[tyndal23]

So with latest rumor of Big grabbing OR / WA - which would lead to 4 Corner schools to Big 12 ( or vice versa ) does this lead to PAC expanding all the way east with their last gasp of P5 relevancy ? That leaves Wa St, Oregon St, Cal, Stanford trying to grasp for straws and adding SDSU, Fresno, UNLV and SMU, Rice , Tulane ( types) and looking East ( ECU / JMU / UConn etc...I imagine Stanford would rather go Indy but no data to prove it...so again my question is - LU as an Independent still OR LU as a new upcoming member in CUSA with a bottom 5 schedule make us an easier “ phone call” for potential suitors from other Conferences’s ?

[Sly Fox]

Pretty easily with CUSA taking us removes some of the stigma of a conference accepting us. So the answer to your questions is most certainly the CUSA moves makes us more marketable to other leagues.

You are correct that the Cardinal would likely go Indy in football before letting the league water down that much. But honestly that would be as a placeholder until the next wave of major realignment at the end of the decade. At that stage I believe that Cal would hold their noses and join the other Pac 12 refugees in the Big XII.

[tyndal23]

Pretty easily with CUSA taking us removes some of the stigma of a conference accepting us. So the answer to your questions is most certainly the CUSA moves makes us more marketable to other leagues.

You are correct that the Cardinal would likely go Indy in football before letting the league water down that much. But honestly that would be as a placeholder until the next wave of major realignment at the end of the decade. At that stage I believe that Cal would hold their noses and join the other Pac 12 refugees in the Big XII.

More marketable Day one or over time? Seems like a less messy call to an Independent vs a similar school that is entering year 1 of a new conference and having to consider buyouts and stiffing their néw conference year 1 or 2. AAC and Mountain West having to backfill if remaining PAC has to raid them. Example - AAC has to replace ECU and take ODU If Sunbelt then decides they have to have LU - is it “better that we are in year one of CUSA and the flip side of that is it something LU is comfortable doing to CUSA after 1 year? In that example - ODU jumps and could care less about “feelings” of Sunbelt based on the $.

[TH Spangler]

There's so much more coming. Sounds like FSU and Clemson are "going to" find away out of GOR.

[Ill flame]

More marketable Day one or over time? Seems like a less messy call to an Independent vs a similar school that is entering year 1 of a new conference and having to consider buyouts and stiffing their néw conference year 1 or 2. AAC and Mountain West having to backfill if remaining PAC has to raid them. Example - AAC has to replace ECU and take ODU If Sunbelt then decides they have to have LU - is it “better that we are in year one of CUSA and the flip side of that is it something LU is comfortable doing to CUSA after 1 year? In that example - ODU jumps and could care less about “feelings” of Sunbelt based on the $.

Hopefully there's no more realignment for the next few years making this conversation irrelevant but im always wrong about these things so we'll see. In the long term I believe being in a conference makes us more marketable and its less messy than independence. We had to scrap almost every semi desirable game we had on our schedule to join CUSA and who knows how expensive it was to break so many contracts. Southern miss reportedly only paid $1.75 million to leave CUSA so it may actually be cheaper and easier to buyout a conference than dozens of games as an independent. Plus CUSA knows we will leave at the first opportunity just like every other team in the league so feelings aren't really a factor here. We should have no sense of loyalty to CUSA.

[tyndal23]

More marketable Day one or over time? Seems like a less messy call to an Independent vs a similar school that is entering year 1 of a new conference and having to consider buyouts and stiffing their néw conference year 1 or 2. AAC and Mountain West having to backfill if remaining PAC has to raid them. Example - AAC has to replace ECU and take ODU If Sunbelt then decides they have to have LU - is it “better that we are in year one of CUSA and the flip side of that is it something LU is comfortable doing to CUSA after 1 year? In that example - ODU jumps and could care less about “feelings” of Sunbelt based on the $.

