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FCS A-Changin' ... WAC and Now ASUN

IdaGriz01

IdaGriz01

Well-known member
I'm used to the Atlantic Sun Conference ... in basketball. But now, they want to also become a football conference, with Central Arkansas moving over. With poaching by the WAC, and now the ASUN, the Southland is being gutted. Will be interesting to see who gets auto-bids.

Extra interesting point: Liberty is a member of the ASUN for basketball, but plays football at the FBS level as an Independent. Of course, ASUN officials are already talking about a mass move up to FBS football. That would solve Liberty's problem.

Weird times!

Sorry, here's one of many links: https://www.aseaofred.com/central-arkansas-others-to-join-asun-conference/
 
There’s six D-II schools in Texas and 8 more in Oklahoma to choose from...

And I can think of a couple BSC schools we’d gladly give them....
 
Well, if matters weren't already confusing enough ... now we can add Eastern Kentucky out of the OVC. Honestly, I found two articles about the transition, and I still can't quite fathom what the Hell is going on. Among other oddities, they list Liberty as an ASUN member, but I cannot imagine the Flames dropping back to FCS for football.

https://kentuckysportsradio.com/foo...ootball-for-2021-before-move-to-atlantic-sun/

https://www.courier-journal.com/sto...sion-eastern-kentucky-join-league/4295442001/

I guess the ASUN conference has a plan, but it all seems weird to me.
 
Two new FBS conferences. Jac State did their feasibilty study and has decided to move up. Interesting bit of trivia is that the president of FGCU got his start as an administrator in Havre at Northern.

The huge contraction of FCS teams makes one wonder about the future of the tiers below what up to now has been referred to as the Group of 5--and the future of FCS and DII football.
 
Will the FCS be going away completely? Maybe the reason we saw Georgia Southern, App State and others make the move a couple years ago. Combine that with these articles and it makes one wonder. Maybe it will be Power X , Group X are Div I and those that can’t make the move, like left over FCS are then consider as part of Div II?

If that’s the direction. That would totally suck and such a bummer for UM and all the $$ spent on the Champions Center etc to then compete on an even “lower” level than current.
 
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
Two new FBS conferences. Jac State did their feasibilty study and has decided to move up. Interesting bit of trivia is that the president of FGCU got his start as an administrator in Havre at Northern.

The huge contraction of FCS teams makes one wonder about the future of the tiers below what up to now has been referred to as the Group of 5--and the future of FCS and DII football.
Click to expand...

The WAC and ASUN will be FCS conferences, not FBS. This is good for FCS football. Liberty will continue to play FBS and not be the ASUN football league.

"It would bring the ASUN from its current 9 all-sport members to 12, and push the ASUN much closer to sponsoring a full scholarship FCS football league."

"This new look league will have five schools which sponsor scholarship FCS football – the three newcomers as well as Kennesaw State and North Alabama, and the ASUN plans on launching an FCS scholarship football conference."

"Liberty, as an FBS Independent, and Stetson, as a non-scholarship Pioneer Football League member, will not participate in this new FCS league. The ASUN football conference will pursue “immediate and ongoing annual access to automatic qualification to the FCS playoffs."

"There have been rumblings of this ASUN football conference looking to make the jump as a group to the FBS and the ASUN then forcing Liberty to join the conference at that point. The likelihood of the ASUN being able to jump as a group to the FBS is very unlikely and should not be a cause for worry for Liberty fans at this point."

https://www.aseaofred.com/revamped-12-member-asun-and-an-fcs-football-conference-coming-this-fall/

"The WAC will undergo a major expansion in July 2021, with four schools joining. The conference will reinstate football at that time, competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. One year later, one non-football school (Chicago State) will leave, and another FCS football school (Southern Utah) will join."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Athletic_Conference#:~:text=The%20WAC%20will%20undergo%20a,(Southern%20Utah)%20will%
 
PlayerRep said:
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
Two new FBS conferences. Jac State did their feasibilty study and has decided to move up. Interesting bit of trivia is that the president of FGCU got his start as an administrator in Havre at Northern.

