[LUGrad2000]

After the June WAC meetings, if App. St., Liberty, Jax St., and Georgia Southern announce (or invited) to the WAC, I bet some of the fence sitters will come on over. JMU sees Liberty go FBS the administration will have all sorts of heat on them.

[LUaddict]

After the June WAC meetings, if App. St., Liberty, Jax St., and Georgia Southern announce (or invited) to the WAC, I bet some of the fence sitters will come on over. JMU sees Liberty go FBS the administration will have all sorts of heat on them.

I agree with those that are on the fence will think twice and scurry on to get their ducks in a row to get the heck out of the FCS and jump with us. I read an article on the scout site of the U of Idaho on conference expansion from the AD point of view and the direction of the WAC. It's a 3 part series. I'll post it soon.

[Sly Fox]

LUaddict - Great ... drop a post or two on the board so I am not the only Liberty presence on their site.

LUgrad2000 - I think that is the hope of all of those involved in this WAC deal that the combination of the conference announcement with fears of impending moratorium will be enough to entice at least two more to jump on board. We just need two more if the much discussed four are all in. The MAC has made it clear to Youngstown State that they aren't getting an invitation so the Penguins may view this as a backdoor opportunity to move up. JMU's new president Alger has given no indication of his vision for athletics. It is possible that once he starts on July 1st that JMU could be back in the mix as well.

4everfsu - Circumstances are different and the folks in Tallahassee feel like they can avoid some of the mistakes of that other attempt. In fact, I believe the Rattlers very likely could be one of the six required. The FAMU administration has their eyes on becoming the highest profile HBCU and they apparently believe FBS football could be their ticket to become a national draw. Alabama State just built this 30k-seat stadium to open this fall and I don't think went this strong to hang in the SWAC:



Both SWAC possibilities have some significant obstacles to overcome but clearly have their sights set on FBS glory.

[4everfsu]

FAMU will not go, again money issue and another issue is them having to give up their HBCU opponents. I found an article I will see if I can find it again and post. Take the post for what it is worth. I found it while searching for FAMU failed move to IA.

http://www.newsweb1.com/Archives/1AHBCU ... rence.html

[LUconn]

That article is from 5 years ago. That's a long time.


On a side note, I'm not sure when the last time that dude has seen a "historically white" team play. There aren't that many white guys anymore. Certainly not enough to consider them white. I really don't understand how HBCUs aren't considered obviously racist under the guise of Tradition and History.

[Blessed1]

I doubt if any of the HBCUs move up separately. If they decide to move up, they have to have a travel partner with them. IMO, I could see some of the top schools from the MEAC and the SWAC moving up together in about 10-20 years, probably looking like this:

Hampton
Howard
Delaware St.
S. Carolina St.
Bethune-Cookman
Norfolk St.
Tennessee St
Grambling
Southern
Jackson St.
Alabama St.
Florida A&M

[jcmanson]

I don't doubt the FCS Four (LU, App, Jax St, GSU) are all pro-WAC-E, but is Idaho and NMST on board if there aren't other West Coast teams involved?

[Blessed1]

I don't doubt the FCS Four (LU, App, Jax St, GSU) are all pro-WAC-E, but is Idaho and NMST on board if there aren't other West Coast teams involved?

I don't think they have a choice. The Big Sky fits the WAC's geographic area, however all of the Big Sky schools turned them down. The WAC could raid the Southland and the Great West conferences to try to become more western. Other than that, they have to go east.

[SumItUp]

I'm posting from my phone and don't have the opportunity to search for it right now, but the WAC has $5M per year coming to the conference for the next couple of seasons. I think it is NCAA money. With the money and the golden FBS tickets, Idaho is not returning to FCS for at least a couple of years and NM State would prefer conference mates ( even East coast ones) over trying to fill an entire independent schedule. They don't have other opportunities right now, but they have leverage with the ability to offer FBS invites.

[4everfsu]

If I have not mistaken one of the article I posted from the Idaho AD stated that WAC has not decided it it will be a basketball or football conference. I guess once they decide then maybe there will be a WAC east for football. If not then I can see them looking toward western members to be a BB conference.

