[bluejacket]

We haven't sniffed the final four of FCS in 20+ years of playing at that level. NDSU did what they are doing pretty quickly. Don't pretend like anyone can duplicate that success by staying down.

Everyone who wants us to stay in the FCS and build toward NDSU isn't understanding the dynamics at work.

The goal should be to become a power player in the FCS and win championships while also seizing any opportunity to move to the FBS. However, having goals of becoming NDSU is unrealistic and virtually impossible for Liberty to replicate for two main reasons: 1. the current state of the program. 2. our long term position in FCS.

[bluejacket]

It seems to be a much more gratifying experience than App St.'s bowl win. Plus you must endure the 2 year transition period, where you play for nothing.
Just an interesting thought, CCU may need us now, more than ever. It may be their only chance to get a decent crowd into their new stadium and to form a natural rivalry in the SBC. I don't see them being successful without some help from someone. The rivalry with us, helped both schools, quite a bit.

While I agree with you about winning a national championship, the rest is silly.

[rmiller1959]

Looks like the Big 12/ACC conference championship deregulation proposal is in trouble:

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.co ... egulation/

[jack_sparrow81]

Has college game day ever been to Boone?

[Sly Fox]

Not yet. They didn't start the FCS gimmick until the past couple of years after Appy started the move up.

[thepostman]

BYD doesn't feel strongly about this does he?

[PAmedic]

DUKE is right

I feel ill. but he's right

[thepostman]

Don't tell him that. Geez!

Joking aside I know he is right. I just enjoy FCS much more than FBS. Clearly I am in the minority.

[Wvflame2013]

Don't tell him that. Geez!

Joking aside I know he is right. I just enjoy FCS much more than FBS. Clearly I am in the minority.

I'm with you. I'm content for the time being.

[rmiller1959]

Well, if conference realignment is going to happen, it won't be because of the Big 12:

http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle. ... =210632683

This vote also means if the Sun Belt dumps Idaho and New Mexico State next year, as many suspect they will, they can still host a conference championship game with just 10 teams.

I think we'd better get comfortable in the Big South.

[Sly Fox]

At first glance, I agree that this looks like it ends significant realigment for awhile. It looks like we are back to focusing on finding an independent path to FBS or having a school pull a UAB.

But check out the wording in this release from Bowlsby:

One conference championship football game conducted in either of the following ways:

i) A game between division champions of a member conference that is divided into two divisions (as equally balanced as possible), each of which conducts round-robin, regular-season competition among the members of that division; or,

ii) A game between the top two teams in the conference standings following a full round-robin regular-season schedule of competition among all members of the conference.

There are no minimum conference membership numbers. Theoretically an 8-team league could have divisions and a CCG. Many on the Realignment forum are suggesting this might open up the possibilities for a new FBS league that would obviously be outside of the CFP payout but within reach of an Access Bowl. Very interesting.

My first thought on the Sun Belt was that it would most certainly mean that Idaho & NMSU would not be renewed. But if the SBC dropped down to 10 teams, they would have to go to a round-robin of 9 apiece to qualify for CCG and that would mena one less guarantee game that helps keep many Sun Belt team afloat.

Of course this is just a proposal and has to be voted into NCAA legislation. But it certainly is a game-changer. The Big XII scored big in these moves and the ACC was dissed.

[ATrain]

Sometimes I think David Boren just wants to tease everyone:

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college ... nal-big-12

[Sly Fox]

Boren desperately needs attention. It is sad really. But it is much like the old administration in Austin that he hates so much.

[rmiller1959]

Well, it looks like David Boren isn't the only Big 12 senior official seeking attention:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal ... 12-schools

"I think [the remarks] are fairly consistent with the thinking in the Big 12," he said. "It's nothing new. I'm in favor of expansion. I think he's expressing what we've been thinking."

Those words are significant. And so is this from Gee, a member of the Big 12's expansion committee: "I think the notion of going to 12 [schools] is most likely."

[rmiller1959]

Another interesting article on the future of the Big 12. Oklahoma is trying to push the envelope, and it looks like they're either going to get their way, or they're going to leave:

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id ... -of-big-12

[ATrain]

Not that anyone in Louisiana will allow LSU football to go under, but the budget debacle in the bayou could have implications for ULL, ULM and LA Tech - each of which may find themselves in a similar situation to Alabama-Birmingham:
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/02/louisia ... -increases#

[Sly Fox]

This oil & gas bust is having a huge impact on the State of Louisiana. But the education system there has been broken for a very long time. The current state of affairs may finally force the state to merge some schools to avoid redundancies. But no one in Baton Rouge is really nervous about the Tigers missing a single dollar. Not gonna happen.

[ATrain]

This oil & gas bust is having a huge impact on the State of Louisiana. But the education system there has been broken for a very long time. The current state of affairs may finally force the state to merge some schools to avoid redundancies. But no one in Baton Rouge is really nervous about the Tigers missing a single dollar. Not gonna happen.

Exactly. The Tigers are fine. However, if the UL-M, UL-L and LA Tech are forced to merge into two or even one school, or drop football...that would be a positive development.

[Sly Fox]

There has been speculation of rolling several of the HBCUs into the larger regional schools for some time now. But politically no one wants to do the obvious. The only major major merger that seems possible while still unlikely involved combining La Tech & ULM. No lawmakers want to face the inevitable wrath of alumni bases for merged schools but it still needs to be done at some point. Jindal is taking a beating right now and much of it is deserved. But frankly this is on all political sides in Louisiana. No one has the nerve to do what needs to be done.

As a reminder, the State of Louisiana ranks right in the middle of the U.S. in population rank at #25 with around 4.5 million residents. But check out how many Division I schools that host football rest within its relatively small borders:

FBS:

• LSU (SEC)
  Tulane (AAC)
  Louisiana Tech (CUSA)
  Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt)
  Louisiana-Monroe (Sun Belt)

FCS

• Grambling State (SWAC)
  McNeese State (Southland)
  Nicholls State (Southland)
  Northwestern State (Southland)
  Southern (SWAC)
  SE Louisiana (Southland)

Non-Football

• New Orleans (Southland)

This is now movin beyond the discussion phase. Take a look at a legitimate news story over the weekend involving Nicholls State:

Click Here

[rmiller1959]

No lawmakers want to face the inevitable wrath of alumni bases for merged schools but it still needs to be done at some point. Jindal is taking a beating right now and much of it is deserved. But frankly this is on all political sides in Louisiana. No one has the nerve to do what needs to be done.

Truer words were never spoken. I'm Louisiana born and departed decades ago, but my parents still live there, so I observe their politics from afar. If you look up "dysfunction" in the dictionary, there's a picture of Huey Long's capital building in Baton Rouge - or maybe Edwin Edwards !

As for the schools, what other choices do they have other than consolidating? That would affect the Sun Belt and C-USA.

[Sly Fox]

.. and Southland and SWAC. Consolidation is inevitable. But the battle over how that will go down will be nasty in Red Stick.

[alabama24]

Another reason to go FBS: http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/alabam ... game-2018/

[rmiller1959]

.. and Southland and SWAC. Consolidation is inevitable. But the battle over how that will go down will be nasty in Red Stick.

True. Selfishly, I was only considering the impact on the FBS schools!

[rmiller1959]

The Big 12 may fish or cut bait this summer...

http://m.newsok.com/boren-says-big-12-e ... le/5479305

... because money talks:

http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaaf/writer/ ... in-2014-15

[ballcoach15]

Cincinnatti should go to Big 12 and Liberty replace them in AAC.