FB independents

[Vowelguy]

No not about uconn
----------------------

There are now 3 'regular' FBS independents - Umass, liberty, nmsu. What is their strategy - hang on until the next realignment? I can't imagine any of them can survive too long as is.

 

[Zissou]

BYU, Army...

Nothing wrong with being Indy vs G5.

 

[Vowelguy]

BYU, Army...

Nothing wrong with being Indy vs G5.

ND, BYU, Army are special cases as they have a special following that can sustain an independent schedule, which is why I didnt mention them. The other 3 are in a different class.

 

[whaler11]

Liberty is flush with cash. They don’t care but will land in CUSA or Sun Belt at some point.

The other two don’t have a strategy.

 

[History Geek]

I think UMass is trying to position itself as backfill for the AAC if UConn and/or others go somewhere else.

 

[Mokum]

I think UMass is trying to position itself as backfill for the AAC if UConn and/or others go somewhere else.

I think Umass would like to get in AAC right now. New Mexico St. Probably as well.

 

[Purple Stein]

No not about uconn
----------------------

There are now 3 'regular' FBS independents - Umass, liberty, nmsu. What is their strategy - hang on until the next realignment? I can't imagine any of them can survive too long as is.

UMass essentially got kicked out of the MAC, NMSU was kicked out of the Sun Belt. The strategy is survival/don’t turn into Idaho.

Liberty is just up from FCS and is waiting for an opportunity (that they’ll probably get before UMass or NMSU).

 

[Mokum]

UMass essentially got kicked out of the MAC, NMSU was kicked out of the Sun Belt. The strategy is survival/don’t turn into Idaho.

Liberty is just up from FCS and is waiting for an opportunity (that they’ll probably get before UMass or NMSU).

I didn’t know Umass got booted from the MAC. Do you know what the reason was?

 

[The X Man]

I didn’t know Umass got booted from the MAC. Do you know what the reason was?

They wouldn't put their other sports in the MAC

 

[Vowelguy]

Let me refine my question:

When are the P5 TV contracts up, 2023? If there's no realignment then, would you expect NMSU and UMass to give up on FBS?

 

[Adios]

Let me refine my question:

When are the P5 TV contracts up, 2023? If there's no realignment then, would you expect NMSU and UMass to give up on FBS?

No. Massachusetts' flagship school can't fall behind. NMSU still has hope, maybe.

 

[Vowelguy]

No. Massachusetts' flagship school can't fall behind. NMSU still has hope, maybe.

Can schools like that really stay independent indefinitely?

 

[Adios]

Can schools like that really stay independent indefinitely?

I wouldn't consider that a concern. They wouldn't be pursuing their goals with wrecklessness.

 

[Fishy]

Let me refine my question:

When are the P5 TV contracts up, 2023? If there's no realignment then, would you expect NMSU and UMass to give up on FBS?

Potentially.

It's not something that they can endure indefinitely.

If the mid-2020's shakeout comes and goes and neither school has a home, there's really not a lot left for them to pursue. They have no bowl affiliation, no conference revenue payout, no television rights fee, no exposure...they're reduced to seeking guarantee games in perpetuity. They won't be able to justify the expenditure forever.

I think a lot of schools, including UConn, will have decisions to make at that stage.

 

[uconntailgater]

I don't understand why the Mountain West Conference doesn't invite New Mexico State.

 

[Vowelguy]

I don't understand why the Mountain West Conference doesn't invite New Mexico State.

That's like asking a poor family with 12 starving kids why they don't add another mouth to feed.

 

[uconntailgater]

The payout in the MWC isn't that large per team. Maybe the CUSA would take them?

 

[CL82]

That's like asking a poor family with 12 starving kids why they don't add another mouth to feed.

Ironically enough they typically are the ones who'll say yes.

 

[Fishy]

I don't understand why the Mountain West Conference doesn't invite New Mexico State.

Why would they?

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Liberty is just up from FCS and is waiting for an opportunity (that they’ll probably get before UMass or NMSU).

Sure, but Liberty's in its' own form of cash-rich class. Unbeknownst to many nationally, the Jerry Falwell-created private school now headed by his son has some very, very deep pockets. And, the school upgraded to BCS as part of a broader marketing initiative.

Apparently, movers and shakers supporting Liberty fully appreciate expanded publicity and other perceived benefits despite projected long-term gridiron financial losses. Very different scenario than underfunded publics, NMSU and umess.

 

[Zissou]

UMass essentially got kicked out of the MAC, NMSU was kicked out of the Sun Belt. The strategy is survival/don’t turn into Idaho.

Liberty is just up from FCS and is waiting for an opportunity (that they’ll probably get before UMass or NMSU).

I have a different perspective. There is / was a rule that to move from FCS to FBS required an invite up from an existing FBS conference. UMass followed that rule by stepping up through a MAC invitation. The MAC was the UMass path to FBS. There was a possibility that the MAC could be more than that stepping stone up, and that UMass could have joined for all sports. UMass did not take the full conference, and opted for Indy.

I don't think UMass was kicked out. I think they had an agreement with the MAC as a path to step up, and did not exercise their option for full conference membership. The result was FBS independence.

Liberty broke the mold. Many considered the invite rule as anti-competitive and that it would not stand a challenge. Liberty proved this as they stepped up to FBS directly as an independent and the NCAA approved.

Had the Liberty precedent been in place UMass probably would have not gone through the MAC and would have stepped up independently.

 

[Zissou]

ND, BYU, Army are special cases as they have a special following that can sustain an independent schedule, which is why I didnt mention them. The other 3 are in a different class.

Then you probably have to include Liberty in that special class.

ND is the most unique with the partial football membership in the ACC.

 

[billybud]

Any program can move to FBS if they meet the requirements:

1. Sponsor a minimum of 16 varsity intercollegiate sports, including football, based on the minimum sports sponsorship and scheduling requirements set forth in Bylaw 20.

2. Schedule and play at least 60 percent of its football contests against members of Football Bowl Subdivision.

3. Average at least 15,000 in actual or paid attendance for all home football contests over a rolling two-year period. [Bylaw 20.9.7.3]

4. Provide an average of at least 90 percent of the permissible maximum number of overall football grants-in-aid per year over a rolling two-year period. [Bylaw 20.9.7.4-(a)]

5. Annually offer a minimum of 200 athletics grants-in-aid or expend at least four million dollars on grants-in-aid to student-athletes in athletics programs. [Bylaw 20.9.7.4-(b)]

 

[dayooper]

I don't think UMass was kicked out. I think they had an agreement with the MAC as a path to step up, and did not exercise their option for full conference membership. The result was FBS independence.

It all depends on how you look at it. They had another school (I can’t remember who) ready to join with them. The contract stated they had two more years to decide what to do when they left. It was mutual, but The MAC was clear they were going to exercise their right to remove UMass if they choose to not join in full. UMass chose to leave early.

 

[TerryD]

"We'd like to beat Notre Dame some day."----Jerry Falwell.

`Let`s put it this way,`` Morgan Hout (Liberty head coach) said. ``Notre Dame is the flagship school for Catholic kids. Brigham Young is the flagship school for Mormon kids. We`d just like to be the flagship school for born-again kids.``



This article from November 3, 1985 talks about Liberty and its college football aspirations.


Call It A Football Revival