Many schools are considering leaving the Southland for a FBS conference. Too stop them, there was talk of the Southland returning to FBS.

We've heard a lot of similar rumbling out of the Big Sky in the past few years as well. I don't see it happening in either case, 1) the weaker teams in both conferences couldn't handle the move, and 2) both have just taken on recent moveups from DII, which would probably also hurt any chances of a conference-wide move.

Hmmm... it's been a while since I've heard that line from the Big Sky. That was, IMO, posturing before the NCAA finalized the name changes that few recognize.

I'll bet Southland schools CAN pull that off. Montana is ready if they want to, but they don't seem to want to... and that's it from out here.

UTSA and Texas st are going FBS. Sam Houston is considering FBS, although everyone knows they wont sit back an allow a rival to up them. SFA will follow. Whats left? NW st, Southeast La, McNeese, Nicholls st, and a start up Lamar. Lamar forum and news are already stomping FBS.

It's not that they don't want to, it's knowing they'll be blocked by the state Universities board if MtSU doesn't come along, and after seeing how well Idaho's done, they're not going to allow the move up.

There's also a bit of cooling off as far as Sacramento State moving up to I-A as well, I think that was what led to talks of the conference moving up, much like TSU's talk of moving up is spurring the Southland to consider it. I don't see the bottom half of the SLC surviving the move up to I-A, much as I don't see the bottom half of the BSC surviving the move. Hell, there's no way SFA can afford to right now, they're having hard enough times beating lower-level I-AA teams. I also think Nichols and SELA need some more time for that region to recover before making a move.

I don't think they can do it as a group, but there seems legitimate momentum for 4 schools moving up. If SFA really can't take being left behind and joins in, a breakaway scism becomes interesting and viable.

Texas State
UTSA
Lamar
SFA
Sam Houston
+
IAAA non football member UTA = 6 for the 6/5 rule

+?

UNT
Arkansas State
New Mexico State
Missouri State
S. Ill
Ill State
Wichita State
La Tech
N. Illinois

La. Tech thinks they would be above this, so they would probably opt out, but it would make a ton of financial sense for them. NM State might think this is a much better option than the WAC, even though it is technically a step down. UNT and Ark State might be inclined to take it to cut travel costs and help recruiting. UNT rejected the WAC over travel costs. The 3 MVC big public schools's modest FBS dreams appear to be checkmated in the MVC. They might get very serious if Texas TV revenue appears looking for members. Wichita State might go FBS if a home presents itself. They have a 30K stadium. This conference would be wise to go after N. Illionois if they land Ill St. and S. Ill.


I think you could get 12 out of this lot and I like the sound of this potential conference. It seems viable and possible. It seems likely to be a decent mix of good potential candidates. Good football recruiting in Texas and solid basketball programs out of the state. Good total media share: SFA, Lamar, and SHSU together do equate to media relevance in Houston as do UTA and UNT in DFW. UTSA delivers San Antonio and Texas State has some relevance in the Austin Market. That is a big chunk of Texas's TV households.

The Southland would have to wait for a while to be able to split 6/5 due to Central Arkansas transitioning from Division II until 2010; but by 2015, there should be enough pieces in place to pull this off. The real question is, would the MVC schools want to be in a junior Big 12?

I've heard this one for a long time, but cannot find any proof. Got dirt?

I don't have anything online or in print (probably a good thing, that could cause some serious friction between UMt and MtSU supporters), but I have spoke with people who were on the State Us board my limbo year (after the budget cuts forced UM out of hockey), and the MtSU schools' members let it be known there was no way in blue hades that the Grizzlies could move up without them, part because they didn't want to give up the rivalry (like UM had to do with Idaho), and part because they didn't want to be the "little sister". And since Judy "The Trash Lady" Martz cut the budget so bad they had to drop sports statewide, there was no way in hades the Bobcats would be able to upgrade their facilities to anywhere near DI level, nor would they reach the attendance cutoff (which was still around at the time) in all reality, as the only game they would even draw enough for was the Cat-Griz game. He also said that if UM had it's way, it would put together a package that would impress the Mountain West enough to accept them after their transition (UM would have some growing pains sports-wise, but their academics and reputation are more on par with the MWC schools).

