Kennesaw St. isn't far out of their footprint. Much easier to schedule 12 than 11 plus there's no better options they can land. Big South used to have a team in Birmingham (AL). KSU in N.Georgia is much closer than Birm-So was. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _teams.png

Sure KSU can end up in the SoCon but it sounds like they're going to wait at least 2 years to go beyond 10 according to the latest article w/ the commish.

I rather have KSU for all sport than KSU fb only and USCU for everything else. If you have a fb only the fb only would jump at the chance at an all sports in another conf. like the SoCon. If you put them as a full member then they're safer bet to stay.

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Agree, Frresno.

I do think that while strategizing in who to add to replace VMI, they should also be thinking in terms of who to invite in the event Liberty gets an SBC invitation.
Obviously a school that will field an FCS football team would be desirable.

I don't think any FBS conf will take Liberty because of their profile. SBC already talked to them and chose to wait on JMU. Either on csn, or fcs or wac board they posted something about Liberty being rejected and it being down to waiting on JMU or settling for Lamar or Jacksonville St.

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I think JMU or Jacksonville State would be the best fits.
The "hole" is in the Eastern Confernece.

Either of the above 2 teams would work as Appy State's travel partner.
(assuming that if they added Jacksonville State (Alabama) they would not disrupt the Troy - South Alabama pairing).

I'm curious as to whether JMU is interested in the Sun Belt or not. Maybe they promised Benson an answer when their "report" is complete this September.
A lot of other schools would have jumped now, and asked questions later.

Fair point. I agree KSU is not far out of their footprint, but Big South is all about cost containment. Why extend the footprint if you don't have to and can get them for football only? They would take SoCon invite if one came anyways so why bother when you can keep the footprint concise? I doubt a SoCon invite will come for KSU anytime soon. I think it would be in the best interest of the Big South and ASun to work together on a football league. Let the Big South have the VA, NC, and SC schools and let the ASun have the deep south schools and possibly a Midwest division if NKU is sticking around.

Mercer, ETSU and VMI are now officially heading to the SoCon, according to ESPN.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... conference

So now the Big South really has a problem, because with VMI out they now only have 5 members sponsoring football (they need 6 and Monmouth doesn't count since they're FB-only).

Unfortunately, there are very few options for the Big South. The most logical one that doesn't require expanding is convincing Campbell to move up from the Pioneer League. Other than that, what realistic options do they have?

I think Monmouth counts towards the auto bid requirement of 6 so they are good in that end. they could use more football schools though for sure.

Add KSU as a fb or full member. How about Bryant and CCSU for fb only so they can go to the AEC, they're currently being held hostage by the NEC b/c of fb.

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Bryant and CCSU to AE / Big South FB is a great idea. Big South provided a FB home for Stony Brook and will do so in the coming years for Monmouth.

This could then set up the AE to take over sponsorship of the CAAFB league in the future if say, JMU and/or Delaware move up, or W&M goes to Patriot....

I seriously think this should be explored. AE wants those schools, Big South needs some FB affiliates with VMI leaving and Liberty looking to move up (may not happen, but the Big South needs to have a contingency plan in case it does). It sounds like a win-win.

Not a bad idea. Would ensure the auto bid to FCS playoffs which is crucial for the conference

VMI site release with announcement that as expected VMI will be leaving the Big South for the SoCon in 2014-2015.Link at http://www.vmikeydets.com/ViewArticle.d ... EM_ID=9800

At some point, AE is going to figure it out that they can handle football on their own. Now that Boston's gone, maybe Hartford keeps CCSU at bay, but with programs like Monmouth parking their football in the Big South, and those other A-10 and Big East schools floating around, things could swing any direction.

But the Big South is a means to an end and nothing more. Monmouth is there until the CAA takes them (or until AE rights itself). Coastal is gone the moment SoCon or CAA calls (they may even take an OVC invite if OVC wants to go that far east, should something ever happen to Belmont or Murray State). And I can't help but think Winthrop is moving on at some point...they are a basketball school, and a decent one at that, who can't be happy with what has happened to a conference it helped form.

Richmond could be a Patriot school for football only, but the longer W&M isn't in it, the more likely it is it won't ever happen. How both BU and L(MD) get in ahead of W&M...if it isn't W&M keeping the subject off the table, it just doesn't look like the Patriot wants any other public institution than the SA's. If W&M wants an additional all-sports VA partner, then forget it.

Article out of Macon(previously posted in another thread)discussing Big South realignment situation at http://www.macon.com/2013/06/03/2503322 ... anges.html

So the Albany guy I talk to on the fcs board is saying KSU to the Big South for fb only and Delaware St. for all sports. WTF? I know DSU wanted to join a non HBCU conf. but how is a school in Delaware in the all sports footprint but not the team in Atlanta for the Big South?

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I could see it. Delaware St is about 4 extra hours of driving time compared to VMI and would be in the North division. Wouldn't upset the divisional alignment. Wouldn't be ideal but I could see them over KSU for all sports. Plus Delaware St would not be available for football only while KSU would