[Geraldos Mustache]

Pipe dream, but I wish there were a way to create a new regional conference comprised of Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina schools.

The idea of a conference with schools in New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Virginia is just silly IMO.

It is simply a result of circumstances. And let the record show that we actually benefit from having a presence in the states you mention save perhaps New Mexico. The Gulf Coast states are where the majority of our Evangelical prospects are located these days. We have the budget and the interest in markets that most schools wouldn't value.

I receive what you are saying about Gulf Coast states and location of our Evangelical prospects. That exists whether we are in a Conference or not. Liberty has more flexibility and control if they remain Independent.

If we can schedule better schools and have a stronger SOS as an independent, the Liberty brand will mean more, in theory. To join C-USA would make us the top program in the conference year-in and year-out (similar to Liberty with ASUN basketball). I suppose their is value in Liberty being the favorite to win C-USA each year, but if the Conference has no respect or allure, then LU has the title of tallest midget (pardon the phrase). Is that what we want? Is that the best way to build a national brand?

Begin with the end in mind. What is Liberty trying to accomplish?
#1 - Build a national brand (a-la BYU)
#2 - Establish Liberty as a top G5 program
#3 - Bowl game appearances/victories
#4 - Position Liberty for the FBS National Playoff bracket (assuming it evolves from 4 to 8 teams)

The order of items on this list is not important, but I think we can all agree on the content of this list. What else would you add to the list? Would you take anything away from the list? If these four items are core items we seek to accomplish, does C-USA or Independent better facilitate our goals?

[ballcoach15]

It will be almost impossible for Liberty to get a playoff bid, unless it's an automatic bid. Selection committee is crooked and biased.

(see Cincinnati Bearcats ranking in last night's release)

[Geraldos Mustache]

It will be almost impossible for Liberty to get a playoff bid, unless it's an automatic bid. Selection committee is crooked and biased.

(see Cincinnati Bearcats ranking in last night's release)

Cincinnati is ranked #2 in both the AP and Coaches Poll. What are you referring to?
https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... s/coaches/

[Risewithus]

Think the reference is to the playoff poll.....ie, the one that matters.

[JCS Flames Fan 31]

It will be almost impossible for Liberty to get a playoff bid, unless it's an automatic bid. Selection committee is crooked and biased.

(see Cincinnati Bearcats ranking in last night's release)

Cincinnati is ranked #2 in both the AP and Coaches Poll. What are you referring to?
https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... s/coaches/

He is referring to The first CFP Rankings...the ones that actually matter for postseason play. Cincinnati is #6 currently outside looking in to being able to compete for a National Title despite being Undefeated. Oregon and Alabama and Ohio State all with 1 loss and are higher. Auto bid as some on here have suggested is very desirable and is why Ian and company are considering CUSA move so heavily. P5 bias is never going away and why conference affiliation at FBS should be at least considered with proposed future Playoff expansion.

[FlamesHighontheTide]

Cincy got screwed last night. Obviously, Georgia & Bama deserve to be in the top 4 as does Cincy and right now Michigan State. Ohio State lost to Oregon and barely beat a Penn State team who is losing their luster. Oklahoma is very fortunate to be undefeated. Oregon may have beaten Ohio State but Oregon has not looked the part of a top 4 team.

[tyndal23]

Bama - who is their big win? Lost to an unranked team and beat FL by 2. If they didn’t have The logo - ( which is supposed to be the way it works )…Wake Forest, if they put Clemson on side of their helmet would be too 4. ( not Bama hater - they just speak out of both sides of their mouth when they rank. And I have no problem with SOS being part of the equation but OR lost to Stanford. OU looks bad winning - no problem having them low, but a loss is a loss and if it isn’t 1 vs 2 - loss should hurt more. ( wrong thread for this but since Cinci came up)

[Geraldos Mustache]

The injustice of Cincinnati being #6 in the Playoff rankings will eventually bring an 8-team playoff into reality. It has to. The fans won't stand for it any other way. A 4-team playoff doesn't allow enough room for the talent to compete and prove themselves on the field of play. Or the conference auto-bid like the NCAA basketball tournament.

