Georgia Southern/Marshall
Georgia Southern/MTSU

Honestly East Carolina & Marshall

(06-04-2020 04:31 PM)Mav Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 03:56 PM)Thiefery Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 02:03 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 12:20 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Oklahoma and Nebraska **

** Oklahoma vs Texas and Bedlam are bigger to OU, so maybe it's not as necessary as we make it out to be.

It's not necessary, but it'll be a nice pair of home-and-homes starting next season in Norman, the 50th anniversary of the Game Of The Last Century. It's like Florida and Tennessee in the 90s and 2000s: two conference rivals that are not near each other but had played big games against each other. In our case, really big games. There's a lot of history there from the old Big 8, but not much proximity. OU people and Nebraska people don't normally end up in the same places, especially now. Texas and OSU are rivalries built on blood. Nebraska was one built on high stakes and respect.

Had the original Big 12 alignment allowed for OU and Nebraska to play every year, perhaps it would be different. When the Big 12 came into being, Nebraska was at its highest point, and OU was at its lowest point. OU chose to go along with a North-South division split with rotating cross-divisional opponents and no permanent cross-division opponents. That alignment turned out to be one of many causes of the downfall of Big 12 1.0.

If I remember it correctly, the conference wanted Nebraska vs ou every year as a permanent game but ou said no to it. Kinda sad that it feels that Nebraska got more amped about playing Colorado the past two seasons and the upcoming ou series around the corner, more than it's games vs WI, MN, IA..

When you have nothing to look forward to, you tend to look to the past.

I read recently that 2018-2020 is the best three year recruiting stretch for Nebraska since the 1990's. I believe there are 22 ☆☆☆☆ in this group of classes. Things will get better, regardless of all the degrading Nebraska and Big 10 talk there is on this board. Nebraska has always been one of my favorite teams for as long as I can remember. I too miss the Big 8 days and the Oklahoma, Missouri, Colorado etc... games.

I am hopeful that once Nebraska starts competing for divisional and conference championships, things will change. Winning makes everything perfect again and those days are coming.

Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin are great matchups for Nebraska and can and will, eventually, turn into some great rivalry games. Minnesota is trending up, and fast, so Nebraska will need to keep up. Add in rotating years of Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State and having the roster to beat them too will have the fans all in again.

But I do miss Nebraska/Oklahoma and I have hope it happens again.

(06-04-2020 03:10 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 02:03 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 12:20 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Oklahoma and Nebraska **

** Oklahoma vs Texas and Bedlam are bigger to OU, so maybe it's not as necessary as we make it out to be.

It's not necessary, but it'll be a nice pair of home-and-homes starting next season in Norman, the 50th anniversary of the Game Of The Last Century. It's like Florida and Tennessee in the 90s and 2000s: two conference rivals that are not near each other but had played big games against each other. In our case, really big games. There's a lot of history there from the old Big 8, but not much proximity. OU people and Nebraska people don't normally end up in the same places, especially now. Texas and OSU are rivalries built on blood. Nebraska was one built on high stakes and respect.

Had the original Big 12 alignment allowed for OU and Nebraska to play every year, perhaps it would be different. When the Big 12 came into being, Nebraska was at its highest point, and OU was at its lowest point. OU chose to go along with a North-South division split with rotating cross-divisional opponents and no permanent cross-division opponents. That alignment turned out to be one of many causes of the downfall of Big 12 1.0.

I was at the Iowa St-Oklahoma game last year and there were at least 30 Nebraska fans at the game. That was surprising as they're 6 hours apart. They must miss each other.

I was at that game, too!

Iowa State is every Big 8 fan's second favorite conference team. They're hard to hate unless you're a Hawkeye.

(06-04-2020 03:56 PM)Thiefery Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 02:03 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 12:20 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Oklahoma and Nebraska **

** Oklahoma vs Texas and Bedlam are bigger to OU, so maybe it's not as necessary as we make it out to be.

It's not necessary, but it'll be a nice pair of home-and-homes starting next season in Norman, the 50th anniversary of the Game Of The Last Century. It's like Florida and Tennessee in the 90s and 2000s: two conference rivals that are not near each other but had played big games against each other. In our case, really big games. There's a lot of history there from the old Big 8, but not much proximity. OU people and Nebraska people don't normally end up in the same places, especially now. Texas and OSU are rivalries built on blood. Nebraska was one built on high stakes and respect.

