[Coastal89]

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/b ... 29281.html

[Sly Fox]

Glad to see it is now official.

[jcmanson]

Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander said the Big South will get an automatic bid as part of the expansion

[PAmedic]

wonder how much Moose had to do w/ securing an auto-bid for the BSOUTH.

either way- that's great news.

a shame #24 won't get to be part of that, but oh well.

[Blessed1]

Well since our boys are now invited to the big show, can EA finally make our beloved Flames?

Also, who else get an automatic bid? I heard the NEC because they expanded their scholies. I just hope the MEAC and the SWAC can change their ways towards the FCS playoffs!

[Cider Jim]

Congrats to our little buddy Kyle for making this happen--Big South getting the automatic bid!

[Fumblerooskies]

With the auto bid in place, now maybe the league will do what is right...
...and invite Longwood into the league. With GWU coming in, that gives us 9 in the non-football sports, so a ten team league makes a lot of sense.

[Blessed1]

Fumble, why Longwood? Just wondering...

[LUconn]

I really want to make the playoffs before it expands. So let's just get in this year.

[jcmanson]

Fumble I think your math is off. We already have 8 in the non-football sports, add to that Gardner Webb and Presby, that makes 10. We don't need anymore. We haven't added Longwood as of now, why would we add them now? And it's not "the right thing".

[jcmanson]

I really want to make the playoffs before it expands. So let's just get in this year.

I was thinking the same thing. If we don't get in this year we will always hear how Coastal was the only team to get in before the auto bid.

[Fumblerooskies]

Fumble, why Longwood? Just wondering...

D1 rival right down the road. Improving facilities. A location the SoCon would not raid. It just makes sense to me.

[Blessed1]

Ok, gotcha Fumble.

I did a Wikipedia search on them. It sounds like they are really trying to stomp with the big dogs in athletics. They already have good academics. I think if Kyle wanted to improve the Big South's GPA, he could sneak them in..

[Sly Fox]

Just say no to Longwood. There I said it. I'd rather we raid the MEAC.

I agree wholeheartedly LUconn. If we can continue our rate of improvement under Coach Rocco for another or season or two then the auto bid becomes a non-issue.

[Blessed1]

Sly, who would you want out of the MEAC? I think the only schools that are interested in beefing up their programs are Delaware State and maybe Hampton. The only thing with MEAC and SWAC teams for that matter is familiarity. Those two conferences like sticking together, hence the pre-talk of nixing the FBC playoffs and have a HBCU playoff.

[RagingTireFire]

I just hope the MEAC and the SWAC can change their ways towards the FCS playoffs!

The MEAC already participates in the playoffs. The SWAC and the Ivies are the only two conferences that willingly stay out.

Out of the MEAC, I'd take Hampton or SC State in a heartbeat.

[Blessed1]

I'd like to see the Big South invite Hampton or SC State as well.

However, I think the only way you're going get one MEAC school from their conference is to offer membership to another school as well. Like I said before, familiarity (as well as tradition) runs extremely deep.

[jcmanson]

We have enough teams now, the only reason we would want more teams is to get the auto-bid but that is a moot point now. The conference is fine as it is. We just need to dominate it from here on, and we will be in the playoffs every year.