The Sun Belt is examining expansion. The league is considering adding up to four schools... | The Boneyard

The Sun Belt is examining expansion. The league is considering adding up to four schools...

shizzle787

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If they add those four, I wouldn’t be surprised to see WKU and MTSU go to the MAC to finish off C-USA. At that point, the league would be down to three schools: FIU, UTEP, LaTech.
 

shizzle787

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Why play games against Michigan and Maryland and UNC when we can play against Louisiana Tech!
And they are probably the best brand left in that league.
 
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Nuts & Bolts re: Sunbelt

-> People in the Sun Belt were largely surprised by the AAC’s decision to go big and feel it’s a sign of desperation. The Mountain West stayed pat and the Sun Belt could too if it doesn’t see enough value in the other options. So what are those options?

Southern Miss and Marshall are largely viewed by people in the Sun Belt as the strongest choices. Both have football history, long runs of success and, most importantly, engaged fans who travel, especially when they’re successful. Much like the Sun Belt benefited from adding App State and Georgia Southern from the FCS because they had solid fan bases (as opposed to “TV markets”), Southern Miss in particular is smack dab in the middle of the Sun Belt’s footprint.

Old Dominion and James Madison are in Virginia and a bit outside the footprint, but they could work as travel partners. They have large athletic budgets, in the $50 million range, though those budgets are heavily subsidized by student fees. ODU is a young program but recently rebuilt its football stadium, while JMU has good facilities. JMU is one of the top FCS programs, and the Sun Belt has found a lot of success adding from the top of the FCS with App State, Georgia Southern and Coastal Carolina.

Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee could be options to return to the Sun Belt, but there remain hard feelings over how they left for C-USA in the early 2010s. They also may not provide enough clear value from a competitive or television money standpoint.

Liberty is in a unique position and has been for some time. Its outspoken political affiliations have turned off many conference presidents in the past. Former president Jerry Falwell Jr. is no longer at the school, but past controversy still hangs over everything. The other factor is money. Liberty reportedly offered tens of millions to join an FBS conference when it moved up from the FCS, but throwing that kind of money around also scared schools that can’t financially compete with them. From a success standpoint in football, Liberty brings a lot, and the Flames are interested in joining the right conference. Whether or not a conference wants them remains to be seen.

Whatever the Sun Belt does, travel will be a factor. Much of the conference can travel by bus to competitions, which saves a lot of money. The league also wants to make sure the East/West split stays even. <-

(… and keep the Liberty commentary on topic)
 
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Top minds of Reddit are proposing that we join CUSA. I would rather crap in my hand and clap.
There’s some hardcore dumb going on on the sub wrt UConn.

The game threads are fun though.
 

shizzle787

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It's looking like ODU, JMU, Southern Miss, and Marshall to the Sun Belt and WKU and MTSU to the MAC. You've got to feel for UTEP, FIU, and LaTech.
 

CL82

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I dont get the interest in ODU. They made the move to FBS and should've been successful -- good location, ~top 50 market that they have to themselves. And they have utterly sucked. What reason is there to believe they will ever be any good?

Also I swear JMU turned down the SunBelt offer several years ago. If they are actually now interested in FBS then the AAC should've taken them over some of the dregs they added.
 
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It's looking like ODU, JMU, Southern Miss, and Marshall to the Sun Belt and WKU and MTSU to the MAC. You've got to feel for UTEP, FIU, and LaTech.
WAC might have interest in UTEP & LaTech.
FIU is toast tho. I'm sure UConn & UMass wouldn't mind a game in south florida.
 
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I dont get the interest in ODU. They made the move to FBS and should've been successful -- good location, ~top 50 market that they have to themselves. And they have utterly sucked. What reason is there to believe they will ever be any good?

Also I swear JMU turned down the SunBelt offer several years ago. If they are actually now interested in FBS then the AAC should've taken them over some of the dregs they added.
Agreed - JMU just needs a little lighter fluid and they'll increase their flame. Very good facilities, excellent campus and academics and as a state school they've got a lot of upside potential.
 

UCFBfan

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WAC might have interest in UTEP & LaTech.
FIU is toast tho. I'm sure UConn & UMass wouldn't mind a game in south florida.
Surprised the Sun Belt wouldn't consider adding FIU. They don't currently have a Florida school
 
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Surprised the Sun Belt wouldn't consider adding FIU. They don't currently have a Florida school
Fairly far out of footprint. In the east division, the schools furtherest apart are ~500 miles. The school closest to FIU is 500m.
 

UC1995

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Didn’t FIU and La Tech leave Sun Belt at one time. There are probably hard feelings keeping them out from other teams.
 
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Based on what I've read, La. Tech burned a lot of bridges on the way out the door. FIU less so.
 

Chin Diesel

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I dont get the interest in ODU. They made the move to FBS and should've been successful -- good location, ~top 50 market that they have to themselves. And they have utterly sucked. What reason is there to believe they will ever be any good?

Also I swear JMU turned down the SunBelt offer several years ago. If they are actually now interested in FBS then the AAC should've taken them over some of the dregs they added.

Yessirree.

I was living in the Hampton Roads area when ODU went to D1 for football. You are right. No reason they shouldn't have been able to keep some of the second level local talent. Decent college scene, good stadium, academics aren't keeping out any interested players.
 
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Allegedly this may get announced next week. If the MAC gets involved and knocks C-USA to three schools they can all disband the conference and avoid exit fees.
 
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Mentions CUSA interested in existing FBS schools such as UConn UMass and NMSU over FCS interest currently receiving.
 

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