I've said numerous times that Denver might be a good fit in the Summit, but hey, they seem to have their sights on the WCC, and this might be their moment to cash in.

The other non-FB team (UALR), has seen the writing on the wall. They seem to comply with all the Sun-Belt by-laws about participation in so many sports, however it seems they have no intention of pursuing FB, so they may soon become "persona non grata". The Summit Commissioner Tom Douple has admitted to having had discussions with UALR. They'd seem to fit in the Summit footprint fairly well with another non-FB school - Oral Roberts, etc. Both of those schools could also be courted by the Southland, when several Southland Texas schools depart for FBS football.

THIS BRINGS ME TO MY THOUGHT FOR THE DAY !!! Drumroll, please !!!

This is a grand opportunity for the Sun-belt. RIGHT NOW. Those running the 6 remaining teams in the WAC right now can't be sleeping well. They are facing a storm and pondering their future and things are becoming critical. The WAC is in serious danger of folding. Utah State will be clamoring for a spot in the MWC. Hawaii is thinking independence. SJSU has got to be in discussions with the Big West. Idaho's next best option may be a retreat to FCS and the Big Sky.

RIGHT NOW, the Sun-Belt can "kill two birds with one stone".
Offer a life-line to Louisiana Tech and New Mexico State.
Yes, we all know La Tech has their heart set on CUSA. Tell them that if CUSA comes calling, they are free to pursue their dream. At least for the time being, La. Tech would have a secure conference home and dramatically reduced travel budgets. They are REALLY vulnerable right now and may accept.

If both schools accept, the Sun-Belt has done the following:

1) Killed the WAC. Dead. Those FCS-> FBS move-ups won't arrive in time. Depending on Utah State's and Hawaii's situations, the WAC could be down to 2 teams. It would be forced to just close shop....
Sun-Belt just leap-frogged the carcass of the WAC (until 2 weeks ago a superior conference which has placed Boise State and Hawaii in BCS games) by signing it's death knell. The Sun-Belt and WAC would no longer be competing for the Texas FCS-> FBS move-ups. The Sun-Belt is now the only game in town.

2) With U of South Alabama ramping up their football program, NMSU and La Tech would give the Sun-Belt 12 football / all-sports schools. If Denver and UALR depart, all 12 Sun-Belt schools are all-sports. I think this has been the goal of Wright Waters ever since "the Great Conference Shake-up of 2003".
There is a chance that if CUSA were to be raided by the BE, they would need to turn to the Sun-Belt for replacements. No problem ! The Sun-Belt reacts by pulling in Texas State / UTSA / Jacksonville State, etc. as needed.

If the WAC does not survive, it might be in the best interest of the Sunbelt to add New Mexico St., La Tech, UTSA, and Texas St. and split into southwest and east divisions

Southwest
New Mexico St.
UTSA
Texas St.
N Texas
La Tech
ULM
ULL
Denver (NO FOOTBALL)

East
Arkansas St
Middle Tenn. St.
Western Kentucky
South Alabama
Troy
FIU
FAU
ULAR (NO FOOTBALL)

I think long term, this would really benefit the sunbelt and create some really intense divisional matchups

ACC,
I don't think the Sunbelt needs to do anything so drastic as to expand to 16. Especially with the 4 schools being FCS upgrades and WAC schools.

The Sunbelt could very well expand to 12/14 with a pair such as LA Tech and NMSU or UTSA & Texas St. Just adding a pair would help them out. Based on the current footprint, the conference might be better off with UTSA and Texas St and solidify their spot as the #3 conference in Texas behind the B12 and CUSA. Who knows, maybe UTSA and Texas St. grow and one day the trifeca including North Texas might challenge CUSA.

But La Tech and NMSU don't add too much to the SB. But it would hurt the WAC. But then again, taking the 2 schools the WAC really needs to survive (UTSA/Tex St) would accomplish the same.

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I agree that the Sunbelt does not need to do anything right at this point, but if they wanted to have geographically consolidated divisions, then I think my proposal would satisfy all existing members. However, I also would not be surprised if the Sunbelt waited patiently to see how emerging programs like Ga St. and UTSA do before committing to them. With 10 members they can afford to be a little patient, but you can never be too careful, just ask the WAC.

Once the Ga. St. program gets going, and if they upgrade to FBS, having them in the Sunbelt seems like a no brainer to me

All play football but ULAR and Denver. Why would the sunbelt expand and yet keep 2 non football members in? I could see the sunbelt adding football as a core sport. If they expand and both of the schools don't add football they will be add a even 14. If they do add football they wouldn't have to expand all to much. Isn't ULAR Arkansas st rival. (they can play them in non conference) If Arkansas st complains they can be replaced with Georgia st or Georgia southern. Why would LA tech be invited with 2 members already in Louisiana? It will cut down in travel expense but why not invite another school from Tennessee like Tennessee martin. It would increase their hold on another state. It could also lead to maybe a sun belt tv network of sorts.

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Yeah, GA St. would be a perfect fit. More importantly, they'd want to join (vs Charlotte who has eyes set on big east, cusa)

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UNO chancellor relieved of duties. Not sure if this affects their drop from D-I plans.

http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf ... moref_face

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The Sun Belt will have it's teams play harder non conference basketball schedules starting next season.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5724780

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Good to see. The Sunbelt has plenty of opportunity to improve it's overall profile. As an FBS conference in a population rich region, they clearly have the opportunity to move up the ranks in the region. The football/basketball power rankings sohuld roughly be: SEC, Big 12, ACC, CUSA, Sunbelt. Right now, that's not the case due to Sunbelt basketball futility.

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Andy Katz article(previously posted in another thread)discussing SBC member Denver going to the WAC along with two others at http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5789078

SBC MB thread discussing possibility of UALR leaving the conference at http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=461723

SBC MB thread discussing Denver leaving for the WAC at http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=459453

Freaked - Both of those message boards require registration, so I didn't read them...

Assume you DID read them.

I know Denver was "on the clock" to find a new home, NOT because they don't play FB, but because they do not play enough Sun-Belt sponsored sports. Believe this does NOT apply to UALR.
Did anyone provide any indication whether there is now pressure being exerted on UALR to leave (assuming they have no plans to add FB) ?

Thanks,
Tute

Tute79,thanks for the post.

ALL of the NCCAABBS MBs to include the SBC MB have been "acting up" since Wednesday.
They seem to allow admittance on an intermittent basis only.
I will continue to monitor that site.

Thanks
Freaked

http://www.sunbeltsports.org/ViewArticl ... ID=1151032

UALR is not under pressure to add sports or leave the conference, as they sponsor the requisite 15 conference sports:

Baseball
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
Men's Cross Country
Women's Cross Country
Men's Golf
Women's Golf
Men's Indoor Track and Field
Women's Indoor Track and Field
Men's Outdoor Track and Field
Women's Outdoor Track and Field
Women's Soccer
Women's Swimming & Diving
Women's Tennis
Women's Volleyball

If UALR ever does add football, it will be hard on them to add enough women's sports to meet the requirements of Title IX; Men's Tennis or Swimming and Diving (both of which are SBC sports) might be more realistic targets.