[RVAparks]

Looks like Tulane to the Big East. I think the BE basketball schools have to revolt at some point.

[TDDance234]

Looks like Tulane to the Big East. I think the BE basketball schools have to revolt at some point.

Another CUSA spot open - any trickle down effect is good for us at this point.

[RVAparks]

ECU is going to the Big East as a football only member in 2014. The door is open for a lot of people... Craziness

[Purple Haize]

If there is an MVP-Cut and Paste award, I nominate logic

[4everfsu]

Tulane joins the Big East in all sports.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... ource-said

[jbock13]

Just a tad late! You should read more often

[lynchburgwildcats]

Can we just rename the Big East to Conference USA? Because that's what it is.

[4everfsu]

Just a tad late! You should read more often

I provided the link

[PatrickKelly]

These are good moves for Liberty. It would appear Appy St and Liberty are the two teams most ready to make the jump.

[TallyW]

Any chance we'd be invited to leapfrog into CUSA?

[LUaddict]

It would be great, but many of these schools are large research institutions with a great academic rep. I would like to say that we may rub elbows with these institutions in CUSA, but it ain't happen. If it were to hapen, then I will be the first and willing to eat five pies of crow.

[jbock13]

To make a short story short, no.

[bluedevilflame]

The Big East is pretty much CUSA now. I'd rather be in CUSA at this point, no real advantage to the BE anymore. For LU, I don't think we get a CUSA invite, but this could mean more dominoes falling from the Sun Belt which could certainly help our efforts.

[Purple Haize]

LU to BE.

[ballah09]

edit: I fully expect the Sun belt to get raided and that's where Liberty's best shot at. Benson and a few presidents have a favorable opinion about Liberty, or at least that's what I heard.

[4everfsu]

Talk on FSU rival site, that UNC and UVA might go to the Big 10.

[Chris Lang]

The UVa rumors have been dispelled by people in power at UVa. It's not happening.

[Sly Fox]

Georgia Tech makes much more sense to B1G than the Hoos.

[PatrickKelly]

If the Sunbelt is raided who are the most likely schools? I would think MTSU would be at the top of the list for Conference USA.

[bluedevilflame]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... ent-rumors

The ACC big 4 (UNC, Duke, WF, and NC State) won't break up thus keeping the ACC alive despite whoever is placed around them. There has been a lot of wacky stuff in conference realignment but I would be beyond stunned if these 4 split, they are all 4 so wrapped into one another academically, athletically, and in the community it'd be tough for them to split up after nearly 100 years of being together.

[Blessed1]

Georgia Tech makes much more sense to B1G than the Hoos.

Sly, I agree with you about Georgia Tech and the B1G. Both UNC and UVA said they haven't had discussions with the B1G. I don't believe that. However, in order for UVA to leave, UNC must leave first. And I believe that UNC will not leave unless Duke AND UVA comes with them...I seriously doubt the B1G wants Duke...

So if GT comes in as #15, I wonder who would be #16? Missouri, Miami (FL), Kansas... or dare I say, Texas?

[LUconn]

The ACC big 4 (UNC, Duke, WF, and NC State) won't break up thus keeping the ACC alive despite whoever is placed around them.

This mentality is exactly why most ACC members are looking elsewhere. Also, how does WF get included as a "Big 4"? Just because they're in NC?

[bluedevilflame]

Georgia Tech makes much more sense to B1G than the Hoos.

Sly, I agree with you about Georgia Tech and the B1G. Both UNC and UVA said they haven't had discussions with the B1G. I don't believe that. However, in order for UVA to leave, UNC must leave first. And I believe that UNC will not leave unless Duke AND UVA comes with them...I seriously doubt the B1G wants Duke...

So if GT comes in as #15, I wonder who would be #16? Missouri, Miami (FL), Kansas... or dare I say, Texas?

Why wouldn't they want Duke? Similar to Notre Dame in football, Duke basketball is an international brand with alumni bases in all the big markets nationwide, check out when Duke plays Madison Square Garden (aka Cameron Indoor North) or the Verizon Center in DC I could go on and on. The basketball program makes more than some football programs do. #29 in the country to be exact (FB and BBall as of 2010-2011). Duke football came in at #111, not great but ahead of UM's football program the B1G just took on and there is no doubt that with the way the football program has been going the past 5 years, who knows what Cutcliffe can do now that Duke is investing big time money into facility upgrades.
http://businessofcollegesports.com/2011 ... t-profits/

[bluedevilflame]

The ACC big 4 (UNC, Duke, WF, and NC State) won't break up thus keeping the ACC alive despite whoever is placed around them.

This mentality is exactly why most ACC members are looking elsewhere. Also, how does WF get included as a "Big 4"? Just because they're in NC?

This isn't a mentality it's reality. Wake Forest is one of the big 4, they always have been. They have as much history as the other 3 and have more football success then the other three combined over the past decade, not to mention a conference title and BCS bowl appearance. It was the way when the FSU's and the GTech's joined, they knew where the power was and they joined anyway. If they don't like it now, don't let the door hit ya.

[SumItUp]

A summary for those that are new to the Realignment possibilities.

When offered, Liberty will take the first FBS invite. It could be this year or it may be a few years from now. Having our house in order (Finances, Facilities, Title IX & APR) is what makes us attractive. Conference expansion decisions are made by university presidents, which are predominately, if not exclusively liberal ideologues. Our biggest obstacle for inclusion in a conference is our belief in Biblical authority.

The landscape continues to change, but as of right now, this is how I feel about each of the conferences. There are two tiers of FBS schools. The first tier is made up of BCS or auto qualifier schools. These conferences include the ACC, B1G, Big XII, SEC, PAC12 & the Big East. The second tier includes each of the non-auto qualifiers. These conferences include the Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt.

Sun Belt - IF the conference stays intact, this would be a very good conference for Liberty. Its the Southern version of the MAC. Currently, the television package is nonexistent, but it could improve. Geographically, the teams are are compact. Liberty would be a geographic outlier. The on the field product continues to improve. Commissioner Benson seems to be an ally regarding a Liberty addition.
Conference USA - Geographically, this conference is literally all over the map. Regional conference mates would include Old Dominion, Marshall & Charlotte. The CUSA name has more value than the current list of members.
MAC - Currently, the MAC is the strongest football conference of the second tier. The geographic footprint is tight. Liberty would be a geographic outlier. Includes good ESPN exposure but would require multiple middle of the week games. The nearest conference opponent would be Ohio.
Big East - If Liberty were to have an opportunity to jump from FCS to the Big East, it would be a result of multiple Big East defections and probably moving the conference into a Tier 2 category.
Mountain West - The MWC is not looking to the east coast for teams.

If Liberty can join any of the above conferences along with other FCS teams such as Appalachian State or James Madison, it would be a bonus.