OK, if you think the strongest programs wont leave, then a geographic group formed by the Eastern group:

Marshall, UAB, WKU, MTSU, ODU, Charlotte, USM go add three from say Liberty, JMU, App State or Georgia State

That would leave UTEP, UTSA, UNT, Rice, LTU in the west, plus FAU and FIA. Logically they would go for Texas State and Louisiana. The 10th who knows, maybe Arkansas State or perhaps NMSU giving UTEP a partner and adding a pretty good basketball program. That would be a very Texas centered conference.

The SBC would be down to CCU, Troy, USA, ULM, Georgia Southern and possibly App State and Arkansas State.

Alternately if the Western group formed the break they'd start with this core:

UNT, UTSA, Rice, LTU, USM, UAB and likely MTSU. They would likely add ULL and TSU from the SBC, and one more whom I'm not sure from either conference, Georgia State probably makes the most sense, giving you an Atlanta to Dallas footprint.

That would leave: WKU, Marshall, ODU, Charlotte, FIU, FAU and of course UTEP. Liberty, App State, CCU and Georgia Southern probably make the most sense to add, or JMU moving up. UTEP will be a complete outlier, but what can you do?

The SBC would be left with Arkansas State, Troy, South Alabama and Louisiana Monroe, plus Basketball schools UTA and UALR. CCU or App State might also get left behind if Liberty or JMU or both get the nod for C-USA remnants. They'll need two more to remain a Football conference. NMSU and UMass for football or an FCS move up make the most sense.

I know you guys like nice neat solutions, where everyone gets a home, but that is not the way it ever works. There are always orphans or a sucko conference of the left overs resulting. It's never neat, never nice.

(04-06-2020 01:45 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(04-06-2020 12:43 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-06-2020 12:09 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(04-06-2020 11:56 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-05-2020 05:47 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  There is not enough support for a realignment along geographic lines. There are enough votes to stop such a move. Sure the current economic conditions will place a strain on everyone's budgets, but those that can weather the storm will come away stronger. If the financial strain is too much for ODU, then maybe they need to move on from C-USA.

Perhaps. Schools will first seek to do things cooperatively, but it they are blocked, they will simply move forward in a differnt way (See the formation of the MW for instance). Perhaps there arent enough votes, but the answer may simply be for the Sunbelt to absorb the best schools that fit in their footprint---the remains of CUSA can then decide what to do from there. The problem with that outcome is the schools who are happy with the current CUSA lose a great deal of control over how the conference will be changed by realignment. It might be better to work cooperatively. Right now--I have no idea the budget pressures are high enough to trigger changes---we can only wait and see.

That said---history tells us that realignment is usually not a cooperative process---so "votes" will likely not be a factor.

The Sun Belt will not absorb programs from C-USA. That would reduce each program's BCS payout. There will be no cooperation. Few if any C-USA schools can afford to leave and start a new conference. And, even if some did the programs left in C-USA would be in a much better position, with more BCS money and exit fees to split among the remaining programs. I doubt the remaining C-USA programs would even need to add new members.

There is no cooperation required. The Sunbelt and individual schools will do as they please and all the CUSA votes in the world cant stop a team from joining another conference if it wants. These are individual school decisions. Conference membership always has been. If a school (or group of schools) wishes to leave, there is nothing the existing membership can do. I could easily see S Miss, UAB, Marshall, and ODU sliding over. It would be a advantageous cost cutting move for the 4 schools and would be an attractive package for the Sunbelt to consider. I could also wee everything remaining the same. I have no dog in the hunt. Sadly, these days--this speculation is the closest thing there is to an actual sports event.

If those 4 left, C-USA would be fine at 10 members. We would each receive a larger portion of the CFP money, and split those exits fees.

But, I have doubts about Marshall wanting to conference where there are no Florida teams. And, I question if they really save money when the Sun Belt would be splitting their CFP money 14 ways instead of 10. Also, I doubt UAB's basketball would like playing the Sun Belt's 16 member line up over those that would remain in C-USA.

