Does CUSA survive?

[ZooCougar]

Not even close. If we join a conference, we will never again get to play 2+ P5 teams at home in a season. Our schedule is of a higher caliber as an independent than if we were in the Sun Belt, C-USA, or the MAC.

LaTech fans don't want to be in C-USA, but we do? I don't think so.

It we’re going to join a G5 then aim higher. Go for the Sun Belt.

 

[Hoophound]

It we’re going to join a G5 then aim higher. Go for the Sun Belt.

Nah. Let’s stay the course and take a few years to see if we can become a “good” Indy. That’s much better than any option that is not P5. I think Mora can and will pull it off.

 

[shizzle787]

It we’re going to join a G5 then aim higher. Go for the Sun Belt.

Keep aiming higher. The only league I would be interested in at this point would be the MW (geography notwithstanding) as even most casual fans have heard of their teams bar SJSU.

 

[ZooCougar]

Keep aiming higher. The only league I would be interested in at this point would be the MW (geography notwithstanding) as even most casual fans have heard of their teams bar SJSU.

Might as well join a conference on Mars. The Sun Belt plays much much better football.

 

[ZooCougar]

Nah. Let’s stay the course and take a few years to see if we can become a “good” Indy. That’s much better than any option that is not P5. I think Mora can and will pull it off.

I agree. I don’t think the Sun Belt wants us anyways.

 

[shizzle787]

Might as well join a conference on Mars. The Sun Belt plays much much better football.

The top 5 in the Sun Belt are pretty good. After that it goes downhill very quickly. The MW has more parity and is better on average.

 

[Kolumbo]

The reality is that UCONN had the good fortune of getting thrust directly into the Big East. Other programs like Houston, Cinci, Loserville, UCF, TCU paid their dues for a long time in places like C-USA, MW and the American. We may not like it but it takes time to build a program and UCONN just couldn't withstand the pelting it took from CR. Sure, C-USA isn't as good as it used to be but I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, conference or indy. They are both bad options right now. We all want a short cut and it some believe being Indy and playing P5 programs is that shortcut to P5 level ball. It's really up to Coach Mora and how well he can recruit whether in a conference or not.

 

[Slasher]

I don't think CUSA is the answer, but football only membership in the Sun Belt / AAC or MAC would be appealing IMO. Just for the tie-in for the playoff and bowls.

 

[metsfan2323]

The reality is that UCONN had the good fortune of getting thrust directly into the Big East. Other programs like Houston, Cinci, Loserville, UCF, TCU paid their dues for a long time in places like C-USA, MW and the American. We may not like it but it takes time to build a program and UCONN just couldn't withstand the pelting it took from CR. Sure, C-USA isn't as good as it used to be but I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, conference or indy. They are both bad options right now. We all want a short cut and it some believe being Indy and playing P5 programs is that shortcut to P5 level ball. It's really up to Coach Mora and how well he can recruit whether in a conference or not.

Good post. You are correct, some people view Indy as a short-cut to P5 status. My opinion is that it is the opposite of a short-cut, Indy just makes our path to a P5 bid more challenging. The only thing that anybody respects is wins, recruits want to go to schools that win. Why is FCS North Dakota State putting more players in the NFL than we are? Answer, they attract better recruits because they win. Put our boys in a position to win and great things will happen, keep stacking the schedule with teams like Michigan and NC State and we will always be treading water. I say we should embrace G5 status while we are stuck in it and strive to be the best G5 team on the planet, starting in 2016 the best G5 team will even get the glory of an auto-bid, as an Indy we have no shot. Independence is a path to nowhere, we are beggars on the street with a sign that says "Please schedule us".

 

[metsfan2323]

I don't think CUSA is the answer, but football only membership in the Sun Belt / AAC or MAC would be appealing IMO. Just for the tie-in for the playoff and bowls.