Had the original Big 12 alignment allowed for OU and Nebraska to play every year, perhaps it would be different. When the Big 12 came into being, Nebraska was at its highest point, and OU was at its lowest point. OU chose to go along with a North-South division split with rotating cross-divisional opponents and no permanent cross-division opponents. That alignment turned out to be one of many causes of the downfall of Big 12 1.0.

If I remember it correctly, the conference wanted Nebraska vs ou every year as a permanent game but ou said no to it. Kinda sad that it feels that Nebraska got more amped about playing Colorado the past two seasons and the upcoming ou series around the corner, more than it's games vs WI, MN, IA..

That's basically true, though no one will say so on the record. Remember, in 1996 Nebraska was coming off two consecutive NCs and was on the way to a third before being upset by Texas in the first B12 championship game. OU was in a decade-long funk. You can't blame OU for not wanting Nebraska as a permanent opponent while some other South school got say, Iowa State. When the Big 12 was formed, the power was in the North. In 1995, four Big 8/Big 12 North schools finished in the top 10: Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas State, and Kansas.

Unlike A&M and their former mates in the B12/SWC, Nebraska fans truly miss the old Big 8. They not only miss OU, but they miss the other 7 Big 8 teams, as well. Part of it is memories of success, but part is also history, proximity, and identification.

(06-04-2020 07:10 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 03:10 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 02:03 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 12:20 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Oklahoma and Nebraska **

** Oklahoma vs Texas and Bedlam are bigger to OU, so maybe it's not as necessary as we make it out to be.

It's not necessary, but it'll be a nice pair of home-and-homes starting next season in Norman, the 50th anniversary of the Game Of The Last Century. It's like Florida and Tennessee in the 90s and 2000s: two conference rivals that are not near each other but had played big games against each other. In our case, really big games. There's a lot of history there from the old Big 8, but not much proximity. OU people and Nebraska people don't normally end up in the same places, especially now. Texas and OSU are rivalries built on blood. Nebraska was one built on high stakes and respect.

Had the original Big 12 alignment allowed for OU and Nebraska to play every year, perhaps it would be different. When the Big 12 came into being, Nebraska was at its highest point, and OU was at its lowest point. OU chose to go along with a North-South division split with rotating cross-divisional opponents and no permanent cross-division opponents. That alignment turned out to be one of many causes of the downfall of Big 12 1.0.

I was at the Iowa St-Oklahoma game last year and there were at least 30 Nebraska fans at the game. That was surprising as they're 6 hours apart. They must miss each other.

I was at that game, too!

Iowa State is every Big 8 fan's second favorite conference team. They're hard to hate unless you're a Hawkeye.

That game was nuts! I’ll admit to missing the crazy comeback because I thought it was over and moved onto touring the concourse/campus (specifically trying to pinpoint where the bomb went off in ‘05).

80% of the crowd had to have left because they thought the game was in hand (plus it was windy/chilly). Bought an OU History Photobook that shows a page-scale picture of each season with its schedule/results. Wish every program sold a book like that!

(06-04-2020 07:22 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 07:10 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 03:10 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 02:03 PM)johnintx Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 12:20 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Oklahoma and Nebraska **

** Oklahoma vs Texas and Bedlam are bigger to OU, so maybe it's not as necessary as we make it out to be.

It's not necessary, but it'll be a nice pair of home-and-homes starting next season in Norman, the 50th anniversary of the Game Of The Last Century. It's like Florida and Tennessee in the 90s and 2000s: two conference rivals that are not near each other but had played big games against each other. In our case, really big games. There's a lot of history there from the old Big 8, but not much proximity. OU people and Nebraska people don't normally end up in the same places, especially now. Texas and OSU are rivalries built on blood. Nebraska was one built on high stakes and respect.

Had the original Big 12 alignment allowed for OU and Nebraska to play every year, perhaps it would be different. When the Big 12 came into being, Nebraska was at its highest point, and OU was at its lowest point. OU chose to go along with a North-South division split with rotating cross-divisional opponents and no permanent cross-division opponents. That alignment turned out to be one of many causes of the downfall of Big 12 1.0.

I was at the Iowa St-Oklahoma game last year and there were at least 30 Nebraska fans at the game. That was surprising as they're 6 hours apart. They must miss each other.

I was at that game, too!

Iowa State is every Big 8 fan's second favorite conference team. They're hard to hate unless you're a Hawkeye.