With an auto-bid, I suppose it doesn't matter how strong or weak your conference is. Just win and get in.

[Have_a_Gansett_2011]

The proposed expansion is to 12 teams. 6 conference champ auto bids (5 P5 + 1 G5/ND) and 6 at-large bids (probably 5 SEC schools and a B1G school for optics).

What needs to happen is a cutdown of the regular season back down to 11 games. Auto bid the 10 conference champions and give 6 at large bids for a "March Madness" style 16 team tournament. Another option would be 14 teams, and give Nos. 1 and 2 byes into the quarterfinals, like in the NFL.

You can keep the bowl system for the rest of the teams, but the money POURS in for a true bracketed playoff. 1st round games are all official bowl games (Citrus, Gator, Alamo, etc), then we move into the quarter finals, semi-finals, and championship. Give me a playoff with Cincinnati, UTSA, SDSU, and NIU playing the likes of Michigan, Auburn, Utah, and Kentucky!

[ballcoach15]

Regardless of how many teams are in playoffs, no team should get a bye. Therefore it needs to 4, 8 or 16 teams

[Kricket]

[Kricket]

I'm also hearing (by hearing, I mean internet rumors) the Western Kentucky and MTSU to the MAC isn't progressing that well. It's still possible one or both don't make the move, especially if we're in the game for C-USA.

[BlueBlood]

If I were WKU or MTSU, I’d for sure have second thoughts about leaving. I know C-USA is a punching bag right now, but the MAC is a black whole of sameness and complacency.

Plus, C-USA opens more doors to TX, LA and FL recruiting.

If they stay, I think C-USA looks to add MO St and call it a day (maybe with some strategically located non-football adds to help travel)

[tyndal23]

Pipe dream, but I wish there were a way to create a new regional conference comprised of Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina schools.

The idea of a conference with schools in New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Virginia is just silly IMO.

It is simply a result of circumstances. And let the record show that we actually benefit from having a presence in the states you mention save perhaps New Mexico. The Gulf Coast states are where the majority of our Evangelical prospects are located these days. We have the budget and the interest in markets that most schools wouldn't value.

I receive what you are saying about Gulf Coast states and location of our Evangelical prospects. That exists whether we are in a Conference or not. Liberty has more flexibility and control if they remain Independent.

If we can schedule better schools and have a stronger SOS as an independent, the Liberty brand will mean more, in theory. To join C-USA would make us the top program in the conference year-in and year-out (similar to Liberty with ASUN basketball). I suppose their is value in Liberty being the favorite to win C-USA each year, but if the Conference has no respect or allure, then LU has the title of tallest midget (pardon the phrase). Is that what we want? Is that the best way to build a national brand?

Begin with the end in mind. What is Liberty trying to accomplish?
#1 - Build a national brand (a-la BYU)
#2 - Establish Liberty as a top G5 program
#3 - Bowl game appearances/victories
#4 - Position Liberty for the FBS National Playoff bracket (assuming it evolves from 4 to 8 teams)

The order of items on this list is not important, but I think we can all agree on the content of this list. What else would you add to the list? Would you take anything away from the list? If these four items are core items we seek to accomplish, does C-USA or Independent better facilitate our goals?

CUSA sets LU back 30 years and we will never overcome it in our lifetime. Stop this Madness !!!!!

[thepostman]

30 years ago when we were a brand new I-AA school???? I know you have very strong feelings about this but come on man.

Our facilities are great, we have a great AD and some amazing coaches. Regardless of what Ian decides to do, we are in a great spot and won't be set back 30 years.

[ballah09]

Definitely improves Basketball. I’m not familiar with baseball and Softball although La Tech was ranked last year in baseball and both Sam and Jax St have solid programs. You also have to look at that we’re going to be set up for an easier path to the playoffs once it gets expanded. Plus more bowl opportunities and I’m sure, with our relationship with ESPN, that we’re going to get the conference a nice tv deal.

Now I really hope we can grab the Dakotas.

[tyndal23]

30 years ago when we were a brand new I-AA school???? I know you have very strong feelings about this but come on man.

