Independent Rambling

[BrickTamland]

Just a word of thanks to Star2City on several other topics.....for a bunch of good research and insightful posting.

Begin rambling......

If I am not mistaken, there could actually be 15 schools in the independent list as of 08-09. Correct me if I am wrong.

NJ Tech

Longwood

Bryant

New Haven

NC Central

UT-Pan American

HBU

Chicago State

SIU-Edwardsville

Savannah State

CSU-Bakersfield

Seattle

UND

USD

Utah Valley

Notice the breakdown into three, five-team divisions. Eight games in division, up to possible 10 out. Makes for a projected 18-game second half scheduling help....leaving just seven games to be filled to hit the 25 needed to be an RPI counter.

All these schools are in different phases of their transition, but it would probably help until some people found conference affiliation.

I had heard that NC Central was attempting to get in the MEAC, and there is early word that New Haven and Bryant are looking to buddy up to America East or the NEC. I would assume that CSU-Bakersfield is trying to get into the Big West with all the other CSU-fill in the blanks......

Obviously from all the talk, UND and USD are looking at the Summit, as are HBU and SIU-Edwardsville. Utah Valley might be a Summit as well as long as Southern Utah is still in it, and Chicago State looks to be a long-term fix as an independent after basically being booted from the Summit.

Savannah State has been shunned by several conferences in the past few years, as has UTPA over many, many years. I haven't heard anything about NJIT or Longwood......

Sorry for the rambling.......let me know if you see differently.

[star2city]

If I am not mistaken, there could actually be 15 schools in the independent list as of 08-09. Correct me if I am wrong.

NJ Tech

Longwood

Bryant

New Haven

NC Central

UT-Pan American

HBU

Chicago State

SIU-Edwardsville

Savannah State

CSU-Bakersfield

Seattle

UND

USD

Utah Valley

Notice the breakdown into three, five-team divisions. Eight games in division, up to possible 10 out. Makes for a projected 18-game second half scheduling help....leaving just seven games to be filled to hit the 25 needed to be an RPI counter.

All these schools are in different phases of their transition, but it would probably help until some people found conference affiliation.

I had heard that NC Central was attempting to get in the MEAC, and there is early word that New Haven and Bryant are looking to buddy up to America East or the NEC. I would assume that CSU-Bakersfield is trying to get into the Big West with all the other CSU-fill in the blanks......

Obviously from all the talk, UND and USD are looking at the Summit, as are HBU and SIU-Edwardsville. Utah Valley might be a Summit as well as long as Southern Utah is still in it, and Chicago State looks to be a long-term fix as an independent after basically being booted from the Summit.

Savannah State has been shunned by several conferences in the past few years, as has UTPA over many, many years. I haven't heard anything about NJIT or Longwood......

Sorry for the rambling.......let me know if you see differently.

Not sure a formal scheduling of that size would work, just because there are so many conflicts. Seven or eight could probably agree, but not 15. Also, the central time zones schools could possibly work with both coasts, but Longwood vs Bakersfield or NJIT vs Seattle routine scheduling is less likely.

For example, CSU-Bakersfield has issued a very strong men's BB schedule, GoRunners, which shows minimal reliance on independents/transitioning schools. With the WAC, MWC, Big Sky, and now Big West all at nine schools, each of those conferences have holes to fill during the conference season. Bakersfield took advantage of those gaps. Conference-wise, Bakersfield's only real option is the Big West, but other Big West schools (namely the UC'- s) probably really want a school like UC-San Diego. Ironically, other than Pacific and Davis, CSU-B would probably have the best fan support.

New Haven, now that Bryant is moving up, may be able to take Bryant's DII NE-10 slot. UNH motivation was to find a football conference, and if DII provides, they might stay.

America East seems a step above either Bryant or NJIT, while the Northeast Conference already has 11 members. Perhaps there will be a domino effect if the Patriot adds a school.

NCCU is likely for the MEAC, but that brings the MEAC to 13. The only option Chicago State really has is the MEAC (Chicago is a closer trip than Tallahassee or Daytona Beach for many of the schools). By adding NCCU, Chicago St, as well as Savannah St and Tennessee St, the MEAC could split and gain twice as much revenue. Savannah may drop back to DII, though.

Longwood might be in for a long independent ride, with the Big South choosing Presbyterian over them.

Houston Baptist and UTPA will be partners in scheduling. The Southland and the Summit are their only real options. By offering fertile recruiting grounds, Houston Baptist might actually stand a chance getting into the Summit, especially with Centenary and ORU. The Summit would likely be forced to take UTPA, for maintaining core membership requirements, if Southern Utah somehow gets into the Big Sky.

SIU-E goes either to the Summit or to the Ohio Valley. Seattle really only has the WCC option, unless the Big Sky takes in a non-football school. Utah Valley has no natural options, unless the Summit or BSC relents.

I had been a believer that UND was destined by a western conference (BSC), but it may be that only football will look west.

[bisonguy]

Not sure a formal scheduling of that size would work, just because there are so many conflicts. Seven or eight could probably agree, but not 15. Also, the central time zones schools could possibly work with both coasts, but Longwood vs Bakersfield or NJIT vs Seattle routine scheduling is less likely.

For example, CSU-Bakersfield has issued a very strong men's BB schedule, GoRunners, which shows minimal reliance on independents/transitioning schools. With the WAC, MWC, Big Sky, and now Big West all at nine schools, each of those conferences have holes to fill during the conference season. Bakersfield took advantage of those gaps. Conference-wise, Bakersfield's only real option is the Big West, but other Big West schools (namely the UC'- s) probably really want a school like UC-San Diego. Ironically, other than Pacific and Davis, CSU-B would probably have the best fan support.

New Haven, now that Bryant is moving up, may be able to take Bryant's DII NE-10 slot. UNH motivation was to find a football conference, and if DII provides, they might stay.

America East seems a step above either Bryant or NJIT, while the Northeast Conference already has 11 members. Perhaps there will be a domino effect if the Patriot adds a school.

NCCU is likely for the MEAC, but that brings the MEAC to 13. The only option Chicago State really has is the MEAC (Chicago is a closer trip than Tallahassee or Daytona Beach for many of the schools). By adding NCCU, Chicago St, as well as Savannah St and Tennessee St, the MEAC could split and gain twice as much revenue. Savannah may drop back to DII, though.

Longwood might be in for a long independent ride, with the Big South choosing Presbyterian over them.

Houston Baptist and UTPA will be partners in scheduling. The Southland and the Summit are their only real options. By offering fertile recruiting grounds, Houston Baptist might actually stand a chance getting into the Summit, especially with Centenary and ORU. The Summit would likely be forced to take UTPA, for maintaining core membership requirements, if Southern Utah somehow gets into the Big Sky.

SIU-E goes either to the Summit or to the Ohio Valley. Seattle really only has the WCC option, unless the Big Sky takes in a non-football school. Utah Valley has no natural options, unless the Summit or BSC relents.

I had been a believer that UND was destined by a western conference (BSC), but it may be that only football will look west.

Football would find many more opponents if it looked east- Where the heck are all those DI FCS schools located at?

[star2city]

Football would find many more opponents if it looked east- Where the heck are all those DI FCS schools located at?

I was referring to the conference situation. It would take two teams to leave the Gateway before UND likely gets in. For football, UND's future is either intertwined with UC-Davis / Cal Poly or with the Big Sky (or both).