Bowl games and conference championships—no matter how lowly the league’s status—actually matter for the players and coaches.

Notre Dame knows they have bowl tie-ins and they’re unique in that they’re actually against conference membership. They probably would still be Indy in basketball if it were remotely feasible.

Army knows they have bowl tie-ins and their conference championship is the Commander in Chief’s trophy.

UConn might be able to get by as an Indy, but playing UMass Thanksgiving weekend for a chance to go to Florida for a bowl game matters more to players than buy games. Tough to sell prospective recruits on buy games.

This alignment makes no sense. Spreading out from VA to Miami to NMSU with roughly 9 teams in all sports? It’s not like this conference is on par with the American with CSU and AFA…

The only thing I’m thinking is they need those exit fees so it’s important to scrap something together to preserve that. Once those fees are collected the conference will disband.

Even if Liberty and FIU are football only, I’d still have added predominantly in Texas and the Midwest. And they’d need 5 teams for all sports. Adding in GA, New Mexico, AND VA makes no sense.

(11-02-2021 09:23 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:17 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:14 AM)e-parade Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:07 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 09:03 AM)orangefan Wrote:  Separately, I would expect UConn and/or UMass to be offered football-only memberships. 9 or 10 football playing members would make scheduling much easier than with 8.

Eh. I'm more confident in UConn's ability to sell 4-6 games a year to CBS/Fox directly than I am in the future CUSA's ability to land 60-100% of their games on TV across any network.

Go football only and keep your own media contract for home games. Be the bigger name that helps sell the other CUSA home games.

Yes, if UConn is going to make this move (and to be clear, I would NOT suggest them to make this move if I were running that school), then it needs to be where UConn can keep its own football TV deal. Otherwise, it's a non-starter.

Bowl games and conference championships—no matter how lowly the league’s status—actually matter for the players and coaches.

Notre Dame knows they have bowl tie-ins and they’re unique in that they’re actually against conference membership. They probably would still be Indy in basketball if it were remotely feasible.

Army knows they have bowl tie-ins and their conference championship is the Commander in Chief’s trophy.

UConn might be able to get by as an Indy, but playing UMass Thanksgiving weekend for a chance to go to Florida for a bowl game matters more to players than buy games. Tough to sell prospective recruits on buy games.

To what extent does that offset playing the majority of your games streaming on....whatever they're streaming on come the next media deal? Bowl access matters (and for the record, UConn isn't formally frozen out of bowls), but so does guaranteed TV time.