[LUconn]

a lot of additional scholarships.

[jbock13]

Now a move to the Colonial would be the BEST option!! We do bring a lot to that conference, chief among them geography. PLENTY of in-state rivalries which in turn boosts attendance which in turn boosts regional noteriety which in turn helps with in state recruiting which in turn helps with scheduling "up" which in turn.........let's just say there are lots of turns, all for the good.
Of course, this obviously makes me a small time, self loathing thinker

I might actually agree with you here. Either we move up to CAA, or FBS. My thing is i don't know if we can truly compete at the CAA level yet.

Last i heard CAA was below FBS.....with that logic if we can't compete in the CAA what makes you think we can compete in the FBS??

BTW. I believe that we can compete at both levels

Once again, I never said we should move up to FBS yet (this is the 5,001'st time I've said this). But with JMU beating VT, W&M beating UVA and nearly beating UNC, and with all the FCS schools that have beaten FBS schools this year, I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that UNH, JMU, W&M, and Richmond can compete with any team in America. Especially the ACC.

[Purple Haize]

Back to the "Money" argument. My point is just b/c we HAVE money doesn't mean much. Any conference is going to ASSUME that a school is financially solvent. What a leauge is concerned about is how much money can a new member bring in with attendance, media, playoffs, championships, regional recognition etc. Based on that, we have a TON to bring to the Colonial, and they are a great fit for us.
(also remember you have to also take into mind that OTHER sports are involved as well.)

[From the class of 09]

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that UNH, JMU, W&M, and Richmond can compete with any team in America. Especially the ACC.

seriously

[From the class of 09]

Back to the "Money" argument. My point is just b/c we HAVE money doesn't mean much. Any conference is going to ASSUME that a school is financially solvent. What a leauge is concerned about is how much money can a new member bring in with attendance, media, playoffs, championships, regional recognition etc. Based on that, we have a TON to bring to the Colonial, and they are a great fit for us.
(also remember you have to also take into mind that OTHER sports are involved as well.)

Ever heard the phrase "it takes money to make money" it applies here.

[olldflame]

Now a move to the Colonial would be the BEST option!! We do bring a lot to that conference, chief among them geography. PLENTY of in-state rivalries which in turn boosts attendance which in turn boosts regional noteriety which in turn helps with in state recruiting which in turn helps with scheduling "up" which in turn.........let's just say there are lots of turns, all for the good.
Of course, this obviously makes me a small time, self loathing thinker

I might actually agree with you here. Either we move up to CAA, or FBS. My thing is i don't know if we can truly compete at the CAA level yet.

Depends on your definition of compete. I believe right now we can hold our own on a given day with most CAA teams in most sports, but probably not compete for championships (exceptions being T&F and CC). History shows though that in most cases when a school "moves up" in conference affiliation they improve pretty rapidly across the board.

[Purple Haize]

Back to the "Money" argument. My point is just b/c we HAVE money doesn't mean much. Any conference is going to ASSUME that a school is financially solvent. What a leauge is concerned about is how much money can a new member bring in with attendance, media, playoffs, championships, regional recognition etc. Based on that, we have a TON to bring to the Colonial, and they are a great fit for us.
(also remember you have to also take into mind that OTHER sports are involved as well.)

Ever heard the phrase "it takes money to make money" it applies here.

Applies how? Yes now that we are financially stable, we have more options to move conferences. But again, that is a MINIMUM requirement for schools. The fact that we have upgraded our facilities and budget also make us more attractive. But what does a nice stadium in Lynchburg bring to Towson?
Unless you are implying that we take the same route that Russian and Qatar took to ge the World Cup LOTS of money changed hands on THAT one!! Of course those are Petro dollars, we only have DLP Dollars!

[logic]

While all this is fun to discuss -

1. We will move up to FBS
2. Discussion should center around where, not if

Proceed with said discussion (FYI,CAA is not moving up)

[LUconn]

Agreed. And we will move up into a new conference made up of schools that are moving up. The oracle has spoken.

[Purple Haize]

And the new conference will be named: MPLAC - Mambi Pambi Land Athletic Conference!

[Sly Fox]

For the record, I am down with Doha.

And while there have been constant denials by CAA officials that the league is considering stepping up, the recent developments up north bring the possibility closer to a reality. Jettison the affiliates and give an ultimatum to W&M and the league is ready to step up with a few more FCS colleagues (i.e. Appy, Georgia Southern & LU). It is not a crazy concept.

That said, it is just one of many scenarios.

[jcmanson]

UMass and 'Nova are locks to move, IMO. Leaving the door open for a Stony Brook/LU move to the CAA.

If Stony Brook goes to the CAA, we're not. It's an either/or type thing. Stony Brook would only be invited to appease the CAA North in UNH and Maine to keep them in the league. If the CAA chooses this route, the last thing they'd do is also add more southern teams.

The other option for the CAA would be to let UNH and Maine bolt, and then look south (Liberty, App, etc.).

And whoever says they don't think we'd compete in the CAA, we would. It would take 2-3 years, at most, to have us competing for championships.

