Unless the MAC is desperate to extend its footprint into the Virginias for whatever reason, there's absolutely nothing in it for the MAC. Despite what Marshall fans believe, it's doubtful that Marshall's name carries enough weight that they can pick and choose whatever conference they want to be in at any given time.

Marshall joined CUSA when CUSA was the AAC. They got left behind and watched their conference turn into the Sun Belt 2.0. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

Those that don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

(07-30-2018 08:32 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Unless the MAC is desperate to extend its footprint into the Virginias for whatever reason, there's absolutely nothing in it for the MAC. Despite what Marshall fans believe, it's doubtful that Marshall's name carries enough weight that they can pick and choose whatever conference they want to be in at any given time.

Marshall joined CUSA when CUSA was the AAC. They got left behind and watched their conference turn into the Sun Belt 2.0. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

Bigger question: what’s in it for Marshall??? All of the Marshall fans I have ever spoke to really and truly have no desire to rejoin the MAC. They like the series with Ohio and consider Miami(Oh) to be their most despised rival, but that’s it.

(07-30-2018 08:32 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Unless the MAC is desperate to extend its footprint into the Virginias for whatever reason, there's absolutely nothing in it for the MAC. Despite what Marshall fans believe, it's doubtful that Marshall's name carries enough weight that they can pick and choose whatever conference they want to be in at any given time.

Marshall joined CUSA when CUSA was the AAC. They got left behind and watched their conference turn into the Sun Belt 2.0. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

Says a troll fan of a 2-10 team.

C-USA had 9 bowl teams last season, and Marshall was one of them. The current line up in C-USA is doing quite well. You should worry about your program.

Marshall will do what is best for Marshall.

I don't buy the idea that a coach is the sticking point.

MAC has a nice financial set-up right now and the only benefit I see to the MAC in expanding is to dilute the weeknight appearances. Think the current contract goes to 2027-28.

Marshall? I can understand that there are only four schools left from their first year in CUSA and NONE are in their division and there might be some savings but I'd be surprised if there is any greater interest in playing Buffalo vs playing FIU among fans that would justify entry and exit fees.

(07-30-2018 09:24 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  I don't buy the idea that a coach is the sticking point.

MAC has a nice financial set-up right now and the only benefit I see to the MAC in expanding is to dilute the weeknight appearances. Think the current contract goes to 2027-28.

Marshall? I can understand that there are only four schools left from their first year in CUSA and NONE are in their division and there might be some savings but I'd be surprised if there is any greater interest in playing Buffalo vs playing FIU among fans that would justify entry and exit fees.

arkstfan,

Honest, but very hypothetical question. If in the highly unlikely event Marshall did leave for the MAC, and C-USA chose to slide UAB to the east, and expand back to 14, would stAte be interested in the open spot in C-USA West?

(07-30-2018 09:24 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 08:32 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Unless the MAC is desperate to extend its footprint into the Virginias for whatever reason, there's absolutely nothing in it for the MAC. Despite what Marshall fans believe, it's doubtful that Marshall's name carries enough weight that they can pick and choose whatever conference they want to be in at any given time.

Marshall joined CUSA when CUSA was the AAC. They got left behind and watched their conference turn into the Sun Belt 2.0. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

Says a troll fan of a 2-10 team.

C-USA had 9 bowl teams last season, and Marshall was one of them. The current line up in C-USA is doing quite well. You should worry about your program.

Marshall will do what is best for Marshall.

Nothing I said about CUSA isn't true. Take your butthurt elsewhere. And you seem to have forgotten that North Texas went 1-11 just two seasons ago. Don't act like y'all are some kind of world beaters.

By the way, I'm sure Marshall fans loved flying all the way across the country for their grand prize bowl game, the New Mexico Bowl while they watched their former conference mates, UCF, play in the Peach Bowl. I bet Marshall fans are LOVING cusa and all those high profile bowl games they get to be a part of. /sarcasm

(07-30-2018 09:10 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 08:32 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Unless the MAC is desperate to extend its footprint into the Virginias for whatever reason, there's absolutely nothing in it for the MAC. Despite what Marshall fans believe, it's doubtful that Marshall's name carries enough weight that they can pick and choose whatever conference they want to be in at any given time.

Marshall joined CUSA when CUSA was the AAC. They got left behind and watched their conference turn into the Sun Belt 2.0. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

Bigger question: what’s in it for Marshall??? All of the Marshall fans I have ever spoke to really and truly have no desire to rejoin the MAC. They like the series with Ohio and consider Miami(Oh) to be their most despised rival, but that’s it.