Our facilities are great, we have a great AD and some amazing coaches. Regardless of what Ian decides to do, we are in a great spot and won't be set back 30 years.

Who cares about facilities if no one is watching...

[ballcoach15]

The Dakotas are too far from Lynchburg.

Facilities are great for recruiting. We've had many commitments once recruits came onto campus on visit.

[tyndal23]

The Dakotas are too far from Lynchburg.

Facilities are great for recruiting. We've had many commitments once recruits came onto campus on visit.

Yes, they are great for recruiting 2 * Conference USA Caliber Athletes who only have other offers from FCS.

[Cider Jim]

The News & Advance is reporting that LU has been officially offered membership by C-USA. Sly, do you trust the "local fish wrap" as an accurate source? I'm sure Ballcoach does!

https://newsadvance.com/sports/college/ ... tjoGqzL8EM

[Ill flame]

The Dakotas are too far from Lynchburg.

Facilities are great for recruiting. We've had many commitments once recruits came onto campus on visit.

Yes, they are great for recruiting 2 * Conference USA Caliber Athletes who only have other offers from FCS.

Our schedules now are no better than they would be in this new c-usa and we are bringing in some solid recruits. If we are regularly in the conversation for a NY6 bowl or cfp slot the recruits will choose us over a middling AAC team. Look at how it's worked out for BYU and Boise st beating up on weak conferences.

[tyndal23]

The Dakotas are too far from Lynchburg.

Facilities are great for recruiting. We've had many commitments once recruits came onto campus on visit.

Yes, they are great for recruiting 2 * Conference USA Caliber Athletes who only have other offers from FCS.

Our schedules now are no better than they would be in this new c-usa and we are bringing in some solid recruits. If we are regularly in the conversation for a NY6 bowl or cfp slot the recruits will choose us over a middling AAC team. Look at how it's worked out for BYU and Boise st beating up on weak conferences.

BYU left a weak Conference to just exactly what we have the ability to do - avoid any label of G5, schedule as hard as we want, retain all tv $ and TV rights so we can move immediately if something opens up. Boise St. has been stuck and trying to go P5 for 15 years. Once you give up all that, your stuck until “ next realignment”. The only Conference that we fit is Big 12 - we ain’t getting there starting out at CUSA. JMU is 3 conferences ahead of us and they haven’t played a game yet. Ponder that BC.

[Kricket]

A conference is part of an athletic programs identity but it isn't the whole of the identity. The SEC has Alabama and it also has Vanderbilt. Big Ten has Ohio State and also has Rutgers. The AAC now has Cincinnati and also has Tulane or whoever. In basketball Gonzaga is head and shoulders above practically any team in the country in the WCC. You catch my drift.

[thepostman]

30 years ago when we were a brand new I-AA school???? I know you have very strong feelings about this but come on man.

Our facilities are great, we have a great AD and some amazing coaches. Regardless of what Ian decides to do, we are in a great spot and won't be set back 30 years.

Who cares about facilities if no one is watching...

You said it would set us back 30 years. You're now ignoring that and saying something completely different.

You have a very narrow view of what LU should do. Once upon a time I did too. So I get it but if Ian decides this is best for us than I think he has earned some trust.

[tyndal23]

A conference is part of an athletic programs identity but it isn't the whole of the identity. The SEC has Alabama and it also has Vanderbilt. Big Ten has Ohio State and also has Rutgers. The AAC now has Cincinnati and also has Tulane or whoever. In basketball Gonzaga is head and shoulders above practically any team in the country in the WCC. You catch my drift.

Yeah, I catch your drift. I doubt 90% of America knows what Conference BYU plays their non football sports, but 90% of the country recognizes the BYU logo by who they play in football. As Okie St. Coach Grundy said when BYU got accepted in to Big 12 - “ when you see that logo - you see P5 - not G5 or Independent”. If LU played 4-6 P5 every year until 2032 - do you really think winning the worst G5 conference 80% of the time ( with games no one sees or cares about ) elevates our brand more than playing P5 games that mean something and people see ( with actual athletes recruited to be competitive and full budget ) ?