Frankly--even it were to happen, I dont think that N Texas would have much to worry about. I suspect they wouldnt see enough change in their conference schedule to bother fans much. They might even like some of the schools they would be regularly seeing more of. Either way---any new configuration would probably look very close to what they already enjoy. The big differences would likely represent a change in cross divisional games--rather than big changes within the division.

(04-06-2020 03:39 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-06-2020 01:45 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(04-06-2020 12:43 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-06-2020 12:09 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(04-06-2020 11:56 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Perhaps. Schools will first seek to do things cooperatively, but it they are blocked, they will simply move forward in a differnt way (See the formation of the MW for instance). Perhaps there arent enough votes, but the answer may simply be for the Sunbelt to absorb the best schools that fit in their footprint---the remains of CUSA can then decide what to do from there. The problem with that outcome is the schools who are happy with the current CUSA lose a great deal of control over how the conference will be changed by realignment. It might be better to work cooperatively. Right now--I have no idea the budget pressures are high enough to trigger changes---we can only wait and see.

That said---history tells us that realignment is usually not a cooperative process---so "votes" will likely not be a factor.

The Sun Belt will not absorb programs from C-USA. That would reduce each program's BCS payout. There will be no cooperation. Few if any C-USA schools can afford to leave and start a new conference. And, even if some did the programs left in C-USA would be in a much better position, with more BCS money and exit fees to split among the remaining programs. I doubt the remaining C-USA programs would even need to add new members.

There is no cooperation required. The Sunbelt and individual schools will do as they please and all the CUSA votes in the world cant stop a team from joining another conference if it wants. These are individual school decisions. Conference membership always has been. If a school (or group of schools) wishes to leave, there is nothing the existing membership can do. I could easily see S Miss, UAB, Marshall, and ODU sliding over. It would be a advantageous cost cutting move for the 4 schools and would be an attractive package for the Sunbelt to consider. I could also wee everything remaining the same. I have no dog in the hunt. Sadly, these days--this speculation is the closest thing there is to an actual sports event.

If those 4 left, C-USA would be fine at 10 members. We would each receive a larger portion of the CFP money, and split those exits fees.

But, I have doubts about Marshall wanting to conference where there are no Florida teams. And, I question if they really save money when the Sun Belt would be splitting their CFP money 14 ways instead of 10. Also, I doubt UAB's basketball would like playing the Sun Belt's 16 member line up over those that would remain in C-USA.

Frankly--even it were to happen, I dont think that N Texas would have much to worry about. I suspect they wouldnt see enough change in their conference schedule to bother fans much. They might even like some of the schools they would be regularly seeing more of. Either way---any new configuration would probably look very close to what they already enjoy. The big differences would likely represent a change in cross divisional games--rather than big changes within the division.

I agree. If those four left, C-USA would look like this, which wouldn't change much.

West
North Texas
Rice
UTSA
UTEP
LA Tech

East
FAU
FIU
WKU
MTSU
Charlotte

(04-05-2020 06:08 AM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  If football goes to 70 scholarships that’s taking away 15 opportunities for men.

Isn’t that the same as cutting men’s wrestling? Explain to me the difference? Either way, men lose.

The difference is that ODU football has only existed for 10 years, has spent even less than that at the FBS level, and the decision to cut wrestling is part of the extended fallout from starting that program up (which is also inseperable from ODU's CUSA membership and associated costs). Whether you're adding 70 men's scholarships out of thin air or adding 85 to take back some via other sports, "men" come out of this massive winners if that's the lens you're viewing it through. You just don't wind up crowding out quite as many other men's sports that way (in this case it means the skinny 5'6" kid who's never going to make it as a cornerback in college but is dynamite on the mat still has a shot at a scholarship).

ODU probably doubled the number of men's scholarships they award, or at least came close, and still people find reasons to whine about how victimized they are.......