Besides a conference with a tighter footprint and a marginally better tv deal, you're right. It doesn't make sense from either direction.

(07-30-2018 10:09 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 09:24 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 08:32 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Unless the MAC is desperate to extend its footprint into the Virginias for whatever reason, there's absolutely nothing in it for the MAC. Despite what Marshall fans believe, it's doubtful that Marshall's name carries enough weight that they can pick and choose whatever conference they want to be in at any given time.

Marshall joined CUSA when CUSA was the AAC. They got left behind and watched their conference turn into the Sun Belt 2.0. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

Says a troll fan of a 2-10 team.

C-USA had 9 bowl teams last season, and Marshall was one of them. The current line up in C-USA is doing quite well. You should worry about your program.

Marshall will do what is best for Marshall.

Nothing I said about CUSA isn't true. Take your butthurt elsewhere. And you seem to have forgotten that North Texas went 1-11 just two seasons ago. Don't act like y'all are some kind of world beaters.

By the way, I'm sure Marshall fans loved flying all the way across the country for their grand prize bowl game, the New Mexico Bowl while they watched their former conference mates, UCF, play in the Peach Bowl. I bet Marshall fans are LOVING cusa and all those high profile bowl games they get to be a part of. /sarcasm

Ha! Georgia Southern was a 2-10, and you want to harp on Marshall's bowl.

You are in Sun Belt 2.0. Former Sun Belt members don't even make up half of C-USA. Nice try troll.

(07-30-2018 09:36 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 09:24 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  I don't buy the idea that a coach is the sticking point.

MAC has a nice financial set-up right now and the only benefit I see to the MAC in expanding is to dilute the weeknight appearances. Think the current contract goes to 2027-28.

Marshall? I can understand that there are only four schools left from their first year in CUSA and NONE are in their division and there might be some savings but I'd be surprised if there is any greater interest in playing Buffalo vs playing FIU among fans that would justify entry and exit fees.

arkstfan,

Honest, but very hypothetical question. If in the highly unlikely event Marshall did leave for the MAC, and C-USA chose to slide UAB to the east, and expand back to 14, would stAte be interested in the open spot in C-USA West?

Doubtful. I wouldn't say impossible.

There would be a great deal of interest in aligning with USM to create the battle of US 49 but UAB going east would not be a positive for A-State.

I think there would be some unspoken interest in no longer being aligned with Little Rock. A-State would never vote to change the bylaws to hurt UALR but A-State isn't married, in fact, changing it to a non-conference series would be viewed positively because it can be a challenge to fill non-conference slates in Olympic sports.

Our best teams (2011 and 2012) had more Alabama players than Texas players. Currently we have a few more Texans than Alabama players but I think when the two-deep comes out, you will see more Alabama players making the two-deep.

The recruiting geography doesn't work well. Looking at driving distances.
Dallas is 447 miles, Birmingham 307.
Houston is 562 miles, Mobile is 450 (director of our Letterman's Club is a former player from Mobile)
San Antonio is 700 miles Atlanta is 453.
For more perspective, Huntsville, Alabama is 284 miles, Texarkana is 272 miles. St. Louis is 50 miles closer than Texarkana.

Combined Alabama and Georgia produce more football Red Wolves than Texas.

Once upon a time there would have been a great deal of interest in playing Rice but anyone who has actual memories of Arkansas and Rice being in the same conference is in their mid-30's, anyone in college at the time is in their mid-40's. It has been 20 years since A-State and La.Tech met in a regular season football game. A freshman that year is 38.

$2 million fee to get out of Sun Belt to gain USM and more Texas exposure at the cost of exposure in Alabama and Georgia, that's a hard expenditure to undertake and just like in Sun Belt your closest football league opponent is in North Louisiana.

(07-30-2018 10:30 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 10:09 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 09:24 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 08:32 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Unless the MAC is desperate to extend its footprint into the Virginias for whatever reason, there's absolutely nothing in it for the MAC. Despite what Marshall fans believe, it's doubtful that Marshall's name carries enough weight that they can pick and choose whatever conference they want to be in at any given time.

Marshall joined CUSA when CUSA was the AAC. They got left behind and watched their conference turn into the Sun Belt 2.0. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

Says a troll fan of a 2-10 team.

