The next dominoes (October 24 edition)

[shizzle787]

Another week. Another bombshell. Though not fully confirmed, I expect Marshall, Old Dominion, and James Madison will join Southern Miss in the Sun Belt by the end of the week.

That leaves the MAC as the next conference up to bat. Once the previously mentioned move takes shape, I expect the league to invite two all sports members, Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State University.

West: Bowling Green, Toledo, NIU, Ball St., EMU, CMU, WMU
East: WKU, MTSU, Miami (OH), Kent St., Buffalo, Ohio, Akron

This leaves the shell of C-USA: FIU, UTEP, and LaTech. NMSU will eagerly attempt to join them in an attempt to find at least 8 total all-sports schools to keep the conference alive. However, Liberty, UConn, UMass, and Army will not. This will require at least 4 more all sports members.

This is where things may get weird. On November 15th, the NCAA will have a special convention. I have a suspicion that the rules will be tinkered with so that pathway to bring up more than 1 or 2 FCS schools at a time will be closed.

With that result, C-USA will cease to be an FBS conference. However, it will remain a Division 1 conference. With 4 schools in tow, they will need to add at least 4 more to maintain being a basketball league. They schools they invite will be Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin, UT-Arlington, and Little Rock.

Sam Houston State
Stephen F. Austin
UT-Arlington
Little Rock
New Mexico State
UTEP
FIU
Lousiana Tech

 

[Hondo 77]

C-USA is still an FBS conference. It's name is now AAC.

 

[UC1995]

MAC not adding schools. It does nothing for them.

 

[Pudge]

There is whispers about the MAC adding schools. And it ain't about TV money anymore. It is lifeboats for MTSU & WKU looking for a life preserver. It will be desperate if it doesn't get done rather efficiently.

However, over the weekend, there were sports media in the Dallas area whispering also: Conference commissioner of the CUSA (a WOMAN) MacLeod talked about firming up Texas (she is based in Dallas). So Sam Houston & TARLETON were the word. Nobody focused on Tarleton - a 15,000 enrollment near the DFW Metroplex. They should find a way to take the other BIG WINNER - North Dakota State.

So James Madison is going FBS. You have leagues of No Names talking about going FCS to FBS (ASUN; new WAC). I think CUSA can easily get to 8. And then the WKU + MTSU decision; Louisiana Tech (did you know Univ. of Louisiana + Louisiana Monroe hates Louisiana Tech?); Old Dominion; FIU? I think West Florida U. remains the only Football Playing State U. in Florida not in FBS; that won't be that way.

Remember: CUSA embraced Charlotte - who started from scratch less than a decade ago. And Old Dominion.

So I pose this to you ... why would the Northeast stay FCS?

 

[ScottVib]

I think the entire definition of the various levels (i.e. FBS, FCS, non-football) and divisions (D1, D2, D3) is going to be rewritten significantly in the not to distant future. Perhaps this is the impetus to get that started, I think we'll end up closer to where things were pre-FCS/FBS split with the "autonomous" conferences simply opting out of the NCAA's playoff structure for some sports (i.e. football, basketball)..

 

[Pudge]

Yahoo Sports reporter Pete Thamel reported via Twitter on Friday that "Conference USA is actively pursuing multiple avenues to expand and stay afloat. Among the schools they have been engaged with are Sam Houston State, New Mexico State and Tarleton State. There’s an effort to fortify the Western flank of C-USA that got gutted by the AAC."

There is your leading indicator.

Or maybe ... it was when Tarleton hired Billy Gillespie. A hoop coach of a winning record ... but huge health, addiction and ethical mistake laden career. Guess who is from Stephenville, Texas? Art Briles and his son. It is an hour from the highway Fort Worth to Dallas. And well positioned to grow. You can argue this or that: but in Texas or California or Florida ... CFB becomes finding the next location for a McDonald's or next Hampton Inn. hmmm

Texas is important to the CUSA

 

[SubbaBub]

WKU would not be such a geographic outlier for the MAC. MTSU is a little worse but it would expand their recruiting footprint. It's only about money on the expense side. Does adding make sense if you can make it pay for itself? It's literally about extra TV inventory vs. the cost of busing and plane rides.

For UConn, it might mean that we don't have to play Liberty and NMSU in FB nearly as often. Rule #1 broken, woo hoo!

 

[Pudge]

here's the missing piece

Reported Exit Fees to CUSA is $36m to five schools. MAC TV cannot be all that much more than CUSA or Sun Belt; that's $500k per annum.

Trust the commissioner. Bring New Mexico State and 2 FCS. Maybe bring along geographic desirable Hoop Only/All Sports. Money $ makes you creative