Sun Belt, P6 conference?

[goldenhurricane1992]

Today it was announce Old Dominion will be joining the Sun Belt with Southern Miss. They are expecting Marshall and James Madison to join as well.

I don’t know what everyone else thinks about this but I like all of these teams and think they would’ve been a nice addition to the AAC. I think our new teams can be sleeping giants but I think these pickups put them in a better situation immediately.

 

[TU_BLA]

Today it was announce Old Dominion will be joining the Sun Belt with Southern Miss. They are expecting Marshall and James Madison to join as well.

I don’t know what everyone else thinks about this but I like all of these teams and think they would’ve been a nice addition to the AAC. I think our new teams can be sleeping giants but I think these pickups put them in a better situation immediately.

It doesn't, it just decimates C-USA which will no cease to exist leaving LaTech, UTEP, MTSU sort of searching for a conference. The Sun Belt has some nice teams in it...Coastal Carolina, WKy, App St, and Louisiana...but it still isn't higher than AAC or MWC, IMO. Not by a long shot.

 

[goldenhurricane1992]

It doesn't, it just decimates C-USA which will no cease to exist leaving LaTech, UTEP, MTSU sort of searching for a conference. The Sun Belt has some nice teams in it...Coastal Carolina, WKy, App St, and Louisiana...but it still isn't higher than AAC or MWC, IMO. Not by a long shot.

I think it at least puts them in a more competitive position. App St, Coastal, and Louisiana have all been pretty consistent. When you add in Marshall and James Madison I think it definitely helps their case. ODU not so much.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

It doesn't, it just decimates C-USA which will no cease to exist leaving LaTech, UTEP, MTSU sort of searching for a conference. The Sun Belt has some nice teams in it...Coastal Carolina, WKy, App St, and Louisiana...but it still isn't higher than AAC or MWC, IMO. Not by a long shot.

You forgot FIU still looking for a conference. Western Kentucky used to be in the Sunbelt Conference, but as far as I know they haven't been asked to return yet. So they are looking too.

 

[TUcandoit]

They are still leagues behind us. Their bottom is really bad, while ours has been bad lately it's only a couple teams. It's half their conference. Coastal Carolina I don't believe can sustain their success. I think others in their conference can though.

 

[drboobay]

Today it was announce Old Dominion will be joining the Sun Belt with Southern Miss. They are expecting Marshall and James Madison to join as well.

I don’t know what everyone else thinks about this but I like all of these teams and think they would’ve been a nice addition to the AAC. I think our new teams can be sleeping giants but I think these pickups put them in a better situation immediately.

From a purely competitive standpoint yes.

 

[TU_BLA]

Seriously, the AAC should go to North Dakota St and South Dakota State and ask them to join. They are 2 of the best FCS schools. I think they could easily transition to FBS football with their quality of programs. If we hesitate they will end up in the MWC and really push us down.

 

[rusty-c]

Seriously, the AAC should go to North Dakota St and South Dakota State and ask them to join. They are 2 of the best FCS schools. I think they could easily transition to FBS football with their quality of programs. If we hesitate they will end up in the MWC and really push us down.

For most, including those two, the facilities aren't where they need to be and there simply isn't money to upgrade. Regarding student athletes, the transition to FBS isn't easy. This is due to the variance in qualification to gain eligibility through the NCAA clearinghouse. Additionally, those top programs in FCS are loaded with kids that couldn't qualify, or kids that bounce back due to issues they may have had at a previous school, or they may have wanted a change of scenery due to playing time, etc. at a previous school and found a home where they get the playing time they were looking for even though it is at a lower level.

There's some really good football played at the FCS level, but it's not comparable when comparing apples to apples.

 

[TU_BLA]

For most, including those two, the facilities aren't where they need to be and there simply isn't money to upgrade. Regarding student athletes, the transition to FBS isn't easy. This is due to the variance in qualification to gain eligibility through the NCAA clearinghouse. Additionally, those top programs in FCS are loaded with kids that couldn't qualify, or kids that bounce back due to issues they may have had at a previous school, or they may have wanted a change of scenery due to playing time, etc. at a previous school and found a home where they get the playing time they were looking for even though it is at a lower level.

