It's a shame that the NCAA rules prohibit "upgrading" as a conference. The A10 could do something bold like invite JMU, Delaware, ODU, Buffalo and have a 6 school conference with UMass and ODU. Same side, CAA could have invited UMass and app St with GA St, JMU, UD, ODU, UMass, App St., had enough for an FBS conference.

But with UMass in the MAC, GA St. in the SB, the CAA is losing members.

The exit fees have been talked about for some time, but picked up late last year and again recently. That said, I think you'd be more likely to find GMU and VCU announce a move 2 years early if need be to avoid exit fees. No need to get locked into a sinking ship if you have 1-3 football schools looking to upgrade over the next 5-10 years.

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A lot of those eastern FCS conferences are quite varied in terms of what their members are doing with regard to football.

CAA has Drexel, Hofstra, and Northeastern. I think the latter 2 were brought in to complete a football conference, and now they've dropped football.
It seems like their continued association with a clump of Virginia-area schools is [let's call it] awkward.

CAA may be losing 2 Virginia non-FB schools, and a Georgia State (sort of a geographical outlier).
I'm thinking maybe this is an opportunity for the CAA to try to become more of an All-Sports Conference (bring in FB schools).
It has seemed inconceivable to me, that Stony Brook doesn't play FB in the CAA.
The AE has only 9 schools, 3-4 of which do play / could play CAA FB.
If the CAA drops to 9, they could merge with AE, and create N and S divisions (swap Northeastern and UMBC).
The conference would be better rationalized for the future, and the overall number (and FB number) would be solidified.

I say great move, especially if they grab the other two you mentioned plus UTA to balance out UALR, but if they did all that they'd need a 14th fb/16th bb member (assuming they don't get raided), these last addition have smartly been about markets now Benson needs to find his next Boise St. LA Tech would be low hanging fruit, but with their history with Benson in the WAC I think they might come over, and despite UTSA having first invite I don't think Texas St is out of it, they've had a strong program for years at FCS and are really looking the part of a future FBS powerhouse. But other than them there isn't any current FBS that's appeal, so grab the best FCS App St. This would solidify the Eastern wing of the SBC a really put some big names in the conference.

It can easily be divided depending on who joins as full members and who joins as fb onlys.

If fb onlys-
East- Charlotte/App St fb only, FIU, FAU, GA St, Troy, So Bama, MTSU (WKU in bb)
West- WKU fb, Ark St, ULM, ULL, UNT, UTSA (UALR/UTA in bb)
If all full members-
East- Charlotte, App St, FIU, FAU, GA St, Troy, So Bama, (MTSU in bb)
West- MTSU fb, WKU, Ark St, ULM, ULL, UNT, UTSA (UALR/UTA in bb)

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AJC blog article with more on SBC/Georgia State situation at http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-state-spor ... ate_sports

Yup, good alignments but I think they show that there isn't a great way to draw the line between East and West, especially if UT-A is the non football school brought in. It'll be interesting to see what they do when they lose schools to the MWC-USA thing. UNT and FIU are probably out but will they bring in La Tech, NMSU, or Texas St? La Tech makes sense and it's not like they can stay in the WAC for much longer. But expanding all the way to New Mexico? It's possible but far from certain. I can't imagine Texas St getting an invite but who knows.

I think for now the alignment will look something like:

East- Charlotte, FAU, GA St, Troy, So Bama, MTSU, WKU (non football)
West- WKU, Ark St, ULM, ULL, UTSA, La Tech (UALR/UTA in bb)

If UT-A is serious about adding football then they should begin that process and look to upgrade in 5+ years. At that point, assuming no one has left, they should look to add an upgrading team in the East that has been successful. I would think they would want to get into Virginia (another new market) rather than getting another North Carolina school in App St. But if Charlotte ever leaves, App St should be invited in their place. UALR will once again be making it an odd number and I don't think the league will want to accommodate them any longer especially when their place could be used for other upgrading FCS schools.

