Division 1 College Conference Realignment

[kewp80]

I'm sure Mike Bianchi will push UCF and USF to the Big 12. He wrote this idiotic article last June saying that UCF and USF should replace the two Mississippi schools in the SEC:

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2014-06-06/sports/os-mike-bianchi-saturday-circus-0607-20140606_1_ucf-and-usf-ucf-football-coach-george-o-leary

It's a bit ironic now, seeing as both Mississippi schools are playing in New Year's Six bowls.

With the talk about the WVU Athletic Department sucking wind because of travel costs, I can't imagine what adding schools in Florida would do. It's not as problematic for football, per se, but I'm sure the athletic budgets of every school not called Sooners or Longhorns will be stretched with basketball road trips that stretch from Lubbock, TX to Ames, IA out to West Virginia and then down to Florida.

It's like traveling to March Madness every week.

Not sure travel distance should be a concern for the Big X(II) when you have the B1G stretching from Nebraska and Minnesota to New Jersey and Maryland. Plus the SEC EAST stretching from Missouri the Florida. It's the new nature of college athletics that we are getting from these super conferences. If the schools in the Big X(II) can't afford to do that then maybe they should just die off. It would make deciding the playoff a hell of a lot easier too.

[dfwabel]

I'm sure Mike Bianchi will push UCF and USF to the Big 12. He wrote this idiotic article last June saying that UCF and USF should replace the two Mississippi schools in the SEC:

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2014-06-06/sports/os-mike-bianchi-saturday-circus-0607-20140606_1_ucf-and-usf-ucf-football-coach-george-o-leary

It's a bit ironic now, seeing as both Mississippi schools are playing in New Year's Six bowls.

With the talk about the WVU Athletic Department sucking wind because of travel costs, I can't imagine what adding schools in Florida would do. It's not as problematic for football, per se, but I'm sure the athletic budgets of every school not called Sooners or Longhorns will be stretched with basketball road trips that stretch from Lubbock, TX to Ames, IA out to West Virginia and then down to Florida.

It's like traveling to March Madness every week.

You're wrong because those losses are temporary.

Both TCU and WVU entered the Big XII by paying out of their former conferences PLUS agreed to take a smaller revenue percentage from the Big XII for four years: 50,50,67, then 85%. They get 85% with the next distribution

[Geoff]

Which still puts them at a disadvantage. When they get an equal amount as everyone else, they'll still be paying more in travel than anyone else. Yes, the cash they'll have then that they don't have not will help but the fact remains, they'd still be paying more.

I just don't see UCF/USF joining the league. The directional aspect isn't the kind of stature the Big XII is looking for (hell none of the options really are) but I think IF they do expand, they'll likely grab someone like Cinci to not make the WVU situation perfect but make it moderately better.

[dfwabel]

Which still puts them at a disadvantage. When they get an equal amount as everyone else, they'll still be paying more in travel than anyone else. Yes, the cash they'll have then that they don't have not will help but the fact remains, they'd still be paying more.

I just don't see UCF/USF joining the league. The directional aspect isn't the kind of stature the Big XII is looking for (hell none of the options really are) but I think IF they do expand, they'll likely grab someone like Cinci to not make the WVU situation perfect but make it moderately better.

And they have had record years in university fundraising since joining to offset that. Plus, they have THE collegiate fundraiser as President now...E. Gordon Gee.

Remember, also sells beer and gets a 52/48 split from Sodexho on the revenues. That offsets the travel expenses too by $750K/year.

[Burmy]

Turns out the Pelini to Youngstown State reports I mentioned earlier are true.

Again, things that make you go hmmmm...I still would't be surprised to see the Penguins go to the MAC in about 5-10 years.

[illwauk]

Turns out the Pelini to Youngstown State reports I mentioned earlier are true.

Again, things that make you go hmmmm...I still would't be surprised to see the Penguins go to the MAC in about 5-10 years.

Huge mistake if they do. All of their success at the FCS level has to do with their ability to recruit guys who'd rather start for YSU than sit on the bench for a Akron or Kent State. That's gone if they become just another Ohio MAC program.

[dfwabel]

Turns out the Pelini to Youngstown State reports I mentioned earlier are true.

Again, things that make you go hmmmm...I still would't be surprised to see the Penguins go to the MAC in about 5-10 years.

Huge mistake if they do. All of their success at the FCS level has to do with their ability to recruit guys who'd rather start for YSU than sit on the bench for a Akron or Kent State. That's gone if they become just another Ohio MAC program.

The issue of how much each MAC school receives is only at the conference HQ since if it goes to a campus, the details would be obtained by the media with FOIA.

Might be better to keep your dates on Saturday at the expense of weeknight exposure and the additional cost of 85 football scholarships and the possibility of adding the full cost of attendance.

[rams80]

Turns out the Pelini to Youngstown State reports I mentioned earlier are true.

Again, things that make you go hmmmm...I still would't be surprised to see the Penguins go to the MAC in about 5-10 years.

I would. Youngstown going I-A would be too high of a profile for the Mahoning mafia.

[pianoknight]

Turns out the Pelini to Youngstown State reports I mentioned earlier are true.

Again, things that make you go hmmmm...I still would't be surprised to see the Penguins go to the MAC in about 5-10 years.

Huge mistake if they do. All of their success at the FCS level has to do with their ability to recruit guys who'd rather start for YSU than sit on the bench for a Akron or Kent State. That's gone if they become just another Ohio MAC program.

Always found it odd how many Ohio schools have football programs. I know it was once a recruiting hotbed and perhaps closer to the geographic center of the game, but it's still odd to me. You don't see nearly the same density in Illinois or Indiana, for example, despite them having pretty much the same attributes as Ohio does (region, population, big cities/small cities, etc)

[rams80]

Turns out the Pelini to Youngstown State reports I mentioned earlier are true.

