[Purple Haize]

That would be a conference with a lot of upside

[Kricket]

I'm reading that ODU and Marshall are strong advocates for adding us.

Some have stated that Marshall told C-USA if they don't add us they're gone to the Sun Belt and yet Liberty still doesn't have the votes. It's a literal "Give me Liberty or give me death" situation for C-USA and they may be choosing death. Unreal.

[alabama24]

Being in a mid Atlantic conference would be good. Especially one with such underrated teams as JMU, ODU, and Marshall. Last part is for Ballcoach.

[Liberty22]

I'm reading that ODU and Marshall are strong advocates for adding us.

Some have stated that Marshall told C-USA if they don't add us they're gone to the Sun Belt and yet Liberty still doesn't have the votes. It's a literal "Give me Liberty or give me death" situation for C-USA and they may be choosing death. Unreal.

If this is true I hope they choose death and we go on and become the new BYU of independents. I’m hoping it’s true anyway because I want to stay independent but now I really hope it’s true haha

[flameshaw]

I'm reading that ODU and Marshall are strong advocates for adding us.

Some have stated that Marshall told C-USA if they don't add us they're gone to the Sun Belt and yet Liberty still doesn't have the votes. It's a literal "Give me Liberty or give me death" situation for C-USA and they may be choosing death. Unreal.

I have always heard that ODU has been in our corner, when it comes to conference alignment. C-USA would be a good landing spot for us. There are some talks going on with others as well. Not sure if they are one-sided or not.

[ballcoach15]

Being in a mid Atlantic conference would be good. Especially one with such underrated teams as JMU, ODU, and Marshall. Last part is for Ballcoach.

I would love for liberty to be in same conference as Marshall. JMU and ODU are just a notch above Big South.

[badger74]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... expansion/

[Kricket]

I'm reading that ODU and Marshall are strong advocates for adding us.

Some have stated that Marshall told C-USA if they don't add us they're gone to the Sun Belt and yet Liberty still doesn't have the votes. It's a literal "Give me Liberty or give me death" situation for C-USA and they may be choosing death. Unreal.

If this is true I hope they choose death and we go on and become the new BYU of independents. I’m hoping it’s true anyway because I want to stay independent but now I really hope it’s true haha

We can say no to an invite. It never hurts to have options.

[ballah09]

From what I understand is that they're trying to get us to agree to join since we won't unless Marshall is there and they need to get JMU on board to basically make all this happen. At least this is what I got from reading all the insider stuff. I think we have the votes it's just the convincing that needs to be done.

[rmiller1959]

All this JMU attention is probably driving Ballcoach crazy:

https://thespun.com/college-football/ja ... rumors-aac

[Cider Jim]

Everyone knows I'm all for LU joining whatever conference Marshall is in. And if in-state JMU and ODU are also in the same conference, it would feel like Christmas to me!

[TallyW]

This feels like a big step back and a waste of momentum.

We go from beating VT in our first few years of FBS to competing with JMU annually?

This seems like a small step up from Big South. I would think we'd have a better shot at P5 or AAC by staying independent.

I suppose the concern is not having a chair when the music stops.

[Liberty22]

My thoughts exactly Tally and my hope IM thinks so too

[tyndal23]

This feels like a big step back and a waste of momentum.

We go from beating VT in our first few years of FBS to competing with JMU annually?

This seems like a small step up from Big South. I would think we'd have a better shot at P5 or AAC by staying independent.

I suppose the concern is not having a chair when the music stops.

AAC was neutral from me, felt like Indie was still way more upside but at least AAC would have occasional shot at playoff. After seeing their expansion philosophy, glad we didn’t get invited and anyone talking about all the pros of CUSA has lost their minds.

[TH Spangler]

We have a 5 year espn deal. What does cusa have? Stadium and a few games on CBS. How would that work?

[Purple Haize]

This feels like a big step back and a waste of momentum.

