Been wondering this for a long time... What exactly is a directional school? As best I can figure out it is a negative term meaning the school (football team) usually is a loser... No history behind them.

I think it is a reference to schools with a direction in their name that isn't part of the state's name, ie East Carolina, South Florida, Central Florida, etc.

(11-05-2011 08:10 AM)Shannon Panther Wrote:  I think it is a reference to schools with a direction in their name that isn't part of the state's name, ie East Carolina, South Florida, Central Florida, etc.

This is my understanding also. So WEST Virginia, NORTH Carolina, and SOUTH Carolina are NOT directional schools... but SOUTH and CENTRAL Florida are. So is SOUTHERN Mississippi. The one notable exception being SOUTHERN California.

In the same vein are schools with the name of a city, followed by the word "State", like Boise STATE, Fresno STATE, etc.

Seems like these schools are all flocking to the same conference...

Good catch on the Southern California, but their pedigree pretty much speaks for itself.

Schools whose name does not refer to a state or well established location. Like you said UNC, WVU, USCe, USCw are not directional schools. UCF, CMU, WMU, EMU, ECU, USM, WKU are directional schools.

(11-05-2011 07:07 AM)plcp Wrote:  Been wondering this for a long time... What exactly is a directional school? As best I can figure out it is a negative term meaning the school (football team) usually is a loser... No history behind them.

Directional schools are state institutions beyond their flagship and No.2.

Flagships: University of Michigan, University of Florida.

No. 2 state institutions: Michigan State University, Florida State University.

Directional schools (beyond No. 2): University of Western Michigan, University of Central Michigan, University of Eastern Michigan, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida.

But University of North Carolina and West Virginia University are not directional schools because they are flagship state institutions.

University of Southern California is not directional school because they are a private school.

(11-05-2011 03:38 PM)ArQ Wrote:  

(11-05-2011 07:07 AM)plcp Wrote:  Been wondering this for a long time... What exactly is a directional school? As best I can figure out it is a negative term meaning the school (football team) usually is a loser... No history behind them.

Directional schools are state institutions beyond their flagship and No.2.

Flagships: University of Michigan, University of Florida.

No. 2 state institutions: Michigan State University, Florida State University.

Directional schools (beyond No. 2): University of Western Michigan, University of Central Michigan, University of Eastern Michigan, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida.

But University of North Carolina and West Virginia University are not directional schools because they are flagship state institutions.

University of Southern California is not directional school because they are a private school.

Not only are you wrong, you wrote the wrong names for WMU, CMU, and EMU.

(11-05-2011 03:38 PM)ArQ Wrote:  

(11-05-2011 07:07 AM)plcp Wrote:  Been wondering this for a long time... What exactly is a directional school? As best I can figure out it is a negative term meaning the school (football team) usually is a loser... No history behind them.

Directional schools are state institutions beyond their flagship and No.2.

Flagships: University of Michigan, University of Florida.

No. 2 state institutions: Michigan State University, Florida State University.

Directional schools (beyond No. 2): University of Western Michigan, University of Central Michigan, University of Eastern Michigan, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida.

But University of North Carolina and West Virginia University are not directional schools because they are flagship state institutions.

University of Southern California is not directional school because they are a private school.

Whether UNC is actually a flagship institution is still under debate.

(11-06-2011 03:54 PM)Lucy Wrote:  

(11-05-2011 03:38 PM)ArQ Wrote:  

(11-05-2011 07:07 AM)plcp Wrote:  Been wondering this for a long time... What exactly is a directional school? As best I can figure out it is a negative term meaning the school (football team) usually is a loser... No history behind them.

Directional schools are state institutions beyond their flagship and No.2.

Flagships: University of Michigan, University of Florida.

No. 2 state institutions: Michigan State University, Florida State University.

Directional schools (beyond No. 2): University of Western Michigan, University of Central Michigan, University of Eastern Michigan, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida.

But University of North Carolina and West Virginia University are not directional schools because they are flagship state institutions.

University of Southern California is not directional school because they are a private school.

Whether UNC is actually a flagship institution is still under debate.

State fans are not only jealous but delusional as well.

I like directional schools. They aren't nearly as stuck on themselves as the flagships. Interesting fact there are six (unless I forgot some) University of North Carolina's. UNC-Asheville, UNC-Charlotte, UNC-Greensboro, UNC-Pembroke, UNC-Wilmington. There's one more I can't think of right now. Charlotte has or is planning to drop the UNC part and Pembroke use to be Pembroke State University. Oh now I remember, UNC-Chapel Hill. So when you refer to UNC please be specific. :>)

(11-08-2011 12:01 AM)dawgitall Wrote:  There's one more I can't think of right now.

School of the Arts.

(11-08-2011 01:12 AM)JHG722 Wrote:  

(11-08-2011 12:01 AM)dawgitall Wrote:  There's one more I can't think of right now.

School of the Arts.

No, that's the North Carolina School of the Arts. It was meant as a joke/putdown of UNC-CH. They are the flagship and it would be hard to forget them as much as many of us would like to. Sixteen schools are a part of the University of North Carolina system, six are UNC-fill-in-the blank. The others are Appalachian State, Western Carolina, North Carolina A&T, Winston-Salem State, North Carolina State, Fayetteville State, Elizabeth City State, North Carolina School of the Arts, North Carolina Central and East Carolina.

Charlotte dropped the "UNC" in athletics

(11-08-2011 10:44 PM)Laettners Legacy Wrote:  Charlotte dropped the "UNC" in athletics

So the school name is still, UNC-Charlotte?

(11-08-2011 09:12 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(11-08-2011 01:12 AM)JHG722 Wrote:  

(11-08-2011 12:01 AM)dawgitall Wrote:  There's one more I can't think of right now.

School of the Arts.

No, that's the North Carolina School of the Arts. It was meant as a joke/putdown of UNC-CH. They are the flagship and it would be hard to forget them as much as many of us would like to. Sixteen schools are a part of the University of North Carolina system, six are UNC-fill-in-the blank. The others are Appalachian State, Western Carolina, North Carolina A&T, Winston-Salem State, North Carolina State, Fayetteville State, Elizabeth City State, North Carolina School of the Arts, North Carolina Central and East Carolina.

They changed their name to University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2008.

(11-08-2011 11:02 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(11-08-2011 10:44 PM)Laettners Legacy Wrote:  Charlotte dropped the "UNC" in athletics

So the school name is still, UNC-Charlotte?

in all cases not involving sports. their official name is UNC-Charlotte. but their athletic teams are Charlotte 49ers since 2000

Directional Schools: You know it when you see it

University of Southern California--->No
University of North Texas--->Yes

I kinda disagree. North Texas is like a less well-known Southern California. Southern Mississippi is much more directional IMO.