[LUconn]

Before everything gets changed around again this summer, I just want to make sure I've got this down right. This is how 2013 looks officially, no rumors, as of today (I think) for football.

ACC(14)
Boston College
Clemson
Florida State
Maryland
North Carolina State
Syracuse
Wake Forest
Duke
Georgia Tech
Miami (FL)
North Carolina
Pittsburgh
Virginia
Virginia Tech

Big 12(10)
Baylor
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
TCU (Texas Christian)
Texas
Texas Tech
West Virginia

Big East(12)
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Rutgers
Temple
UCF
USF
Boise State
Houston
Louisville
Memphis
San Diego State
SMU

Big 10(12)
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Nebraska
Northwestern
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio State
Penn State
Purdue
Wisconsin

CUSA(13)
East Carolina
Florida International
Marshall
Old Dominion
Southern Miss
UAB
Louisiana Tech
North Texas
Rice
Tulane
Tulsa
UTEP
UTSA

MWC(10)
Air Force
Colorado State
Fresno State
Hawaii
Nevada
New Mexico
San Jose State
UNLV
Utah State
Wyoming

MAC(13)
Akron
Bowling Green
Buffalo
Kent State
Massachusetts
Miami University
Ohio University
Ball State
Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan
Northern Illinois
Toledo
Western Michigan

PAC-12(12)
California
Oregon
Oregon State
Stanford
Washington
Washington State
Arizona
Arizona State
Colorado
UCLA
USC
Utah

SEC(14)
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Missouri
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
LSU
Mississippi State
Ole Miss
Texas A&M

Sun Belt(10)
Arkansas State
Florida Atlantic
Georgia State
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
Middle Tennessee
South Alabama
Texas State
Troy
Western Kentucky

WAC(2)
Idaho
New Mexico State

Indy
Army
BYU
Navy
Notre Dame

Anybody see anything I missed? I'd like to get it right before I blow it up into what might happen if conferences look to pillage each other.

[jcmanson]

San Diego St to the Big East? I didn't think that was ever finalized. It was rumored.

[bradyfan]

Navy to the Big East and I think Air Force too.

[ATrain]

I'm not sure Syracuse and Pitt are in the ACC until 2014, and ODU won't begin Conference USA until 2014. Navy joins the Big East in 2015. San Diego State did officially join the Big East.

[jcmanson]

Navy to the Big East and I think Air Force too.

No, not Air Force

[LUconn]

SDSU is official
ODU is in CUSA as of July 1, 2013



Navy is in the BE as of 2015 but that is too far away to consider reality at this point so I'll ignore that for the time being.

[Rooster Cogburn]

CRAZY STUFF. I'm confused.

[Chris Lang]

Like Charlotte, ODU will not begin football play in Conference USA until 2015.

[LUconn]

I forgot about Charlotte! Ok, 2015 is a long ways off but since they're both kind of "start up" programs, I think it's safe to assume they'll be in CUSA



ACC(14)
Boston College
Clemson
Florida State
Maryland
North Carolina State
Syracuse
Wake Forest
Duke
Georgia Tech
Miami (FL)
North Carolina
Pittsburgh
Virginia
Virginia Tech

Big 12(10)
Baylor
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
TCU (Texas Christian)
Texas
Texas Tech
West Virginia

Big East(12)
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Rutgers
Temple
UCF
USF
Boise State
Houston
Louisville
Memphis
San Diego State
SMU

Big 10(12)
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Nebraska
Northwestern
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio State
Penn State
Purdue
Wisconsin

CUSA(13)
East Carolina
Florida International
Marshall
Southern Miss
UAB
Louisiana Tech
North Texas
Rice
Tulane
Tulsa
UTEP
UTSA
Old Dominion
Charlotte

MWC(10)
Air Force
Colorado State
Fresno State
Hawaii
Nevada
New Mexico
San Jose State
UNLV
Utah State
Wyoming

MAC(13)
Akron
Bowling Green
Buffalo
Kent State
Massachusetts
Miami University
Ohio University
Ball State
Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan
Northern Illinois
Toledo
Western Michigan

PAC-12(12)
California
Oregon
Oregon State
Stanford
Washington
Washington State
Arizona
Arizona State
Colorado
UCLA
USC
Utah