We go from beating VT in our first few years of FBS to competing with JMU annually?

This seems like a small step up from Big South. I would think we'd have a better shot at P5 or AAC by staying independent.

I suppose the concern is not having a chair when the music stops.

ODU, JMU and dare I say it even Marshall are waaay more than a small step up from any team in the Big South When you look at it from an All Sports perspective it’s very intriguing. Nothing precludes LU from still scheduling and beating struggling P5 teams in football.

[TallyW]

Recruiting. #SettleWithUs

[Purple Haize]

Recruiting. #SettleWithUs

#buildwithus

[stokesjokes]

We go from beating VT in our first few years of FBS to competing with JMU annually?

This isn’t a good comparison though. Right now we’re also competing with ULM and UMass annually. We’ve scheduled a CUSA-tier schedule (or worse) every year anyway, plus a P5 here and there.

There’s no reason we couldn’t keep the P5s in our non-conference schedule, while also getting something out of beating the G6s.

Obviously independence gives us more flexibility, but is low-level conference membership a faster path to high-level conference membership? Would we rather be 9-3 with a conference championship and a decent bowl or 9-3, unranked and in the Cure Bowl again?

[Kricket]

We have a 5 year espn deal. What does cusa have? Stadium and a few games on CBS. How would that work?

I would imagine we have a clause that voids the contract if we joined a conference.

[BlueBlood]

I think we end up still independent at the end of this.

I get the feeling that Marshall and maybe even JMU end up in the Sunbelt.

That really leaves C-USA as a conference of misfit toys and a bad TV contract. I’m pretty sure Ian would not sign up for that.

[BlueBlood]

Oh, and I think it’s pretty obvious that ESPN has a huge hand in this. Note that all the AAC (ESPN conference) adds came from C-USA (not an ESPN conference). Now, the proposed Sunbelt (ESPN conference) adds are also coming from C-USA. There are rumors that the MAC (ESPN conference) might be getting in on the frenzy.

[TallyW]

We go from beating VT in our first few years of FBS to competing with JMU annually?

This isn’t a good comparison though. Right now we’re also competing with ULM and UMass annually. We’ve scheduled a CUSA-tier schedule (or worse) every year anyway, plus a P5 here and there.

There’s no reason we couldn’t keep the P5s in our non-conference schedule, while also getting something out of beating the G6s.

Obviously independence gives us more flexibility, but is low-level conference membership a faster path to high-level conference membership? Would we rather be 9-3 with a conference championship and a decent bowl or 9-3, unranked and in the Cure Bowl again?

Our early scheduling was considered a miracle at the time... But it wasn't our declared aspiration. We were glad to simply have games to play back then.

Everyone understood it was just our foot in the door.

What recruits will understand from this move is that we aspire to be seen not as a competitor to UVA, VT, or even Syracuse... But JMU, ODU, and Marshall. It'll define our brand for us.

Part of not having a conference means that we get to sell recruits on the future. Once we settle, it's clear... We're a directional school.

[willflop]

If I adapt a Lincoln quote, I’ve viewed independence like this: it’s better to remain independent and be thought a G5 than to join the CUSA and to remove all doubt. The problem is whether we are more likely to replicate our 2022 or 2023 schedule moving forward? If the later, any perception of us not being a mac/sbc/cusa pseudo affiliate member, because we are independent, is just in our heads and no one else views us that way. And if that’s the case, what’s the impact on recruiting without a conference? There’s lots of moving parts and challenges LU has, but ODU out recruited us from a strictly rating perspective after not even playing last year and us finishing AP 17. I think we’ll be fine either way, but there’s a lot of unknowns/assumptions about independence that make me question it more and more.

[ballcoach15]

JMU & ODU ? Why so much fascination with those 2 schools. Our vision should be much higher.

Reminds me of when we joined ASUN, I heard an individual say, "now we can't travel to Radford or Farmville for conference games"