(12-14-2021 08:53 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(12-14-2021 02:59 AM)Realignment Wrote:  I'm 100% a believer that FIU gets an AAC invite if USF goes to the Big 12.

I don’t see the Big 12 making any more moves for a long time (10+ years). And if/when they do, South Florida will be one of several options to choose from.

But let’s suppose all that happens. AAC somehow loses another 2 or even 4 teams, and is down to 10 or 12, and that FIU is the best-available choice to backfill.

Even then, FIU will need to have done a LOT of work to get the call up. They are in sad shape right now. We’ll see what the next ~10 years brings.

Quote:12 members should be the goal for C-USA.

Why? Adding 3 more FCS programs won’t make C-USA any stronger.

Adding top Playoff FCS teams within C-USA footprint vs adding UMass or UConn Football only I would take the top FCS teams any day

Question - is the distance between Liberty and NMSU the furthest between 2’conferemce mates ever (excluding the distance between Hawaii and everybody)?

(12-14-2021 10:36 AM)banker Wrote:  Question - is the distance between Liberty and NMSU the furthest between 2’conferemce mates ever (excluding the distance between Hawaii and everybody)?

Nope. ODU to El Paso is further

(12-14-2021 10:36 AM)banker Wrote:  Question - is the distance between Liberty and NMSU the furthest between 2’conferemce mates ever (excluding the distance between Hawaii and everybody)?

I used a site that can do true distances rather than road distances, though I used the local airport (Lynchburg/LYH for Liberity Las Cruces/LRU for NMSU) rather than the university's exact location for ease of use.

UCF-BYU = 1901 miles
WVU-BYU = 1681 miles
Liberty-NMSU = 1608 miles

The aforementioned Old Dominion-El Paso is 1753 miles.

If UMass or UConn joined CUSA for FB-only, the distances would be:

UMass-NMSU = 1999 miles
UConn-NMSU = 2013 miles

Including Hawaii, the longest ever conference matchup would be Louisiana Tech-Hawaii at 4045 miles. Excluding Hawaii, the longest that I could find that came to mind would have been Idaho-FIU at 2477 miles for FB-only. For all-sports, I think it might be Denver-FIU at 1709 miles previously but now to be beaten by UCF-BYU.

Edit - Doesn't look like FIU or FAU-Idaho was ever played, nor did they ever play Utah State. I'll have to figure out if there's any other FB-only games that beat UCF-BYU later.

So do NMSU-UTEP and MTSU-WKU get rivalry week status match ups as they are the only 2 distinguishable rivalries in the conference.

(12-14-2021 12:25 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(12-14-2021 10:36 AM)banker Wrote:  Question - is the distance between Liberty and NMSU the furthest between 2’conferemce mates ever (excluding the distance between Hawaii and everybody)?

I used a site that can do true distances rather than road distances, though I used the local airport (Lynchburg/LYH for Liberity Las Cruces/LRU for NMSU) rather than the university's exact location for ease of use.

UCF-BYU = 1901 miles
WVU-BYU = 1681 miles
Liberty-NMSU = 1608 miles

The aforementioned Old Dominion-El Paso is 1753 miles.

If UMass or UConn joined CUSA for FB-only, the distances would be:

UMass-NMSU = 1999 miles
UConn-NMSU = 2013 miles

Including Hawaii, the longest ever conference matchup would be Louisiana Tech-Hawaii at 4045 miles. Excluding Hawaii, the longest that I could find that came to mind would have been Idaho-FIU at 2477 miles for FB-only. For all-sports, I think it might be Denver-FIU at 1709 miles previously but now to be beaten by UCF-BYU.

Edit - Doesn't look like FIU or FAU-Idaho was ever played, nor did they ever play Utah State. I'll have to figure out if there's any other FB-only games that beat UCF-BYU later.

Yet, Tech-Hawaii developed a good rivalry across multiple sports. In football it was the "Pineapple vs. Pinecone" Bowl, and in hoops because UH's coach had coached at Centenary for a time, back when the Gents were really good...NBAers Larry Robinson and Robert Parrish... there was a familiarity and dislike for each other.

