RE: The next dominoes (October 13 edition)
Here is a semi plausible scenario I cooked up I think yall would like
My guesses based on what we think we know
AAC - UAB, Charlotte, Rice, FAU
AAC's Plan A was to get Big 12 schools
AAC's Plan B was to get MWC schools
AAC's Plan C is now replacement, status quo, and minimal damage
UAB fills the Cincinnati slot
Charlotte fills the UConn slot
Rice fills the Houston slot
FAU fills the UCF slot
Not ideal but passable and the market driven AAC is pleased with 4 big market adds
Sunbelt gets a Marshall and USM that fit in well with the culture of the league
MWC gets into TX with N Texas and UTSA and to address the concerns of the Mountain schools and gets Boise in the CA based western division
CUSA is left with ODU, WKU, MTSU, FIU, LA Tech, UTEP
My best case scenario for CUSA at that point
If MTSU/WKU want to stick around instead of trying to get into the MAC, then the CUSA can add JMU and MO St from FCS to get to 8 full time schools
I would also add UConn and UMass for football only.
Then, try to work out a deal with UTEP to get them as a football only member promising them no exit fees and their share of the exit fees from departing schools.
If they can be the WAC #14, then replace them with Liberty as the FBS #8 all sports member
That would give you a solid core of
WKU, MTSU, JMU, Liberty, ODU
with MO St. and LA Tech as travel partners
your requisite Florida school with FIU
and then UMASS, UCONN, UTEP, and NMSU as football only for 12 schools.
If you have a solid core of
WKU, MTSU, JMU, Liberty, ODU
and can build off it, down the line I would approach UMass, VCU, St. Louis, and Dayton about coming on board to solidify the CUSA basketball brand.
END GAME CUSA
UMASS
UConn/VCU
ODU
Liberty
JMU
FIU
WKU
MTSU
MO ST
LA Tech
UTEP/St. Louis
NMSU/Dayton
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