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With the Big Six BCS Conferences shifting, what happens to the mid-majors?
Posted on 10/12/11 at 9:10 am
Posted on 10/12/11 at 9:10 am
For 2012+:
CUSA - ECU/UCF moving up, 10 teams left
MAC - 13 teams
MWC - 10 teams
SunBelt - 12 teams
WAC - 5 teams, Adding 3 football & 2 non-football: 8/10 teams lulz
There's 50 total teams, but the WAC is adding 5 FCS teams to bring the total of mid majors to 55.
CUSA might take 2 more teams to get back to 12. Who?
Does the MAC go to 14?
MWC seems solid.
SunBelt seems stable.
It looks like the WAC is on it's last leg.
What changes will conference expansion have on these conferences?
CUSA - ECU/UCF moving up, 10 teams left
MAC - 13 teams
MWC - 10 teams
SunBelt - 12 teams
WAC - 5 teams, Adding 3 football & 2 non-football: 8/10 teams lulz
There's 50 total teams, but the WAC is adding 5 FCS teams to bring the total of mid majors to 55.
CUSA might take 2 more teams to get back to 12. Who?
Does the MAC go to 14?
MWC seems solid.
SunBelt seems stable.
It looks like the WAC is on it's last leg.
What changes will conference expansion have on these conferences?
4
Posted on 10/12/11 at 9:37 am to Mahootney
CUSA adds Troy an FIU or FAU
Posted on 10/12/11 at 9:38 am to LSUDonMCO
quote:Does the SunBelt then replace those teams? Maybe taking Tech and the 13th MAC team?
CUSA adds Troy an FIU or FAU
Posted on 10/12/11 at 9:57 am to Mahootney
C-USA will take at least one of FIU or FAU, if not both, to replace any departures since UCF is Big East bound.
Past that, I could see them grabbing LA Tech, Troy, North Texas, or Middle Tennessee depending on how many additional teams they lose.
Those four are mainly warm bodies who could be brought in to keep the conference championship game in place without raising travel costs significantly, as all are relatively near current member institutions.
Past that, I could see them grabbing LA Tech, Troy, North Texas, or Middle Tennessee depending on how many additional teams they lose.
Those four are mainly warm bodies who could be brought in to keep the conference championship game in place without raising travel costs significantly, as all are relatively near current member institutions.
Posted on 10/12/11 at 10:02 am to Mahootney
quote:
quote:
CUSA adds Troy an FIU or FAU
Does the SunBelt then replace those teams? Maybe taking Tech and the 13th MAC team?
Tech's pride won't let them join the Sun Belt unless it means the difference between being in a conference and being an independent.
I don't see them picking off any MAC teams, either. Just about all the remaining members are from Rust Belt states like Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, etc., and won't ditch the MAC for the Sun Belt just for travel purposes, unlike previous members outside their footprint like Marshall, UCF, etc.
Posted on 10/12/11 at 10:14 am to teke184
quote:Would CUSA actually take Tech?
Tech's pride won't let them join the Sun Belt unless it means the difference between being in a conference and being an independent.
I'm sure they want out of the collapsing WAC. In addition to the decimated talent pool, those travel costs must be awful.
Out of the 4 you listed, which would be the most likely? Assuming CUSA wants back to 12 teams.
Posted on 10/12/11 at 10:29 am to Mahootney
I see Tech being C-USA's fallback team, as they can always get them if they want them.
They don't bring a market nor do they really add much as a recruiting ground, but could help out from a travel perspective purely due to geography.
Of the other three schools, I'm thinking that North Texas is probably the next team picked after FIU and FAU.
Bringing them in solidifies the conference's reach in Texas as they would have UNT plus Houston, SMU, Rice, and UTEP, along with U. of Tulsa. It also helps things from a travel perspective by kicking Tulane to the east.
MTSU would be a possibility if Memphis departed for the Big East, which is a remote possibility IMHO since the Memphis football program is atrocious. I'd question how much the conference needs Tennessee, too, since it's not a particularly fertile recruiting territory as compared to Texas, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, etc., and I'm not sure how much their media markets add to the conference.
Troy is the best program of the ones mentioned but doesn't have a media market and the conference already recruits Alabama just fine thanks to UAB and Southern Miss.
They don't bring a market nor do they really add much as a recruiting ground, but could help out from a travel perspective purely due to geography.
Of the other three schools, I'm thinking that North Texas is probably the next team picked after FIU and FAU.
Bringing them in solidifies the conference's reach in Texas as they would have UNT plus Houston, SMU, Rice, and UTEP, along with U. of Tulsa. It also helps things from a travel perspective by kicking Tulane to the east.
MTSU would be a possibility if Memphis departed for the Big East, which is a remote possibility IMHO since the Memphis football program is atrocious. I'd question how much the conference needs Tennessee, too, since it's not a particularly fertile recruiting territory as compared to Texas, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, etc., and I'm not sure how much their media markets add to the conference.
Troy is the best program of the ones mentioned but doesn't have a media market and the conference already recruits Alabama just fine thanks to UAB and Southern Miss.
Posted on 10/12/11 at 10:52 am to Mahootney
With all the television money, the BCS conferences are moving away from these teams at an exponential rate. Ultimately there should be reorganization of the FCS (1-AA) schools to include the lower level FBS schools.
While not likely, in theory even Vanderbilt could go undefeated, win the SEC, then play for and win a national championship. The La Techs, ULLs ,etc. however could go undefeated and barely get into a bowl; other than the New Orleans Bowl as Sunbelt champ or the Independence Bowl as a local draw.
While not likely, in theory even Vanderbilt could go undefeated, win the SEC, then play for and win a national championship. The La Techs, ULLs ,etc. however could go undefeated and barely get into a bowl; other than the New Orleans Bowl as Sunbelt champ or the Independence Bowl as a local draw.
Posted on 10/12/11 at 11:49 am to teke184
quote:
I see Tech being C-USA's fallback team, as they can always get them if they want them.
Very true. Tech has been dying to get into C-USA for some time. It would be much better for them geographically, but C-USA hasn't been interested up to this point.
Posted on 10/12/11 at 12:05 pm to Mahootney
quote:
SunBelt seems stable.
Until CUSA and others start taking their members.
Posted on 10/12/11 at 12:46 pm to ULL Cool J
quote:I heard this a while back and I really like this idea. There are Div2 & Div3 teams. And with the advanced scouting in the NFL, it wouldn't be as bad for the players as it would have been 20 years ago. So, Splitting the FBS into the haves and have-nots would seem logical. BCS teams still schedule lower teams, but it would give the small guys something to play for.
With all the television money, the BCS conferences are moving away from these teams at an exponential rate. Ultimately there should be reorganization of the FCS (1-AA) schools to include the lower level FBS schools.
Posted on 10/12/11 at 12:52 pm to Mahootney
quote:
BCS teams still schedule lower teams,
not if they start paying players or do anything else the have-nots can't...
Posted on 10/12/11 at 9:11 pm to chalmetteowl
quote:
not if they start paying players or do anything else the have-nots can't...
Even the big boys can't afford to pay players because that will trigger Title IX issues. And if they allow third parties to pay players (as I think they should), that will avoid Title IX but will level the playing field somewhat. Even the smaller programs have 25 rich supporters who can give a player a no-show job, or who own a car dealership and can give a recruit a loaner.
Posted on 10/12/11 at 9:30 pm to Bestbank Tiger
The MAC is adding UMass next season. UMass is making the jump up from FCS to FBS.
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