SEC(14)
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Missouri
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
LSU
Mississippi State
Ole Miss
Texas A&M

Sun Belt(10)
Arkansas State
Florida Atlantic
Georgia State
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
Middle Tennessee
South Alabama
Texas State
Troy
Western Kentucky

WAC(2)
Idaho
New Mexico State

Indy
Army
BYU
Navy
Notre Dame

[LUconn]

ok, so I think it's safe to say that only 4 conferences are relatively "safe" not to lose any of their current rosters. Big 10, Big 12, SEC, and Pac-12. I think the ACC would have been in there too, but with the addition of Pitt and Cuse, I think it created a rift between the football schools and the others. There seems to be blood in the water. With the championship game set at a minimum of 12 teams, it is 90% certain that the Big 12 is going to grab 2 teams from one of the other FBS conferences. Right now everybody thinks it'll be Clemson and FSU. The next wildcard is the fact that the SEC upped the ante to 14 teams. Will they continue to 16 to create 2 even numbered divisions? And will the other 3 listed above follow suit to larger than 12? That would absolutely ravage the Big East, ACC and CUSA. Maybe even the MWC (I don't really know much about where the pac12 would get more teams from so I assume from there). Then once again, those conferences would be devastated looking for live bodies to keep themselves in existence. At which point we're pretty much all that's left

And if all that comes to fruition, I will suddenly become pro bowl games and anti playoffs as we would be in a conference left out in the cold.

[jcmanson]

One thing we have to keep an eye on LUconn is this moratorium they are threatening. All the above scenarios you listed, are at least a year down the road. They may have a moratorium prior to all these moves.

[Blessed1]

One thing we have to keep an eye on LUconn is this moratorium they are threatening. All the above scenarios you listed, are at least a year down the road. They may have a moratorium prior to all these moves.

I agree. I truly believe the NCAA will not give a memo concerning the moratorium until after it has passed. They will just do it and pass it for an 'x' number of years.

Benson said its the FCS schools pushing for it. IIRC, ODU's AD insinuated that the alleged moratorium aided to ODU's decision to join C-USA now instead of later. This is why I believe a WAC-E division will come to pass in 2013.

[LUaddict]

One thing we have to keep an eye on LUconn is this moratorium they are threatening. All the above scenarios you listed, are at least a year down the road. They may have a moratorium prior to all these moves.

I agree. I truly believe the NCAA will not give a memo concerning the moratorium until after it has passed. They will just do it and pass it for an 'x' number of years.

Benson said its the FCS schools pushing for it. IIRC, ODU's AD insinuated that the alleged moratorium aided to ODU's decision to join C-USA now instead of later. This is why I believe a WAC-E division will come to pass in 2013.

I agree, I think the scare of the moratorium alone will light a fire under those programs that want to move up. Unless they don't have the capital commitment from the brass at those universities. U just hope the WAC-E comes to fruition. I still have my doubts about having all 8 schools to make it happen. Let's get those waivers approved, we still don't know if NMSU and U of I have the cash to stay in it for the long in this eastern WAC with all the travel involved. NMSU and U of I can ask for an extra game in their schedule to recoup lost money due travel expenses like they allow Hawaii to play an extra game. Here's to the WAC-E!

[LUconn]

I truly believe that if such a moratorium were imposed we would immediately sue. We're pouring in tons of money and meeting above and beyond all of the requirements. FBS football is raking in way too much money off of free labor to arbitrarily gang up on schools and say"no you're not invited". They somewhat have lightning in a bottle that can't exist anywhere else. I don't think they want to poke the legal bear.

[LUaddict]

I truly believe that if such a moratorium were imposed we would immediately sue. We're pouring in tons of money and meeting above and beyond all of the requirements. FBS football is raking in way too much money off of free labor to arbitrarily gang up on schools and say"no you're not invited". They somewhat have lightning in a bottle that can't exist anywhere else. I don't think they want to poke the legal bear.

we are definitely doing everything we can to become an FBS school, do you think that we would sue. If so, do you think that we would actually become an FBS school or are we fighting a fight we cannot win because all the big time programs and the NCAA with their millions of dollars will fight us in court until we cannot go no more?