@Brett_McMurphy
FBS independents Liberty & New Mexico State & FCS members Jacksonville State & Sam Houston State likely joining Conference USA as all-sports members.

Add those to UTEP, FIU, and LaTech and you have 7 teams. Pretty much of a mish-mash of a conference. I think that you only need 6 for a football conference, but need 8 for basketball. It is conceivable that this keeps WKU and MTSU in the fold. That obviously would be huge.

No idea how this effects us. Don't see it as "good" news. Maybe CUSA would add us and UTA for Olympic sports, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

(11-02-2021 12:26 AM)mjs Wrote:  @Brett_McMurphy
FBS independents Liberty & New Mexico State & FCS members Jacksonville State & Sam Houston State likely joining Conference USA as all-sports members.

Add those to UTEP, FIU, and LaTech and you have 7 teams. Pretty much of a mish-mash of a conference. I think that you only need 6 for a football conference, but need 8 for basketball. It is conceivable that this keeps WKU and MTSU in the fold. That obviously would be huge.

No idea how this effects us. Don't see it as "good" news. Maybe CUSA would add us and UTA for Olympic sports, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

You need 8 full members to sponsor FBS football. They'll either have to poach another FCS team, or they'll need to add a football only school and counter it with a school that doesn't have football.

(11-02-2021 09:57 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(11-02-2021 12:26 AM)mjs Wrote:  @Brett_McMurphy
FBS independents Liberty & New Mexico State & FCS members Jacksonville State & Sam Houston State likely joining Conference USA as all-sports members.

Add those to UTEP, FIU, and LaTech and you have 7 teams. Pretty much of a mish-mash of a conference. I think that you only need 6 for a football conference, but need 8 for basketball. It is conceivable that this keeps WKU and MTSU in the fold. That obviously would be huge.

No idea how this effects us. Don't see it as "good" news. Maybe CUSA would add us and UTA for Olympic sports, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

You need 8 full members to sponsor FBS football. They'll either have to poach another FCS team, or they'll need to add a football only school and counter it with a school that doesn't have football.

I didn't think that would work. Like you said in your first sentence "You need 8 full members to sponsor FBS football". If your second option works, we would have a chance to be added if they add UConn or UMass for football only.

At this point, I have not seen confirmation of the "tweet" that I posted at the top. Doesn't mean it is not accurate. I don't think anyone wants to publicly commit to CUSA until there is clear evidence they are viable and will survive.

(11-03-2021 01:59 PM)mjs Wrote:  At this point, I have not seen confirmation of the "tweet" that I posted at the top. Doesn't mean it is not accurate. I don't think anyone wants to publicly commit to CUSA until there is clear evidence they are viable and will survive.

Here’s something else that is not confirmed, but likely to happen: WKU and MTSU depart the CUSA for the MAC. If that happens, the CUSA might have more interest in Little Rock, but it would make the CUSA much less attractive to me.

(11-03-2021 03:50 PM)PTJR Wrote:  

(11-03-2021 01:59 PM)mjs Wrote:  At this point, I have not seen confirmation of the "tweet" that I posted at the top. Doesn't mean it is not accurate. I don't think anyone wants to publicly commit to CUSA until there is clear evidence they are viable and will survive.

Here’s something else that is not confirmed, but likely to happen: WKU and MTSU depart the CUSA for the MAC. If that happens, the CUSA might have more interest in Little Rock, but it would make the CUSA much less attractive to me.

Ditto, but I'd take it. UTEP, LaTech, and NMST are still basketball teams with a good bit of tradition, and the rumored Sam Houston State and Liberty are pretty good as well. They are much more focused on adding football teams, but picking up LR, UTA, and maybe ORU and FGCU (travel partner for FIU) would give you a pretty solid basketball league.

Speaking of the rumor of Liberty going to CUSA, I have to believe their interest was also based on WKU and MTSU being in the conference. They would be on a total island if the league membership includes UTEP, NMST, LaTech, FIU, Sam Houston, Jacksonville State, and someone to be named later. Adding LR and UTA sure wouldn't help them geographically either. FIU can't be too thrilled either, but beggers can't be choosers. CUSA may find a way to survive, but without WKU and MTSU it will be a struggle to sign up anyone but FCS call-ups.

McMurphy just updated with this-

@Brett_McMurphy
All 4 schools have received official invites to C-USA, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Process proceeding as scheduled w/official announcement as soon as next week

The 4 schools are Liberty, SHST, Jacksonville State, and NMST. Still unclear if MTSU and/or WKU are going to the MAC. Not sure these additions change anything, since those schools had to know the CUSA was going to backfill and probably had a good idea who the possible new additions would be.