C-USA had 9 bowl teams last season, and Marshall was one of them. The current line up in C-USA is doing quite well. You should worry about your program.

Marshall will do what is best for Marshall.

Nothing I said about CUSA isn't true. Take your butthurt elsewhere. And you seem to have forgotten that North Texas went 1-11 just two seasons ago. Don't act like y'all are some kind of world beaters.

By the way, I'm sure Marshall fans loved flying all the way across the country for their grand prize bowl game, the New Mexico Bowl while they watched their former conference mates, UCF, play in the Peach Bowl. I bet Marshall fans are LOVING cusa and all those high profile bowl games they get to be a part of. /sarcasm

Ha! Georgia Southern was a 2-10, and you want to harp on Marshall's bowl.

You are in Sun Belt 2.0. Former Sun Belt members don't even make up half of C-USA. Nice try troll.

You clearly aren't reading any of my posts before you respond with your lunatic accusations. I'm not harping on their bowl, I'm saying that Marshall's football peers are doing bigger and better things and Marshall fans aren't happy about it. That's why there are all these threads with rumors about Marshall being desperate to get off the sinking ship that is CUSA.

I'm 100% sure that Marshall fans would rather be with the schools they left the MAC for than stuck in watered down conference with the UNT's and FIU's. That's all I'm saying.

And your conference is mostly made up of Sun Belt schools, start-ups, and FCS call-ups. Therefore, you are Sun Belt 2.0. Sit down

(07-30-2018 10:33 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 09:36 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 09:24 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  I don't buy the idea that a coach is the sticking point.

MAC has a nice financial set-up right now and the only benefit I see to the MAC in expanding is to dilute the weeknight appearances. Think the current contract goes to 2027-28.

Marshall? I can understand that there are only four schools left from their first year in CUSA and NONE are in their division and there might be some savings but I'd be surprised if there is any greater interest in playing Buffalo vs playing FIU among fans that would justify entry and exit fees.

arkstfan,

Honest, but very hypothetical question. If in the highly unlikely event Marshall did leave for the MAC, and C-USA chose to slide UAB to the east, and expand back to 14, would stAte be interested in the open spot in C-USA West?

Doubtful. I wouldn't say impossible.

There would be a great deal of interest in aligning with USM to create the battle of US 49 but UAB going east would not be a positive for A-State.

I think there would be some unspoken interest in no longer being aligned with Little Rock. A-State would never vote to change the bylaws to hurt UALR but A-State isn't married, in fact, changing it to a non-conference series would be viewed positively because it can be a challenge to fill non-conference slates in Olympic sports.

Our best teams (2011 and 2012) had more Alabama players than Texas players. Currently we have a few more Texans than Alabama players but I think when the two-deep comes out, you will see more Alabama players making the two-deep.

The recruiting geography doesn't work well. Looking at driving distances.
Dallas is 447 miles, Birmingham 307.
Houston is 562 miles, Mobile is 450 (director of our Letterman's Club is a former player from Mobile)
San Antonio is 700 miles Atlanta is 453.
For more perspective, Huntsville, Alabama is 284 miles, Texarkana is 272 miles. St. Louis is 50 miles closer than Texarkana.

Combined Alabama and Georgia produce more football Red Wolves than Texas.

Once upon a time there would have been a great deal of interest in playing Rice but anyone who has actual memories of Arkansas and Rice being in the same conference is in their mid-30's, anyone in college at the time is in their mid-40's. It has been 20 years since A-State and La.Tech met in a regular season football game. A freshman that year is 38.

$2 million fee to get out of Sun Belt to gain USM and more Texas exposure at the cost of exposure in Alabama and Georgia, that's a hard expenditure to undertake and just like in Sun Belt your closest football league opponent is in North Louisiana.

Sounds like a logical reason to me.

(07-30-2018 10:43 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  Sounds like a logical reason to me.

FWIW. The people I talk to at A-State and elsewhere think the AAC and MWC contracts are the next two points of interest.

If AAC gets hosed (I think unlikely) their speculation is things could get messy fast. If AAC gets a decent raise they think CUSA and Sun Belt might see something happen.

If MWC gets hosed (unlikely but more likely than AAC getting hosed) or doesn't change their revenue sharing that MWC could get messy.

One guy (outside of AState, involved in ESPN Events) says he thinks 1 in 3 chance that some group of CUSA and Sun Belt break off to do their own thing and a 1 in 5 chance that the front-range schools (Wyoming, Colorado St, AFA, New Mexico) would break if they could add UTEP and some mix of another five schools in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi if they aren't satisfied because five Mountain and five Central time zone schools would be appealing to meet the needs of TV.