That game was nuts! I’ll admit to missing the crazy comeback because I thought it was over and moved onto touring the concourse/campus (specifically trying to pinpoint where the bomb went off in ‘05).

80% of the crowd had to have left because they thought the game was in hand (plus it was windy/chilly). Bought an OU History Photobook that shows a page-scale picture of each season with its schedule/results. Wish every program sold a book like that!

We wanted to leave, too. We were cold. But OU kept turning the ball over and couldn't put the game away. It was almost a repeat of Iowa State's previous trip to Norman-a surprise unexpected comeback.

Glad you enjoyed Norman!

(06-04-2020 12:19 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 08:16 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 07:46 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  Yeah, that cluster of Memphis, Louisville, Southern Miss, and Cincy come to mind. We get Memphis and Cincy, but those others seem so far removed now.

Louisville and to lesser extent Memphis, but UC fans do not care one bit about Southern Miss (although Southern Miss has their rivalry with Memphis). UC fans would rather play regional opponents like Louisville, WVU and Pitt.

Xavier and Dayton should be in a conference with one another.

I agree with Dayton and Xavier. As for the old CUSA gang, I think it’s a prickly matter, and not unlike UTEP-UNM-NMSU. There’s a reason it doesn’t happen. People have their opinions about how UL could resist some of these schools (like why it took as long to tap Memphis as a replacement in the Big East/AAC). Same supposedly goes for NMSU and the MWC and CUSA: neither UNM or UTEP want Pistol Pete around.

I said in another thread that I wonder if Houston ever had a shot at ACC, since they and other SWC schools weren’t uncommon on the schedules of those like FSU, Miami, and Louisville. But, where it comes back to that UC-UL-USM-UM cluster, Houston’s had their run-in’s with them, too, before CUSA even bound them all together.

I don’t think it’s up to UTEP and UNM to vouch for NMSU anymore. Both play NMSU in football and basketball (H&H). Both schools are committed in keeping those series with the Aggies. It’s the people who run the conferences in Dallas and Denver who don’t want NMSU. The “UTEP and UNM don’t want NMSU in the same conference” is more of an urban legend than reality.

The problem with NMSU is not their football program, its storied basketball program or its good academics. Their problem is they’re very close to two G5 schools in medium sized tv markets in a poor and sparsely populated state. They don’t deliver a market and it’s not their fault the realignment wars of the last two decades were based on markets for the tv networks.

Pitt-Wvu for me

Penn St-Pitt in the Big Ten

Notre Dame - Navy

Colorado - Nebraska

College of Charleston - Citadel - Charleston Southern

UNC-Charlotte - Davidson - Winthrop - Elon - High Point

Kansas - Mizzou

Utah - Hawai’i

TCU - SMU

UMass - UConn

Texas Tech - UTEP - UTSA - Texas St. - UNM - NMSU

Iowa - Iowa State

North Dakota State - Kansas State

Louisiana Tech - Arkansas State - Lafayette - Monroe

Maryland - Temple

Duke - Rutgers

Virginia Tech - East Carolina - Coastal - ODU - JMU - VCU - Richmond - George Mason - Radford - Longwood - VMI - UNC-Wilmington - Hampton - Campbell - William & Mary - American

Georgia Tech - Alabama

West Virginia - Miami

South Alabama - Southern Miss - Troy - UAB

Tulane - Rice - Wake Forest - Vanderbilt

Liberty - Bob Jones - Oral Roberts - Regent - BYU - Grand Canyon - Ave Maria - Pepperdine

(06-04-2020 08:35 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 12:19 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 08:16 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 07:46 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  Yeah, that cluster of Memphis, Louisville, Southern Miss, and Cincy come to mind. We get Memphis and Cincy, but those others seem so far removed now.

Louisville and to lesser extent Memphis, but UC fans do not care one bit about Southern Miss (although Southern Miss has their rivalry with Memphis). UC fans would rather play regional opponents like Louisville, WVU and Pitt.

Xavier and Dayton should be in a conference with one another.

I agree with Dayton and Xavier. As for the old CUSA gang, I think it’s a prickly matter, and not unlike UTEP-UNM-NMSU. There’s a reason it doesn’t happen. People have their opinions about how UL could resist some of these schools (like why it took as long to tap Memphis as a replacement in the Big East/AAC). Same supposedly goes for NMSU and the MWC and CUSA: neither UNM or UTEP want Pistol Pete around.

