[bluejacket]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... stop-there

[Liberty22]

Not sure if things like this should go in the realignment thread or be given their own threads but Kent State is now doing a study to see if they would be able to sustain athletics with the changing landscape.

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
Kent State University is undertaking a sweeping look at its athletics program that could include deciding whether any sports should be cut. The goal is seeing where the athletic department fits within the changing landscape of Division I sports. The university is paying $35,000 to West End, North Carolina-consulting firm Collegiate Sports Associates for the study, which was pushed for by Kent State President Beverly Warren.

http://collegead.org/college-ad-scoop/

[ATrain]

Interesting. Many of the MAC schools are in serious financial peril. I'm sure JMU is drooling at the prospect.

JMU was my first thought...IF they eventually do get their much-longed for MAC invite, that'll leave one less viable FCS school for the Sunbelt.

[rmiller1959]

Interesting. Many of the MAC schools are in serious financial peril. I'm sure JMU is drooling at the prospect.

JMU was my first thought...IF they eventually do get their much-longed for MAC invite, that'll leave one less viable FCS school for the Sunbelt.

JMU may have some financial problems of their own if this bill passes:

"[Delegate Kirk] Cox is a James Madison graduate. James Madison has been considering jumping to Division I. This would place a huge obstacle in the way as JMU's athletics program is highly subsidized. A total of 78.81 percent of the school's athletic budget comes from student fees or state contributions. It would be next to impossible for the Dukes to move to Division I if this bill becomes law."

http://www.newsleader.com/story/break-t ... /21829707/

[jcmanson]

I didn't realize Kirk was behind that bill. Interesting.

[rmiller1959]

I didn't realize Kirk was behind that bill. Interesting.

And the article essentially accuses him of ulterior motives in promoting the bill. I don't know the JMU landscape, but it seems that they don't have nearly the consensus they need within their community for an FBS move.

[SuperJon]

Interesting. Many of the MAC schools are in serious financial peril.

That's the biggest reason we have no shot at the MAC.

[Purple Haize]

Interesting. Many of the MAC schools are in serious financial peril. I'm sure JMU is drooling at the prospect.

Or......

JMU is looking at the situation and saying they don't want to end up like that

[VAGolf]

Interesting. Many of the MAC schools are in serious financial peril. I'm sure JMU is drooling at the prospect.

Or......

JMU is looking at the situation and saying they don't want to end up like that

This.

Many in and around JMU have zero aspirations of ever being FBS. While a potential opening in the MAC would seem to help JMU, all it really does is further the split between a majority of those in the academic and administrative side (who are CAA for life) and a majority in the athletic side (who are MAC or bust). Also, keep in mind, JMU lost $150k on playoffs. A MAC school studying whether it can financially sustain all of their sport programs doesn't bode well for JMU.

[bluejacket]

ACC: BYU to count as Power 5 team
Updated: January 29, 2015, 12:27 PM ET
By Brett McMurphy | ESPN.com

Atlantic Coast Conference teams that play BYU now will be able to count that game toward the ACC's requirement of playing a nonleague Power 5 team, sources told ESPN.

This is a change in philosophy for the ACC. At last year's spring meetings, the ACC announced games against BYU would not count as a Power 5 opponent. Starting in 2017, ACC teams are required to play at least one nonleague Power 5 team.

Click Here for Full Story

[ATrain]

ACC: BYU to count as Power 5 team
Updated: January 29, 2015, 12:27 PM ET
By Brett McMurphy | ESPN.com

Atlantic Coast Conference teams that play BYU now will be able to count that game toward the ACC's requirement of playing a nonleague Power 5 team, sources told ESPN.

This is a change in philosophy for the ACC. At last year's spring meetings, the ACC announced games against BYU would not count as a Power 5 opponent. Starting in 2017, ACC teams are required to play at least one nonleague Power 5 team.

Click Here for Full Story

So is the ACC negotiating with BYU for them to be the second part-time member (5 football games with a chance at the bowl tie-ins, all in all other sports?)

