Does anyone know whether there will be divisional play for the Sun Belt next year with Coastal joining and NMSU and Idaho still in the league? Obviously, the championship game will not come until 2018, so one of the divisional champions in 2017, if divisional exist, would also have to be crowned league champs.

I'm curious, mainly, which team App State and others are playing this year that will not be played next year due to Coastal' s addition.

(If there are not divisions next year, my bet is that App will miss ULM next year because I don't see App missing Coastal.)

Anyone with insider info, please share.

I highly doubt it, especially since the league big wigs still haven't decided whether their will be divisions let alone switching to playing 9 conference games or keeping it the way it is

(11-07-2016 05:37 PM)RamblinRedWolf44 Wrote:  I highly doubt it, especially since the league big wigs still haven't decided whether their will be divisions let alone switching to playing 9 conference games or keeping it the way it is

I really, really would prefer 8 games and divisions. App has games against Marshall, Charlotte, and Wake Forest in coming season's. I like those regional games. I want App to have more room for games like those, plus others like WKU, MTSU, some MAC teams, ECU, and others. Besides, it's not like the SEC and ACC where teams go 12 years between hosting teams from the opposite division. Everyone would play 8 of the other 9 teams.

No Divisions next year. Basically the issue is that it would cause scheduling chaos trying to change to divisions. There are Western Division teams skipping each other, and Eastern Division teams skipping each other. Only way to fix it would be to force someone to play a school on the road 2 straight years, which no one wants.

The way I understand how it will work is that Coastal will rotate onto the schedule for 8 conference opponents, and they will skip a 3rd team in Coastal's place. For Instance: AState is scheduled to skip App and Idaho next season. If Coastal was scheduled to come to Jonesboro, then we would skip a 3rd team who was originally scheduled to come to Jonesboro next season instead.

This is a 1 year deal. After next year, everyone will move to divisions and be guaranteed a round robin against their division.

(11-07-2016 05:34 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  Does anyone know whether there will be divisional play for the Sun Belt next year with Coastal joining and NMSU and Idaho still in the league? Obviously, the championship game will not come until 2018, so one of the divisional champions in 2017, if divisional exist, would also have to be crowned league champs.

I'm curious, mainly, which team App State and others are playing this year that will not be played next year due to Coastal' s addition.

(If there are not divisions next year, my bet is that App will miss ULM next year because I don't see App missing Coastal.)

Anyone with insider info, please share.

Coastal is replacing Troy on App's schedule in 2017. We will play CCU on a Wednesday night TV game in Boone.

(11-07-2016 08:20 PM)luvyosef Wrote:  

(11-07-2016 05:34 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  Does anyone know whether there will be divisional play for the Sun Belt next year with Coastal joining and NMSU and Idaho still in the league? Obviously, the championship game will not come until 2018, so one of the divisional champions in 2017, if divisional exist, would also have to be crowned league champs.

I'm curious, mainly, which team App State and others are playing this year that will not be played next year due to Coastal' s addition.

(If there are not divisions next year, my bet is that App will miss ULM next year because I don't see App missing Coastal.)

Anyone with insider info, please share.

Coastal is replacing Troy on App's schedule in 2017. We will play CCU on a Wednesday night TV game in Boone.

And you know this how? Couldn't one of the central or west teams be removed from the schedule? I suppose the Sun Belt is hellbent on avoiding the building of rivalries.

Are Idaho and NMSU here for 2017 or is this their last year in the belt?

(11-07-2016 08:36 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  Are Idaho and NMSU here for 2017 or is this their last year in the belt?

Next year is their last year. They signed a contract to play in the Sun Belt for four years starting in 2014, with the SBC holding an option to extend the agreement an additional two years (through the 2019 season) after the end of the 2015 season. The SBC elected not to extend Idaho and NMSU those additional two years, therefore each school had to make rapid fire plans what to do beyond the 2017 season. Idaho's president decided they would go back to FCS with the Big Sky, and NMSU is going to do their best as an independent through the 2021 season. Their AD expects the landscape to change enough by then for some opportunities to open up up for the Aggies in a conference. Why 2021? I have no idea.

Knowing our president you could probably buy out Idaho's last year for $80 and a new lawnmower for his house 300 miles away from campus.

(11-07-2016 08:55 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  

(11-07-2016 08:36 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  Are Idaho and NMSU here for 2017 or is this their last year in the belt?