The huge contraction of FCS teams makes one wonder about the future of the tiers below what up to now has been referred to as the Group of 5--and the future of FCS and DII football.
Click to expand...

The WAC and ASUN will be FCS conferences, not FBS. This is good for FCS football. Liberty will continue to play FBS and not be the ASUN football league.

"It would bring the ASUN from its current 9 all-sport members to 12, and push the ASUN much closer to sponsoring a full scholarship FCS football league."

"This new look league will have five schools which sponsor scholarship FCS football – the three newcomers as well as Kennesaw State and North Alabama, and the ASUN plans on launching an FCS scholarship football conference."

"Liberty, as an FBS Independent, and Stetson, as a non-scholarship Pioneer Football League member, will not participate in this new FCS league. The ASUN football conference will pursue “immediate and ongoing annual access to automatic qualification to the FCS playoffs."

"There have been rumblings of this ASUN football conference looking to make the jump as a group to the FBS and the ASUN then forcing Liberty to join the conference at that point. The likelihood of the ASUN being able to jump as a group to the FBS is very unlikely and should not be a cause for worry for Liberty fans at this point."

https://www.aseaofred.com/revamped-12-member-asun-and-an-fcs-football-conference-coming-this-fall/

"The WAC will undergo a major expansion in July 2021, with four schools joining. The conference will reinstate football at that time, competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. One year later, one non-football school (Chicago State) will leave, and another FCS football school (Southern Utah) will join."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Athletic_Conference#:~:text=The%20WAC%20will%20undergo%20a,(Southern%20Utah)%20will%
Click to expand...

I concur with the initial plan for this fall. 2022 and beyond? Not what I've been told. It will be interesting to watch, at least to me.
 
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
IdaGriz01 said:
Link posted in the "SUU Leaving ... ?" thread:
https://www.texasfootball.com/artic...otball-for-2021-season-only?ref=related_title

Southland may be in trouble, but the Ohio Valley is fine ... SO FAR.
Click to expand...
OVC just dropped to seven teams and we know what Southeast Missouri wants do do.
Click to expand...
Yeah, "fine" might have been a bit too positive. "Okay" might have been better, for now. Way things are going, maybe the remnants of the Southland and the OVC could combine. :?

Crazy stuff!
 
IdaGriz01 said:
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
OVC just dropped to seven teams and we know what Southeast Missouri wants do do.
Click to expand...
Yeah, "fine" might have been a bit too positive. "Okay" might have been better, for now. Way things are going, maybe the remnants of the Southland and the OVC could combine. :?

Crazy stuff!
Click to expand...

I know. Lots of small schools are going to have to drop a lot of teams, including football. Probably the most interesting group of schools to watch, at least for me, are the HBCU schools. A lot of history being taught in the public schools right now.
 
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
PlayerRep said:
The WAC and ASUN will be FCS conferences, not FBS. This is good for FCS football. Liberty will continue to play FBS and not be the ASUN football league.

"It would bring the ASUN from its current 9 all-sport members to 12, and push the ASUN much closer to sponsoring a full scholarship FCS football league."

"This new look league will have five schools which sponsor scholarship FCS football – the three newcomers as well as Kennesaw State and North Alabama, and the ASUN plans on launching an FCS scholarship football conference."

"Liberty, as an FBS Independent, and Stetson, as a non-scholarship Pioneer Football League member, will not participate in this new FCS league. The ASUN football conference will pursue “immediate and ongoing annual access to automatic qualification to the FCS playoffs."

"There have been rumblings of this ASUN football conference looking to make the jump as a group to the FBS and the ASUN then forcing Liberty to join the conference at that point. The likelihood of the ASUN being able to jump as a group to the FBS is very unlikely and should not be a cause for worry for Liberty fans at this point."

https://www.aseaofred.com/revamped-12-member-asun-and-an-fcs-football-conference-coming-this-fall/

"The WAC will undergo a major expansion in July 2021, with four schools joining. The conference will reinstate football at that time, competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. One year later, one non-football school (Chicago State) will leave, and another FCS football school (Southern Utah) will join."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Athletic_Conference#:~:text=The%20WAC%20will%20undergo%20a,(Southern%20Utah)%20will%
Click to expand...

