[jlread]

I found this interesting. GSU trying to force a little expense on the students to go FBS


    The athletic expansion fee, which former GSU athletic director Sam Baker explained, would be used to expand Allen E. Paulson Stadium by adding a section on each side of the North stands, resulting in an additional 6,000 seats in the student section. If the fee is passed, construction will begin immediately, with completion set for the 2013 football season. This fee would add $25 a semester to the cost of student fees.
    The last proposed fee is the athletic operations fee, which would afford Georgia Southern athletics the opportunity for an invitation to join a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conference. Those who support this fee stress that advancing to a higher conference would bring competition with high-profile schools, garnering more national attention and recognition for the entire university. The fee, which would cost an additional $75 a semester for students, would go into effect only if and when an invitation to join an FBS conference was accepted by GSU. The transition from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), the conference in which GSU is currently, to the FBS could take a couple of years.

[jbock13]

They kinda do that everywhere ya know...

[jlread]

http://www.connectstatesboro.com/news/article/3715/

[ATrain]

Big East is talking to Air Force and BYU for its 14th member, may go to 16 adding BYU, Army and Air Force. Air Force is reportedly still not interested:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... ources-say

[Liberty22]

Big East is talking to Air Force and BYU for its 14th member, may go to 16 adding BYU, Army and Air Force. Air Force is reportedly still not interested:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... ources-say

Within that article they are looking for one regional rivalry game a year. Memphis vs the 14th team. Liberty would make a great rival vs Memphis if you ask me!

[BJWilliams]

Thing is that Lynchburg is about 700 miles from Memphis. Id think they would want someone a little closer if they were looking for a regional rival

[jbock13]

But Montana said we're going to the Big East

[Liberty22]

Thing is that Lynchburg is about 700 miles from Memphis. Id think they would want someone a little closer if they were looking for a regional rival

Bj read the article though, they have Boise vs san Diego st as regional rivals we could handle 700 miles

[bluedevilflame]

I still don't see how this effects us, BYU and Army does nothing for our cause by both causing no conference shifts. I also can't see us jumping straight into a (no matter how weak) BCS conference. It seems like all the Big East is concerned with right now are TV markets and name recognition, neither of which we have at the moment. They take another team out of CUSA [ECU, which has ENC market as well as huge followings in the Triangle/Triad, Charlotte markets not to mention fan bases all over Virginia and SC, UTEP, huge El Paso market, near 700,000 person population and another Texas school, or Rice ,which would corner the Houston market with UH on board and give them another regional rival and another Texas team or finally Tulane, big media market in New Orleans] Of those, I think ECU makes the most sense and is the most ready for a conference of that size, especially if they want a regional rival for Memphis. We may be ready for FBS, but I can't fathom that we are ready for the Big East. I do however think any of these go to Big East, we got a shot at CUSA because we as a school have a lot of promise and could be a great addition since CUSA has been picked apart, plus regional rivals with ODU, UNCC and ECU if they were to stay would be great for everyone. I would much rather see us get into a conference like CUSA that we can manage rather than jump right into the Big East, a conference we couldn't win in for quite some time.

[TH Spangler]

http://northiowatoday.com/?p=38867

Northern Iowa is one of several schools contemplating or completing the move from FCS to FBS. Massachusetts, Texas State, Texas-San Antonio and South Alabama moved up this year. Old Dominion and Charlotte will join Conference USA in 2015. Liberty, Georgia Southern and Appalachian State also have FBS plans.

[LUalumfromnc]

http://northiowatoday.com/?p=38867

Northern Iowa is one of several schools contemplating or completing the move from FCS to FBS. Massachusetts, Texas State, Texas-San Antonio and South Alabama moved up this year. Old Dominion and Charlotte will join Conference USA in 2015. Liberty, Georgia Southern and Appalachian State also have FBS plans.

Wake me up when LU is in the FBS!!!!

[bluedevilflame]

http://www.freep.com/article/20120925/S ... 25033/1054

Hmmm, maybe because they will be in the ACC....

[Sly Fox]

Or that could be to make certain they are able to schedule more national rivalry games like USC & Texas once they get trappped into that scheduling alliance with the less than stellar matchups in the ACC. Like us, Notre Dame has much greater concerns than regional rivalries. The Irish will always have a string following in the Rust Belt. Their growth areas are where the population is moving.

[bradyfan]

rather than jump right into the Big East, a conference we couldn't win in for quite some time.

And then there was UConn

[jbock13]

It's not all about football though. Yes, most conference alignment is due to that, but what explains Pitt and Syracuse to the ACC? Clearly, basketball. Same went for UConn when they started football. Although they're okay, they're still not great.

[Sly Fox]

Syracuse & Pitt were primarily market-driven choices. But both do have some football histories. It is certainly more distant in Upstate NY.

[bradyfan]

That's true. I just think a conference like the Big East has almost 0 stability at the top (competition wise) and we could compete within 5 years. The only team that's really dominated that conference in the past 10 years plays in the Big 12 now.

[bluedevilflame]

That's true. I just think a conference like the Big East has almost 0 stability at the top (competition wise) and we could compete within 5 years. The only team that's really dominated that conference in the past 10 years plays in the Big 12 now.

USF showed signs of life a few years back but have fallen off now. I think if Brian Kelly would have stayed at Cincy and WV also, it would be a more competitive league now by having at least 2 good teams at the helm. As it is right now, its just a glorified CUSA

[jbock13]

Of course, what's ironic is Pitt has no fans. But unfortunately TV markets rule the day.

[bluedevilflame]

Of course, what's ironic is Pitt has no fans. But unfortunately TV markets rule the day.

But they have a fancy NFL stadium! They have tradition! They have.....basketball, and that's all the ACC wants really. The market and football is just a nice touch to throw in along the way.

[TH Spangler]

http://www.thecoastalsource.com/news/lo ... v0Qug.cspx

[NotAJerry]

Of course, what's ironic is Pitt has no fans. But unfortunately TV markets rule the day.

But they have a fancy NFL stadium! They have tradition! They have.....basketball, and that's all the ACC wants really. The market and football is just a nice touch to throw in along the way.

Don't forget that Pitt is a very highly rated academic institution. That's another issue the ACC holds in high regard.

[bluedevilflame]

http://www.thecoastalsource.com/news/lo ... v0Qug.cspx

I really wish all these schools (including us) that want to jump to the FBS would get together and start the process of forming a new conference that could replace the WAC in FBS football, if they haven't already done so.
Add teams like:
Liberty
App State
Georgia Southern
Delaware
JMU
I'm sure there are 3 or more out there I'm not thinking of that could round this conference off. This would be a great regional conference that could be great in years to come.

[Sly Fox]

We would if we could. It is widely reported that we tried to organize just such a league earlier this year with some of the names listed above as well as a few others. But there are rules in place which keep a new FBS league from being formed. We have to find a different route.

[TH Spangler]

http://www.appstatenation.com/2012/09/3 ... -southern/