(12-14-2021 12:15 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(12-14-2021 10:36 AM)banker Wrote:  Question - is the distance between Liberty and NMSU the furthest between 2’conferemce mates ever (excluding the distance between Hawaii and everybody)?

Nope. ODU to El Paso is further

(12-14-2021 12:25 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(12-14-2021 10:36 AM)banker Wrote:  Question - is the distance between Liberty and NMSU the furthest between 2’conferemce mates ever (excluding the distance between Hawaii and everybody)?

I used a site that can do true distances rather than road distances, though I used the local airport (Lynchburg/LYH for Liberity Las Cruces/LRU for NMSU) rather than the university's exact location for ease of use.

UCF-BYU = 1901 miles
WVU-BYU = 1681 miles
Liberty-NMSU = 1608 miles

The aforementioned Old Dominion-El Paso is 1753 miles.

If UMass or UConn joined CUSA for FB-only, the distances would be:

UMass-NMSU = 1999 miles
UConn-NMSU = 2013 miles

Including Hawaii, the longest ever conference matchup would be Louisiana Tech-Hawaii at 4045 miles. Excluding Hawaii, the longest that I could find that came to mind would have been Idaho-FIU at 2477 miles for FB-only. For all-sports, I think it might be Denver-FIU at 1709 miles previously but now to be beaten by UCF-BYU.

Edit - Doesn't look like FIU or FAU-Idaho was ever played, nor did they ever play Utah State. I'll have to figure out if there's any other FB-only games that beat UCF-BYU later.

Ah. This brings back so much WAC nostalgia. Back when NMSU was our closest conference game. Those were the days. . .

Tech to San Jose and Fresno and the Idaho schools would be in that 1800 - 2000 range, right?

(12-14-2021 12:30 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  So do NMSU-UTEP and MTSU-WKU get rivalry week status match ups as they are the only 2 distinguishable rivalries in the conference.

WHAT??? Ever hear of the "100 Miles of Hate"?

(12-14-2021 01:42 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  

(12-14-2021 12:30 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  So do NMSU-UTEP and MTSU-WKU get rivalry week status match ups as they are the only 2 distinguishable rivalries in the conference.

WHAT??? Ever hear of the "100 Miles of Hate"?

..... you mean the rivalry between MTSU and WKU?

(12-13-2021 08:43 PM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  New Mexico State and UTEP are kind of off on an island but other than them I actually like the geography.

I agree... it's not nearly as bad as it's being portrayed. (I'm not saying it's perfect... it's just not as bad.)

I don't have a big problem with the UTEP/NMSU island, since TWO teams are on that island.

FIU is problematic (from a footprint POV) but there's just not another south or central Florida school to fill that gap, and once you get to north Florida, you haven't solved the travel issue at all.

Liberty's on a bit of an island as well, but it's at least in the same region as MTSU, WKU, and JSU.

All in all, it's a decent footprint for now. We'll see how it evolves in coming years.

I flew out to an Idaho vs. MT game when both were in the Belt.

Those Idaho folks could drink some beer, that is for sure. Their demeanor was very similar to small-town Southerners, in general. Very friendly.

Several of our students drove to the same game, staying in AGR houses along the way.

(12-14-2021 03:04 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  

(12-14-2021 01:42 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  

(12-14-2021 12:30 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  So do NMSU-UTEP and MTSU-WKU get rivalry week status match ups as they are the only 2 distinguishable rivalries in the conference.

WHAT??? Ever hear of the "100 Miles of Hate"?

..... you mean the rivalry between MTSU and WKU?

Yessiree

(12-14-2021 12:30 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  So do NMSU-UTEP and MTSU-WKU get rivalry week status match ups as they are the only 2 distinguishable rivalries in the conference.

I was thinking about this too.

Louisiana Tech - Sam Houston State makes the most sense to me. Of the remaining three, Jacksonville State - Liberty makes the most sense and FIU can see if FAU wants to play that week.