If I were wagering, my money would be on the G5 being pretty stable at least to around 2022 or 2023 when the next CFP contract starts shaping up.

Can't see Marshall wanting to play all the weeknight games.

(07-30-2018 11:15 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 10:43 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  Sounds like a logical reason to me.

FWIW. The people I talk to at A-State and elsewhere think the AAC and MWC contracts are the next two points of interest.

If AAC gets hosed (I think unlikely) their speculation is things could get messy fast. If AAC gets a decent raise they think CUSA and Sun Belt might see something happen.

If MWC gets hosed (unlikely but more likely than AAC getting hosed) or doesn't change their revenue sharing that MWC could get messy.

One guy (outside of AState, involved in ESPN Events) says he thinks 1 in 3 chance that some group of CUSA and Sun Belt break off to do their own thing and a 1 in 5 chance that the front-range schools (Wyoming, Colorado St, AFA, New Mexico) would break if they could add UTEP and some mix of another five schools in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi if they aren't satisfied because five Mountain and five Central time zone schools would be appealing to meet the needs of TV.

If I were wagering, my money would be on the G5 being pretty stable at least to around 2022 or 2023 when the next CFP contract starts shaping up.

I agree about nothing happening until 22 or 23. The big programs have no need to expand, and the G5 would be smart to wait before attempting to reshuffle their decks. The problem with a reshuffle will always be "what to do with the programs no one wants?".

I think everyone is jockeying for position right now, because I could see the universities with the strongest overall G5 football and basketball programs aligning together and trying to separate themselves from the rest of the G5.

The AAC is trying to do it, but they just can't create enough football separation in their current form. Boise, and sporadic teams from other conferences are still able to keep the AAC champ from monopolizing the access bowl, and the AAC's other bowl teams haven't played very well against the other G5's in bowl games. When the new CFP contract is being figured out, that would certainly be the time for programs to make their moves. It will be interesting to see how programs position themselves over the next 5 years.

(07-30-2018 10:41 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 10:30 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 10:09 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 09:24 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 08:32 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Unless the MAC is desperate to extend its footprint into the Virginias for whatever reason, there's absolutely nothing in it for the MAC. Despite what Marshall fans believe, it's doubtful that Marshall's name carries enough weight that they can pick and choose whatever conference they want to be in at any given time.

Marshall joined CUSA when CUSA was the AAC. They got left behind and watched their conference turn into the Sun Belt 2.0. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

Says a troll fan of a 2-10 team.

C-USA had 9 bowl teams last season, and Marshall was one of them. The current line up in C-USA is doing quite well. You should worry about your program.

Marshall will do what is best for Marshall.

Nothing I said about CUSA isn't true. Take your butthurt elsewhere. And you seem to have forgotten that North Texas went 1-11 just two seasons ago. Don't act like y'all are some kind of world beaters.

By the way, I'm sure Marshall fans loved flying all the way across the country for their grand prize bowl game, the New Mexico Bowl while they watched their former conference mates, UCF, play in the Peach Bowl. I bet Marshall fans are LOVING cusa and all those high profile bowl games they get to be a part of. /sarcasm

Ha! Georgia Southern was a 2-10, and you want to harp on Marshall's bowl.

You are in Sun Belt 2.0. Former Sun Belt members don't even make up half of C-USA. Nice try troll.

You clearly aren't reading any of my posts before you respond with your lunatic accusations. I'm not harping on their bowl, I'm saying that Marshall's football peers are doing bigger and better things and Marshall fans aren't happy about it. That's why there are all these threads with rumors about Marshall being desperate to get off the sinking ship that is CUSA.

I'm 100% sure that Marshall fans would rather be with the schools they left the MAC for than stuck in watered down conference with the UNT's and FIU's. That's all I'm saying.

And your conference is mostly made up of Sun Belt schools, start-ups, and FCS call-ups. Therefore, you are Sun Belt 2.0. Sit down

I can see there is no point in trying to rationalize with you, so I will just say... You are entitled to any opinion you like, TrueBlue "2-10" drew.

Best of luck playing in the actual "Sun Belt 2.0" next season.

(07-30-2018 11:19 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  Can't see Marshall wanting to play all the weeknight games.

This. I can't see Marshall giving up a month's worth of Saturday home games.

