CUSA/MWC is not going to take Idaho and neither is the Sun Belt. Idaho is stuck with options being Independent or downgrading. The farthest west that I can see the Sunbelt going is NM State but only then if it adds some Texas schools such as UTSA (maybe CUSA), Texas State and/or Lamar.

Article out of Blue Raider country with comments from MTSU President regarding the SBC realignment situation at http://dnj.com/article/20120228/BLUERAIDERS01/302280012

Would a CUSA school really leave for the Sun Belt?

Doubt it !

That was just Benson or somebody blowing smoke.

Here is what I see going down IF MWCUSA expands from it's current 16 schools.
MWCUSA will expand it's western division by poaching western FB schools from the WAC, and possibly sliding UTEP over from CUSA (the MWCUSA Eastern division).
MWCUSA will expand it's eastern division by poaching eastern FB schools from the WAC and / or schools from the Sun-Belt.
Sun-Belt having lost some schools will re-stock - either WAC schools (NMSU, TXSt, UTA, UTSA, LTU) or FCS "move-ups" (Georgia St., Appalachian St., Jacksonville St).
The latter group is less attractive perhaps, since there is a delay in them being eligible to play at FBS level, not to mention that some of these schools are rather "iffy"
about being able to finance the move to FBS.

Remember when Benson was gonna get BYU, UNLV and SDSU in the WAC and instead got his a$s handed to him and got Fresno, Nevada, Hawaii taken away. The reality was that he got Seattle, Denver, UTA, Texas St. UTSA. If he keeps running his mouth like this the C-TBA will go to 24 for just to spite him and take 6 or 7 SBC schools. Know your place Mr. Peanut!

_________________

WRANGLERS 153-55-1 CVFL CHAMPS '04 '05 '09 '12

NFL CHAMPS '29 '30 '31 '36 '39 '44 '61 '62 '65 '66 '67 '96 '10

BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]

Article out of Shreveport with comments from new SBC Commish regarding possible future SBC realignment at http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/ ... nav%7Chead

Brett McMurphy blog article reporting that UNCC and UTSA are leading SBC expansion candidates for 2013-2014.Link at http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... r-sun-belt

Also from what I've been reading Benson wants another nonfb school to balance out UALR so I bet UTA will also be getting an invite

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Fan of the Big 12 Conference, the Mountain West Conference and...

I believe UTA (Texas-Arlington) promised to start up FBS football around 2015-2016, when Benson invited them into the WAC.

Being that the Sun-Belt is likely to get picked over by the MWCUSA (likely between now and end of June),
wouldn't it make sense for Benson to cool his jets and wait to see who is left in the Sun-Belt before developing a coherent expansin plan ?
After all, these schools aren't likely to be going anywhere in the meantime.

However, it does make sense to be developing all the contingency plans, since the Sun-Belt may have to move quickly to beat the June 30 deadline,
depending on when teh MWCUSA moves...

"But while most of the expansion and conference-membership movement nationally is football-driven, the Sun Belt had basketball-related considerations as well.

One is that, with Denver leaving and Arkansas-Little Rock left as the only Sun Belt school that plays basketball but not football, the two-division basketball conference is currently headed into next season with an odd number of members.

"I do think that balance needs to be addressed," Benson said. "Eleven members on the basketball schedule is not the ideal number.

"As we look at expansion, we need to look at the basketball piece. UALR has been a valued member of the Sun Belt for many, many years and we need to protect that and take advantage of the success they have had in Sun Belt sports."

The addition of another basketball-only member, in other words, could be in the works."

This along with the rumors about UTSA (UTA's biggest rival) makes me think UTA will get an invite if that's the way the SBC wants to go, they are the only school I think will add something to the SBC that is currently in their footprint. The only other nonfb options around their footprints would be Richmond or Oral Roberts.

Edit: tute: UTA said they would look into football many times before and have never taken the jump, I think they may do it eventually but I wouldn't bet on it happening anytime soon. I think Lamar, SHSU, and SFA would all have to be FBS before UTA feels the pressure to start football or else they'd look like a lesser school.

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Fan of the Big 12 Conference, the Mountain West Conference and...

I'm a little surprised that their hasn't been more Georgia State/Sun Belt rumors going around. Georgia State has 2 advantages over Charlotte, 1, they are already playing football and 2, they are located in a "football is king" state. My opinion is the Sun Belt should go to 14 in football (odd numbers in other sports isn't as critical) .

A Potential Sun Belt

East--FIU, FAU, Troy, South Alabama, Middle Tennessee with Charlotte and Georgia State

West--North Texas, Arkansas State, WKU, UL-Lafayette, UL-Monroe with UTSA and Louisiana Tech.

With the North Texas and FIU rumors about joining the Alliance, the Sun Belt is still at solid 12 if they leave and if they end up staying, the Sun Belt could not go wrong by adding a solid Louisiana Tech team along with adding teams in the San Antonio, Charlotte and Atlanta markets. All solidly in the Sun Belt's footprint. The Sun Belt could also add Texas State and NM State if they wanted to copy the Alliance's conference semifinal plan.

I didn't know that Georgia State was in Texas.

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Fan of the Big 12 Conference, the Mountain West Conference and...

Very Good, maybe I should say 1 of the "football is king" states.

I completely agree. The Sun Belt should add the states of Georgia and North Carolina for sure. San Antonio would be a great market addition as well. Charlotte is perfectly logical but maybe an App State would make a good addition. Heck, maybe go into Virginia as well with someone like James Madison.

If SJSU has to go Indy and move back to the Big West or want to move to the Big West, how long can you guys keep fb as an Indy w/ USU,, NMSU, Idaho as an Indy scheduling alliance?

_________________

WRANGLERS 153-55-1 CVFL CHAMPS '04 '05 '09 '12

NFL CHAMPS '29 '30 '31 '36 '39 '44 '61 '62 '65 '66 '67 '96 '10

BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]