Talk of the OVC's demise seems to be premature, even though I see the danger. Most of the schools have no exit path open. Murray State may be one of the last who could get out. But it seems like WIU may be coming in, and possible some D-II move ups in a few years (USI announcement simply means they might be an option on the table next year, but almost certainly not this year, as study is just the first step in the process; there are other schools possible too).

Other help the SLC has WTAMU in the pipeline, which reduces the pressure they feel to attack the OVC. The WAC and ASUN are working from positions of strength and don't need to add anyone they don't see as an upgrade. Same for the SWAC, although Tennessee State would be a coup.

So there does seem to be a survival path with WIU followed by some D-II move up or two, which should solidify things.

(09-27-2021 06:24 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Talk of the OVC's demise seems to be premature, even though I see the danger. Most of the schools have no exit path open. Murray State may be one of the last who could get out. But it seems like WIU may be coming in, and possible some D-II move ups in a few years (USI announcement simply means they might be an option on the table next year, but almost certainly not this year, as study is just the first step in the process; there are other schools possible too).

Other help the SLC has WTAMU in the pipeline, which reduces the pressure they feel to attack the OVC. The WAC and ASUN are working from positions of strength and don't need to add anyone they don't see as an upgrade. Same for the SWAC, although Tennessee State would be a coup.

So there does seem to be a survival path with WIU followed by some D-II move up or two, which should solidify things.

Right

Where are:

SIU-E
EIU
SEMO
TTU
Morehead
TN-Martin going to go?

SEMO and UT-Martin are far enough west to make the Southland work, especially if it lands an Arkansas school.

The Illinois schools should be able to get in the Summit if the OVC fell apart. Note that EIU would be the 6th football school in the Summit.

Tennessee Tech should be passable for the Big South.

Morehead State is the one who should be worried.

(09-27-2021 07:01 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  SEMO and UT-Martin are far enough west to make the Southland work, especially if it lands an Arkansas school.

The Illinois schools should be able to get in the Summit if the OVC fell apart. Note that EIU would be the 6th football school in the Summit.

Tennessee Tech should be passable for the Big South.

Morehead State is the one who should be worried.

The Summit wants to get rid of WIU - not seeing why they would want EIU and SIU-E

Southland might work for the two mentioned, but really stretches the geography. Not really any reasonable Arkansas schools to move up.

Big South is at 12. Never has made sense for any one-bid conference to go above 12, especially to grab one hundreds of miles from nearest school.

Little Rock (formerly UALR) might have considered the OVC but with Belmont gone the distances are probably not worth doing. I see no convenient, easy path for the Trojans. Southland? Summit?

(09-27-2021 07:01 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  SEMO and UT-Martin are far enough west to make the Southland work, especially if it lands an Arkansas school.

The Illinois schools should be able to get in the Summit if the OVC fell apart. Note that EIU would be the 6th football school in the Summit.

Tennessee Tech should be passable for the Big South.

Morehead State is the one who should be worried.

The other 5 play football in the MVFC. Don't think they would leave that football conference to create Summit league football

(09-27-2021 03:09 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

This has future OVC member written all over it

That was the 1st D-II school I named when I said who the OVC would need and could get.

If the MVC wants football? They need to dumped the privates who do not want football. Summit League could be a hame for the privates which would work, and the MVC could invite the 5 Summit League members, Youngstown State for all sports and Murray State. That would get them all be happy.

I think we do need a Southern Plains non-football conference for Little Rock, UTA, Oral Roberts, New Orleans, Texas A&M-CC and they can get a waiver for Dallas Baptist to be grandfathered in as a D1 for their baseball.
Then you can add UAFS, Cameron, Grand Canyon, Colorado-Colorado Springs, Newman and Drury to make it 12. Drury was considered D1 a long time ago.

A couple of years ago I would have considered WIU accepting an invitation to the OVC to be a slam dunk. Now I’ll be surprised if WIU makes the move. The Summit has become the more stable conference and schools generally don’t migrate from stable to unstable conferences.

(09-28-2021 02:52 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  A couple of years ago I would have considered WIU accepting an invitation to the OVC to be a slam dunk. Now I’ll be surprised if WIU makes the move. The Summit has become the more stable conference and schools generally don’t migrate from stable to unstable conferences.

At first read i agreed completely, but then I thought about stability and perceived stability. The Summit is more stable, but with a big block like the 4 Dakota FCS schools who are likely to move in unison if they moved, and no one geographically to replace the 4. So the Summit is a little locked in geographically in some ways and would have to find schools (possibly far) outside their current foot print.

The OVC, while definitely taking a dip lately, has more options to be able to add to survive, so potentially more stable geographically, and has more move up possibilities. The OVC could lose single schools here and there with nothing catostrophic happening. Uniting with EIU and combining their clout could be smart. They'd boost interest and attendance for both schools.