I said in another thread that I wonder if Houston ever had a shot at ACC, since they and other SWC schools weren’t uncommon on the schedules of those like FSU, Miami, and Louisville. But, where it comes back to that UC-UL-USM-UM cluster, Houston’s had their run-in’s with them, too, before CUSA even bound them all together.

I don’t think it’s up to UTEP and UNM to vouch for NMSU anymore. Both play NMSU in football and basketball (H&H). Both schools are committed in keeping those series with the Aggies. It’s the people who run the conferences in Dallas and Denver who don’t want NMSU. The “UTEP and UNM don’t want NMSU in the same conference” is more of an urban legend than reality.

The problem with NMSU is not their football program, its storied basketball program or its good academics. Their problem is they’re very close to two G5 schools in medium sized tv markets in a poor and sparsely populated state. They don’t deliver a market and it’s not their fault the realignment wars of the last two decades were based on markets for the tv networks.

I think, in the state of New Mexico, UNM will make for darned sure NMSU will never be at the same level as the Lobos. It’s fine “putting up” with playing them in everything, but there’s a limit.

UNM’s AD said something to the effect of “they don’t have the votes,” when it came to NMSU’s candidacy. Dude totally avoided how UNM would really vote, but just that UNM disn’t have to. And, sure, it may not be on UNM if others don’t want NMSU in the conference, but, that was a cringeworthy moment if there ever was. Not a lot unlike Pitt abstaining on Temple getting the boot from the Big East...we don’t have to vote because the matter’s settled. It’s pretty low.

Personally, I think the two are good and bad at the same things. Too close together and too similar. I think they fit better in MWC than CUSA, but, then again, UTEP should have moved to MWC a few years back when it had the chance, too. At least then, UNM and UTEP would be under the same banner again.

(06-04-2020 10:05 PM)CarlSmithCenter Wrote:  Notre Dame - Navy
Colorado - Nebraska
College of Charleston - Citadel - Charleston Southern
UNC-Charlotte - Davidson - Winthrop - Elon - High Point
Kansas - Mizzou
BYU - Utah - Hawai’i
TCU - SMU
UMass - UConn
Texas Tech - UTEP - UTSA - Texas St. - UNM - NMSU
Iowa - Iowa State
North Dakota State - Kansas State
Louisiana Tech - Arkansas State - Lafayette - Monroe
Maryland - Temple
Duke - Rutgers
Virginia Tech - East Carolina - Coastal - ODU - JMU - VCU - Richmond
Georgia Tech - Alabama
West Virginia - Miami
South Alabama - Southern Miss - Troy - UAB
Tulane - Rice - Wake Forest - Vanderbilt
Liberty - Bob Jones

College of Charleston, Citadel and Charleston Southern couldn’t be much different from one another. Public liberal arts school with maybe 5-10% funding from the state, military college and small Christian university.

When CofC and Citadel were in a league it made some sense, but the basketball rivalry was usually lopsided in favor of CofC.

CofC and Coastal Carolina should be in the same league. Two hours apart, share many of the same characteristics, both have a lot of out of state students, and you’d have a great rivalry in all sports with them and UNCW.

But CCU instead chased the FBS dream.

Richmond/VMI/W&M-CAA

Maryland-ACC

Mizzou-Big 10

Louisville-SEC

Holy Cross-A10

Rice-AAC

UTEP/NMSU-MWC

(06-04-2020 10:28 PM)sctvman Wrote:  

(06-04-2020 10:05 PM)CarlSmithCenter Wrote:  Notre Dame - Navy
Colorado - Nebraska
College of Charleston - Citadel - Charleston Southern
UNC-Charlotte - Davidson - Winthrop - Elon - High Point
Kansas - Mizzou
BYU - Utah - Hawai’i
TCU - SMU
UMass - UConn
Texas Tech - UTEP - UTSA - Texas St. - UNM - NMSU
Iowa - Iowa State
North Dakota State - Kansas State
Louisiana Tech - Arkansas State - Lafayette - Monroe
Maryland - Temple
Duke - Rutgers
Virginia Tech - East Carolina - Coastal - ODU - JMU - VCU - Richmond
Georgia Tech - Alabama
West Virginia - Miami
South Alabama - Southern Miss - Troy - UAB
Tulane - Rice - Wake Forest - Vanderbilt
Liberty - Bob Jones

College of Charleston, Citadel and Charleston Southern couldn’t be much different from one another. Public liberal arts school with maybe 5-10% funding from the state, military college and small Christian university.