Next year is their last year. They signed a contract to play in the Sun Belt for four years starting in 2014, with the SBC holding an option to extend the agreement an additional two years (through the 2019 season) after the end of the 2015 season. The SBC elected not to extend Idaho and NMSU those additional two years, therefore each school had to make rapid fire plans what to do beyond the 2017 season. Idaho's president decided they would go back to FCS with the Big Sky, and NMSU is going to do their best as an independent through the 2021 season. Their AD expects the landscape to change enough by then for some opportunities to open up up for the Aggies in a conference. Why 2021? I have no idea.

In 2020 many conferences TV contracts are up for renewal. It is thought that then may be the next round of realignment.

Coastal is playing Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Troy and Texas State at home; App State, Arkansas State, UL-Monroe and Idaho on the road next season.

The Sun Belt is taking the path of least resistance for 2017 since it's the only year with 12 teams. So they're just swapping out one game for the teams that play Coastal. For instance, Texas State and Idaho don't play, neither do UL Monroe and Georgia Southern and that's been reported on. That leaves Arkansas State, App State, Georgia State and Troy. Since App doesn't play A-State already and Troy and A-State didn't play for 2014 and 2015, then they'll take away App vs Troy and Arkansas State vs Georgia State for 2017. Just the way it worked out.

BTW, I called this back in January.

http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/1/30...7-schedule

I like the divisions. Even though it does work better with 12.

(11-07-2016 09:04 PM)LatahCounty Wrote:  Knowing our president you could probably buy out Idaho's last year for $80 and a new lawnmower for his house 300 miles away from campus.

You crack me up dude. I hate what's happening to your team. Please still come over and let us know how things are going up in Vandal country even after you guys move on. Just in case this reads sarcastic, it's not.

(11-08-2016 12:20 AM)T-Dog Wrote:  Coastal is playing Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Troy and Texas State at home; App State, Arkansas State, UL-Monroe and Idaho on the road next season.

The Sun Belt is taking the path of least resistance for 2017 since it's the only year with 12 teams. So they're just swapping out one game for the teams that play Coastal. For instance, Texas State and Idaho don't play, neither do UL Monroe and Georgia Southern and that's been reported on. That leaves Arkansas State, App State, Georgia State and Troy. Since App doesn't play A-State already and Troy and A-State didn't play for 2014 and 2015, then they'll take away App vs Troy and Arkansas State vs Georgia State for 2017. Just the way it worked out.

BTW, I called this back in January.

http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/1/30...7-schedule

App misses Troy, Ark St., and USA in 2017 and gets GS and ULL at home. Holy *.

It makes no sense to go to divisions next year with Idaho and NMSU playing their last season in the Belt but I hope they do the smart thing and go to divisions for 2018 and keep us at 8 conference games.

(11-08-2016 07:53 AM)boroeagle2 Wrote:  

(11-07-2016 09:04 PM)LatahCounty Wrote:  Knowing our president you could probably buy out Idaho's last year for $80 and a new lawnmower for his house 300 miles away from campus.

You crack me up dude. I hate what's happening to your team. Please still come over and let us know how things are going up in Vandal country even after you guys move on. Just in case this reads sarcastic, it's not.

Thanks. Unfortunately, once we move on I likely won't know what's going on because I won't be paying attention. Once the school throws in the towel so do I.

(11-08-2016 12:20 AM)T-Dog Wrote:  Coastal is playing Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Troy and Texas State at home; App State, Arkansas State, UL-Monroe and Idaho on the road next season.

The Sun Belt is taking the path of least resistance for 2017 since it's the only year with 12 teams. So they're just swapping out one game for the teams that play Coastal. For instance, Texas State and Idaho don't play, neither do UL Monroe and Georgia Southern and that's been reported on. That leaves Arkansas State, App State, Georgia State and Troy. Since App doesn't play A-State already and Troy and A-State didn't play for 2014 and 2015, then they'll take away App vs Troy and Arkansas State vs Georgia State for 2017. Just the way it worked out.

BTW, I called this back in January.

http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/1/30...7-schedule

nm

Could they have given CCU a tougher first year schedule.

(11-08-2016 08:32 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  Could they have given CCU a tougher first year schedule.

Reminds me of our first year.

So what do we think the divisions will look like? Or is that already decided?