(12-14-2021 12:30 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  So do NMSU-UTEP and MTSU-WKU get rivalry week status match ups as they are the only 2 distinguishable rivalries in the conference.

I think they should. MT vs WKU is known as 100 miles of hate.

UTEP vs NMSU have met in football 98 times and known locally as the battle of I-10 with 2 traveling trophies, the silver spade and the brass spittoon.

Having 2 long time, hot rivalries in a conference that has been torn apart is a good start.

I think Liberty will build nice competitive rivals in MTSU and WKU. SHSU will heat up with UTEP and LT. JSU will likely hear up with WKU and MTSU (maybe FIU). If I was pairing conference rivals I’d say these:

Liberty/JSU
MTSU/WKU
NMSU/UTEP
LT/SHSU

FIU

(12-14-2021 05:08 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  I flew out to an Idaho vs. MT game when both were in the Belt.

Those Idaho folks could drink some beer, that is for sure. Their demeanor was very similar to small-town Southerners, in general. Very friendly.

Several of our students drove to the same game, staying in AGR houses along the way.

Do you remember the MT/Idaho football game that was like 77-70 with both getting >600 yards of offense? Hadn’t seen great offense & terrible defense like that since WKU this year.

I think you let the two pairs of historic rivals, UTEP-NMSU and MTSU-WKU, meet the last week of the season and let the other 5 take turns being the odd school out who has to find a week 13/14 OOC game. Maybe the C-USA enters into a deal with Army to ensure that the Black Knights have an opponent the last weekend of November.

(12-14-2021 09:39 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I think you let the two pairs of historic rivals, UTEP-NMSU and MTSU-WKU, meet the last week of the season and let the other 5 take turns being the odd school out who has to find a week 13/14 OOC game. Maybe the C-USA enters into a deal with Army to ensure that the Black Knights have an opponent the last weekend of November.

LOL. Crap. My bad. You nailed it from the beginning. Comprehension helps THUNDER.

(12-14-2021 03:29 PM)whupemall Wrote:  FIU is problematic

I'm not sure you needed to qualify this.

(12-14-2021 12:53 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(12-14-2021 12:15 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(12-14-2021 10:36 AM)banker Wrote:  Question - is the distance between Liberty and NMSU the furthest between 2’conferemce mates ever (excluding the distance between Hawaii and everybody)?

Nope. ODU to El Paso is further

(12-14-2021 12:25 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(12-14-2021 10:36 AM)banker Wrote:  Question - is the distance between Liberty and NMSU the furthest between 2’conferemce mates ever (excluding the distance between Hawaii and everybody)?

I used a site that can do true distances rather than road distances, though I used the local airport (Lynchburg/LYH for Liberity Las Cruces/LRU for NMSU) rather than the university's exact location for ease of use.

UCF-BYU = 1901 miles
WVU-BYU = 1681 miles
Liberty-NMSU = 1608 miles

The aforementioned Old Dominion-El Paso is 1753 miles.

If UMass or UConn joined CUSA for FB-only, the distances would be:

UMass-NMSU = 1999 miles
UConn-NMSU = 2013 miles

Including Hawaii, the longest ever conference matchup would be Louisiana Tech-Hawaii at 4045 miles. Excluding Hawaii, the longest that I could find that came to mind would have been Idaho-FIU at 2477 miles for FB-only. For all-sports, I think it might be Denver-FIU at 1709 miles previously but now to be beaten by UCF-BYU.

Edit - Doesn't look like FIU or FAU-Idaho was ever played, nor did they ever play Utah State. I'll have to figure out if there's any other FB-only games that beat UCF-BYU later.

Ah. This brings back so much WAC nostalgia. Back when NMSU was our closest conference game. Those were the days. . .

Tech to San Jose and Fresno and the Idaho schools would be in that 1800 - 2000 range, right?

The longest all-sports distance I could find in D-1 was NJIT to Utah Valley during the short-lived days of the Great West Conference. 1964 miles.