(02-19-2022 09:45 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  As a native Nashvillian, I've been following Tennessee State University sports since the 1970s (for you long-timers on the board, the "Big" John Merritt TV show on Sundays was joyous). For historical purposes, the SWAC simply makes sense. However, if the Southern Conference were interested (with Chattanooga and East Tennessee State), TSU would have to listen.

Regardless, it is becoming clear that Tennessee State does not want to stay in the OVC.

How about the MEAC? I know they are struggling but do offer some greater visibility than the OVC.

(02-19-2022 10:57 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(02-19-2022 09:49 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(02-19-2022 09:45 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  As a native Nashvillian, I've been following Tennessee State University sports since the 1970s (for you long-timers on the board, the "Big" John Merritt TV show on Sundays was joyous). For historical purposes, the SWAC simply makes sense. However, if the Southern Conference were interested (with Chattanooga and East Tennessee State), TSU would have to listen.

Regardless, it is becoming clear that Tennessee State does not want to stay in the OVC.

Then OVC is going to have to go hard for GVSU and maybe even another D-II football school just to stay at 6.

If TSU leaves, I could foresee Tennessee Tech (the only OVC school left, in this scenario, that other leagues would desire, with maybe the exception of Little Rock) making a hard push for the Southern Conference. Cookeville is an underrated small city. It has a respectable food and beverage scene (some quality breweries, nice coffee shops and lots of solid Mexican restaurants as the Hispanic population has boomed in that part of the Cumberland Plateau). Cookeville actually has two "downtowns" (the main one and its west side with the TTU campus). Tech is a rather well respect university in this state and would nicely complement Chattanooga and East Tennessee State in the Southern Conference.

If the OVC loses both TSU and Tennessee Tech ... devastating. I don't know how the league could survive at that point. Losing Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Austin Peay, Murray, Belmont, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech within a three-year period ...

I can definitely see the SoCon going for Tennessee Tech, and I can also see the SoCon going for EKU as well if the Colonels decide to give up on their FBS ambitions. That would free up a slot in the A-SUN for Tennessee State, and I am sure they would be overjoyed to have them.

(02-19-2022 11:42 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(02-19-2022 09:45 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  As a native Nashvillian, I've been following Tennessee State University sports since the 1970s (for you long-timers on the board, the "Big" John Merritt TV show on Sundays was joyous). For historical purposes, the SWAC simply makes sense. However, if the Southern Conference were interested (with Chattanooga and East Tennessee State), TSU would have to listen.

Regardless, it is becoming clear that Tennessee State does not want to stay in the OVC.

How about the MEAC? I know they are struggling but do offer some greater visibility than the OVC.

MEAC is a stretch, IMO. It's basically the HBCU version of the CAA.

There's no chance that either Tenn Tech or Tenn St end up in the SoCon. When the SoCon needs to expand, they'll go pluck who they want. They aren't about to start taking in OVC leftovers. It would ruin the perfect 9 team football schedule. Also the perfect public/private/military balance.

(02-20-2022 02:01 AM)MercerFan Wrote:  There's no chance that either Tenn Tech or Tenn St end up in the SoCon. When the SoCon needs to expand, they'll go pluck who they want. They aren't about to start taking in OVC leftovers. It would ruin the perfect 9 team football schedule. Also the perfect public/private/military balance.

Correct. Tennessee Tech and Tennessee St also have MBB budgets in the 300+ range. With the SoCon knocking on the door to be a top-10 conference, they’re not taking in those types of programs anymore.

(02-20-2022 01:11 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(02-19-2022 11:42 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(02-19-2022 09:45 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  As a native Nashvillian, I've been following Tennessee State University sports since the 1970s (for you long-timers on the board, the "Big" John Merritt TV show on Sundays was joyous). For historical purposes, the SWAC simply makes sense. However, if the Southern Conference were interested (with Chattanooga and East Tennessee State), TSU would have to listen.

Regardless, it is becoming clear that Tennessee State does not want to stay in the OVC.

How about the MEAC? I know they are struggling but do offer some greater visibility than the OVC.

MEAC is a stretch, IMO. It's basically the HBCU version of the CAA.

Tennessee St is an HBCU though. They've just stayed in the OVC because of travel.

(02-20-2022 02:01 AM)MercerFan Wrote:  There's no chance that either Tenn Tech or Tenn St end up in the SoCon. When the SoCon needs to expand, they'll go pluck who they want. They aren't about to start taking in OVC leftovers. It would ruin the perfect 9 team football schedule. Also the perfect public/private/military balance.

No chance the SoCon pulls anyone out of the A10 or the AAC, no matter how much they may want them. Tennessee Tech is actually pretty good at basketball historically. Check it out on this link, Mercer fan: https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/

ASUN to pluck Tennessee State?

The football coach may be ready to move. But the 3 additions to the OVC (I am assuming Lindenwood will be added) are all an easy drive for Tennessee State. From an AD perspective no conference would provide as good a geographical fit. Also the opportunity to win more championships may not be a bad thing either.



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Ideally, the SWAC gets into Nashville and Atlanta for 14.

But Morris Brown, a school who almost got into the SWAC 20 years ago, completely collapsed. If they hadn’t, I bet the SWAC would go to 14 with TSU and MBC. But with no viable Atlanta option, it might be ASUN or bust for TSU.

(02-20-2022 12:17 PM)mjs Wrote:  The football coach may be ready to move. But the 3 additions to the OVC (I am assuming Lindenwood will be added) are all an easy drive for Tennessee State. From an AD perspective no conference would provide as good a geographical fit. Also the opportunity to win more championships may not be a bad thing either.



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On the other hand, depending on how divisions would shake out in the ASUN, they’d have Austin Peay and Lipscomb literally in the same metro area, possibly Tennessee Tech and UNA a couple of hours away, and EKU and Bellarmine not much farther than that. They likely wouldn’t be playing the Florida schools that often. But then, they might like the idea of playing there some to open up recruiting possibilities.

I don’t know if they will end up in the ASUN or not. But, I think it would be a good fit for both parties if it ended up happening.

(02-19-2022 10:18 PM)GoBuckeyes1047 Wrote:  

(02-19-2022 09:30 PM)lion1983 Wrote:  

(02-19-2022 09:19 PM)GoBuckeyes1047 Wrote:  

(02-19-2022 09:00 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  

(02-19-2022 01:10 PM)lion1983 Wrote:  ASUN

Yeah I think this is the correct answer. I think Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech head to the ASUN, stabilizing their football conference and providing a bridge to UCA

I agree. Assuming Bellarmine leaves for the Horizon, add both Tennessee schools puts the ASUN at 7 football members and 12 full members. I would also try to get Murray St. as a football only member if they can't get in the MVFC.

Murray is already accepted in the MVFC if I'm not mistaken.

Anyhow, a smaller football league would benefit Tenn St. They can have plenty of room for their classic games.

From what I seen, they weren't accepted yet, but seems like they should be accepted. If for some reason they aren't, ASUN would be a good backup. I think 8 football members should still be small enough for non-conference games with 4 games to schedule and wouldn't have to worry about trying to schedule a non-conference game late in the season if there were 7 football members. I may be wrong, but wasn't the OVC at 8 football members before it started falling apart?

Murray applied to be a member of the MVFC for 23. Last word I saw when they joined the MVC was they would be accepted.

(02-20-2022 10:33 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  ASUN to pluck Tennessee State?

https://twitter.com/low_madness/status/1...3762797969