Would Kentucky State be interested in an upgrade to a bus league?

They seemed to have legit interest in the MEAC but the $$$ didn't seem to work out. OVC travel would be a lot easier in the budget than MEAC travel. And they play football

(09-28-2021 01:38 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  If the MVC wants football? They need to dumped the privates who do not want football. Summit League could be a hame for the privates which would work, and the MVC could invite the 5 Summit League members, Youngstown State for all sports and Murray State. That would get them all be happy.

You do realize the MVC is inviting Belmont?

(09-28-2021 04:01 AM)Todor Wrote:  

(09-28-2021 02:52 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  A couple of years ago I would have considered WIU accepting an invitation to the OVC to be a slam dunk. Now I’ll be surprised if WIU makes the move. The Summit has become the more stable conference and schools generally don’t migrate from stable to unstable conferences.

At first read i agreed completely, but then I thought about stability and perceived stability. The Summit is more stable, but with a big block like the 4 Dakota FCS schools who are likely to move in unison if they moved, and no one geographically to replace the 4. So the Summit is a little locked in geographically in some ways and would have to find schools (possibly far) outside their current foot print.

1) I mean, outside of maybe NDSU somehow wrangling a MAC invite, where would they go?

2) As for potential future adds in their area, besides Augustana seemingly determined to move up (which I don't totally get) further expansion into Minnesota seems highly likely. Minnesota State, Duluth, and St Cloud State are all right there.

I don't think Conference Dakotas is likely to have a mass defection of their anchor group anytime soon, and if down the road they wound up with a core of four Dakota schools and four Minnesota schools I wouldn't be surprised at all.

(09-28-2021 05:47 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Would Kentucky State be interested in an upgrade to a bus league?

They seemed to have legit interest in the MEAC but the $$$ didn't seem to work out. OVC travel would be a lot easier in the budget than MEAC travel. And they play football

I had the same thought—bus league travel for Olympic sports, HBCU conference mate in Tenn St, ability to schedule MEAC and SWAC OOC. If they can make the dollars and cents work, it might not be a bad move.

Central State Ohio and Ashland could make it there as well. OVC should invite Bellarmine and Lipscomb as well, and Indianapolis wants a new home.

I'm shocked I agree with David on something. OVC should invite Lipscomb, Bellarmine, Little Rock, and the four ASUN Florida schools. Go all in on oly sports and ask the Big South to run football for members that field a team.

(09-28-2021 07:15 AM)Bogg Wrote:  

(09-28-2021 04:01 AM)Todor Wrote:  

(09-28-2021 02:52 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  A couple of years ago I would have considered WIU accepting an invitation to the OVC to be a slam dunk. Now I’ll be surprised if WIU makes the move. The Summit has become the more stable conference and schools generally don’t migrate from stable to unstable conferences.

At first read i agreed completely, but then I thought about stability and perceived stability. The Summit is more stable, but with a big block like the 4 Dakota FCS schools who are likely to move in unison if they moved, and no one geographically to replace the 4. So the Summit is a little locked in geographically in some ways and would have to find schools (possibly far) outside their current foot print.

1) I mean, outside of maybe NDSU somehow wrangling a MAC invite, where would they go?

2) As for potential future adds in their area, besides Augustana seemingly determined to move up (which I don't totally get) further expansion into Minnesota seems highly likely. Minnesota State, Duluth, and St Cloud State are all right there.

I don't think Conference Dakotas is likely to have a mass defection of their anchor group anytime soon, and if down the road they wound up with a core of four Dakota schools and four Minnesota schools I wouldn't be surprised at all.

I didn't say they were going anywhere. I said they move in unison. They always have. Do you disagree?

When almost half of a conference makes moves together, it makes the conference less stable by nature.

(09-28-2021 07:41 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  Central State Ohio and Ashland could make it there as well. OVC should invite Bellarmine and Lipscomb as well, and Indianapolis wants a new home.

Can we inject some reality instead of just blindly throwing out schools that have no shot?

Alabama Auburn and Kentucky are more likely to join the oversee than any of your schools you’ve been predicting

(09-28-2021 05:47 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Would Kentucky State be interested in an upgrade to a bus league?

They seemed to have legit interest in the MEAC but the $$$ didn't seem to work out. OVC travel would be a lot easier in the budget than MEAC travel. And they play football

Kentucky State is in the middle of an investigation for financial misconduct by the recently fired president.

(09-28-2021 08:24 AM)EKUSteve Wrote:  

(09-28-2021 05:47 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Would Kentucky State be interested in an upgrade to a bus league?

They seemed to have legit interest in the MEAC but the $$$ didn't seem to work out. OVC travel would be a lot easier in the budget than MEAC travel. And they play football

Kentucky State is in the middle of an investigation for financial misconduct by the recently fired president.

Ahhh..well that's a big negative then