Holy Rice Resurections, Batman!

For the record, the move to the AAC would imply greater commitment from RU leadership. But we have heard this before over the years.

How quickly did expansion occur the last go around? Quickly evidently

(12-30-2021 07:01 PM)TexasTerror Wrote:  How quickly did expansion occur the last go around? Quickly evidently

I think there had to have been some desire to move up for quite some time. They likely saw this as a "now or never" moment because if they didn't take it someone else would have, and the doors to Division 1-A are closing more tightly than they've ever been as most leagues are hitting capacity memberships of the 14- or 16-team model. Couple that with the Autonomy Conference governance and the CFP Distributions designed to keep any future league from forming at the 1-A level, and we start to realize how many more spots could potentially be left for a 1-AA call-up to take, and there aren't many.

(01-01-2022 05:14 PM)All4One Wrote:  

(12-30-2021 07:01 PM)TexasTerror Wrote:  How quickly did expansion occur the last go around? Quickly evidently

I think there had to have been some desire to move up for quite some time. They likely saw this as a "now or never" moment because if they didn't take it someone else would have, and the doors to Division 1-A are closing more tightly than they've ever been as most leagues are hitting capacity memberships of the 14- or 16-team model. Couple that with the Autonomy Conference governance and the CFP Distributions designed to keep any future league from forming at the 1-A level, and we start to realize how many more spots could potentially be left for a 1-AA call-up to take, and there aren't many.

You are right once C-USA hits 14 teams in the next 7 years it is a rap unless the power 5 splits. This is the reason why I hope that Kennesaw State will be apart of the 14 teams of C-USA. There are not that many left in the southeast that have the budget to move up. EKU, KSU, MU, maybe UCA

(01-01-2022 05:45 PM)jones682 Wrote:  

(01-01-2022 05:14 PM)All4One Wrote:  

(12-30-2021 07:01 PM)TexasTerror Wrote:  How quickly did expansion occur the last go around? Quickly evidently

I think there had to have been some desire to move up for quite some time. They likely saw this as a "now or never" moment because if they didn't take it someone else would have, and the doors to Division 1-A are closing more tightly than they've ever been as most leagues are hitting capacity memberships of the 14- or 16-team model. Couple that with the Autonomy Conference governance and the CFP Distributions designed to keep any future league from forming at the 1-A level, and we start to realize how many more spots could potentially be left for a 1-AA call-up to take, and there aren't many.

You are right once C-USA hits 14 teams in the next 7 years it is a rap unless the power 5 splits. This is the reason why I hope that Kennesaw State will be apart of the 14 teams of C-USA. There are not that many left in the southeast that have the budget to move up. EKU, KSU, MU, maybe UCA

Much of that depends on what the Mountain West and Big XII do. Even the Pac-12 and MAC could have some impact there. I wouldn't be shocked to see both UTEP and New Mexico State invited into the Mountain West in the next round of realignment after they've raised their profiles in CUSA. This is a big reason why I think you will see CUSA stay at 9 for a few years with the possibility of shifting back to a southeast-based conference should the MWC expand probably in 5-10 years.

(01-01-2022 08:04 PM)All4One Wrote:  I wouldn't be shocked to see both UTEP and New Mexico State invited into the Mountain West in the next round of realignment after they've raised their profiles in CUSA. This is a big reason why I think you will see CUSA stay at 9 for a few years with the possibility of shifting back to a southeast-based conference should the MWC expand probably in 5-10 years.

I don't understand why - if you expect the CUSA to lose two teams - why that would make them more likely to stay at 9 for a few years.

To me, it seems the exact opposite. If you expect them to lose two teams, I would expect them to add two teams so that when they lose those teams, they'll still have enough to meet the NCAA minimum.

I guess my point is that if you think you're gonna lose two teams, why wait until you lose 'em to add more teams?

Maybe it's because I was a boy scout long enough for their motto - - "(always) be prepared" - - to sink in.

The way I figure it, the logical move is to add the highest quality programs that are available, and to add them before the next crisis comes, because that way, when the next crisis comes, it won't be such a crisis.

.

Highest Quality 2021 FB Programs, according to Massey Composite Rankings:

1. N. Dakota St. 11-1
2. James Madison 11-1 - - to Sun Belt.
3. Sam Houston St. 11-0 - - to CUSA.
4. S. Dakota St. 10-3
5. Montana 10-2 - - Future MWC team?
6. E. Washington 10-3
7. Villanova 10-2
8. Montana St. 10-2 - - Future MWC team?
9. Missouri St. 8-4
10. CS Sacramento 9-3

.

The Mountain West knows they're likely to lose a team or two to the Big 12, but they're in no hurry to add any schools. If and when they do, the MWC message board indicates that they're just as likely to add Montana and Montana State or UNT and UTSA as they are to add UTEP.

They tend to prefer the Montana schools over the Dakota schools because they are in the MWC footprint and would be fairly close to schools like Wyoming and Utah State. In addition, they have suggested that New Mexico would veto a proposal to invite NMSU to join the MWC.

(01-02-2022 08:47 PM)Milwaukee Wrote:  

(01-01-2022 08:04 PM)All4One Wrote:  I wouldn't be shocked to see both UTEP and New Mexico State invited into the Mountain West in the next round of realignment after they've raised their profiles in CUSA. This is a big reason why I think you will see CUSA stay at 9 for a few years with the possibility of shifting back to a southeast-based conference should the MWC expand probably in 5-10 years.

I don't understand why - if you expect the CUSA to lose two teams - why that would make them more likely to stay at 9 for a few years.

To me, it seems the exact opposite. If you expect them to lose two teams, I would expect them to add two teams so that when they lose those teams, they'll still have enough to meet the NCAA minimum.

I think the minimum is 8.

(01-02-2022 09:24 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(01-02-2022 08:47 PM)Milwaukee Wrote:  

(01-01-2022 08:04 PM)All4One Wrote:  I wouldn't be shocked to see both UTEP and New Mexico State invited into the Mountain West in the next round of realignment after they've raised their profiles in CUSA. This is a big reason why I think you will see CUSA stay at 9 for a few years with the possibility of shifting back to a southeast-based conference should the MWC expand probably in 5-10 years.

I don't understand why - if you expect the CUSA to lose two teams - why that would make them more likely to stay at 9 for a few years.

To me, it seems the exact opposite. If you expect them to lose two teams, I would expect them to add two teams so that when they lose those teams, they'll still have enough to meet the NCAA minimum.

I think the minimum is 8.

Correct, and they have a list of several schools prepared to make the move that extend from Dallas eastward. If they lose their two most western members years down the road, it wouldn't make sense to add members that keeps the conference footprint stretched.