I agree that those other conferences are better options, but I disagree with the idea that CUSA is a bad answer. There are still good teams in CUSA, they are definitely the weakest, but Liberty is a borderline top 30 team right now, WKU, UTEP and Mid Tenn all have big wins this year. LA Tech has a good football history. CUSA provides the same level of competition as the MAC IMO. We are scheduling teams like this as it is, why not make them conference games? I see people laughing at the Kennesaw State upgrade, but didn't we just schedule James Madison who just upgraded? What the heck is the difference? Kennesaw State has been a top 15 FCS program just like James Madison.

 

[Kolumbo]

I agree that those other conferences are better options, but I disagree with the idea that CUSA is a bad answer. There are still good teams in CUSA, they are definitely the weakest, but Liberty is a borderline top 30 team right now, WKU, UTEP and Mid Tenn all have big wins this year. LA Tech has a good football history. CUSA provides the same level of competition as the MAC IMO. We are scheduling teams like this as it is, why not make them conference games? I see people laughing at the Kennesaw State upgrade, but didn't we just schedule James Madison who just upgraded? What the heck is the difference? Kennesaw State has been a top 15 FCS program just like James Madison.

I am not so concerned with a conference today because outside the P2, everything seems to be in flux. It might make sense to wait a couple 2 tree years to see how things shake out. An argument for joining a conference:

 

[metsfan2323]

I am not so concerned with a conference today because outside the P2, everything seems to be in flux. It might make sense to wait a couple 2 tree years to see how things shake out. An argument for joining a conference:

Exactly! Recently FBS upgraded James Madison has one P5 game on their schedule vs Louisville on November 5th, yet here they are living large ranked #25 in the nation. I'm sure every recruit on their radar knows they are ranked and they will probably have a huge recruiting year. Our fanbase would be ecstatic if we were ranked regardless of the teams on our schedule.

This is the path to a P5 bid, James Madison is showing us the way as is Coastal Carolina (currently 6-0, none of the wins vs P5)

 

[billybud]

Exactly! Recently FBS upgraded James Madison has one P5 game on their schedule vs Louisville on November 5th, yet here they are living large ranked #25 in the nation. I'm sure every recruit on their radar knows they are ranked and they will probably have a huge recruiting year. Our fanbase would be ecstatic if we were ranked regardless of the teams on our schedule.

This is the path to a P5 bid, James Madison is showing us the way as is Coastal Carolina (currently 6-0, none of the wins vs P5)

JMU got limited creds for beating Appalachian State and beating Middle Tennessee 44-7....MTSU isn't good, but they did beat Miami and Colorado State.

A strange season yet...with Kansas and Syracuse ranked in the top 20.

 

[Durks07]

Exactly! Recently FBS upgraded James Madison has one P5 game on their schedule vs Louisville on November 5th, yet here they are living large ranked #25 in the nation. I'm sure every recruit on their radar knows they are ranked and they will probably have a huge recruiting year. Our fanbase would be ecstatic if we were ranked regardless of the teams on our schedule.

This is the path to a P5 bid, James Madison is showing us the way as is Coastal Carolina (currently 6-0, none of the wins vs P5)

According to 247: JMU currently has the #168 recruiting class in the country. There are roughly 130 FBS programs. James Madison 2023 Football Commits

 

[Kolumbo]

According to 247: JMU currently has the #168 recruiting class in the country. There are roughly 130 FBS programs. James Madison 2023 Football Commits

The Dukes just entered AP at #25. It's gotta percolate a little while for it to drip down to the recruits. UCONN is at 112 but we KNOW this season will help recruiting/transfers.

 

[metsfan2323]

According to 247: JMU currently has the #168 recruiting class in the country. There are roughly 130 FBS programs. James Madison 2023 Football Commits

Given the fact that UCONN has had higher ranked recruiting classes than JMU do you think its possible that JMU is currently ranked # 25 because they have played (and beaten) a far easier schedule? Point being if we played JMU's schedule next year maybe we could get off to a hot start and find ourselves ranked. Would that be so terrible?

