Conference Realignments - Take 2

[Goon]

With the Conf USA/MWC merger they say they want anywhere from 18-30 schools to join the new conference...just a thought. Obviously leaving out some schools from being included and assuming some schools go to the sun belt or other conference but this would be a sweet model considering the new conference would do semi's and a conference champ....semi's north v south and east v west with the winner having a pretty nice championsip game. North Division UND NDSU Montana MSU Idaho Utah State SJSU West Division Wyoming CSU UNLV Fresno Nevada-Reno New Mexico Hawaii East Division Marshall Appalachian State East Carolina Delaware Georgia Southern James Madison Liberty South Division Tulane UAB Tulsa Rice UTEP Southern Mississippi Georgia State

Is there even a remote chance that this happens?

[zonadub]

Is there even a remote chance that this happens?

not if UND is still dealing with NCAA sanctions

[SIOUXFAN97]

Is there even a remote chance that this happens?

The new Conf USA/MWC conference is on record as saying they want upwards of 30 schools for their new conference. For them to get to that number many FCS schools will be asked to join their conference and you would think that Montan/Montana State would be one of the first (sounds like Appy State has been called already) schools to be contacted about joining. The Big Sky Conference WITHOUT Montana and or Montana State is not a conference that UND would want to be in. Hopefully where UM/MSU goes we go and maybe if they are lucky we can bring along the little boys to the south with us.

Where is Star2City when you need him.

[Matt]

Per Dom Izzo tweet, Illinois State planning a move to FBS. Will the Valley be looking for another member? Could be an option if UND is kicked out of the BSC.

Dom Izzo@DomIzzoWDAY

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Illinois State President says wants to move football program from #FCS to FBS, stadium just approved for 25 million dollar renovation

Link to full story on long term goals: http://t.co/tnQrqPcc

[Skillet]

Per Dom Izzo tweet, Illinois State planning a move to FBS. Will the Valley be looking for another member? Could be an option if UND is kicked out of the BSC.

Dom Izzo@DomIzzoWDAY

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Illinois State President says wants to move football program from #FCS to FBS, stadium just approved for 25 million dollar renovation

Link to full story on long term goals: http://t.co/tnQrqPcc

I guess they could add another team, but I thought adding USD was due in part to stuff like this, like an insurance policy. If Illinois State leaves, it puts the conference back at 9 members, an ideal number.

[zonadub]

I guess they could add another team, but I thought adding USD was due in part to stuff like this, like an insurance policy. If Illinois State leaves, it puts the conference back at 9 members, an ideal number.

That may be, but USD was added to the MVFC, and the MVC may be looking for an all-sports member to keep the status quo in the MVFC with the Summit schools. North Dakota would bring no Summit League ties into the MVC that a NDSU, SDSU, USD or another previous member of the Summit would.

Bottom line is that UND will still have to get off the NCAA sanction list to get in to any conference - BSC, WAC, MWCUSA, MVC, Summit - you name it.

[The Sicatoka]

Folks, did you ever stop to think that maybe part of the reason Faison, Hakstol, Mussman, Lennon (yes, Lennon) are all saying drop the moniker and stay off sanctions is that they see opportunities out there in this realm that we are not aware of?

[bincitysioux]

Folks, did you ever stop to think that maybe part of the reason Faison, Hakstol, Mussman, Lennon (yes, Lennon) are all saying drop the moniker and stay off sanctions is that they see opportunities out there in this realm that we are not aware of?

Personally, when you're already a member of the Big Sky, I wouldn't view potential membership in the MVFC as an "opportunity".............................

[nodakvindy]

Maybe not the MVFC, but the Missouri Valley Conference is absolutely an opportunity.

[bincitysioux]

Maybe not the MVFC, but the Missouri Valley Conference is absolutely an opportunity.

If North Dakota ever has a chance to be a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, it will look nothing like the MVC that we know of today. The MVC is a border-line high-major basketball league. They get 2-4 bids to the NCAA tourney already.

If ANY Dakota school ever joins the MVC, it will likely look alot more like today's Summit League rather than today's MVC.............................

[The Sicatoka]

You guys are thinking too small.

Who knows what opportunities may open with the CUSA/MWC merger.

Not sayin', just sayin'.

[bincitysioux]

You guys are thinking too small.

Who knows what opportunities may open with the CUSA/MWC merger.

Not sayin', just sayin'.

Depends on you perspective of "small".........................

DI National Championship vs. Hawaii/New Mexico Bowl? I know which one I would choose......................

