The VA Legislature approved JMU’s move to FBS, so that was the last big hurtle to make. And now they and Marshall should be official shortly.

Haven’t seen much more of possible substance on CUSA movement, or WKU and MTSU possibly to the MAC. Much less any kind of indication where all this may be headed for Little Rock. I guess for us fans this will be like the guy waiting for the jury to come back with a not guilty, guilty with prison, or guilty with death. Not much fun.

Conference USA has added 4 teams. Now I am interested in whether WKU and/or MTSU stay or go to the MAC.


@RossDellenger
C-USA’s expansion is complete, sources tell
@SINow
Liberty, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State & Sam Houston have joined the league.

They are expected to start competition in 2023.
11:33 AM · Nov 5, 2021·

I thought WKU and MTSU to the MAC was a done deal. It's not like the additions to CUSA are that great. 2 FCS teams, Liberty and the headaches they could cause, and far off New Mexico State. It will be a solid basketball conference especially if they stay. Who know, maybe the MAC will decide to add UMass and WKU, and MTSU will stay in CUSA. Right now, I'd lean slightly toward WKU and MTSU going to the MAC, but I think it is close to a coin flip.

(11-05-2021 05:13 PM)mjs Wrote:  I thought WKU and MTSU to the MAC was a done deal. It's not like the additions to CUSA are that great. 2 FCS teams, Liberty and the headaches they could cause, and far off New Mexico State. It will be a solid basketball conference especially if they stay. Who know, maybe the MAC will decide to add UMass and WKU, and MTSU will stay in CUSA. Right now, I'd lean slightly toward WKU and MTSU going to the MAC, but I think it is close to a coin flip.

You do know that NMSU is less than 45 minutes from UTEP, which since UTEP is already in the CUSA, doesn’t make them far off if a team has to go to UTEP anyway. So if WKU and MTSU remain with the CUSA, they would already be at nine full football members. Given that, I don’t know how interested the CUSA will be in either UMAss or UConn as football only members. Or in Little Rock as a non football member.

But, with Liberty and Jacksonville State leaving the ASun, that conference looks more attractive to me for Little Rock anyway, for reasons previously stated on this subject. And highly likely more achievable!

(11-05-2021 10:23 AM)PTJR Wrote:  The VA Legislature approved JMU’s move to FBS, so that was the last big hurtle to make. And now they and Marshall should be official shortly.

Haven’t seen much more of possible substance on CUSA movement, or WKU and MTSU possibly to the MAC. Much less any kind of indication where all this may be headed for Little Rock. I guess for us fans this will be like the guy waiting for the jury to come back with a not guilty, guilty with prison, or guilty with death. Not much fun.

Marshall was made official over a week ago, where have you been?

(11-05-2021 11:58 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(11-05-2021 10:23 AM)PTJR Wrote:  The VA Legislature approved JMU’s move to FBS, so that was the last big hurtle to make. And now they and Marshall should be official shortly.

Haven’t seen much more of possible substance on CUSA movement, or WKU and MTSU possibly to the MAC. Much less any kind of indication where all this may be headed for Little Rock. I guess for us fans this will be like the guy waiting for the jury to come back with a not guilty, guilty with prison, or guilty with death. Not much fun.

Marshall was made official over a week ago, where have you been?

Must have missed the “official” part. I knew and assumed it was a done deal though.

(11-05-2021 05:28 PM)PTJR Wrote:  

(11-05-2021 05:13 PM)mjs Wrote:  I thought WKU and MTSU to the MAC was a done deal. It's not like the additions to CUSA are that great. 2 FCS teams, Liberty and the headaches they could cause, and far off New Mexico State. It will be a solid basketball conference especially if they stay. Who know, maybe the MAC will decide to add UMass and WKU, and MTSU will stay in CUSA. Right now, I'd lean slightly toward WKU and MTSU going to the MAC, but I think it is close to a coin flip.

You do know that NMSU is less than 45 minutes from UTEP, which since UTEP is already in the CUSA, doesn’t make them far off if a team has to go to UTEP anyway. So if WKU and MTSU remain with the CUSA, they would already be at nine full football members. Given that, I don’t know how interested the CUSA will be in either UMAss or UConn as football only members. Or in Little Rock as a non football member.

But, with Liberty and Jacksonville State leaving the ASun, that conference looks more attractive to me for Little Rock anyway, for reasons previously stated on this subject. And highly likely more achievable!

With the loss of Jacksonville State, the ASUN football aspirations took a step back, as they now will only have 5 teams currently committed to play football in the league. But in a statement quoted in the story about the CUSA expansion, etc in the ADG today, the UCA AD said in October that the league planned on having 8 football members (maybe 7 now?) and this was echoed by the ASUN Commissioner, although no future football member possibilities were identified.

Presumably the new football members would most likely come from the remains of the OVC or eastern part of the Southland. South Carolina State from the MEAC is also a strong possibility. In any event, this bears close watching as it could well impact Little Rock’s future.

(11-06-2021 09:40 AM)PTJR Wrote:  

(11-05-2021 05:28 PM)PTJR Wrote:  

(11-05-2021 05:13 PM)mjs Wrote:  I thought WKU and MTSU to the MAC was a done deal. It's not like the additions to CUSA are that great. 2 FCS teams, Liberty and the headaches they could cause, and far off New Mexico State. It will be a solid basketball conference especially if they stay. Who know, maybe the MAC will decide to add UMass and WKU, and MTSU will stay in CUSA. Right now, I'd lean slightly toward WKU and MTSU going to the MAC, but I think it is close to a coin flip.

You do know that NMSU is less than 45 minutes from UTEP, which since UTEP is already in the CUSA, doesn’t make them far off if a team has to go to UTEP anyway. So if WKU and MTSU remain with the CUSA, they would already be at nine full football members. Given that, I don’t know how interested the CUSA will be in either UMAss or UConn as football only members. Or in Little Rock as a non football member.

But, with Liberty and Jacksonville State leaving the ASun, that conference looks more attractive to me for Little Rock anyway, for reasons previously stated on this subject. And highly likely more achievable!

With the loss of Jacksonville State, the ASUN football aspirations took a step back, as they now will only have 5 teams currently committed to play football in the league. But in a statement quoted in the story about the CUSA expansion, etc in the ADG today, the UCA AD said in October that the league planned on having 8 football members (maybe 7 now?) and this was echoed by the ASUN Commissioner, although no future football member possibilities were identified.

Presumably the new football members would most likely come from the remains of the OVC or eastern part of the Southland. South Carolina State from the MEAC is also a strong possibility. In any event, this bears close watching as it could well impact Little Rock’s future.

Their main objective, at the moment, is to add football teams. Still, I think there is a reasonably good chance they would be open to us joining the conference if that is what we want to do.