More conference realignment talk

[JWags85]

Wonder if another Texas FCS school will follow them - like Stephen F. Austin.  I also wonder if WKU and/or MTSU would find this a more attractive option than the MAC.

None of the other Texas FCS schools are any good.  SHSU is probably the best FCS school to never win a title, certainly recently.  If Liberty is coming, James Madison could make sense given their VA location and the fact that its another very strong program.  But they could like the CAA for everything else and not want to jump.

[Pakuni]

None of the other Texas FCS schools are any good.  SHSU is probably the best FCS school to never win a title, certainly recently.  If Liberty is coming, James Madison could make sense given their VA location and the fact that its another very strong program.  But they could like the CAA for everything else and not want to jump.

James Madison appears headed to the Fun Belt.

https://www.wavy.com/sports/jmu-board-green-lights-move-to-fbs-dukes-a-step-closer-to-joining-sun-belt-conference/

[drewm88]

Liberty, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State to C-USA.

That gets them to seven members. Still need an eighth (at least).  Missouri State would be my next guess.

Missouri State leaving would be a pain for the MVC. I think they compete in every sport the conference offers, and some of those sports are already low in number of teams.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

They're stable because no other conference wants them as members.  In a decade or so, it is entirely possible that schools like Jacksonville State and Sam Houston are going to be where the likes of Coastal Carolina, Louisiana and Appalachian State are now.  Given their geography and growth as schools, I think that is a greater possibility than casting their lots with a bunch of mid-level midwestern schools who have not done all that much.

I'm aware of why they are stable. But if Jacksonville St and Sam Houston do end up where the likes of Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, App St are now, they will just end up getting poached. Personally, I would opt for stability when there's no evidence that the new CUSA will be any better than the MAC.

Not to mention that the MAC is regionalized whereas CUSA features trips to El Paso, Miami, Huntsville, and Las Cruces...all four of which are further away from MTSU then the the furthest MAC school from them (Buffalo). And it's not like the other CUSA schools are close, other than newly added Jacksonville St (3.5 hours), all other CUSA schools are at least a 7.5 hour drive away from MTSU and even further for Western Kentucky.

[Herman Cain]

MAC has been stable for like 2 decades. If I was WKY or MTSU, that would be attractive to me

In addition to the stability, The MAC has put out a lot of big name NFL players over the year. Football recruiting is far less efficient than Basketball. MAC has always been the league positioned to pick up talent that was under evaluated overlooked etc

[JWags85]

I'm aware of why they are stable. But if Jacksonville St and Sam Houston do end up where the likes of Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, App St are now, they will just end up getting poached. Personally, I would opt for stability when there's no evidence that the new CUSA will be any better than the MAC.

Agreed, I think its more the evolution and progress of CFB (and population trends) than anything.

The MAC was the gold standard for mid major football for a long time.  Programs like Miami and Marshall had historical success.  And then in the 90s you had schools like Toledo, NIU, and others start to come on.  Then random bursts of success from Akron, or Urban Meyer's BG teams, or Central Michigan.  It was a significant mining ground for big program coaches and such.

But so much more football talent is coming from and staying in the South that you have schools that can just pick the leftovers that won't go to the SEC or ACC powers and put together a nice program.  Less so than who in Ohio/Michigan/Indiana/Wisconsin aren't going to the B10.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I'm aware of why they are stable. But if Jacksonville St and Sam Houston do end up where the likes of Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, App St are now, they will just end up getting poached. Personally, I would opt for stability when there's no evidence that the new CUSA will be any better than the MAC.

And I would opt for the conference that is going to allow me to get out of my sh*tty conference situation faster.  And these days I would rather be in a sh*tty conference where the schools are growing and the football talent comes from than one that's been thoroughly mediocre with seemingly little upside.

IDK maybe WKU and MTSU feel that the MAC is that conference.  It is weird that the presidents were meeting yesterday to discuss admitting both schools yet we have heard nothing since. 

[Billy Hoyle]

Agreed, I think its more the evolution and progress of CFB (and population trends) than anything.

The MAC was the gold standard for mid major football for a long time.  Programs like Miami and Marshall had historical success.  And then in the 90s you had schools like Toledo, NIU, and others start to come on.  Then random bursts of success from Akron, or Urban Meyer's BG teams, or Central Michigan.  It was a significant mining ground for big program coaches and such.

But so much more football talent is coming from and staying in the South that you have schools that can just pick the leftovers that won't go to the SEC or ACC powers and put together a nice program.  Less so than who in Ohio/Michigan/Indiana/Wisconsin aren't going to the B10.

The MAC was a strong mid-major hoops conference too, frequently getting multiple teams into the tourney. They've been a one-bid league since 1999, despite some nice upsets by their league champs during that time period (Ohio over Michigan on the way to the Sweet 16, Buffalo over Arizona, Ohio over UVA).

