Sun Belt Conference Expansion & Realignment Thread

46566 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:06 am **Posts:** 234

ncaanopaawaa2000 wrote:

46566 wrote:

ncaanopaawaa2000 wrote:

46566 wrote:

ncaanopaawaa2000 wrote:

NorwichCat11 wrote:

Okay, NCAA - whom do you seriously see besides Liberty? James Madison and U. Tennessee - C. have both apparently turned the SBC down and there are not too many other candidates in the east that want to make the jump. Unless someone other than the SBC has info that I don't? (this is just about anyone else

) So let's narrow the field:
James Madison - not interested
U. Tennessee - C. - too expensive
Lamar - in the west and small student population
Sam Houston St. - in the west and not interested and not ready
Missouri St. - not interested and not ready
Florida A&M - not interested and see NCAA's post above :roll:

Alabama schools - SBC already has 2 does it really need three? maybe Jacksonville St. if they don't get blocked
So who does this leave? Coastal Carolina? Grambling St.? Norfolk St.? Western Carolina? Or go after some of the Louisiana schools from the Southland Conference (McNeese St., Nicholls St., Southeastern Louisiana) even Central Arkansas?
There is not a whole lot left in the bag if schools are not interested in moving up. Could we then say that Montana killed the WAC? Who is to say that if they had moved up the WAC might not have disappeared? Right now only the SBC and the schools that they are talking too know the answer and we can only hope and guess. We may yet see some surprises.

Either UTC (Chattanooga) or Lamar. But after this realignment is over, I believe that the FCS should be either killed or merged with the FBS, just like the old times since like the early days of the 1970's (like when D-I, D-II and D-III were created), and that's because of the FBS conferences keeping to search FCS schools within their respective regions.

Instead of merging FBS and FCS what about allowing the schools to move up when they want to? The schools would be allowed to enter FBS as a Independent if they want to. This could allow schools to take the initiative and say they want to be looked at as possible expansion candidates. I'm writing this because I'm assuming it's only a amount of time before the big 12 goes back to 12 and start the realignment problem all over again.

You mean most, if not, all FCS schools should move up? Because the FCS would eventually be in danger if the FBS keeps it like that.

basically i was saying going back t how it used to be before the moratorium of schools going to FBS. If i'm not mistaken now you need a invite to move up to fbs. Each school could upgrade to FBS anytime they want without a need for a FBS conference invite. While currently the FBS is pressed to find wiggle room for new schools i think that when the 4 team playoff is running that most bowls will or could have problems filling sports. I also think that if another conference could fit in the FBS level. Lets say the Montana schools and the Dakotas and they invite Idaho. I figure they could take a couple of the low level bowl spots (potato bowl and the one in Detroit) Most of the bowls will be unimportant after next year anyway.

Speaking of conferences upgrading to FBS status, and when you mentioned the Montana and Dakota schools (with Idaho), do you mean the Big Sky? It would be a great substitution of the WAC for the Western U.S. region in FBS play.

Another pack of samples: Rutgers, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Penn State, Temple and Virginia Tech are FBS schools that competed on non-football conferences as all-sports members. Rutgers and West Virginia in the A-10 from 1976 to 1995; Pittsburgh in the A-10 from 1976 to 1982 before joining the Big East (now the AAC) until this season ended because it'll join the ACC; Penn State in the A-10 from 1976 to 1991 before joining the Big TEN in 1993; Temple in the A-10 since 1980, who would leave to join the old Big East, now known as the AAC this year; and Virginia Tech in the Metro from 1976 to 1995, and the A-10 from 1995 to 2000). Also the schools that formed original C-USA merger in 1995 used to compete in non-football conferences as all-sports members within the Metro and Great Midwest while being Independents for football.

Also to keep in mind (in general) that the Sun Belt was a non-football conference before sponsoring the sport in 2001, replacing the Big West.

I wasn't mentioning the Big Sky in general but i figured the 6 to start with. i picked those schools primarily because there in the same location. There is also no current FBS teams in the FCS move ups state which might help with some type of tv deal for them.

NorwichCat11 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:12 am

Now with the ACC GOR in place, looks like some stability if the CUSA does not decide to go to 16. This will hopefully allow the SBC to get to 12, and solidify the conference.

46566 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:06 am **Posts:** 234

Sun Belt has looked into Illinois State. It looks like they said there not interested:

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/colleg ... f887a.html

NorwichCat11 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 28, 2013 2:15 pm

Nice find 45666! Here is some info - apparently Texas State University at San Marcos has now officially changed it's name to just Texas State University!
http://www.statesman.com/news/news/amid ... e-n/nXHtz/
Boy this must cause some unhappiness to some of the other universities in the Texas State School System! (I am thinking of Sam Houston State here!)

jlog3000 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 28, 2013 2:25 pm

NorwichCat11 wrote:

Nice find 45666! Here is some info - apparently Texas State University at San Marcos has now officially changed it's name to just Texas State University!
http://www.statesman.com/news/news/amid ... e-n/nXHtz/
Boy this must cause some unhappiness to some of the other universities in the Texas State School System! (I am thinking of Sam Houston State here!)

Now that it's official. That makes San Marcos as the "main" flagship campus of Texas State University. But what would affect with the rest of the schools within the Texas State University System? Take a look at Missouri State University (at Springfield; formerly known as Southwest Missouri State University).

TexasTerror · **Joined:** Sun Jun 12, 2011 5:18 pm **Posts:** 98

There is no recognized flagship of the TSUS and the treatment of the other schools will remain the same. If it changes, the other schools will follow Angelo State's lead and leave the system.