I think the main problem for MtSU besides attendance (as well as the spate of athletes being involved in serious crime a year or two ago) is that their alumni base either won't cough up the $$$ for athletic facilities as readily or doesn't have the pockets for it. UM's facilities are getting a huge facelift, and the stadium can still be expanded, while MSU's stadium is still mostly rickety bleachers and only seats 10,000ish.

While Montana may not be right at App State's level, they are both on the same level of consistency with excellence on-field, attendance, and facilities that would be needed to jump up (Western Kentucky was on that list, and they're on a pace to be solid once they're done with the transition period). I honestly think they're better suited for I-A success than Texas State is. I'm not entirely sure about the latter two, but there's definitely a lack of consistent on-field success there.

This blog entry was posted elsewhere here (I found it elsewhere), and given quotes from the Montana AD, I'm satisfied that this answers my questions.

http://www.grizzoulian.com/2008/05/articles/football/the-moveshould-montana-move-to-the-fbs/

Be very careful counting a Montana chicken before it hatches.

I didn't know the Griz had such fair weather fans.

Southland 2018:

New Mexcio State (all sports from WAC)
Louisiana Tech (all sports from WAC)
Texas State (all sports from WAC)
Texas-San Antonio (all sports from WAC)
Lamar (all sports from WAC)
Sam Houston State (football from WAC)
Texas-Arlington (football from WAC)
Central Arkansas (football from WAC)
Stephen F. Austin State (non-FBS member)
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (non-FBS member)
Southeastern Louisiana (non-FBS member)
Nicholls State (non-FBS member)
McNeese State (non-FBS member)
Northwestern State (non-FBS member)

Under this, the Southland would have to operate as a nine-member conference with three members playing FBS football, five playing FCS football, and one non-football member while the WAC transitions programs at UTA, UCA, and SHSU. Presumably to keep the FCS conference alive during the transition, the schools would hook up with an FCS independent like Kennesaw State to get the sixth FCS program needed for the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.


WAC 2018:

Idaho
San Jose State
Utah State
Montana (continuing all sports member)
Montana State (continuing all sports member)
Portland State (continuing all sports member)
Cal Poly SLO (continuing football member, other sports from Big West)
UC Davis (continuing football member, other sports from Big West)
Sacramento State (new all sports member)

The remaining WAC creats a similar relationship for two Big West schools as it did for the Southland schools, and brings them in as full members when the split happens. Sacramento State comes in at the end when the Big Sky refuses them an all-but-football membership. UC San Diego and Cal State Bakersfield fill the openings in the Big West.


Big Sky 2018:

Seattle (non-FCS member, replaced Portland State)
Eastern Washington
Idaho State
Weber State
Southern Utah
Utah Valley (non-FCS member, replaced Montana State)
Northern Arizona
Grand Canyon (non-FCS member, replaced Sacramento State)
Northern Colorado
Denver (non-FCS member, replaced Montana)

North Dakota finally punches its ticket for the Summit when the Montana schools leave. As the Big Sky bleeds members to the WAC, it finds no choice but to reload with non-football schools to maintain its status as a Division I Conference.

The five-team Great West (Longwood, Chicago State, NJIT, Texas-Pan American, Houston Baptist) gets a waiver from the NCAA for the probationary period for new conferences, and invites the six Southland FCS refugees and UALR from the Sun Belt.

American South 2020:

Central - Longwood, Chicago State, NJIT, UALR, Stephen F. Austin State, Northwestern State
Coastal - UTPA, Houston Baptist, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, McNeese State, Southeastern Louisiana, Nicholls State

The Great West changes its name to the American South and the three outliers eventually find other homes.