Division 1 College Conference Realignment

[Seadragon76]

1 hour ago, Burmy said:

Merrimack and Sacred Heart are joining the MAAC next season.

 

Staying close to the conference's roots by adding two more Catholic colleges...and the little town of Fairfield, Connecticut's big rivalry is now a conference battle.

 

Only questions are, where do they go for football and who is the NEC gonna pick up to make up for losing them?

 

Football wise, they'll probably stay in the NEC just to keep continuity within the conference in that sense. It's not above the NEC to have associate members for football (Duquesne comes to mind). If not, then there aren't many options for either school outside of the Big South-OVC Alliance.

 

As for the who the NEC picks up? I'm looking at New Haven.

[Burmy]

1 hour ago, Seadragon76 said:

 

Football wise, they'll probably stay in the NEC just to keep continuity within the conference in that sense. It's not above the NEC to have associate members for football (Duquesne comes to mind). If not, then there aren't many options for either school outside of the Big South-OVC Alliance.

 

As for the who the NEC picks up? I'm looking at New Haven.

1. Monmouth, Robert Morris and Bryant asked to stay associate football members...the NEC said no.  All three would then head to the Big South (Monmouth's now in the CAA and Bryant football is about to join 'em).

 

2. My eyes are on them, Assumption and American International.

 

[Burmy]

Pending an agreement on the start date, Army is officially set to join the American as a football-only member in (hopefully) 2024.

The condition was that the Army-Navy game remain at the end of the season, after the conference title game (and thus be counted as a nonconference game)...apparently Army is the only member to have drummed up significant interest in the process to replace SMU (though I thought and still think Buffalo & Northern Illinois would be perfect expansion choices for the conference, as it establishes a presence in the Buffalo & Chicago markets)

[Gary]

9 minutes ago, Burmy said:

Pending an agreement on the start date, Army is officially set to join the American as a football-only member in (hopefully) 2024.

The condition was that the Army-Navy game remain at the end of the season, after the conference title game (and thus be counted as a nonconference game)...apparently Army is the only member to have drummed up significant interest in the process to replace SMU (though I thought and still think Buffalo & Northern Illinois would be perfect expansion choices for the conference, as it establishes a presence in the Buffalo & Chicago markets)

The MAC Conference is the one conference that looks the stable out of the group of 5. I could see them expanding with Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State. Which I've heard that Western Kentucky has mutual interest in joining. 

[Geoff]

WKU wanted to join the MAC the last time but MTSU was scared so they :censored:ed themselves into staying in CUSA. The leadership in that athletic department is highly questionable.

[TrueYankee26]

It is really trending towards a 2Pac-Mountain West scheduling alliance and then merger https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/story/2023-11-16/oregon-state-washington-state-eye-alliance-with-mountain-west-san-diego-state-aztecs-football

[BBTV]

22 hours ago, TrueYankee26 said:

2Pac

 

I love this.  They should remain a conference of two for this specific reason.  Then whenever it eventually dies and they join another one, they can refer to it as Makaveli.

 

[Gary]

15 minutes ago, BBTV said:

 

I love this.  They should remain a conference of two for this specific reason.  Then whenever it eventually dies and they join another one, they can refer to it as Makaveli.

 

They should rename it the Jada Conference. Keep the 2Pac ñame while trying to remain relevant 

[LMU]

Notre Dame continues to turn their noses up at the commoners and their conference affiliations.

[McCall]

8 hours ago, BBTV said:

 

I love this.  They should remain a conference of two for this specific reason.  Then whenever it eventually dies and they join another one, they can refer to it as Makaveli.

 

NCAA rules set a 6-team minimum for conferences. Although they are given a 2-year grace period, so they could stay a 2-team conference for the next couple years. However, they won't have Power status and the CFP has already been proactive to set an 8-team minimum to eligible for one of the conference champions spots and to go from the top 6 conference champions + 6 highest ranked teams to 5 and 7.

[BBTV]

2 minutes ago, McCall said:

NCAA rules set a 6-team minimum for conferences. Although they are given a 2-year grace period, so they could stay a 2-team conference for the next couple years. However, they won't have Power status and the CFP has already been proactive to set an 8-team minimum to eligible for one of the conference champions spots and to go from the top 6 conference champions + 6 highest ranked teams to 5 and 7.

 

It could be unofficial.  They could be like the Philadelphia Big 5, where each school is in its own conference but also part of the Big 5.  They could be in whatever league but still be in the 2Pac and their annual game would be for a gold trophy in the man's likeness.

 

 

[LMU]

35 minutes ago, McCall said:

NCAA rules set a 6-team minimum for conferences. Although they are given a 2-year grace period, so they could stay a 2-team conference for the next couple years. However, they won't have Power status and the CFP has already been proactive to set an 8-team minimum to eligible for one of the conference champions spots and to go from the top 6 conference champions + 6 highest ranked teams to 5 and 7.

It’s not the power status that they’d be interested in by keeping the conference afloat for a couple years. It’s the sweet, sweet cash that the conference has contractually due to it that they’d be able to split down the middle and dive into Scrooge McDuck style.

[Walk-Off]

As I understand it, Oregon State and Washington State want to keep a semblance of the Pac alive so as to preserve certain NCAA-endowed rights and revenue streams.  In particular, both schools are eager to retain their current conference's NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament credits.

[Germanshepherd]

Delaware becomes next FBS team, Blue Hens join CUSA for all sports. Interesting move. 

 

[jlog3000]

If that is official, I wonder who would be that potential 12th member school. If it would be SFA or Tarleton or EKU next in line. Before 2023, C-USA had a presence in Texas with many schools (like 3-4), now it has one with Sam Houston.

[Burmy]

7 minutes ago, jlog3000 said:

Before 2023, C-USA had a presence in Texas with many schools (like 3-4), now it has one with Sam Houston.

Don't forget UTEP (They're the reason New Mexico State got in)

[TrueYankee26]

9 minutes ago, jlog3000 said:

If that is official, I wonder who would be that potential 12th member school. If it would be SFA or Tarleton or EKU next in line. Before 2023, C-USA had a presence in Texas with many schools (like 3-4), now it has one with Sam Houston.

Can't discount UMass.

[jlog3000]

2 hours ago, Burmy said:

Don't forget UTEP (They're the reason New Mexico State got in)

 

True. Almost forgot about UTEP.

 

2 hours ago, TrueYankee26 said:

Can't discount UMass.

 

That might be a possibility. Maybe that would counter the AAC's Temple.

[nickp91]

With Delaware slated to move to FBS hopefully we can arrange for a Delaware vs Michigan series for the battle of the winged helmets

[sportsfan7]

WKU would likely block any attempt to join by EKU. I doubt UMass would be willing to leave the A-10 for non-football. Tarleton certainly has the ambition, but personally I think SFA makes more sense from CUSA's perspective.