[Ill flame]

I'm just confused how independence is sitting in a corner. Everything is looking up for us.

[Liberty22]

It’s not, he just wanted to continue his trope as “potentate of the dark side”. There’s plenty of things to be pessimistic about in regards to Liberty. Where we are athletically isn’t currently one of them. We’re not suddenly being passed over or left behind like so many are on here saying.

[cruzan_flame13]

And LU still off in a corner by themselves watching everyone else get in on the action. Seems kinda appropriate

Everyone getting in on the action Liberty is already in? If we were FCS this would make sense. This is such a tired woe is me take. We’re FBS which is all that matters. You were one who said we would never be FBS and here you continue your tired trope as if we’ve been passed over by JMU who is joining the club after us. At least your consistent I guess.

First of all I never said LU would never be FBS. So I’ll wait for your retraction.
I believe JMU is the only FCS school moving up, and into a Conference. The other schools are moving Conferences to bolster their Programs etc. So that’s bad take #2
Yes. LU is at the FBS Party. Never said they were not. My point is that they are now in a corner by themselves watching everyone else get busy. Bad take by you #3
And just so @Cider Jim doesn’t get bent out of shape it’s ‘you’re’ not your

I suggest deleting your entire post and starting again with actual statements and takes I made.

So when someone wrote that UMASS looks like a FCS Squad and you replied #FBS Independent, was that intended as double speaking as in giving a shove on the matter that we are also independent and didn't get involved in a conference? Just asking because it could be taken both ways.

[rtb72]

I'm just confused how independence is sitting in a corner. Everything is looking up for us.

For now. I think we can see how fast things change. For example, CUSA was thought to be a fairly secure and relevant conference one year ago, and now.....

[Liberty22]

Did anyone else catch at the end of our broadcast today it said brought to you by Stadium, CUSA? I thought that was odd and hopefully not an indication of things to come.

[Ill flame]

I'm just confused how independence is sitting in a corner. Everything is looking up for us.

For now. I think we can see how fast things change. For example, CUSA was thought to be a fairly secure and relevant conference one year ago, and now.....

As long as there are at least 2 (preferably 3-4) non ND independents to help fill the back end of our schedule we are in a good spot. BYU joining a conference kind of hurts, Army isn't going anywhere, it's looking like independence/big east is going to treat uconn well so I don't anticipate that changing. NMSU and UMass are probably stuck in their current situations for awhile longer. We very well could end up with independent utep, fiu and Louisiana tech by the end of this at least for a few years until they figure something else out.

I'm anxious to see how those 2026 and later schedules look but I don't see much risk in staying independent.

[Purple Haize]

Everyone getting in on the action Liberty is already in? If we were FCS this would make sense. This is such a tired woe is me take. We’re FBS which is all that matters. You were one who said we would never be FBS and here you continue your tired trope as if we’ve been passed over by JMU who is joining the club after us. At least your consistent I guess.

First of all I never said LU would never be FBS. So I’ll wait for your retraction.
I believe JMU is the only FCS school moving up, and into a Conference. The other schools are moving Conferences to bolster their Programs etc. So that’s bad take #2
Yes. LU is at the FBS Party. Never said they were not. My point is that they are now in a corner by themselves watching everyone else get busy. Bad take by you #3
And just so @Cider Jim doesn’t get bent out of shape it’s ‘you’re’ not your

I suggest deleting your entire post and starting again with actual statements and takes I made.

So when someone wrote that UMASS looks like a FCS Squad and you replied #FBS Independent, was that intended as double speaking as in giving a shove on the matter that we are also independent and didn't get involved in a conference? Just asking because it could be taken both ways.

UMASS is Independent. LU is Independent. LU is considered closer to UMASS than ND in terms of being Independent. LU loses HCHF and or IM……UMASS could be LU’s future

[paradox]

Ole Miss is playing Auburn on ESPN right now.....in case you forgot.

[Purple Haize]

Ole Miss is playing Auburn on ESPN right now.....in case you forgot.

Watching them as I type. Getting excited for next weekend

[Just John]

I'd sure like to see Ole Miss coming off of a win to play us instead of a loss. Right now looking like the latter.

[Risewithus]

That's because the Auburn game was a trap game and they were looking ahead to us.

[Purple Haize]

That's because the Auburn game was a trap game and they were looking ahead to us.

Literally told my friend who is an Auburn prof the same thing

[Kricket]

If we could guarantee that the C-USA would stay smaller in some ways it'd be better for us than the Sun Belt. Essentially we'd double our chances for postseason births, not factoring at larges in. I'm not sure I'm for joining the C-USA but I can see the benefits if we could keep the conference small. I definitely don't want to be in a massive C-USA league with a bunch of FCS call ups, but if we could still schedule P5s due to less conference games and be in a better league for other sports it could be an upgrade.

C-USA would still be better than the A-Sun in almost every way, outside of geography. Idk, just pondering some scenarios.


From the link below:

"It's a tough call," said that first source said of Marshall. "A 16-team SEC is one thing. You're going to get multiple bids in every sport. In the Sun Belt, you're probably only going to get one [postseason] bid in every sport. It's not a great scenario."

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... -sun-belt/

[paradox]

It's a completely valid point regarding the size of these bottom conferences, combined with limited opportunity in the postseason.

[LUOrange]

The biggest problems with CUSA as of right now is that there's no guarantee that the remaining 5 will stick around. MTSU & WKU to the MAC talk appears to be picking up and I think LA Tech is gone as a backfill to the AAC, Belt or MWC once the B12 expands again. Not sure what FIU, NMSU & UTEP's fates would be going forward. The other is the idea of sending our other teams out to El Paso and Las Cruces regularly. Of course, we may already doing something similar already.

