Sun Belt Conference Expansion & Realignment Thread

dbackjon · **Joined:** Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:50 pm **Posts:** 267

fighting muskie wrote:

I agree--Appalachian St and Georgia Southern were no brainer additions. My guess is that Karl Benson and company are being cautious and waiting to see how things pan out in the Big East and the other conferences higher up on the food chain before making any additional moves.

Perhaps he is hoping for the Big East to collapse and its football schools raiding C-USA to create a new league and then the SBC would be in a position to propose a merger between whoever is left in C-USA and the SBC.

One hesitiation with App and GSU has to be that would put 5 of the 12 teams as recent start-ups or moves from FCS.

While GSU and App State would become the best teams in the conference, adding them now with USA, Ga State and Tx State might be too much at once.

Quinn · **Joined:** Thu Oct 17, 2002 8:05 am **Posts:** 3752

dbackjon wrote:

fighting muskie wrote:

I agree--Appalachian St and Georgia Southern were no brainer additions. My guess is that Karl Benson and company are being cautious and waiting to see how things pan out in the Big East and the other conferences higher up on the food chain before making any additional moves.

Perhaps he is hoping for the Big East to collapse and its football schools raiding C-USA to create a new league and then the SBC would be in a position to propose a merger between whoever is left in C-USA and the SBC.

One hesitiation with App and GSU has to be that would put 5 of the 12 teams as recent start-ups or moves from FCS.

While GSU and App State would become the best teams in the conference, adding them now with USA, Ga State and Tx State might be too much at once.

I agree. A bit sad though that some of these even FCS startups got to leapfrog FCS powers like App St. and Georgia Southern.

seanbo · **Posted:** Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:11 am

Yahoo article on future Sun Belt schedules. Only 1 pay for play game against the big schools and challenge CUSA and MWC for title of the "best of the rest" conference.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sun-belt-s ... ncaaf.html

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1034

MTSU and FAU to CUSA. Sun Belt adds?

Peter Hunt · **Posted:** Wed Nov 28, 2012 2:30 pm

tkalmus wrote:

MTSU and FAU to CUSA. Sun Belt adds?

I would go with Georgia Southern and Applichian State

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7048

ESPN article(previously posted in another thread)reporting C-USA raiding SBC for MTSU and FAU at http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... sa-sources

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Wed Nov 28, 2012 2:43 pm

I'll take the same 2 as Peter. backup would be Lamar or Jacksonville St.

fighting muskie · **Joined:** Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:47 am **Posts:** 380

If Georgia Southern and Appalachian St have aspirations to play FBS football now is the time to move. I suppose New Mexico st is a possibility too since they have no where to go.

I am astonished at how fast expansion is going this time around. So far we have Maryland, Rutgers, Tulane, East Carolina, Louisville, Middle Tennessee, FAU, Denver, and Grand Canyon all move in a span of 8 days.

JPSchmack · **Joined:** Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:21 pm **Posts:** 851

fighting muskie wrote:

If Georgia Southern and Appalachian St have aspirations to play FBS football now is the time to move. I suppose New Mexico st is a possibility too since they have no where to go.

I am astonished at how fast expansion is going this time around. So far we have Maryland, Rutgers, Tulane, East Carolina, Louisville, Middle Tennessee, FAU, Denver, and Grand Canyon all move in a span of 8 days.

That's because not much has changed since the last time everyone vetted candidates. Just a quick "Anything to add since we talked in June?" phone call.

dbackjon · **Joined:** Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:50 pm **Posts:** 267

fighting muskie wrote:

If Georgia Southern and Appalachian St have aspirations to play FBS football now is the time to move. I suppose New Mexico st is a possibility too since they have no where to go.

I am astonished at how fast expansion is going this time around. So far we have Maryland, Rutgers, Tulane, East Carolina, Louisville, Middle Tennessee, FAU, Denver, and Grand Canyon all move in a span of 8 days.

Rutgers/Maryland set it off.

The smart commisioners had backup plans - schools to contact if openings occured.

B1G takes Maryland. ACC takes Loiusville Big East takes ECU C-USA takes MTSU
B1G takes Rutgers Big East takes Tulane C-USA takes FAU

Who will SunBelt take?

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Wed Nov 28, 2012 5:49 pm

csn board reporting that WKU and NMSU to CUSA per twiter.

Is UTEP coming to the MWC, they hate NMSU.

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1034

I know we said that rumor was bogus but look at this

http://www.wkusports.com//ViewArticle.d ... =205803459

Statement from WKU President Gary Ransdell and Director of Athletics Todd Stewart:

"Conference re-alignment is an ongoing and fluid process. We continually monitor and analyze all of the many dynamics and variables involved. We emphasize that, as always, every decision we make will be in the best interests of Western Kentucky University."

Just food for thought...possibly the rumor has some validity or are they know thinking that the MAC now looks appealing?

Quinn · **Joined:** Thu Oct 17, 2002 8:05 am **Posts:** 3752

tkalmus wrote:

I know we said that rumor was bogus but look at this

http://www.wkusports.com//ViewArticle.d ... =205803459

Statement from WKU President Gary Ransdell and Director of Athletics Todd Stewart:

"Conference re-alignment is an ongoing and fluid process. We continually monitor and analyze all of the many dynamics and variables involved. We emphasize that, as always, every decision we make will be in the best interests of Western Kentucky University."

Just food for thought...possibly the rumor has some validity or are they know thinking that the MAC now looks appealing?

That and WKU knows they have a good shot at CUSA when the next school leaves

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1034

Palm Beach Post article about FAU moving to Sun Belt

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/sport ... r-c/nTHxC/

"Florida Atlantic is bailing on the sinking ship known as the Sun Belt Conference for higher profile Conference USA."

Sinking Ship? Really? I find this humorous, such a local "hometown" paper thing to do. The WAC was/is a sinking ship, the Big East relative to the former Big 6 AQs may be a sinking ship, the Sun Belt is just low man on the totem pole who doesn't really lose much prestige since it was pretty much always at the bottom and will continue to be. FAU was selected to move up. They should really just say that and brag about FAU and not claim the escaped a sinking ship which sounds like they were just lucky.

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1034

http://www.dothaneagle.com/sports/troy/ ... 0f31a.html

Alabama paper saying "Troy University Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., who also serves as president of the Sun Belt Conference executive committee, says the league won’t make a knee-jerk reaction to seek new members" and that they'll "see where the dust settles and see what is in the best interest long term"

“We could certainly be fine with eight,” “I don’t think there’s any crisis mode to expand. At the same time, we need to be pro-active as a league. It would be beneficial for us to add, but I don’t think we would just pick two teams."

"If we invite any institution to fill a spot, we have to go after similar programs that make up the Sun Belt,” “One of the more important things in my mind is the geographic foot print." “I think we have to look at what is logical from a geographic standpoint. Some of the movement I see makes little or no sense.”

Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, New Mexico State, Lamar, Liberty, Sam Houston State, and Jacksonville State are on my upgrade watch list and all sound like they'd fit with what he's saying.

Sun Belt Conference Expansion & Realignment Thread

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