(02-09-2014 07:59 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Could C-USA split like the Big East did, at some point at least five years into the future?

Southwest:
North Texas
Rice
UTSA
UTEP
Louisiana Tech
Southern Miss
Arkansas State (from Sun Belt)
Louisiana (from Sun Belt)
Texas State (from Sun Belt)
Missouri State (from FCS or Sun Belt)

C-USA
UAB
Middle Tennessee
Western Kentucky
Charlotte
Old Dominion
Marshall
Florida Atlantic
Florida International

C-USA would have some difficult decisions to make if it wants to go to 12 - all but Marshall have ties to the Sun Belt. Expansion probably means App State, South Alabama, Georgia State, and Georgia Southern, although Delaware and James Madison could make the cut.

The likely left behinds, Troy, ULM, New Mexico State, and Idaho would be hard pressed to rebuild the Sun Belt from that level of decimation-their best hope might be that Delaware and James Madison both make it to C-USA, leaving the Sun Belt at six football members.

I there would need be some sort of outside trigger for something like this to occur. One thing that could cause it would be a demotion of the G5 due to a split with the P5. That would reduce G5 interest, attendance, donations, and media income. Such a decline in earnings would be met with the desire to reduce costs---thus, smaller, tighter, more regional conferences would be preferred. You might even find the AAC members considering moving to a more regional model.

So you could see AAC schools joining up with such a regional groups--or , if the rules change, you might see the expand AAC creating larger regional pods that are utilized for most non-revenue sports with minimal crossover in football and basketball. Those seem to be the most logical 2 ways to approach the need to cut costs in a demoted declining revenue scenario. If the AAC splits apart, the SB is probably ok.

(02-09-2014 07:59 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Could C-USA split like the Big East did, at some point at least five years into the future?

Southwest:
North Texas
Rice
UTSA
UTEP
Louisiana Tech
Southern Miss
Arkansas State (from Sun Belt)
Louisiana (from Sun Belt)
Texas State (from Sun Belt)
Missouri State (from FCS or Sun Belt)

C-USA
UAB
Middle Tennessee
Western Kentucky
Charlotte
Old Dominion
Marshall
Florida Atlantic
Florida International

C-USA would have some difficult decisions to make if it wants to go to 12 - all but Marshall have ties to the Sun Belt. Expansion probably means App State, South Alabama, Georgia State, and Georgia Southern, although Delaware and James Madison could make the cut.

The likely left behinds, Troy, ULM, New Mexico State, and Idaho would be hard pressed to rebuild the Sun Belt from that level of decimation-their best hope might be that Delaware and James Madison both make it to C-USA, leaving the Sun Belt at six football members.