 

[Hoophound]

Given the fact that UCONN has had higher ranked recruiting classes than JMU do you think its possible that JMU is currently ranked # 25 because they have played (and beaten) a far easier schedule? Point being if we played JMU's schedule next year maybe we could get off to a hot start and find ourselves ranked. Would that be so terrible?

Yes, terrible. We don’t want to be JMU. If we played this schedule next year we’d be 4-3 right now. Give it another year or two, we might be 5-2 or maybe even 6-1.

We need to play and beat good teams to get a P5 invite or to massively increase our deal with CBS as an independent.

 

[metsfan2323]

We need to play and beat good teams

If by "good teams" you mean P5 you are wrong, JMU is ranked # 25 playing G5 teams.

90 percent of our fanbase would trade places with them right now if we could (being ranked #25), some are just in denial about it. The reality is we on are on a cloud after beating Fresno and FIU and very much looking forward to the Ball State game. Nothing beats winning, nothing, and winning begets more winning and better recruiting.

 

[metsfan2323]

If we played this schedule next year we’d be 4-3 right now.

LOL, and the 4 wins would be against Utah State, Central, Fresno and FIU.

BTW Cincy made it all the way to the playoffs last year playing just two P5 games, Two! If they played our schedule this year I highly doubt they go undefeated.

 

[huskymedic]

-> Tarleton State (Stephenville, Texas) and Eastern Kentucky are contenders to join Conference USA as well, sources said. Tarleton State is midway through its four-year reclassification from Division II to Division I, but it has a stadium, resources and an aggressive administration. EKU was a finalist to join the Sun Belt in 2015, but the spot went to Coastal Carolina. WKU president and C-USA board chair Tim Caboni said any notion or rumor that WKU would block EKU from joining the conference is “nonsense.”

Stephen F. Austin and McNeese State have also been in the mix for C-USA, but it’s not believed they have the resources to match the others as serious candidates, according to league sources. Missouri State has not been discussed as much, either. <-

-> The bottom line is that C-USA’s recent media deals have not helped the conference even when it has successful teams like UAB, UTSA and WKU. As much as anything else, fixing the availability of games is crucial for the future and the image of the conference.

“It’s critical,” said Stockstill, who pointed to MTSU’s recent win against Miami happening on the ACC Network. “It’s vital in every aspect of your conference and program that your fans, recruits, everybody can be exposed to your team.” <-

 

[Kolumbo]

LOL, and the 4 wins would be against Utah State, Central, Fresno and FIU.

BTW Cincy made it all the way to the playoffs last year playing just two P5 games, Two! If they played our schedule this year I highly doubt they go undefeated.

They were both in Indiana so I'm calling it 1.5!

 

[ZooCougar]

Hard Pass on joining CUSA. Hard.

We can schedule a mix of winnable games/competitive P5 and paycheck games and make more money as an Indy.

It makes no sense to join a conference with Kennesaw and Tarleton. None.

 

[billybud]

LOL, and the 4 wins would be against Utah State, Central, Fresno and FIU.

BTW Cincy made it all the way to the playoffs last year playing just two P5 games, Two! If they played our schedule this year I highly doubt they go undefeated.

They did beat 11-2 Notre Dame and 12-2 Houston.....two good teams.

This year so far, they have only lost their opener with Arkansas...

 

[Ha Who]

Not you Zoo. Kind of hard to follow the thread with two of the main posters on ignore

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Cincinnati was able to get to the playoff because a) they returned basically everyone from a team that had a legitimate case the prior year and gave Georgia all they could handle in a bowl game in Atlanta and b) there were too few P5 teams with less than two losses that season.

While they absolutely deserved it, it only happened because the powers to be had no ability to bounce them. In nearly every prior season that was not the case.

The year we went to the Fiesta Bowl we won our conference (got the bowl due to tiebreakers) even with losing to the bottom two teams in the conference. How often can a school lose two games in conference (regardless of how good those schools are) and still have a shot at winning the conference?