[Cratter]

Just guessing but that bowl game would probably get better TV ratings and usually averages more than the FCS championship game.

Idaho had a regular season game on ESPN (or 2) this year.

[bincitysioux]

Just guessing but that bowl game would probably get better TV ratings and usually averages more than the FCS championship game.

Idaho had a regular season game on ESPN (or 2) this year.

Yeah, North Dakota was also on ESPNU for a basketball game this year. And last year. Would you rather be "filler" for them in a body-bag game, or be playing for the DI title in the most popular sport in the country?....................................

[Cratter]

Yeah, North Dakota was also on ESPNU for a basketball game this year. And last year. Would you rather be "filler" for them in a body-bag game, or be playing for the DI title in the most popular sport in the country?....................................

I was talking Idaho and football. Have yet to see a regular season game of FCS on ESPN.

I would rather play in a bowl game. No matter how "small" it is. And doubt it would be a body game game. Probably be against the Gopher with the Sioux dominating.

Being FBS, no matter how irrelevant, is still like 5x greater for exposure than being FCS (and winning or playing for a championship?) Idaho, a pretty crappy FBS, team would rather drop football than be FCS.

I can be Idaho in NCAA Football on playstation. I can't be any FCS team.

[bincitysioux]

I was talking Idaho and football. Have yet to see a regular season game of FCS on ESPN.

I would rather play in a bowl game. No matter how "small" it is. And doubt it would be a body game game. Probably be against the Gopher with the Sioux dominating.

Being FBS, no matter how irrelevant, is still like 5x greater for exposure than being FCS (and winning or playing for a championship?) Idaho, a pretty crappy FBS, team would rather drop football than be FCS.

I can be Idaho in NCAA Football on playstation. I can't be any FCS team.

You forget that the Gophers won't play the Sioux..............

Good to know that "Playstation" is your benchmark for success.......................................

Answer this without Google: Who won the Maaco Bowl this year?

Now answer this without Google: Who won the FCS Championship?

[darell1976]

You forget that the Gophers won't play the Sioux..............

Good to know that "Playstation" is your benchmark for success.......................................

Answer this without Google: Who won the Maaco Bowl this year?

Now answer this without Google: Who won the FCS Championship?

Boise State 56 Arizona St 24. Didn't use google...used Wikipedia.

[MoSiouxFan]

The new Conf USA/MWC conference is on record as saying they want upwards of 30 schools for their new conference. For them to get to that number many FCS schools will be asked to join their conference and you would think that Montan/Montana State would be one of the first (sounds like Appy State has been called already) schools to be contacted about joining. The Big Sky Conference WITHOUT Montana and or Montana State is not a conference that UND would want to be in. Hopefully where UM/MSU goes we go and maybe if they are lucky we can bring along the little boys to the south with us.

Where is Star2City when you need him.

Does anyone know Star2City to know if he's okay? It's highly unusual that he hasn't commented on this or other topics for quite some time.

[GeauxSioux]

Does anyone know Star2City to know if he's okay? It's highly unusual that he hasn't commented on this or other topics for quite some time.

I'm not sure why, but Star2City does not post here anymore. I think he posts over on the WAC board under the name Siouxfan.

Here is a thread regarding WAC hockey.

[Cratter]

You forget that the Gophers won't play the Sioux..............

Good to know that "Playstation" is your benchmark for success.......................................

Answer this without Google: Who won the Maaco Bowl this year?

Now answer this without Google: Who won the FCS Championship?

You forget that the Gophers won't play the Sioux..............

Good to know that "Playstation" is your benchmark for success.......................................

Answer this without Google: Who won the Maaco Bowl this year?

Now answer this without Google: Who won the FCS Championship?

Not a benchmark for success a benchmark for exposure and name recognition throughout the country.

Apparently that bowl game has two teams most people have heard of Arizona St and Boise St. Doubt many people would have heard of Boise St had they stayed FCS.

Before the Sioux moved to FCS. I could have never named the champion. Heck, I didn't even know there was an FCS! I have a feeling many casual people don't know there is either for football.

Top search page for the ratings says the MAACO Bowl drew 3.1 Million viewers.

Google or my search abilities are having a hard time finding the FCS championship ratings. But I found this on a message board

Villanova beat Montana in '09, it pulled a 1.52 rating

I think that equals about two million viewers.

