Our conference dreams of staying regionally based in the south are gone. I think we have 5 games against teams west of the Mississippi this year in football. Mac would have been much more accessible for the none wheels up account crowd as well as better for building rivalries, What are we doing?
Football schedule
- Thread starter MIDTENN05
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Really? Buffalo, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Thats what you really want? You pro-MAC people need to get over it
I wholeheartedly admit I pushed for MAC when CUSA was imploding simply because I felt it was better than staying. Not that I wanted MAC or that culturally we belong there. I personally think we belong in the SBC but that ship has sailed.
But Judy actually surprised me. Am I thrilled with all of the new schools, no. But I was pleasantly surprised with the new TV deal that some years will even best the current MAC and SBC deals $ wise. Plus no more Stadium, FB, or even CUSATV. It'll be CBSSports, ESPN, or ESPN+. That's it. Can't complain about that.
Once Kennesaw comes to make CUSA 10 schools, only 4 will be west of the Mississippi. I don't know if they will pull an old B12 round robin reducing OOC to 3 games or not. But still. It could be way worse. I think FIU is in the worst position in the conference. And just look at USC/UCLA. $ works there but still. Even Alabama has 4 games against west of the Mississippi teams.
If we were to add a school in Arkansas, every state in the conference would border each other. We aren't that bad off in my opinion. Two of our games against west of the Mississippi teams are OOC too, one a $ game.
But Judy actually surprised me. Am I thrilled with all of the new schools, no. But I was pleasantly surprised with the new TV deal that some years will even best the current MAC and SBC deals $ wise. Plus no more Stadium, FB, or even CUSATV. It'll be CBSSports, ESPN, or ESPN+. That's it. Can't complain about that.
Once Kennesaw comes to make CUSA 10 schools, only 4 will be west of the Mississippi. I don't know if they will pull an old B12 round robin reducing OOC to 3 games or not. But still. It could be way worse. I think FIU is in the worst position in the conference. And just look at USC/UCLA. $ works there but still. Even Alabama has 4 games against west of the Mississippi teams.
If we were to add a school in Arkansas, every state in the conference would border each other. We aren't that bad off in my opinion. Two of our games against west of the Mississippi teams are OOC too, one a $ game.
What, they just won their conference tourney. After a 2 win season just 2 years ago. Now the conference has ATL market. Fox5 5 actually covers KSU.
I'd look at Sam Houston that way before Kennesaw...to an extent. KSU didn't even start football till 2015 and has already made the playoffs four times and won over 70% of their games. Play in Atlanta United soccer stadium as well. Last year was rough moving to the ASUN but still. Basketball as said just won the ASUN title. Against future member Liberty no less.
SHSU has issues in football, mainly a really really non FBS stadium. But they aren't awful on the field. Their coach has won 77% of his games and they won the national title in 2020. And basketball is no slouch. 24-6 with wins over Oklahoma and Utah this year.
JSU averaged almost 4k more per game in attendance than us last year.
Yeah they are move ups to FBS, but at least they are competitive schools.
And no one is fussing over NMSU as UTEP needed a partner. At one point in time the SBC was a "laughing stock" and now look at them. You never know what will happen. It's our job to win no matter who our conference mates are.
I just want to Middle to be competitive for championships. In the true meaning of compete.
I think everything else falls into line if we are winning championships or getting extremely close. That includes conferences.
We’ve become so accustomed to being smack dab in the middle.
I think everything else falls into line if we are winning championships or getting extremely close. That includes conferences.
We’ve become so accustomed to being smack dab in the middle.
right, JSU and KSU will be good real fast. SHSU redshirted a bunch of starters from the year before to be ready to make the move to FBS. Liberty already with the best facilities in the league once they join, and it ain't close. Whoelse does CUSA pickup UCA and EKU? I know they both start their transition next year.
At least those schools and their leadership have some ambition however it may be misplaced, the real garbage in this case is our own university leadership (the three stooges) and the conference commissioner as well.
With the new Playoff setup, we are likely better off being a big fish in a little pond.
My hope is we have a chance to move up to AAC at some point, but I fear we are getting passed by some of the new programs coming up. Ask anyone outside of the TN/GA area if being in a conference with JSU, Sam Houston and Kennesaw is good and you will probably get laughed at. we can convince ourselves they are good conference mates, but the reality is they are the laughing stock of sports. We are just stuck in neutral as a program (maybe even going in reverse) and even the Sun Belt wouldn’t take us back.
CUSA is an embarrassment, but we are stuck here.
CUSA is an embarrassment, but we are stuck here.
I really think CUSA is in good shape. We’ve got some solid brand names with Liberty, WKPoo and UTEP. The new additions were solid and we’re lucky that 3 of the 4 are within a reasonable drive to us. I really don’t think if Memphis and ECU leave the AAC that it’s much better than here. I expect those two will be getting calls constantly from the SBC. I like the idea of a smaller conference so we can build rivalries because we play all the time. FIU seems like they may finally be correcting their issues with the new AD in place.