I concur with the initial plan for this fall. 2022 and beyond? Not what I've been told. It will be interesting to watch, at least to me.
Click to expand...

My view is that the FBS is not going to accept any new conference, other than perhaps some special blockbuster, group, because the FBS isn't going to dilute their large tv money and brand. Also, virtually none of the teams is those two conferences will ever become FBS material. I don't have to be told anything; it's obvious these conference are not being formed now as FCS with any near-term chance of moving to FBS. Just my view, and I'm sticking to it.
 
PlayerRep said:
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
I concur with the initial plan for this fall. 2022 and beyond? Not what I've been told. It will be interesting to watch, at least to me.
Click to expand...

My view is that the FBS is not going to accept any new conference, other than perhaps some special blockbuster, group, because the FBS isn't going to dilute their large tv money and brand. Also, virtually none of the teams is those two conferences will ever become FBS material. I don't have to be told anything; it's obvious these conference are not being formed now as FCS with any near-term chance of moving to FBS. Just my view, and I'm sticking to it.
Click to expand...

Lots of changes coming. Who owns ESPN and ABC? Although not nearly as old as you, I'm old enough to remember when Sam went to Miami and built that program and when Oklahoma and Georgia sued the NCAA in 84 and essentially destroyed the Southwest Conference because they couldn't get any T.V. time.

Ten years ago, who would have thought Coastal Carolina and Liberty would have finished in the Top 25? Things are evolving as they always do.

Hell, ten years ago Kennesaw State didn't have a football team.

I tend to still listen to my relatives and former colleagues. At least the schools they work in are going to be playing. Like those I know who won the lottery always say "You can't win if you don't play."

The bowl system isn't going away anytime soon. This year, a few teams with losing records went bowling.

I like change. Keeps things interesting, like when FGCU made the Sweet 16. And no, I don't think a non Power 5 school is ever going to win the tournament. I think it's fixed. Like most basketball games.
 
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
PlayerRep said:
My view is that the FBS is not going to accept any new conference, other than perhaps some special blockbuster, group, because the FBS isn't going to dilute their large tv money and brand. Also, virtually none of the teams is those two conferences will ever become FBS material. I don't have to be told anything; it's obvious these conference are not being formed now as FCS with any near-term chance of moving to FBS. Just my view, and I'm sticking to it.
Click to expand...

Lots of changes coming. Who owns ESPN and ABC? Although not nearly as old as you, I'm old enough to remember when Sam went to Miami and built that program and when Oklahoma and Georgia sued the NCAA in 84 and essentially destroyed the Southwest Conference because they couldn't get any T.V. time.

Ten years ago, who would have thought Coastal Carolina and Liberty would have finished in the Top 25? Things are evolving as they always do.

Hell, ten years ago Kennesaw State didn't have a football team.

I tend to still listen to my relatives and former colleagues. At least the schools they work in are going to be playing. Like those I know who won the lottery always say "You can't win if you don't play."

The bowl system isn't going away anytime soon. This year, a few teams with losing records went bowling.

I like change. Keeps things interesting, like when FGCU made the Sweet 16. And no, I don't think a non Power 5 school is ever going to win the tournament. I think it's fixed. Like most basketball games.
Click to expand...

I think it's more likely that FBS throws out some teams than brings more FCS teams in. Or, the big boys of FBS break off and "move up" to a new category. I used to get my info from my Dartmouth friend Mike Slive, but then he up and died.
 
PlayerRep said:
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
Lots of changes coming. Who owns ESPN and ABC? Although not nearly as old as you, I'm old enough to remember when Sam went to Miami and built that program and when Oklahoma and Georgia sued the NCAA in 84 and essentially destroyed the Southwest Conference because they couldn't get any T.V. time.