(07-30-2018 01:25 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 10:41 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 10:30 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 10:09 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 09:24 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  Says a troll fan of a 2-10 team.

C-USA had 9 bowl teams last season, and Marshall was one of them. The current line up in C-USA is doing quite well. You should worry about your program.

Marshall will do what is best for Marshall.

Nothing I said about CUSA isn't true. Take your butthurt elsewhere. And you seem to have forgotten that North Texas went 1-11 just two seasons ago. Don't act like y'all are some kind of world beaters.

By the way, I'm sure Marshall fans loved flying all the way across the country for their grand prize bowl game, the New Mexico Bowl while they watched their former conference mates, UCF, play in the Peach Bowl. I bet Marshall fans are LOVING cusa and all those high profile bowl games they get to be a part of. /sarcasm

Ha! Georgia Southern was a 2-10, and you want to harp on Marshall's bowl.

You are in Sun Belt 2.0. Former Sun Belt members don't even make up half of C-USA. Nice try troll.

You clearly aren't reading any of my posts before you respond with your lunatic accusations. I'm not harping on their bowl, I'm saying that Marshall's football peers are doing bigger and better things and Marshall fans aren't happy about it. That's why there are all these threads with rumors about Marshall being desperate to get off the sinking ship that is CUSA.

I'm 100% sure that Marshall fans would rather be with the schools they left the MAC for than stuck in watered down conference with the UNT's and FIU's. That's all I'm saying.

And your conference is mostly made up of Sun Belt schools, start-ups, and FCS call-ups. Therefore, you are Sun Belt 2.0. Sit down

I can see there is no point in trying to rationalize with you, so I will just say... You are entitled to any opinion you like, TrueBlue "2-10" drew.

Best of luck playing in the actual "Sun Belt 2.0" next season.

I've dropped nothing but facts. It's not my fault you aren't intelligent enough to pick them up and have an actual discussion without resorting to name calling. And I'm the troll?

Good luck being the "side show" again this season since the only story worth talking about in CUSA is Kiffin. Maybe this year y'all might actually put up a fight in your bowl game instead of getting your teeth kicked in by a "Sun Belt 2.0" school. One can only dream, or in your case, desperately hope.

It's not gonna happen unless ESPN brings more money to the table and even then no JMU, would need somebody else.

(07-30-2018 10:41 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 10:30 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 10:09 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 09:24 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 08:32 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Unless the MAC is desperate to extend its footprint into the Virginias for whatever reason, there's absolutely nothing in it for the MAC. Despite what Marshall fans believe, it's doubtful that Marshall's name carries enough weight that they can pick and choose whatever conference they want to be in at any given time.

Marshall joined CUSA when CUSA was the AAC. They got left behind and watched their conference turn into the Sun Belt 2.0. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

Says a troll fan of a 2-10 team.

C-USA had 9 bowl teams last season, and Marshall was one of them. The current line up in C-USA is doing quite well. You should worry about your program.

Marshall will do what is best for Marshall.

Nothing I said about CUSA isn't true. Take your butthurt elsewhere. And you seem to have forgotten that North Texas went 1-11 just two seasons ago. Don't act like y'all are some kind of world beaters.

By the way, I'm sure Marshall fans loved flying all the way across the country for their grand prize bowl game, the New Mexico Bowl while they watched their former conference mates, UCF, play in the Peach Bowl. I bet Marshall fans are LOVING cusa and all those high profile bowl games they get to be a part of. /sarcasm

Ha! Georgia Southern was a 2-10, and you want to harp on Marshall's bowl.

You are in Sun Belt 2.0. Former Sun Belt members don't even make up half of C-USA. Nice try troll.

You clearly aren't reading any of my posts before you respond with your lunatic accusations. I'm not harping on their bowl, I'm saying that Marshall's football peers are doing bigger and better things and Marshall fans aren't happy about it. That's why there are all these threads with rumors about Marshall being desperate to get off the sinking ship that is CUSA.

I'm 100% sure that Marshall fans would rather be with the schools they left the MAC for than stuck in watered down conference with the UNT's and FIU's. That's all I'm saying.

And your conference is mostly made up of Sun Belt schools, start-ups, and FCS call-ups. Therefore, you are Sun Belt 2.0. Sit down

Now you're saying that Marshall fans would rather be in the AAC. That's no doubt true, wouldn't we all. But your first post implied they'd rather have just stayed in the MAC. That's mostly untrue.