I don't know if it'd be a good idea to take the lead/control of the CUSA shell and assist with the fabled ASUN FBS split through CUSA, or if that's even possible.

[Sly Fox]

A couple of quick thoughts:

• An 8-team league is required to remain certified as FBS. I agree with Kricket's sentiment that it is worthy of investigation if we could get a commitment from other schools to stay at eight. That would mean seven conference games against schools primarily already on our schedule with plenty of room to schedule P5s in the five non-conference slots. You could throw a collective bone or two to FIU & LaTech for some non-football members to pair as travel partners (FGCU? Arkansas-Little Rock?).

• The MAC expansion talk targeted at WKU & MTSU is a longer term discussion and far from a certainty that either schools would have the votes to bring them in. Honestly both schools would not be desperate to consider the MAC if their current league weren't in jeopardy of collapse. And it is much easier to win titles in an eight-team league than a 14-team conference.

• Louisiana Tech is not getting into the AAC. Full stop. Aresco pushes for large markets and they don't get much smaller than Ruston. The Belt is their only realistic possibility and that doors looks shut for now. They could wait out collection of the exit fees and then go indy. But otherwise they are in a spot.

• UTEP and NMSU seem like obvious travel partners. The question then becomes does NM State believe this sprawling CUSA is a better fit for them than the easy to win more regional WAC? Keep in mind that it is not crazy talk to suggest that UTEP could go Indy/WAC as well if they aren't feeling the new look of CUSA.

• None of the suggested Texan or Louisiana FCS programs has either the facilties or budget to step up to the FBS level. That doesn't mean they won't accept an invitation from CUSA. Sam, SFA, Tarleton, McNeese? All are broke and located in markets that limit their upside potential. Anyone suggesting Sam brings Houston or Tarleton grabs the DFW market is hallucinating. The Sam AD lives around the corner from us in our neighborhood and has been quick to state their lack of readiness in spite of their FCS championship this spring.

• The question is no longer about which league would be the best fit for us. The Prevo/JLFJR situation kept us out of those possibilities. The issue at hand is what is better for the short term and long term opportunities for our program at this stage: Indy/ASUN or CUSA 3.0. If CUSA moves to call up a bunch of FCS schools then the choice is easy. We don't want anything to do with that mess. However neither situation is ideal as one-bid leagues in every sport. The primary question then becomes which gives us a better path to auto bids? Frankly I am on the fence. The next question is which situation would make us the most desirable in the next round of realignment in a dozen years or so? Tough to tell in the quickly changing landscape.

[Ill flame]

It is clear to me that the next round of realignment will be a few years before 2036 when the ACC GOR ends. The B1G and SEC will likely want UVA, North Carolina, Clemson and Florida St. I don't see the ACC being desperate to want us but I could see them adding poaching from the eastern big 12 teams and uconn if they get respectable at football. This could open up plenty of opportunities for us. Considering in 10-12 years we should have improved our academics, have a new president and hopefully have cleared out many of the issues plaguing us today.

[TH Spangler]

Indy is good. Try for schedules similar to what we have next year. Increase attendance by 10 or 15k per game and wait for B12 ... long shot ACC. Maybe even something like ND has with ACC.

[tyndal23]

Indy is good. Try for schedules similar to what we have next year. Increase attendance by 10 or 15k per game and wait for B12 ... long shot ACC. Maybe even something like ND has with ACC.

Crazy talk

[Purple Haize]

Indy is good. Try for schedules similar to what we have next year. Increase attendance by 10 or 15k per game and wait for B12 ... long shot ACC. Maybe even something like ND has with ACC.

How are you going to increase attendance by 10k with a steady home schedule of UMASS NMSU etc?

[jimflamesfan]

Anyway...according to an article by Jim Gazallo published today New Mexico State to CUSA is a done deal. According to another article Liberty does now have the votes and has an invite if they wish to take it. Now...I think the MT and West. Kentucky calls with the MAC were pushed up because LU wants to know if they are staying CUSA before they commit. In addition, MT and Western Kentucky want to know where the MAC stands before they make their decisions. If MT and WKY bolt for the MAC, LU is staying independent...But I dont know how many MAC schools want expansion. If those 2 schools dont get the votes to move to the MAC then they stay CUSA and I think LU joins. I think we will have the final answer on whether LU goes to the CUSA within 2 weeks...

[LUOrange]

[tyndal23]

Indy is good. Try for schedules similar to what we have next year. Increase attendance by 10 or 15k per game and wait for B12 ... long shot ACC. Maybe even something like ND has with ACC.

How are you going to increase attendance by 10k with a steady home schedule of UMASS NMSU etc?

Tyndal23, Plan

[rmiller1959]

Is there any particular reason other than bad football play that UMass hasn't been mentioned in conference realignment talks?

https://www.gazettenet.com/UMass-athlet ... k-43314576

[Purple Haize]

Indy is good. Try for schedules similar to what we have next year. Increase attendance by 10 or 15k per game and wait for B12 ... long shot ACC. Maybe even something like ND has with ACC.

How are you going to increase attendance by 10k with a steady home schedule of UMASS NMSU etc?

Tyndal23, Plan

Your plan has LU playing tons of road games and/or having losing records. Your plan has LU matching up with maybe 1 possibly 2 good home games a year. You still have home games consisting mainly of Delta St Our Mother of the Worthless Miracle and Blue Mountain St. Not remotely close to bolstering home attendance by 10-15k.