East- Charlotte/App St, FAU, GA St, Troy, So Bama, MTSU, JMU
West- WKU, Ark St, ULM, ULL, UTSA, La Tech, UT-A

or if it's 16

East- Charlotte, App St, FAU, GA St, Troy, So Bama, JMU, Richmond (or some other FCS upgrade)
West- MTSU, WKU, Ark St, ULM, ULL, UTSA, La Tech, UT-A

Another AJC blog article,this one with comments from SBC Commish who says no invite "yet" on GSU and no decision "yet" on GSU membership as talks apparently continue.Link at http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-state-spor ... ate_sports

I think 18 is a little much for the CAA(9 left) to merge w/ the AEC(9). They could just pluck Stony Brook and Albany in the North and C.Carolina or Liberty in the south. AEC could back fill w/ C.Conn St., NJIT. Or insert any NEC team.

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Some tricky issues with the CAA. App St. is the top get, since the decisions made would be for football, not basketball. So replacing GA St. with App St. (keeps CAA as dominant #1 FCS league, throws an NC bone to UNCW, despite being on the other side of the state). Stony Brook is the easy one...good fit: football member in NY area, something the CAA does not have, travel partner for Hofstra. So ideally, CAA can get App st and then add Stony brook to replace a GMU/VCU defection. Then you slide in Boston University and you have 2 new football schools, 3 total additions. But I doubt App St. would be interested.

As for the Sun Belt, if/when GA St. is on board, it's a good fit. Kind of curious how the rest of things play out. If No. Texas were to join CUSA, the SB could really use a Texas presence for football recruiting. Seems like UTSA would be the best fit. Then it makes it easier if you want to add a UTA to offset UALR. That said, I think it's the wrong way to go...think there is more to gain from 13 FB members and 1 non-FB than locking into a partial hybrid model. Work should be to force UALR into Southland, not to cater to them with another non-football school.

If UNT and FIU leave:

FB East: GA State, Florida Atlantic, Charlottle, USA, Troy, WKU
FB West: Arkansas St., MTSU, UTSA, LA Tech, ULL, ULM, *UALR

* = one division for all 13 basketball schools

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Agree that hybrid conferences sort of suck.

I think every confernece sponsors a zillion sports and not everyone participates in all those sports typcially, however,
FB is so high-profile that a conference that wants to be "high-profile" needs to have ALL members on board with FB, and mens and womens BB.

UALR has been a member in good standing, but at some point, the Sun-Belt needs to give them an ultimatum: "Add FB, or find a new home !"

I'm pretty sure that about 2-3 years ago (under Wright Waters) the Sun-Belt wrote in a criteria that any NEW member shall have a FB team.

UALR could fit into SLC (with ORU) or possibly the Summit.

So Sun-Belt has been doing some talking with Georgia St., UNC-Charlotte, and UTSA.
Who gets added will depend partly on who leaves to join MWCUSA (I think we are all agreed that CUSA has been taking a hard look at North Texas).
How many more does the Sun-Belt loose ?

The clock is ticking. We should see some action within another 8 weeks or so...

Article out of Richmond(previously posted in another thread)with comments from CAA Commish who describes the SBC/Georgia State talks as "serious". Link at http://www2.timesdispatch.com/sports/20 ... ar-1819615

This does NOT appear official (as in a press release), but is the Georgia State to Sun-Blet a "done deal" ?

http://www.nbc33tv.com/sports/national- ... conference

Edit:Tute79
Your "blurb" is two days old.Please refer to yesterday's Richmond piece.

Thanks
Freaked

AJC blog article reporting that SBC Commish plans to meet with GSU officials next Monday regarding possible SBC membership.Link at http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-state-spor ... membership

Blog article out of Lafayette discussing SBC realignment situation at http://espn1420.com/sun-belt-is-going-t ... birds-nest

Also Nola.com article with comments from SBC Commish who says that SBC is NOT currently considering readmitting UNO to that league.Link at http://www.nola.com/sports/index.ssf/20 ... likes.html

Brett McMurphy blog article with report that SBC/Georgia State announcement scheduled for next Monday afternoon at 2pm ET at Georgia Dome.Link at http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... ent-monday

AJC blog article with report that as expected the SBC announced this afternoon that Georgia State will be joining that league.Link at http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-state-spor ... conference