Ranking including the joining institutions (national ranking against other national universities):
1. Delaware (76)
2. Florida International (124)
3. Sam Houston (249)
4. New Mexico State (296)
Tie 5. Louisiana Tech (304)
Tie 5. Middle Tennessee (304)
Tie 5. UTEP (304)
8. Western Kentucky (361)
9. Dallas Baptist (374)
Tie 10. Liberty (435)
Tie 10. Kennesaw St (435)

Conference Average: 296

*Jacksonville State is not ranked as it is not considered a national university and ranks #63 in the south among regional universities.*

Only 4 universities are ranked in the top 300. Hopefully we can find ways to rise as a conference. Sam Houston is an R2 university with a newly minted medical school within the last 5 years. Our high acceptance rate is likely preventing us from climbing higher. Hopefully the FBS move makes us a more desirable University where we can lower the acceptance rate and boost our rankings as an institution. R1 status is the ultimate goal for the U as well. I'm interested to hear what other universities in the conference are doing to raise their academic profiles?

I put absolutely very little stock into this report anymore. Schools have learned how to rig rankings. Liberty is penalized due to having a large military population that has to start and stop courses a lot so they won't graduate in 4 years. 20% of the grade is taken from nothing but air - simply academic elitist opinions. Several schools have opted out of this report.

https://thecollegesolution.com/15-reason...-rankings/

WKU should be on tract for R2 soon pending any unforeseen shenanigans in the Kentucky Senate. Should move us up into the low 300's similar to LaTech, UTEP, and MTSU.