Ten years ago, who would have thought Coastal Carolina and Liberty would have finished in the Top 25? Things are evolving as they always do.

Hell, ten years ago Kennesaw State didn't have a football team.

I tend to still listen to my relatives and former colleagues. At least the schools they work in are going to be playing. Like those I know who won the lottery always say "You can't win if you don't play."

The bowl system isn't going away anytime soon. This year, a few teams with losing records went bowling.

I like change. Keeps things interesting, like when FGCU made the Sweet 16. And no, I don't think a non Power 5 school is ever going to win the tournament. I think it's fixed. Like most basketball games.
Click to expand...

I think it's more likely that FBS throws out some teams than brings more FCS teams in. Or, the big boys of FBS break off and "move up" to a new category. I used to get my info from my Dartmouth friend Mike Slive, but then he up and died.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry about your friend. Many of my friends are passing too! Just watched The Traveling Wilbury's perform The End of the Line. Rather sobering looking at the members of that group...

I hope we don't see the CFA all over again as in 84, but at least we get to watch college football nearly every night of the week during the fall. I'm anxious to see which teams we get to watch this spring. Some of the top FCS teams are going to do pretty well and be on the tube quite a few times. It'll be good for small college football.
 
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
PlayerRep said:
I think it's more likely that FBS throws out some teams than brings more FCS teams in. Or, the big boys of FBS break off and "move up" to a new category. I used to get my info from my Dartmouth friend Mike Slive, but then he up and died.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry about your friend. Many of my friends are passing too! Just watched The Traveling Wilbury's perform The End of the Line. Rather sobering looking at the members of that group...

I hope we don't see the CFA all over again as in 84, but at least we get to watch college football nearly every night of the week during the fall. I'm anxious to see which teams we get to watch this spring. Some of the top FCS teams are going to do pretty well and be on the tube quite a few times. It'll be good for small college football.
Click to expand...

I knew him while I was playing at Dartmouth. I once had breakfast with him in Hanover, as he put the finishing touches on the FBS playoff formation. He kept getting calls, and then would tell us what was going on. He played baseball at Dartmouth. We were in the same frat and secret senior society. Great guy.

"Michael Lawrence Slive (July 26, 1940 – May 16, 2018) was an American attorney and college sports executive. Slive was the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), a college athletics association, from 2002 until 2015.[1] As part of his role as the SEC Commissioner, he served as the coordinator of the Bowl Championship Series for the 2006 and 2007 regular seasons.[2] He was a member of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee through September 2009[3] and served as the chairman of the committee for the 2008–09 academic year.[4] He retired as commissioner effective July 31, 2015.[5]

Early life
A native of Utica, New York, Slive graduated from Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1962. He earned a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1965 and an LL.M. from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1966.

Career
Slive became the seventh commissioner of the SEC on July 1, 2002. He was the first commissioner of Conference USA from 1995 to 2002, and the first commissioner of the Great Midwest Conference upon its founding in 1991.[6]

Early in his life, he practiced law in New Hampshire, serving as judge of the Hanover District Court from 1972 to 1977."
 
PlayerRep said:
We were in the same frat and secret senior society. Great guy.
Click to expand...

Now I hate him. Frat Rats. Hated the MFs since my undergrad days. I'll probably get over it, eventually. :lol: Thanks for the inside information PR.
 
OrgonGriz said:
Will the FCS be going away completely? Maybe the reason we saw Georgia Southern, App State and others make the move a couple years ago. Combine that with these articles and it makes one wonder. Maybe it will be Power X , Group X are Div I and those that can’t make the move, like left over FCS are then consider as part of Div II?

If that’s the direction. That would totally suck and such a bummer for UM and all the $$ spent on the Champions Center etc to then compete on an even “lower” level than current.
Click to expand...

What is the FBS gonna do when the Power 5 tells the NCAA to pound sand and takes their tv money with them? How many bowl games will still be viable?
 
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