Seadragon76

Those two schools staying were very, very important for Conference USA. It gives them seven FBS level schools in 2023, so they may need to throw a football only invite to UConn in order to satisfy the requirements while Sam Houston and Jacksonville State make the move up, which is a two year process. For McNeese State, their decision to stay in the Southland is very important as well because they're in danger of going extinct if the WAC, for example, decided to snatch another school from there. Getting Texas A&M-Commerce helps a small bit, but they need more schools to join. UT-Arlington and Little Rock would be great options for them since I do believe that the FCS only requires six teams minimum for football.

What about the fact that he, for all intents and purposes, lied to everyone and the Packers kind of covered it up for him? Yeah, that's something to think about. Now, while it does rob the nation of a battle between Rodgers and Mahomes.. there is a silver lining here: Jordan Love gets his first start in the NFL against Mahomes and at a very, very loud Arrowhead. This is a chance to see if he is indeed the QB of the future there or if they may have to beg for Mr. 'Big Brain' on the bench to stay another year.

The best thing the Southland can do is take D2 schools from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana and go from there. The best bet might be schools from the Lone Star Conference, which is at 18 (soon to be 17 with Commerce making the move to the Southland) members and there are at least 4 schools - UT Permian Basin, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Midwestern State and West Texas A&M - that look like potential D1 additions. Outside of the Lone Star, there is Central Oklahoma from the MIAA.

As for my thoughts on this trade...

UTEP and Louisiana Tech might be better off in the WAC. My case is pretty simple - things have changed for the better in the 16-25 years since both schools were there. The conference is more based in the Southwest now and the football side of things is looking to reach the FBS level in 10-15 years. Adding in UTEP and Louisiana Tech could speed the process along since there is already a D-I school in New Mexico State and, if you want to be technical, Lamar would be FBS ready (one of the rules is having at least 15,000 seats in their stadium. The Cardinals have 16,000). It might take time, but you could see an 11 team WAC in the FBS by 2035 if it all works out.

And people wonder why Liberty can't find an FBS home, it's because of things like that. No conference in their right mind wants that kind of negative attention thrown at them.. just be glad that the football team and the basketball team are winning, because I'm sure that if they weren't winners, a ton more would (or could) be exposed for all to see.

When I say nobody, I mean nobody.. that includes Jackson State.

The only time an HBCU went to the FBS level was in the early 2000's by Florida A&M, who then retreated back to the MEAC. No way in hell does any of them try that.

Which ones, though? If a school like Liberty says no to C-USA, what makes an newcomer want to jump into that rotting husk? I think they may have to throw out football only invites to UConn, UMass and New Mexico State to stay afloat (You need eight schools to stay at the FBS level)

UTEP might be stuck where they are in the newly reformed C-USA unless the Mountain West swoops in and takes them (which doesn't look like will happen any time at all). Here's my thoughts.. -Wouldn't it be a downgrade for Southern Miss and Marshall to go to the Sun Belt? I understand that both schools are possibly seeing the writing on the wall and want out, but it doesn't make sense to me. -Old Dominion might have a decent plan, on paper, to save C-USA. Adding Liberty and James Madison would be a starting point towards that plan. The problem becomes this: Who else would join this newly reformed C-USA and what to do with the biggest outlier in the plan in UTEP? Does this conference take in Little Rock and UT-Arlington to help out UTEP despite both schools not having football? Do we see more FCS schools move up as to help ODU in this plan? There's a lot of things going on here.

The ending was painful.. oh so painful. *sigh* Thank the Deities out there that they get an extra day to recuperate and prepare for the Saints.

It's not Parkside looking to make the move up, but a former conference foe that is looking into it: Southern Indiana.

FBS might not even be the goal for the Argos. FCS is a very good level and the school might use that as an advantage.

Those Gulf South schools are prime Atlantic Sun (oh, ahem.. ASUN) fodder. Those three would give the conference 10 football playing schools and 16 overall, which is dangerous for any conference. They may end up losing Liberty in the whole musical chairs going on here, but it might be something to look at. As for the others you mentioned.. Grand Valley State - Horizon League Lincoln Memorial - Ohio Valley (They need bodies in that league, stat) Lindenwood (MO) - Summit League Queens University - Big South Central Oklahoma - Southland (I've heard rumors linking them and West Texas A&M to the Southland)

I believe they do, but they don't want to move because it puts the Lone Star Conference in a pickle in terms of football. With Commerce planning to leave, they're down to seven football playing schools in a 17 member conference. Losing West Texas A&M puts the conference in a danger zone at six schools, but I don't think that there is a membership requirement for football since automatic bids for the playoffs are a little wonky.

How the hell is that not illegal?

It's a needed move for the Southland as they're down to six football playing schools and they're not getting a tomato can of a program - the Lions were national champions in 2017 and are a traditionally good program. This is a nice move. I do wish they would also add UT-Permian Basin myself, but I don't see them being ready for such a move.

The Big Sky could lose members, but I don't know if there is anyone willing to make the move up to the FBS level. Anyhow... let's say this scenario plays out and those four schools join the American. The Mountain West would be at 7 schools (8 for football thanks to Hawaii). The Big Sky would be the most logical choice to start seeking out members. The Montana schools come to mind as they would be a perfect fit for the Mountain West, but - like I said before - are they willing to do this?

Oh, it's going to get nasty, alright.. nasty due to the horde of angry Seahawk fans after that meltdown.

Why in the world would Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss move to the Sun Belt? Wouldn't that be a downgrade for each of them??

Talk about messes.. In Brazil, the game between Brazil and Argentina was called off because four players from Argentina supposedly broke quarantine rules. Meanwhile, in Guinea.. a freaking coup happened and the Morocco national team had to get the hell out of dodge. If this is how the qualifiers are going, then I expect a total dumpster fire come Qatar.

BYU has too much to lose if they say no to the Big XII. This would be their way into the playoff picture.. same for Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. What happens after this move? Well, here's my theory.. -The American, now down to eight football schools, asks UConn to come back so they can at least have an eight game conference schedule. There are potential expansion candidates out there, but first things first here - getting back on their feet. -Conference USA and the Sun Belt pretty much stay at the numbers they have. If anything, C-USA may end up shedding members if the American sees Rice, North Texas, UTSA and/or UTEP as potential expansion candidates.

Easy.. -West Virginia to the ACC -Oklahoma State, Kansas State, TCU and Texas Tech to the Pac-12 -Iowa State and Kansas to the Big Ten This leaves Baylor out and forced into the American.

That just looks like whoever was in charge of the food service department basically gave up halfway through the menu planning part and that is what they got.. which, for a place like SoFi, that's a crying shame. Anyway, in good news - Jamal Adams got paid and Seattle has dealt with a potential headache. $72 million for 4 years, a $20 million signing bonus and $38 million guaranteed. It usually goes against what Seattle usually does in this situation, which is back load the contracts so they can have a better salary cap number early on, but for a guy like Adams.. you really want to get that taken care of before it became a threat during the season.

Not yet. There is supposed to be a big unveiling today for this new logo. This article explains everything going on with the Winterhawks.