[LUGrad2000]

Riddle me this. I'm all for a move. but gauging by the fun that we are all having right now. I feel a slight twinge of wanting to stay in FCS just to see this thing continue to roll. Don't get me wrong I see what App and Southern are doing and would love to see the Flames make a Bowl game in the future but I've always liked the way the FCS does the whole playoffs for a champion thing. Does anyone else feel the same?

No. Going to a bowl game is much better than the FCS playoffs. With a bowl game there is much more time to plan a trip, and therefore makes it more feasible to make the trip. I want to get to Philadelphia so bad, but I am not sure I will be able to swing it.

The lowest rated bowl game has more viewers than the FCS championship I believe. If our goal it's for national recognition, FBS is the way to go. We will win there too.

[aredd33]

What's the situation for UAB transfers (can they play immediately)? Any chance of picking up a player or two?

[jcmanson]

Yes, UAB transfers can play immediately.

[alabama24]

Does anyone else feel the same?

Only kids on the freshman team afraid to move up to JV...

[Sly Fox]

I hear you, FFG. But I am with 2000. The bowl games are awesome in my experience.

Frankly I get the feeling that the frontrunners for the CUSA opening are Louisiana-Lafayette, South Alabama & us with both Texas State and Georgia State as darkhorses. We're not first name on everyone's lips and a western school makes more geographical sense. But we are the only school that really would open up new markets and has the financial strength t manage the upcoming changes in the FBS world.

One thing that has popped into my mind that I haven't seen discussed much is the possibility of a current CUSA school sliding down to the Sun Belt. I know it sounds crazy but would even things out at 12 teams in each league. It will likely never happen with several Sun Belt schools frothing at the mouth to return to rivalries with their old Sun Belt brethren all now in CUSA. That would be bad news for us all the way around.

[LUGrad2000]

Best case scenarios for us:
1. CUSA picks us.
2. Current Sun Belt team moves to CUSA. We are picked by Sun Belt to replace lost team.
3. Any others?

[bluejacket]

That would be bad news, but I would put the probability of us being added by the AAC next year higher than a team leaving C-USA for the Sun Belt. As in, almost zero.

I agree. There is almost no chance that any C-USA school is going to the Sun Belt.

[bluejacket]

Riddle me this. I'm all for a move. but gauging by the fun that we are all having right now. I feel a slight twinge of wanting to stay in FCS just to see this thing continue to roll. Don't get me wrong I see what App and Southern are doing and would love to see the Flames make a Bowl game in the future but I've always liked the way the FCS does the whole playoffs for a champion thing. Does anyone else feel the same?

No. I want us to go as far as possible this season, but FBS>FCS.

[NotAJerry]

Best case scenarios for us:
1. CUSA picks us.
2. Current Sun Belt team moves to CUSA. We are picked by Sun Belt to replace lost team.
3. Any others?

2 other dominoes that could fall...there are rumors that the Big 12 may go after a pair of schools. That could open at least one spot in AAC, which would likely open another C-USA spot.

Cincinnati seems like the obvious one as they've been rumored for a while. I do wonder who the other team would be, and I'm guessing they'd try to pick off a team from the Mountain West.

[Blessed1]

Riddle me this. I'm all for a move. but gauging by the fun that we are all having right now. I feel a slight twinge of wanting to stay in FCS just to see this thing continue to roll. Don't get me wrong I see what App and Southern are doing and would love to see the Flames make a Bowl game in the future but I've always liked the way the FCS does the whole playoffs for a champion thing. Does anyone else feel the same?

Honestly speaking, FBS Bowls > FCS Playoffs, easily.

One major advantage bowls have over FCS playoffs is that every bowl (at least the ones supported by ESPN) are advertised on their network. In the meantime, our game vs. JMU and this week's game vs. Nova will be on ESPN3. Big difference.

You have to really want to look at a game or be a true fan of the team playing to go on ESPN3. However, you can pretty much find a bowl game on ESPNU or ESPN2 just by channel surfing. If a game is competitive, you may be more compelled to stay on that channel and watch. Exposure means everything and for a school like Liberty that could really help in recruiting upper-tier talent.