So if these "crappy" bowls get more exposure than the championship game (or are about equal in aspects) and it is easier to get into a bowl game (at least based on records). Why not choose the one that will over the long run produce greater exposure?

Why do you think Idaho would rather drop football, according to about 70% of their fans on their fans message board, than return to FCS?

[SIOUXFAN97]

Both FBS and FCS have their good and bad...I would much rather have UND in the FCS as it sits right now but if a bunch of good FCS schools like Montana, MSU, Appy State, Delaware, Georgia State, Villanova to name a few move up FCS is not where UND would want to be. Also the FCS playoffs already exlclude all the Ivy League schools and all the SWAC schools (not saying much but still excludes a whole conference) and gives an auto bid to a conference that doesn't allow the max schollies if i heard right (Robert Morris' conference?)

A sixteen team FBS playoff with auto bids and a few at large bids would be awesome. The newly merged ConfUSA/MWC and soon to be merger SunBelt/MAC conference would get one auto bid given to the conference champs and other leagues like the Big East, ACC, and PAC 12 would get one auto bid and maybe 1 at large bid. The BIG10, BIG12, and the SEC would get one auto bids from their conference champs and maybe 2 more at large bids? That obviously wouldn't be the top 16 teams in the country but the Big Dance doesn't include the top 64 teams in the country either.

1. Alabama v 16. Northern Illinois (auto bid MAC/SunBelt)

2. LSU v 15. Southern Mississippi (auto bid ConfUSA/MWC)

3. Virginia Tech v 14. Baylor

4. Oklahoma State v 13. West Virginia

5. Oregon v 12. Arkansas

6. Georgia v 11. Clemson

7. Kansas State v 10. Wisconsin

8. Michigan State v 9. Stanford

Something like this would be damn fun to follow and with all the reshuffling going on in FBS it would be fun to think UND could be up there instead of Northern Illinois?

"but Northern Illinois/ North Dakota could never beat Alabama?" Holy Cross anyone?

[Cratter]

Both FBS and FCS have their good and bad...I would much rather have UND in the FCS as it sits right now but if a bunch of good FCS schools like Montana, MSU, Appy State, Delaware, Georgia State, Villanova to name a few move up FCS is not where UND would want to be.

Georgia State announced Tuesday it has commissioned Collegiate Consulting to conduct a study regarding the feasibility of a move to the Football Bowl Subdivision from the Championship Subdivision.

Villanova was invited to the Big East. They are "studying" it.

Everyone knows Montana is being courted for FBS. Most think its only a matter of time. Montana St probably follows.

Apply St just completed a study that says they should move to FBS.

James Madison's AD has stated they move to FBS in 18-24 months "very likely."

These are the teams currently moving up:

UTSA

Mass

South Alabama

Texas State

FCS already doesn't look like it did 10 years ago.

Let's finally lead and not follow.

[GeauxSioux]

UND mentioned in the mix for a WAC/Big Sky merger. Beware it is a Bleacher Report...3 Plans to Save the Western Athletic Conference

Plan C

Step 1: Offer Utah State's slot to Utah Valley University if they add football within 2 years. No one can get a competitive startup program off the ground in 2 years, so when UVU starts they will be a conference doormat for a few years. This is actually a positive as it suggests to incoming FCS members that if they throw caution to the wind and joined they would at least have one win in conference each year for the first few years. (..And it isn't like SJSU or NMSU are dominant teams either...)

Step 2: Offer a merger deal to the Big Sky conference.

The WAC would offer FBS invitations to all Big Sky football playing members except Davis and Cal Poly. The Big Sky Members would accept those invitations based on their own individual upgrade timelines. If Idaho State and the University of North Dakota want to take 20 years to upgrade, that is fine. There is doesn't appear to be any rule that says a school has to upgrade within a certain timeframe if accepting a conference's offer, but most conferences don't seem to be offering open ended invitations.

For the WAC it could cover them if they lose so many members that they lose FBS conference status for a few years, to have these invites floating out there.

The WAC would then merge into the Big Sky under the Big Sky name in an effort to nullify their TV deal with ESPN. The Big Sky would have an FBS and an FCS division.

Star2City where art thou??

[homer]

Star2City where art thou??

I think after he pretty much outed himself as an author on SayAnything blog he has stopped posting. He wasn't forced to stop, he chose to and I don't know if he'll be back.

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

I think after he pretty much outed himself as an author on SayAnything blog he has stopped posting. He wasn't forced to stop, he chose to and I don't know if he'll be back.

I don't think Rob and Star are the same person.