Hopefully there's no more realignment for the next few years making this conversation irrelevant but im always wrong about these things so we'll see. In the long term I believe being in a conference makes us more marketable and its less messy than independence. We had to scrap almost every semi desirable game we had on our schedule to join CUSA and who knows how expensive it was to break so many contracts. Southern miss reportedly only paid $1.75 million to leave CUSA so it may actually be cheaper and easier to buyout a conference than dozens of games as an independent. Plus CUSA knows we will leave at the first opportunity just like every other team in the league so feelings aren't really a factor here. We should have no sense of loyalty to CUSA.

Good points. I really hope there isn’t more realignment for another 7 years, but don’t think it is likely things stay together.

[JK37]

Sun Belt won’t ever touch us. We don’t want them either.

No loyalty. To anyone. Loyalty is expensive and overrated. This is a dog eat dog world. Either play the game with no rules like everyone else, or get eaten alive.

It’s a good thing Jesus wasn’t an Athletic Director.

[LUOrange]

[ATrain]

While UVA and Tech would definitely help the SEC, B1G, or Big 12 w/ the DC market (U. of Maryland brings the Baltimore market, their fans mostly watch WBAL/WMAR, not WUSA or the other DC stations), I'm honestly not sure anyone wants Tech's athletic program at this point. Football has dropped off dramatically from 10 years ago, and without that success, the ratings and attendance has been dropping off to. I'm not sure they're as valuable as they once were.

[Ill flame]

The big ten added Maryland specifically to bring BTN to the DC market so I'm not sure what else UVA or VT could provide them that they don't already have and markets are important but secondary for the SEC. I found an article that ranked each team by tv viewership from 2015-2019. VT ranked 31st just ahead of Indiana while UVA was 59th behind Colorado and mizzou. Viewership numbers for both programs were G5 level in 2022. Both could be good pickups for Big 12 but neither seem like a good fit for SEC or B1G although it wouldn't suprise me if B1G added UVA because of the academics.

[TH Spangler]

If the ACC 8 come to an agreement to kill GOR .... B12 will come after Louisville, Pitt and VA Tech to go with WVU.

[TH Spangler]

Fun listen. Ballcoach will not find it fun

https://www.wwltv.com/video/sports/lock ... 097efaae25

Hopfully that link works.

[ballcoach15]

Louisville and Pitt bring nothing to any conference. ACC started digging their own grave when they expanded up north, and then added Louisville, and started sleeping with Notre Dame.
ACC should add Liberty.

[Sly Fox]

My guess is the discontent in the ACC will eventually lead to the league's demise. But right now it appears to be a slow burn. If the Magnificent 7 are able to get enough schools to join them in killing the league, the grant of rights will be rendered worthless. It may take bringing Duke and perhaps Georgia Tech and one other school fearful of falling out of P5 fortunes to pull this off. Of course the threat of disbanding the league might be enough to get the votes to tear up the GoR. My guess is a massive settlement will appease the left behinds.

BC, Syracuse, Wake, Pitt & Louisville bring no value to the P2. All would likely be gladly welcomed into the Big XII along with Duke & Ga Tech assuming they are left in the dark. Notre Dame would then be in a position to either roll with the Mag 7 with a similar arrangement to theirs today or push their non-football teams back tot he Big East. The Irish still have no incentive to fully join either of the P2.

Meanwhile the Pac 12 odds of survival grow slimmer by the day. There is no white knight ready to ride in on the horizon. It might be fun to see what happens to Stanford & Cal after they are left alone with Wazzu & Oregon State. They might prefer aligning with the Mag 7 who are institutionally better fits than what will be left of the Pac 12.

[TH Spangler]

My guess is the discontent in the ACC will eventually lead to the league's demise. But right now it appears to be a slow burn. If the Magnificent 7 are able to get enough schools to join them in killing the league, the grant of rights will be rendered worthless. It may take bringing Duke and perhaps Georgia Tech and one other school fearful of falling out of P5 fortunes to pull this off. Of course the threat of disbanding the league might be enough to get the votes to tear up the GoR. My guess is a massive settlement will appease the left behinds.