There's some really good football played at the FCS level, but it's not comparable when comparing apples to apples.

JMU is making that transition and my guess is they'll be just fine after a couple of years. Boise St did the same thing and rose rapidly. App St also did it and has been pretty successful after making the jump. My guess is both of the Dakota St. schools can make it happen and be very successful doing so. No. Dakota St. is one of the schools a lot of FBS kids looking for more playing time go and play and succeed. Carson Wentz, Trey Lance are 2 great examples of that. I don't advocate for a ton of FCS schools to make that leap but those 2 could and not suffer from it.

 

[chito_and_leon]

Seriously, the AAC should go to North Dakota St and South Dakota State and ask them to join. They are 2 of the best FCS schools. I think they could easily transition to FBS football with their quality of programs. If we hesitate they will end up in the MWC and really push us down.

One thing you gotta say about North Dakota - it'll make you long to get back to Bakersfield...

 

[TU_BLA]

One thing you gotta say about North Dakota - it'll make you long to get back to Bakersfield...

I've never been to either of the Dakotas. Closest I got was Walnut Grove, MN. I'm just talking about football...

 

[TU1NNJ]

JMU is making that transition and my guess is they'll be just fine after a couple of years. Boise St did the same thing and rose rapidly. App St also did it and has been pretty successful after making the jump. My guess is both of the Dakota St. schools can make it happen and be very successful doing so. No. Dakota St. is one of the schools a lot of FBS kids looking for more playing time go and play and succeed. Carson Wentz, Trey Lance are 2 great examples of that. I don't advocate for a ton of FCS schools to make that leap but those 2 could and not suffer from it.

First for context, one of my best friends is a NDSU grad so I follow them fairly closely. I believe their remote location will hurt them if they try to go to FBS. Comments about qualification challenges will change the dynamic in terms of the players they get are on target.

The reason App St and to date Coastal Carolina have been successful is location. Boone is a great college town, nice stadium, good atmosphere, etc… I have numerous friends who have children go to school their both from NC and NJ (which shows the appeal). Coastal is just outside of Myrtle Beach and appeals to kids that want to go to school near the ocean. I also have had friends that sent their kids to school there. The male students particularly enjoy the atmosphere at CCU if you know what I mean . JMU is a beautiful campus setting. nice stadium, easy access to DC, PA, DE, NJ, WV, MD and of course VA. They will do fine In FBS.

 

[chito_and_leon]

I've never been to either of the Dakotas. Closest I got was Walnut Grove, MN. I'm just talking about football...

ND is basically a really, really cold and isolated version of Tahlequah. And isolated, did I mention in the middle of f$%*^ nowhere? SD is marginally better but still mainly a wasteland with isolated, hick towns. Maybe it's a really, really cold version of Joplin, if Tulsa were 3.5 hours from Joplin?

 

[Sbellini]

The NCAA Clearinghouse is now the Eligibility Center. The qualifications for D1 is the same for FBS and FCS. Eligibility would not be an issue . The transfer portal is full of kids either running from something or to something. There are many FCS rosters that have kids that have the ability to play FBS ball. There are also many lower lever FBS programs that have many FCS caliber players. Many of the top FCS could make the transition to lower level conferences. If CUSA raids the FCS and gets the right schools FCS could be done. The future of college football is a huge unknown with all of the changes especially NIL. It will be interesting to see what happens. Only time will tell.

 

[goldenhurricane1992]

Seriously, the AAC should go to North Dakota St and South Dakota State and ask them to join. They are 2 of the best FCS schools. I think they could easily transition to FBS football with their quality of programs. If we hesitate they will end up in the MWC and really push us down.

I thought the same thing. I read on the NCAA website you have to sponsor 16 varsity sports to qualify for FBS. They sponsor 14.

 

[TulsaGrad07]

New Mexico State is being courted by CUSA to join and supposedly considering adding UCONN as a football only school. It's getting down to the bottom of the barrel now...