[Purple Haize]

DUKE I both agree and disagree. A school can throw scads of money at their athletic department but if they are not "stable" it will just be a flash in the pan. I do agree that the money we put into the football team has proven that we are serious about "upgrading"
I would caution as a reason to "move up', the "We are just passing through." What conference would just want us so we could bolt a few years later? What are we Birmingham Southern? UT - CC?
Also, money HELPS with wins, but money doesn't guarantee wins. If that were the case, ND would be perennial national champs!

[LUGrad2000]

How many schools nationally are looking to move to FBS?

[jbock13]

How many schools nationally are looking to move to FBS?

You'd be surprised how few.

[jcmanson]

How many schools nationally are looking to move to FBS?

Us, JMU, ODU, GA State, Kennesaw St (eventually), UMass - these are just off the top of my head

you can also add Texas State and whatever the other Texas school was that just announced they are moving up to the WAC

[Cider Jim]

LU getting a NEW library can only help our FBS chances.

[jbock13]

LU getting a NEW library can only help our FBS chances.

I want to go FBS eventually, but seriously all I want is out of the Big South I'll be happy with that.

And to the guy who thought it was funny when I said JMU and W&M could compete with the ACC, ask UVA and VT about that.

[From the class of 09]

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that UNH, JMU, W&M, and Richmond can compete with any team in America. Especially the ACC.

This statement is an exaggeration.

[aredd33]

LU getting a NEW library can only help our FBS chances.

I want to go FBS eventually, but seriously all I want is out of the Big South I'll be happy with that.

And to the guy who thought it was funny when I said JMU and W&M could compete with the ACC, ask UVA and VT about that.

If you honestly think that JMU would beat VT after VT had more then 20 minutes of a break after the Boise game than you dear sir are an idiot.

[jbock13]

LU getting a NEW library can only help our FBS chances.

I want to go FBS eventually, but seriously all I want is out of the Big South I'll be happy with that.

And to the guy who thought it was funny when I said JMU and W&M could compete with the ACC, ask UVA and VT about that.

If you honestly think that JMU would beat VT after VT had more then 20 minutes of a break after the Boise game than you dear sir are an idiot.

Then apparently I'm an idiot for believing that one day less rest shouldn't make a difference. What bout UNH? Haven't they not won 6 out of their last 7 games against FBS opponents? I don't care if people don't understand that the gap between FBS and FCS is closing.

And apparently, most people here don't really watch college football.

[TDDance234]

FBS or FCS, we're not going to beat the upper echelon BCS teams regularly anytime soon. We don't need to compete with the Virginia Tech's and Boise State's. We just need to compete against the Ball State's of the world.

[aredd33]

It wasn't one day less. And are kidding me with this JMU being as good as a BCS team crap? You really think a 5 loss FCS JMU team is worthy of the Orange Bowl? It was a fluke and if you think it was something other than a fluke then there is no help for you.

[Sly Fox]

Let's try not to let our discussion step into the personal attack realm ... we aren't there but we are close enough to pass on the reminder.

Haize - That would be Texas A&M-Corpus Christi ... definitely not in the UT system.

manson - UTSA led by Larry Coker with home games in the Alamodome until on campus stadium is built.

LUgrad2000 - The list more or less would include the following (most serious in bold):

• Liberty
  JMU
  ODU
  Villanova
  Delaware (though they'd deny it publicly)
  UMass
  Appalachian St.
  Charlotte
  Georgia Southern
  Georgia State
  Jacksonville State
  South Alabama
  Youngstown State
  Southern Illinois
  Lamar
  Stephen F. Austin
  Sam Houston State
  Montana (if the right offer came along)
  Portland State
  Sacramento State

Some would love to step up but don't have the funding or a viable conference option ... particularly those in the Mountain & Pacific time zones.

[jbock13]

It wasn't one day less. And are kidding me with this JMU being as good as a BCS team crap? You really think a 5 loss FCS JMU team is worthy of the Orange Bowl? It was a fluke and if you think it was something other than a fluke then there is no help for you.

@tddance - agreed.

@ aredd33 - it was two. But regardless there's no way on paper VT should have lost to JMU. But they did. Yes, I'd say 9 times out of 10 VT would win, I wouldn't dispute that. But that's not what happened. There comes a certain point when these "flukes" seem to happen every year. It happened to VT this year. And yes, I honestly believe that, say, JMU, W&M, or Delaware could at least compete with ANY team at least from the ACC. Let's look at what the CAA has done historically against ACC teams.

William and Mary: Beats UVA in 2009, blows 10 point lead in the 4th quarter against UNC to lose by only 4.

James Madison: Beats VT, loses in overtime to Maryland in 2009.

Richmond: Beat Duke (granted, it's Duke) in 2009.

Delaware: Lost to Maryland by 7 (even with Delaware finishing the year 4-8).

UMass this year only loses to Michigan by 5 points this year. And lost to Kansas State by 4 in 2009. And as previously mentioned UNH's success vs. FBS schools. Villanova beat Temple in 2009, who finished 9-4 still that year.

My point is not to say that VT isn't better than JMU. Of course they are. However, no one can simply say that on any given day, a CAA team can't beat an ACC team.

Of course, unless you're a Virginia Tech fan, and that changes the whole conversation. Not to say you are, but I know living in Hokie country that they're quite defensive if you are.