BC, Syracuse, Wake, Pitt & Louisville bring no value to the P2. All would likely be gladly welcomed into the Big XII along with Duke & Ga Tech assuming they are left in the dark. Notre Dame would then be in a position to either roll with the Mag 7 with a similar arrangement to theirs today or push their non-football teams back tot he Big East. The Irish still have no incentive to fully join either of the P2.

Meanwhile the Pac 12 odds of survival grow slimmer by the day. There is no white knight ready to ride in on the horizon. It might be fun to see what happens to Stanford & Cal after they are left alone with Wazzu & Oregon State. They might prefer aligning with the Mag 7 who are institutionally better fits than what will be left of the Pac 12.

Pretty obvious it will end up being a P2. NFL minor league.

In the long run the rest, G7 or 8 will be a lager group with lots of interest, maybe more than anyone realizes now.

[TH Spangler]

College football is poised to become the de facto minor league of the NFL, as the power two conferences, the SEC and the Big Ten, dominate the sport. With the advent of NIL deals, these players will be able to earn money from their college careers, while also preparing for the professional level. Meanwhile, alternative leagues like the USFL and the XFL will struggle to compete with the established fan base and tradition of college football. College football teams have a loyal and passionate following among alumni and supporters that will continue to watch their so call team regardless of the changing landscape.

[Ill flame]

College football has been the de facto minor league for the NFL for decades. If anything this is the first time in awhile players have another path to the NFL without cfb.

[TH Spangler]

College football has been the de facto minor league for the NFL for decades. If anything this is the first time in awhile players have another path to the NFL without cfb.

Just hoping Jr NFL doesn't end with the Power 2, XFL and USFL. Most likely P2 never schedules G7 soon.

[Ill flame]

I thought the ACC was slightly ahead of big 12 in payouts. No wonder several schools want out.

[LUOrange]

[TH Spangler]

I'm reading a lot of rumors saying the B12 is going to 20, four west of the Rockies and four in the EST time zone. And a lot will happen in June???

Liberty is a sleeping giant. They're a much larger school than people realize.

https://www.si.com/college/westvirginia ... -expansion

[cruzan_flame13]

I'm reading a lot of rumors saying the B12 is going to 20, four west of the Rockies and four in the EST time zone. And a lot will happen in June???

Liberty is a sleeping giant. They're a much larger school than people realize.

https://www.si.com/college/westvirginia ... -expansion

LU would be travel partners with WVU and on the same coast as UCF and USF (If that's even helpful). We can finally get our revenge for that lost a decade plus ago from WVU

[Ill flame]

When I read articles like that one it feels like I'm reading fantasy booking scenarios from a bored pro wrestling fan. While we are at it R Truth needs a shot at the WWE title so he can take his rightful place as the head of the table. Why would the Big 12 pick up 6 G5s when they could probably just wait and pick up the scraps from the ACC when that conference implodes assuming they don't end up getting any PAC12 additions? That's just asking for another WAC situation down the road.

[LUOrange]

I'm reading a lot of rumors saying the B12 is going to 20, four west of the Rockies and four in the EST time zone. And a lot will happen in June???

Liberty is a sleeping giant. They're a much larger school than people realize.

https://www.si.com/college/westvirginia ... -expansion

I like the way he thinks. But they'll obviously go for the PAC schools and/or Boise and UNLV first. I'm still leaning AAC or ACC leftovers/old Big East remnants for us down the road.

[prototype]

I'm reading a lot of rumors saying the B12 is going to 20, four west of the Rockies and four in the EST time zone. And a lot will happen in June???

Liberty is a sleeping giant. They're a much larger school than people realize.

https://www.si.com/college/westvirginia ... -expansion

I like the way he thinks. But they'll obviously go for the PAC schools and/or Boise and UNLV first. I'm still leaning AAC or ACC leftovers/old Big East remnants for us down the road.

Just graduated 26,000 people.... That's a lot of alumni added in one year. That's one of the top graduating classes in the country.