NorwichCat11 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 28, 2013 8:18 pm

Terror, I did not know that Angelo State was in the Texas State School System. I thought that they were in the U. Texas System. I know that they are now in the Texas Tech School System.
On another note, I heard on another site, (another forum - so will not post the link unless ok'd by admin here) that Texas State running back Terrance Franks
http://txstatebobcats.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3296&path=
ran a 4.29 40 setting a record at the school! Man that is pretty fast! What do you think about that? I have not found it on the Texas State University sports website yet, but I am looking. If this is indeed fact, look for some big ground game to come out of the Bobcat backfield!

NorwichCat11 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 29, 2013 5:15 pm

Okay, so here is what I have for potential candidates = 1. James Madison U. (Undecided yet?), 2. Liberty U. (REALLY wants in), and 3. Sam Houston St. (needs to upgrade facilities and is not in the east).
How about a dark horse for you guys?
The Citadel - located in Charleston, South Carolina. The enrollment is small at about 2,400 is a public school, and large endowment.
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandrevie ... tadel-3423
The football stadium seats 21,000.
http://www.citadelsports.com/informatio ... ies/sansom
I think that the Citadel has a better chance at an invite than Liberty. In Sun Belt footprint, large media market, good size stadium, easy travel distance (for Georgia Southern, Georgia St., and Appalachian St.), and I read on another forum that both Charleston and South Carolina are lobbying the SBC for admission.
I know that they have a low number of students, but not everyone can be a cadet! Right?
Is it okay to post links to other forums?
I would like to see Citadel in over Liberty or JMU. Any thoughts or ideas?

playa4life · **Joined:** Sun Oct 29, 2006 2:53 pm **Posts:** 368

TexasTerror wrote:

There is no recognized flagship of the TSUS and the treatment of the other schools will remain the same. If it changes, the other schools will follow Angelo State's lead and leave the system.

I am hearing
Texas st-Huntsville
Texas st-Nacogdoches
Lamar University-Beaumont

is coming...

jlog3000 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 10:35 am

The TSUS should add the University of North Texas (located at Denton, and formerly known as North Texas State University; change: Texas State-Denton) and Midwestern State University (located at Wichita Falls; change: Texas State-Wichita Falls)

NorwichCat11 · **Posted:** Wed May 01, 2013 3:59 pm

NCAA, the U. North Texas does not want anything to do with Texas State from what I hear down here in south Texas.

TKthunder · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1582

playa4life wrote:

I am hearing
Texas st-Huntsville
Texas st-Nacogdoches
Lamar University-Beaumont

is coming...

HA, SHSU won't be second fiddle to TSU, they'd follow SFA and go independent or start another system...

SFA is not in the TSU system 'Stephen F. Austin is one of four independent public universities in Texas (i.e., those not affiliated with one of Texas' six university systems). " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_F. ... University

Of course Lamar keeps its name but the two more recognized FCS schools lose theirs...lol

ncaanopaawaa2000 wrote:

The TSUS should add the University of North Texas (located at Denton, and formerly known as North Texas State University; change: Texas State-Denton) and Midwestern State University (located at Wichita Falls; change: Texas State-Wichita Falls)

UNT is better than TSU why would they change?

NorwichCat11 wrote:

NCAA, the U. North Texas does not want anything to do with Texas State from what I hear down here in south Texas.

DING DING DING

NorwichCat11 · **Posted:** Wed May 01, 2013 7:19 pm

Welcome back Tkalmus!
What do you guys think of this:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... evenue-cap

TexasTerror · **Joined:** Sun Jun 12, 2011 5:18 pm **Posts:** 98

playa4life wrote:

I am hearing
Texas st-Huntsville
Texas st-Nacogdoches
Lamar University-Beaumont

is coming...

A) SFA is not in the TSUS
B) Sam Houston State in 2005 had its name protected by the Texas Legislature. The remaining schools with names of Texas 'heroes' followed suit in 2007 (Lamar, Sul Ross, Stephen F. Austin) with Prairie View A&M & Tarleton State also protected.
C) It would take a legislative act to change the names of schools like Sam Houston, Mirabeau Lamar and Stephen F. Austin. What 'Texas loving' legislator is going to do that?
D) There will never be a flagship in the TSUS based on the model that has been successful. Unlike the other systems in the state, not many people realize that a TSUS exists because of its lack of flagship. Each school is an equal. Angelo State left the system due to concerns about TSUS handling of their large endowment (Carr) and issues with leadership at the time within the system.

jlog3000 · **Posted:** Thu May 02, 2013 9:28 am

TexasTerror wrote:

playa4life wrote:

I am hearing
Texas st-Huntsville
Texas st-Nacogdoches
Lamar University-Beaumont

is coming...

A) SFA is not in the TSUS
B) Sam Houston State in 2005 had its name protected by the Texas Legislature. The remaining schools with names of Texas 'heroes' followed suit in 2007 (Lamar, Sul Ross, Stephen F. Austin) with Prairie View A&M & Tarleton State also protected.
C) It would take a legislative act to change the names of schools like Sam Houston, Mirabeau Lamar and Stephen F. Austin. What 'Texas loving' legislator is going to do that?
D) There will never be a flagship in the TSUS based on the model that has been successful. Unlike the other systems in the state, not many people realize that a TSUS exists because of its lack of flagship. Each school is an equal. Angelo State left the system due to concerns about TSUS handling of their large endowment (Carr) and issues with leadership at the time within the system.

Weren't Tarleton State and Prairie View A&M part of the Texas A&M University system? If so, they should respectively be Texas A&M, at the towns those schools are located.

Sun Belt Conference Expansion & Realignment Thread

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