(01-22-2023 11:10 PM)shizzle787 Wrote: I don't know what is going to happen regarding the possibility of Pac-12 expansion (the league probably doesn't know either), but my bet at the moment is that they stand pat at 10: bad news for Gonzaga, SDSU, and others.
I think if I were betting I would say Gonzaga is not going to find a suitor among the leagues that it likes (Pac-12, Big 12, Big East) and decides to stay in the WCC.
That leaves us with mid-major realignment. This will focus on leagues outside of the FBS and will not include the Big East, Atlantic 10, Ivy League, WCC, or Missouri Valley.
That leaves 17 leagues. To me, the SWAC, Patriot, America East, Big West, CAA, Southern, Summit, Southland, and Big Sky are less likely to see membership changes than the others that remain.
Here are the eight leagues that might make moves:
Horizon: the league is at 11 after losing UIC. I could see them add one school to get back to 12. Bellarmine? W. Illinois? Someone else?
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I'm surprised that the Horizon hasn't looked at UIndy yet. They could be a possibility. Now that NKU is in the Horizon, I doubt they go for Bellarmine. But I could be wrong. Another possibility: E. Illinois.
Another possibility just occurred to me: Grand Valley State!!!
Another idea, but travel could be a bear: Augustana (SD) aka Augie.
Quote:MAAC: the league is at 11 but has mentioned desiring to get to 12. If Wagner is able to find a home for their football program, I believe they are the best fit.
I could see Wagner, but what about Merrimack or UMass-Lowell?? Would get the MAAC into somewhere different.
Quote:OVC: the league is at 10 after having five defections and three additions recently. They have been rumored to add a Division 2 school. UIndy may reconsider. Who else could be a possible addition?
I recall Lincoln Memorial kicking the tires on a D1 possible move in the past. That's a possibility. The only other somewhat realistic option I see is Lipscomb from the A-SUN. But if the Bison aren't interested, I will float this possibility out there: U of Montevallo, my alma mater. Montevallo is in a suburb of Birmingham, so they fit in the OVC. Montevallo also has excellent academics, and wouldn't be a threat to leave for a very long time.
Quote:MEAC: the league is down to only 8 members. They badly need one or two Division 2 HBCU institutions to make the move or come to terms with Chicago State.
Rather than go after HBCU institutions, how about some non-HBCU institutions? I'm thinking along the lines of Valdosta State and the University of West Florida. I believe that those institutions want to move up. Would the MEAC give them a chance? Would they give the MEAC a chance?? If the MEAC must have an HBCU, Chicago State is available, but looking outside the box (non-HBCU options), opportunities do exist, IMO.
Quote:WAC: the league will be down to 11 members next year. I would not be surprised to see Southern Utah go back to the Big Sky or Central Arkansas join from the A-Sun among other moves.
FBS or bust!!!
Quote:A-Sun: the league will be down to 11 members as well next year. In addition to a possible Central Arkansas defection, it would not be surprising to see Queens leave for the Big South among other moves.
See WAC
Quote:Big South: the league is not in a good place. It is down to 9 members (only two of which play football in the OVC-Big South league with two other football affiliates). Would likely need to snag Queens or add a Division 2 institution to gain some stability.
Would probably snag Queens.
Quote:NEC: the league has 9 members. On the football side, the league is fine. In general, however, it is arguably the worst athletic league in Division 1. The only teams I could see joining the league are MEAC schools if that league implodes or Division 2 institutions.
What do you think will happen this year among the non-major schools?
Another outside the box idea: try to snag as many as the PSAC as possible. Maybe IUP & WCUP would reconsider if they had Slippery Rock & Shippensburg joining them??? Other than that, go after U of New Haven, or maybe Bates....