[Blessed1]

ACC: BYU to count as Power 5 team
Updated: January 29, 2015, 12:27 PM ET
By Brett McMurphy | ESPN.com

Atlantic Coast Conference teams that play BYU now will be able to count that game toward the ACC's requirement of playing a nonleague Power 5 team, sources told ESPN.

This is a change in philosophy for the ACC. At last year's spring meetings, the ACC announced games against BYU would not count as a Power 5 opponent. Starting in 2017, ACC teams are required to play at least one nonleague Power 5 team.

Click Here for Full Story

So is the ACC negotiating with BYU for them to be the second part-time member (5 football games with a chance at the bowl tie-ins, all in all other sports?)

The only school that I can think of that could have a 'Notre Dame-like' scheduling agreement with the ACC would be Texas.

With this agreement, the ACC will now have another dance partner to schedule with in football. Truthfully speaking, they should have done so in the beginning. BYU has some football clout and have earned that right to be considered a P5.

[Sly Fox]

Ther lastest on the UAB limbo situation in CUSA as shared by a former FlameFans poster ...

Conference USA releases 2015 schedule, leaves door open for changes in 2016
Posted by Kevin McGuire on February 2, 2015, 2:55 PM EST

Conference USA will move forward with a 13-member format in 2015 following the loss of UAB football. Conference USA’s latest schedule also confirms Charlotte will be taking up residence in the East, although this was never really in doubt. Charlotte is playing its first season at the FBS level and in Conference USA in 2015.

Click Here for Full Story

[flamesfilmguy]

Hearing from inside UAB that there is a legitimate chance that football is coming back. Legislation on the dockett to get rid of little bears power over UAB. Which i'm sure is why Bill Clark has turned down some very promising coaching jobs this year and says he will not coach this year.

[TIMSCAR20]

Hearing from inside UAB that there is a legitimate chance that football is coming back. Legislation on the dockett to get rid of little bears power over UAB. Which i'm sure is why Bill Clark has turned down some very promising coaching jobs this year and says he will not coach this year.

Yep as I said in another thread I talked to a State Rep that I met when I was doing a game at UAB. He is good friends with former Liberty hooper Jeremy Monceaux and his family. He told me without hesitation that football would be back in 2 years. My guess is that Coach Clark is not taking any jobs because he will stay on payroll or receive back pay once the team is re-instated.

[CinciFlame]

No players, no schedule. How would they play in 2 years? I'm not sure they could pull that off.

[Sly Fox]

They would have a full conference schedule and would likely be given special consideration in how they filled out their non-conference portion of their slate.

[rmiller1959]

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index ... seeks.html

So if the UAB domino is picked back up, is it correct to assume we're back to looking at the Sunbelt Conference as our sole FBS option? The only way other options would open up is if the NCAA denies the Big 12's petition for a waiver on the 12-team requirement to host a conference championship game, and they decide to go after two teams to get to 12.

[Sly Fox]

Barring major movement, the Sun Belt has remained our only viable opportunity for some time now. But I suspect there might be some movign and shaking about April & May again this year.

[alabama24]

By the way, I love that the financial report that was "biased" was from Carr Sports.

[SuperJon]

How has no one asked this already:

If the Carr Report was biased towards what the people paying Carr Sports wanted, how do we know that #FBSReady wasn't also biased based on where the money was coming from?

[Sly Fox]

Cynic

[alabama24]

Notice that Sly didn't answer your question SJ. lol

I honestly don't know what to think about either situation.

I do know that it doesn't make sense for some schools to have football. I think the right call was probably made at UAB. I also know that the decision will always come under suspicion. In any case, the situation was handled VERY poorly.

[SuperJon]

Cynic

Not really. Just makes me question Carr's credibility.

[Purple Haize]

Cynic

Not really. Just makes me question Carr's credibility.

They always do the job they are hired to do.