When CofC and Citadel were in a league it made some sense, but the basketball rivalry was usually lopsided in favor of CofC.

CofC and Coastal Carolina should be in the same league. Two hours apart, share many of the same characteristics, both have a lot of out of state students, and you’d have a great rivalry in all sports with them and UNCW.

But CCU instead chased the FBS dream.

College of Knowledge would dominate the Citadel and Baptist College but it makes a hell of lot more sense in the wake of both Coronavirus and the recession to a take bus trip down the Crosstown or up to Exit 205 on I-26 for conference play than it does to, say, fly to Boston. Don’t necessarily disagree on Coastal but I feel that they match up better with ECU in terms of football, location and general YOLO ethos

It's a shame that media value reports and bizarre accidents of timings have put some schools in different conferences that belong together ... UC should be in the same conference as Pitt and WVU upstream, UNM, UTEP and NMSU should be in the same conference, Marshall and App State should be in the same conference ...

... but it's not JUST rivalry and proximity. There's also institutional fit. I think that Georgia Tech and Georgia actually should be in different conferences, structured to let them play annually.

Boston University and Northeastern

(06-05-2020 03:17 AM)Erictelevision Wrote:  Boston University and Northeastern

I remember when they were in the America East Conference together. Northeastern left Boston University for the Colonial and then Boston University went to the Patriot League.

I still dislike the CAA for my local Drexel. For years I thought of the CAA as the "Virginia" conference. The conference tournament was always in Richmond and only Virginia teams got at large bids to the NCAA's. Since Drexel joined the Colonial they haven't made the NCAA Tournament. Neither has Hofstra (they would have this year since they won the CAA Tournament before it was canceled). How long has it been since Hofstra made the NCAA Tournament? The last time they made it their head coach was Jay Wright. Delaware made it once. Northeastern made it once from the CAA. At least after George Mason and VCU left the northern teams have more of a chance to win the CAA auto bid (and the tournament finally left Richmond). Drexel's stuck in the Colonial but they don't belong there (especially since they don't have football).

(06-05-2020 02:30 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  It's a shame that media value reports and bizarre accidents of timings have put some schools in different conferences that belong together ... UC should be in the same conference as Pitt and WVU upstream, UNM, UTEP and NMSU should be in the same conference, Marshall and App State should be in the same conference ...

... but it's not JUST rivalry and proximity. There's also institutional fit. I think that Georgia Tech and Georgia actually should be in different conferences, structured to let them play annually.

People on this board do not understand how that Ohio River quadrant of UC/Louisville/WVU/Pitt was getting over in football crazed Ohio. It’s a shame the Big East football conference blew up so early because that group had a lot of potential as a solid anchor to any conference.

And to all you who think UC is a “C-USA” school (according to some apparently we are less than a CUSA school) that delivers nothing we get better ratings than you think and are highly competitive in both revenue sports. Also, we were in the Big East one year less than we were in CUSA, and have played WVU more times than we ever played Southern Miss, East Carolina, UAB, etc.

(06-04-2020 10:05 PM)CarlSmithCenter Wrote:  Notre Dame - Navy

Colorado - Nebraska

College of Charleston - Citadel - Charleston Southern

UNC-Charlotte - Davidson - Winthrop - Elon - High Point

Kansas - Mizzou

Utah - Hawai’i

TCU - SMU

UMass - UConn

Texas Tech - UTEP - UTSA - Texas St. - UNM - NMSU

Iowa - Iowa State

North Dakota State - Kansas State

Louisiana Tech - Arkansas State - Lafayette - Monroe

Maryland - Temple

Duke - Rutgers

Virginia Tech - East Carolina - Coastal - ODU - JMU - VCU - Richmond - George Mason - Radford - Longwood - VMI - UNC-Wilmington - Hampton - Campbell - William & Mary - American

Georgia Tech - Alabama

West Virginia - Miami

South Alabama - Southern Miss - Troy - UAB

Tulane - Rice - Wake Forest - Vanderbilt

Liberty - Bob Jones - Oral Roberts - Regent - BYU - Grand Canyon - Ave Maria - Pepperdine

I think that CofC, Winthrop, and Coastal Carolina should be together.