Again, things that make you go hmmmm...I still would't be surprised to see the Penguins go to the MAC in about 5-10 years.

Huge mistake if they do. All of their success at the FCS level has to do with their ability to recruit guys who'd rather start for YSU than sit on the bench for a Akron or Kent State. That's gone if they become just another Ohio MAC program.

Always found it odd how many Ohio schools have football programs. I know it was once a recruiting hotbed and perhaps closer to the geographic center of the game, but it's still odd to me. You don't see nearly the same density in Illinois or Indiana, for example, despite them having pretty much the same attributes as Ohio does (region, population, big cities/small cities, etc)

Illinois and Indiana do have some FCS-level programs too. The difference is that the MAC (uniquely) fought back against the NCAA's 1982 purge of the small conference teams from then Division I-A

[BBTV]

Turns out the Pelini to Youngstown State reports I mentioned earlier are true.

Again, things that make you go hmmmm...I still would't be surprised to see the Penguins go to the MAC in about 5-10 years.

Huge mistake if they do. All of their success at the FCS level has to do with their ability to recruit guys who'd rather start for YSU than sit on the bench for a Akron or Kent State. That's gone if they become just another Ohio MAC program.

Always found it odd how many Ohio schools have football programs. I know it was once a recruiting hotbed and perhaps closer to the geographic center of the game, but it's still odd to me. You don't see nearly the same density in Illinois or Indiana, for example, despite them having pretty much the same attributes as Ohio does (region, population, big cities/small cities, etc)

Just looked up FBS, FCS, and D2 teams by state. I was expecting Ohio to have a ton, but was surprised to see that PA has a bunch more:

Ohio: 22 (8, 2, 12)

PA: 34 (3, 8, 23)

[pianoknight]

Turns out the Pelini to Youngstown State reports I mentioned earlier are true.

Again, things that make you go hmmmm...I still would't be surprised to see the Penguins go to the MAC in about 5-10 years.

Huge mistake if they do. All of their success at the FCS level has to do with their ability to recruit guys who'd rather start for YSU than sit on the bench for a Akron or Kent State. That's gone if they become just another Ohio MAC program.

Always found it odd how many Ohio schools have football programs. I know it was once a recruiting hotbed and perhaps closer to the geographic center of the game, but it's still odd to me. You don't see nearly the same density in Illinois or Indiana, for example, despite them having pretty much the same attributes as Ohio does (region, population, big cities/small cities, etc)

Illinois and Indiana do have some FCS-level programs too. The difference is that the MAC (uniquely) fought back against the NCAA's 1982 purge of the small conference teams from then Division I-A

I guess that's it. Must be an Ohio thing.

Do they refer to it as "The" MAC?

[sc49erfan15]

Thought things were quiet for a while? Nope.

Northern Kentucky bolting from A-Sun to Horizon League

Apparently effective immediately.

Not a huge move in and of itself, but like always, there are bigger implications. This move leaves the A-Sun with only 7 teams (7 is the minimum for a NCAA autobid), and a raid from the SoCon or Big South could kill the conference. This looks like it can play out in one of 3 ways:

1) the A-Sun scrambles and raids a D1 conference for another member(s) to stay afloat

2) the A-Sun scrambles to find a D2 school(s) looking to move up

3) the remaining A-Sun schools look to jump ship before it sinks.

...I'm betting on #3. The A-Sun has basically been a revolving door its entire life - a stepping stone/temporary home for schools looking to go elsewhere. I don't think there are many D2 schools looking to move up... even if there are, is the moratorium on reclassification to D1 still in place?

Remaining members of the A-Sun:

FGCU

Jacksonville

Kennesaw St.

Lipscomb

North Florida

Upstate

Stetson

[Burkell007]

I Exocet lipscomb to go to the OVC, SoCon or the horizon ...idk about the rest, big south and SoCon? Not surprised by the northern Kentucky move, it fits better geography wise and idk there athletics budget is but this might help a little more on that front. Plus it's a major step up from the a-sun.

[Seadragon76]

The moratorium on movement has passed, sc49erfan.

Why? Well, this article mentions a few possible candidates (like UAB, North Alabama, Columbus State, Georgia Regents [AKA the school formerly known as Augusta State] and Nova Southeastern)

[dfwabel]

June 8 is when C-USA school presidents meet to discuss whether to keep UAB as a member.

[rams80]

I'd put my money on UAB going to the Atlantic Sun as a halfway house.

Northern Kentucky is more of a geographic fit in the Horizon League anyway. It's in a Cincinnati suburb.

[dgthree]

The moratorium on movement has passed, sc49erfan.

Why? Well, this article mentions a few possible candidates (like UAB, North Alabama, Columbus State, Georgia Regents [AKA the school formerly known as Augusta State] and Nova Southeastern)

The moratorium on movement has passed, sc49erfan.

Why? Well, this article mentions a few possible candidates (like UAB, North Alabama, Columbus State, Georgia Regents [AKA the school formerly known as Augusta State] and Nova Southeastern)

I was going to say Nova Southeastern makes a lot of sense for the A-Sun. I think it would be a great move.

[Seadragon76]

Nova Southeastern has the money to make a move, so it's a logical idea...

UAB might need a home and Atlantic Sun will gladly take them over the D-II schools for one HUGE reason: eligibility.

With the D-II schools mentioned, you have to deal with the four year waiting period for them to be eligible. Any raid of members would kill the A-Sun. With UAB in, they go to eight members and are off the edge for now.

[Burmy]

And THIS is why I believe that the NCAA's transition rules should be reformed...take away the one-year ban for programs moving from FCS to FBS, and cut the D-II to D-I ban to 2 years.

Seriously, people are gonna see this and think these schools moving up did something wrong.