[Purple Haize]

Riddle me this. I'm all for a move. but gauging by the fun that we are all having right now. I feel a slight twinge of wanting to stay in FCS just to see this thing continue to roll. Don't get me wrong I see what App and Southern are doing and would love to see the Flames make a Bowl game in the future but I've always liked the way the FCS does the whole playoffs for a champion thing. Does anyone else feel the same?

Honestly speaking, FBS Bowls > FCS Playoffs, easily.

One major advantage bowls have over FCS playoffs is that every bowl (at least the ones supported by ESPN) are advertised on their network. In the meantime, our game vs. JMU and this week's game vs. Nova will be on ESPN3. Big difference.

You have to really want to look at a game or be a true fan of the team playing to go on ESPN3. However, you can pretty much find a bowl game on ESPNU or ESPN2 just by channel surfing. If a game is competitive, you may be more compelled to stay on that channel and watch. Exposure means everything and for a school like Liberty that could really help in recruiting upper-tier talent.

This is operating under the assumptions that 1) We become Bowl eligible and are selected and 2) fans admin etc have the patience to wait it out. It only took us how long to make the FCS playoffs?

[VAGolf]

It is much more difficult to make FCS playoffs than to make a bowl game.

[jlread]

Don't forget if we beat Nova our next game is on ESPN!!!!

[Sly Fox]

LIkely BYU, Colorado State or Houston. No one else has even been in the conversation to this point.

[VAGolf]

At one point USF was in that discussion.

[PAmedic]

Don't forget if we beat Nova our next game is on ESPN!!!!

LU + ESPN = BAD JU-JU

[flamehunter]

Don't forget if we beat Nova our next game is on ESPN!!!!

LU + ESPN = BAD JU-JU

This is the year the Ju-Ju dies. All of it.

[BJWilliams]

#seasonofredemption

[SuperJon]

Beej - hashtags don't work on message boards.

[SuperJon]

Starting to look like a moot point to me. No one gave two craps about this dead program 72 hours ago, but thanks to twitter it's the most pressing issue in sports. This generation is so desperate to be a part of a cause that it doesn't matter what or why. Right now I'm going to go ahead and guess that the decision gets put off, and the program gets at least another year.

I saw this morning the governor's gotten involved as well.

[Sly Fox]

Son of Bear has made America's Top Ten Villains.

I suspect this will be a temporary save at best. The folks in Tuscaloosa are ruthless and love kicking a little brother into a ditch.

[TDDance234]

Riddle me this. I'm all for a move. but gauging by the fun that we are all having right now. I feel a slight twinge of wanting to stay in FCS just to see this thing continue to roll. Don't get me wrong I see what App and Southern are doing and would love to see the Flames make a Bowl game in the future but I've always liked the way the FCS does the whole playoffs for a champion thing. Does anyone else feel the same?

Honestly speaking, FBS Bowls > FCS Playoffs, easily.

I think in terms of exposure - the short term of that is true. However, I'd argue that a lengthy run in the FCS playoffs over the course of a few seasons would be more beneficial in the long run for recruiting than the Beef-O-Rama bowl once every 2-3 years.

The blow system offers immediate exposure - but competing at the top level of the FCS for several seasons would grant us some staying power.

[Sly Fox]

Big questions now are how this fits into the bigger UAB athletics picture. Here are the three possible outcomes:

• 1. Blazer Football is only program killed
  2. Blazer Football's departure means several women's sports have to go due to Title IX
  3. Entire Athletic Department closes shop

Even if #1 is the only one announced today, #2 is inevitable and #3 is likely.

So do Petey, Austin or Canon have any buddies to reach out to consider transferring our way?

[bluejacket]

8,100+ signatures (the last time I checked) on an online petition and 130 students protesting aren't going to save a football program in a circumstance like this. UAB fans should be kicking themselves and not automatically blaming the UAT, even though they have some legitimate grievances; they knew that this was a strong possibility years ago and still never got behind the program.

[Sly Fox]

We missed out on the Hofstra feeding frenzy and it came back to bite us as it practically built Stony Brook's championship years. i suspect some CUSA & Sun Belt schools will be strengthened by this run at a bowl eligible roster.