There's a rumor on "another board" that CUSA is not through expanding. That they have as targets: MT, FAU, & WKU. IF worst case happens and those 3 leave the Belt, WHO would replace them (without the appearance of a "watered down" Belt)? Does Benson's plan to get to 12 FB members go out the window?

Wow that would be a huge blow. Hard to believe, but they had said they wanted to maybe get to 16 members.
Dang, that would leave the Sun Belt with 7 football playing members (8 total). Not enough to be a conference is it? Didn't the NCAA put something in that if your conference played football that you had to have 8 football playing members minimum?

(05-10-2012 07:48 AM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  There's a rumor on "another board" that CUSA is not through expanding. That they have as targets: MT, FAU, & WKU. IF worst case happens and those 3 leave the Belt, WHO would replace them (without the appearance of a "watered down" Belt)? Does Benson's plan to get to 12 FB members go out the window?

We'd have no choice but NMSU, Idaho, App State, Georgia Southern and somebody else at that point.

(05-10-2012 07:53 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(05-10-2012 07:48 AM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  There's a rumor on "another board" that CUSA is not through expanding. That they have as targets: MT, FAU, & WKU. IF worst case happens and those 3 leave the Belt, WHO would replace them (without the appearance of a "watered down" Belt)? Does Benson's plan to get to 12 FB members go out the window?

We'd have no choice but NMSU, Idaho, App State, Georgia Southern and somebody else at that point.

the "bigs" in that conf. will not want to add those schools...I am sure they are already bummed with the addition of unt and utsa...or maybe there is talk of a few more schools leaving for the bigE .

We have no control over what they do. On the rumors substance, taking WKU doesnt make much sense based on their market strategy. Not sure any of our schools do besides Georgia State. And why not just merge if thats the case? One would think theyd just digest what they have added, but who knows?

I have some exteme doubts that this happens before the 2012 season if ever.

ECU Pres is not only pushing for 16, he's pushing for 18. And you can bet Marshall is lock step with him. They'll probably settle at the 16 and wait. Im sure they could pull the votes for MTSU if they wanted to.

Looks like ODU might announce for CAAQ monday:
http://bit.ly/KRRnwu

After ODU, they will mosy likely wait until everything plays out with the Big East.

FIU was pushing on the CUSA board for them to add FAU. MTSU was said to take ODU place if they didn't accept, and they are still thinking about it unless they gave them an answer and we don't know about it. ECU and So Miss have been hoping for a BE invite since their commissioner had to resign. Kind of makes sense. Who else would they take unless some MAC teams.

I highly doubt CUSA gets all 3 of those teams. Though I do think it is a strong reason why the SBC should look at going to 12 this year in football, not because of a Championship Game, simply because of the odds that Middle or WKU get plucked.

(05-10-2012 08:12 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  I highly doubt CUSA gets all 3 of those teams. Though I do think it is a strong reason why the SBC should look at going to 12 this year in football, not because of a Championship Game, simply because of the odds that Middle or WKU get plucked.

They will get whatever combination of SBC schools they want.

If CUSA did lose two teams to the BE and they did not get ODU in, then if they decided to go to the max, they could actually be looking for 8 new teams, wow.
That would be scary.
Wonder if some of this is like the BE that the CUSA is finding out that their main TV contract is not going to give them what they want just because they took in "big markets".
Especially since ESPN yesterday signed a 3.6 Billion dollar deal with the ACC giving each team $17,000,000 each year.

Anyone have a link?

(05-10-2012 08:18 AM)Panthersville Wrote:  

(05-10-2012 08:12 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  I highly doubt CUSA gets all 3 of those teams. Though I do think it is a strong reason why the SBC should look at going to 12 this year in football, not because of a Championship Game, simply because of the odds that Middle or WKU get plucked.

They will get whatever combination of SBC schools they want.

Depends on the teams. There are certain schools in this league that would have a hard time convincing themselves and their fanbase that CUSA is worth it.

The money would be awful for an 18 team conference.

The reason I dont think they get all 3 teams is I dont think in the end the league goes past 16. What ECU is advocating is essentially its own seperate conference where they dont have to travel to any Western Schools in football. A type setup like that would allow both divisions to simply split off and form their own conferences at one point,

(05-10-2012 08:21 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  If CUSA did lose two teams to the BE and they did not get ODU in, then if they decided to go to the max, they could actually be looking for 8 new teams, wow.
That would be scary.
Wonder if some of this is like the BE that the CUSA is finding out that their main TV contract is not going to give them what they want just because they took in "big markets".
Especially since ESPN yesterday signed a 3.6 Billion dollar deal with the ACC giving each team $17,000,000 each year.

I think in the end one of those two leagues is going to end up imploding, which will cause the next round of realignment.

It wasn't a point that all would be invited. CUSA has those schools on a list along with ODU, Delaware and JMU. One thing for sure, CUSA is not interested in App. State now that they have 2 schools from NC. In order to not look bad when this is all said and done, we should push App. State to accept and put pressure on Ga. Southern to follow.

They just may implode, but will they break up a large pasrt of the Belt and a portion of the MAC when they do?

I could see that happening, and then regional conferences sprouting up all over the place.

(05-10-2012 08:23 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(05-10-2012 08:18 AM)Panthersville Wrote:  

(05-10-2012 08:12 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  I highly doubt CUSA gets all 3 of those teams. Though I do think it is a strong reason why the SBC should look at going to 12 this year in football, not because of a Championship Game, simply because of the odds that Middle or WKU get plucked.

They will get whatever combination of SBC schools they want.

Depends on the teams. There are certain schools in this league that would have a hard time convincing themselves and their fanbase that CUSA is worth it.

The money would be awful for an 18 team conference.

The reason I dont think they get all 3 teams is I dont think in the end the league goes past 16. What ECU is advocating is essentially its own seperate conference where they dont have to travel to any Western Schools in football. A type setup like that would allow both divisions to simply split off and form their own conferences at one point,

....and CUSA wouldn't want such schools, so the point remains - any of the schools mentioned above, WKU, FAU, MTSU, or GSU would go if asked.

They would do well to add established programs and stray from the media market whore trend. Adding all these startups just to secure the market is really going to widen the gap between BCS and non-AQ FBS if they're not too careful. FAU and MTSU would be good gets. Then, if ODU balks, go with App State.