Are not going to be renewed by the Sunbelt. Many are speculating that Idaho will drop to the FCS level. NMSU will likely be indy for awhile. Interesting.

That really sucks for the two schools. I feel bad for them. I really hope that they can survive and thrive on the the independent path but it will be tough.

Hopefully this helps Liberty somehow, but I doubt it. I know it is a long shot (as in less than 1% but better than any other odds in my opinion), but maybe Liberty could get Idaho, New Mexico State, Massachusetts, and BYU (and/or other independents) to petition for Liberty and/or other FCS schools to be allowed to move up to FBS as independents and guarantee home and home contracts in November and October while other schools are playing conference games. Since the independents will be playing against each other out of necessity, they will be essentially conference games against each other in the conference called "independent."

That's a scheduling alliance and it is not crazy talk.

The chances of Idaho dropping down to FCS are slim to none. They are going to ride their FBS horse into the ground if they have to.

Sly, this is one area I may disagree with you. I believe there's a better than 50% chance that Idaho accepts the Big Sky's offer and drops down to FCS. I don't see an end game for them to land in any other FBS conference. In fact I've read that NMSU will also consider dropping to fcs. If either team had hopes of a landing spot then I think they stick it out, but what are the options for either school? As far as Liberty is concerned I'm more convinced than ever that they'll never get an invite to the sb. For Coastal and EKU to get campus visits was a huge slap in the face IMHO. It'll take a non traditional way to get to FBS.

New information from the past 48 hours indictes to me that our situation is developing.

The reason why I suggest that Idaho to FCS is unlikely is that their big money donors have said they would walk if the move occurred. That means dropping football may be a more likely option than seeing a school drop from the Pac-8 to essentially I-AA.

As for NMSU, even the FCS options look miserable. They could go Big Sky or Southland and neither offers them real improvement from FBS Indy/WAC situation they now find themselves in.

Share as much as possible about this "new situation".

It is all 2nd- and 3rd-hand info but our FBS opportunities may be improving.

The only new info I've read is a sports guy from Roanoke making suggestions that JMU and LU as a pair to the SB would make perfect sense. I'm not buying that one for a second.

12:50 Mark ..... http://tunein.com/embed/player/t104097126/

I could have been more clear about the situation than that guy. That was 100% speculation with no credible info.

That guy seems to know his stuff but doesn't have connections, if that makes sense. I agree that he was speculating and he said as much.

I am really excited for the possibility to go FBS independent. It is extremely unfortunate that it is at the expense of Idaho and New Mexico State but hopefully if we are able to move up then we can benefit each other. I have no illusion that we are going to be the 11th or 12th member of the Sun Belt (or technically 13th or 14th). That ship has sailed and they don't want us.

I wouldn't classify our chances with the G5 leagues as dead ... just on life support. We remain on the radar and circumstances could change in our favor rather rapidly.

Dang it! Just when I'm getting comfortably numb somebody has to go and raise my hopes about FBS inclusion. If there there is a way to make it as an independent that would be awesome.

Just listened to the TuneIn spot. Radio host Greg Roberts (radio and not his real name), read what was "coming across the wire". A significant part of his thought was about traveling partners and he forgot about Coastal joining next year. No facts in his comments and mostly a commentary about how well LU and JMU is positioned. No details on any reliable sources, campus visits, or official announcements.

This seems to run opposite to the actions of the SBC not taking LU this or past years and taking CCU, App St and the Georgia.

Would it be great for LU to gain FBS membership. Sure. Is there reliable info to support this? None I've seen or hear so far.

I count two home games based on these teams alone. I am not even considering Notre Dame or BYU being on the schedule. Three more to go and we can make it.

FBS Independents
Notre Dame
BYU
Army
Idaho
New Mexico St.
UMass
Liberty

I don't think Notre Dame would give us a home-home scheduling agreement, or the very least wouldn't do it for anything but August or September games and just probably a two game series. Army is probably in the same boat seeing as they are the next closest to a major brand.

I think BYU is 50/50 whether they would schedule us semi-regularly. Maybe 4 out of 10 years we would play home-home with them. They have more weight with regards to filling a schedule as an independent.

That leaves us with Idaho, UMass, and New Mexico State. I think all three would jump on board to get anyone to play them late in the season. Beggars can't be choosers, right?

Now if we'd want to move up as an independent, I think we'd have to get some sort of signed arrangement from half of these schools in addition to the "blessings" of Notre Dame saying they want us to move up and be independent just like them. Notre Dame is a Power school and basically the only independent Power school. People listen when Notre Dame talks and if they want something then they usually get it.

With my uninformed opinion, I would put the chances of this happening at 1%; however, it is a million times more likely than waiting for any other conference to invite us.

To make this happen Liberty really needs 2-3 other schools that want to move up. EKU would likely not go the Indy route as their travel cost could skyrocket and they just don't have the funds. Going Indy is likely Liberty's best chance at seeing FBS in the next 10 years. I've convinced the public schools in the sb will never include a private school with unlimited resources.

I bet if FCS teams were allowed to move to FBS as independents, you'd be surprised at who makes the jump. I think it would be more than you expect.

(03-11-2016 08:08 AM)army56mike Wrote:  I bet if FCS teams were allowed to move to FBS as independents, you'd be surprised at who makes the jump. I think it would be more than you expect.

Agree 100%.

(03-11-2016 08:08 AM)army56mike Wrote:  I bet if FCS teams were allowed to move to FBS as independents, you'd be surprised at who makes the jump. I think it would be more than you expect.

How many would you expect? If there was a hypothetical open season once every ten years to allow move ups, who would jump up for 2020? Liberty would almost definitely. Then who? Maybe Jacksonville State since they have no shot at the Sun Belt. Maybe EKU if they are that determined to go FBS and don't feel like waiting for the Sun Belt to expand. Maybe Missouri State and/or Wichita State so they don't have to go to another conference that doesn't emphasize basketball? Maybe JMU so they don't have to leave the CAA and downgrade all their other sports and academic connections just to improve football?