[JWags85]

The MAC was a strong mid-major hoops conference too, frequently getting multiple teams into the tourney. They've been a one-bid league since 1999, despite some nice upsets by their league champs during that time period (Ohio over Michigan on the way to the Sweet 16, Buffalo over Arizona, Ohio over UVA).

Yea, it was a multi-bid mid major league all the way into the late 90s.  Hell, I remember Miami of Ohio was a top 40 RPI in 2005 when I was in school and just missed out after choking in the conference tourney.  Think Buffalo was top 50 that year too and finished outside.

But outside of 1 good team a year usually, conference has fallen on tough MBB times

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

So it looks as though MTSU got cold feet and the MAC pulled the plug on any expansion, leaving WKU in CUSA as well. We will see, but IMO this is a better option for both schools.

[Herman Cain]

So it looks as though MTSU got cold feet and the MAC pulled the plug on any expansion, leaving WKU in CUSA as well. We will see, but IMO this is a better option for both schools.

https://www.hustlebelt.com/2021/11/10/22775453/mid-american-conference-will-not-expansion-wku-middle-tennessee-c-usa-maction-realignment

[Billy Hoyle]

I did not see this one coming. Loyola Chicago to the A-10.

https://loyolaramblers.com/news/2021/11/16/general-loyola-athletics-to-join-atlantic-10-conference-in-2022-23-academic-year.aspx

[Galway Eagle]

I did not see this one coming. Loyola Chicago to the A-10.

https://loyolaramblers.com/news/2021/11/16/general-loyola-athletics-to-join-atlantic-10-conference-in-2022-23-academic-year.aspx

Interesting, would've thought with them losing their coach that they'd need more audition time.

[Uncle Rico]

I did not see this one coming. Loyola Chicago to the A-10.

https://loyolaramblers.com/news/2021/11/16/general-loyola-athletics-to-join-atlantic-10-conference-in-2022-23-academic-year.aspx

Huh.  Interesting decision.  A step up in competition, no doubt.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

They definitely have more in common with the A10 schools than MVC, which continues to take hits to its membership. 

[drewm88]

MVC pursuing Murray St, UT-Arlington, UMKC. Good for Loyola to strike while the iron's hot and move up.

[RJax55]

They definitely have more in common with the A10 schools than MVC, which continues to take hits to its membership.

Agree. Impressive what they have done in a short timespan for non-football school. Horizon to A10 in less than 10 years.

[Herman Cain]

Loyola is a smart addition by The A-10. Also Loyolas new young coach has deep ties to the recruiting hotbeds in Michigan so this should new conference affiliation should help their recruiting game . Also A-10 in a lot of major cities that should help their broadcast partners

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Norlander, when tweeting about this move, mentioned that the BE isn't interested in any of the A10 schools right now so this move wasn't in response to anything.  Basically sounds like Loyola wanted out of the MVC.

[Billy Hoyle]

They definitely have more in common with the A10 schools than MVC, which continues to take hits to its membership.

their AD specifically mentioned being in a conference with other Jesuit schools.

Agree. Impressive what they have done in a short timespan for non-football school. Horizon to A10 in less than 10 years.

Not unlike Butler: Horizon to A-10 to Big East. Though this is the end of the climb for LUC.

[Galway Eagle]

their AD specifically mentioned being in a conference with other Jesuit schools.

Not unlike Butler: Horizon to A-10 to Big East. Though this is the end of the climb for LUC.

Never say never. If they have a few more runs like they did under moser the BE powers may realize Chicago's big enough for two teams especially since one of them counts for negative support

[Pakuni]

Never say never. If they have a few more runs like they did under moser the BE powers may realize Chicago's big enough for two teams especially since one of them counts for negative support

I suspect any Big East expansion is going to involve entry to a new TV market. If they're going to divvy up the TV pie with more members, they're going to want a bigger pie. And I don't think a second team in Chicago gets them one.

[Uncle Rico]

Never say never. If they have a few more runs like they did under moser the BE powers may realize Chicago's big enough for two teams especially since one of them counts for negative support

As a fan of The Valley, this is another blow.  That said, it can still be a very good league.  Love them adding Belmont and Murray State.  When they get St. Louis, that’ll be another good addition.

[Galway Eagle]

I suspect any Big East expansion is going to involve entry to a new TV market. If they're going to divvy up the TV pie with more members, they're going to want a bigger pie. And I don't think a second team in Chicago gets them one.

Fair. I still say never say never as I expect that college sports will look very different sooner or later

[source?]

As a fan of The Valley, this is another blow.  That said, it can still be a very good league.  Love them adding Belmont and Murray State.  When they get St. Louis, that’ll be another good addition.

It wouldn't surprise me if the A10's reasoning included getting a school close to SLU to keep them happy. Especially now that they are starting to be a major factor in the league now.