More conference re-alignment coming.....

[MTsumner92]

The big 12 just got stung and the main thing being pointed to is no championship game. They will now put the full court press on to choose between 2 and 4 teams.

Top 7 options imo:

BYU
ND
Memphis-They picked a perfect year to be good in Fball.
Houston
East Carolina-gives WVU a close opponent
UCF
Boise State

Strategically I would get LTech, Southern Miss, Memphis, and UCF. That puts them in 4 SEC states.

This will force AAC to pick between 2 and 4 as well. Man I wish we went to a bowl this year. Maybe the bball team can get us to the playoffs.

Top 7 options:

Marshall
Western Kentucky. Size of stadium hurts them.
Northern Illinois
Louisiana Tech
Middle Tennessee
Central Michigan
Southern Miss

 

[RaiderDawg78]

The only teams in your list that the Big 12 would consider (IMO) are BYU, Boise State and Houston.


If they go with BYU and Houston, then the AAC would be at 10 schools and would go to a 9 game conference schedule without resulting in more alignment. I believe this is more realistic.

 

[MTsumner92]

The AAC needs a playoff game.

 

[Raiderclyde]

I don't think were done either in conference realignment. All I will say, if 12-1 doesn't even get you a ranking, [/B]much less a seat at the big bowl table (or gasp national championship) something is still not right. How does several four loss teams get ranked ahead of a conference champion who's only loss is an OT loss to WKU? SMH!

Have absolutely no confidence in the college football powers for 2014. Not credible.

Right now, C-USA is no better off than the Sun Belt. Been all the same if MT happened to be sitting at 12-1.
This post was edited on 12/7 2:35 PM by Raiderclyde

 

[AustinLewis]

I doubt Houston will happen because Big 12 already has a foothold in the Houston market (Texas has a strong presence there) and IIRC there's some disdain toward Houston by those at Texas. Notre Dame isn't giving up "independent" status to jump from their loose affiliation with the ACC to go to Big 12. UCF is is unlikely as is Memphis.

Of those you listed, the most likely is BYU and ECU. If they make a play for ECU, it is to appease WVU and make travel easier for them. I also think that they may try to make a play to get Colorado State to get the Denver market (I admit, I'm not familiar with CSU's foothold in that market)

 

[blueraiderJT]

My buddy in Memphis who's a pretty big donor to their program told me that the Big 12 has been in talks with Memphis for about 2 months now. They are interested. Does that mean anything? probably not but this has been going on way before last week.

 

[AustinLewis]

Originally posted by blueraiderJT:
My buddy in Memphis who's a pretty big donor to their program told me that the Big 12 has been in talks with Memphis for about 2 months now. They are interested. Does that mean anything? probably not but this has been going on way before last week.

Interesting. Memphis gets them a good market but doesn't help much of anybody out recruiting (But neither did WVU).

 

[SpaceRaider]

Originally posted by Raiderclyde:
I don't think were done either in conference realignment. All I will say, if 12-1 doesn't even get you a ranking, [/B]much less a seat at the big bowl table (or gasp national championship) something is still not right. How does several four loss teams get ranked ahead of a conference champion who's only loss is an OT loss to WKU? SMH!

Have absolutely no confidence in the college football powers for 2014. Not credible.

Right now, C-USA is no better off than the Sun Belt. Been all the same if MT happened to be sitting at 12-1.

Marshall not being ranked can't be blame on Conf. USA. They were ranked until they lost to a wku squad in OT. You can blame Marshall for losing that game, and you can blame Marshall's weak out of conference schedule.

 

[Raiderclyde]

Originally posted by SpaceRaider:

Originally posted by Raiderclyde:
I don't think were done either in conference realignment. All I will say, if 12-1 doesn't even get you a ranking, [/B]much less a seat at the big bowl table (or gasp national championship) something is still not right. How does several four loss teams get ranked ahead of a conference champion who's only loss is an OT loss to WKU? SMH!

Have absolutely no confidence in the college football powers for 2014. Not credible.

Right now, C-USA is no better off than the Sun Belt. Been all the same if MT happened to be sitting at 12-1.

Marshall not being ranked can't be blame on Conf. USA. They were ranked until they lost to a wku squad in OT. You can blame Marshall for losing that game, and you can blame Marshall's weak out of conference schedule.

In the CFP Marshall was #24 (which was very low as an undefeated, given there was a two loss BSU team a spot ahead and there was three teams with 3 losses ahead, IIRC). AP and Coaches was 19 and 20, which is closer to what they should have been. Frankly, think Marshall should have then been 16-18 range before the loss and dropped to 24, 25, or first team out at worst. Originally they had Louisville on the schedule, but had to add a FCS in there last minute, apparently after Louisville had to reschedule or cancel 2014's game (Rhode Island). Our body of work as a conference wasn't good enough to add to their strength of schedule. At 12-1, should get better respect; still can't believe number of 4 loss teams being 4-9 spots better than a one loss Marshall team who lost to WKU in overtime on a 2 point conversion. If there is that much disparity in SOS, then C-USA strength would be right down there with our former Sun Belt brethren. I wonder if MT had of won BYU or Minnesota and not lost to FIU how would have that worked in Marshall's favor SOS? Know that's water under the bridge now, but all of us have to do a little better in winning those P5 games if we ever want to sniff those P5 or rankings..

Marshall should have been rewarded with a ranking for winning the C-USA Championship. Not necessarily the P5 bowl that Boise State is playing in the Fiesta. A fair ranking would be anywhere from 22-25 in the CFP, AP, or Coaches.

I just see this stigma/scenario hurting us someday if MT ever gets an 11-1 season or if we finish undefeated and lose our championship game. Our conference is not getting the respect it deserves and all of us have work to do. That's the frustration.

This post was edited on 12/7 5:24 PM by Raiderclyde

 

[bluefutcpa]

I don't know if this topic has been brought up, but I would like everyone's thoughts on how we make CUSA stronger from a competition, respect, and tradition stand point. My first thought is that this will come with expansion. I would like to see us go to 16 with the following ULL, Arkst, and NIU. ULL and Arkst go west and NIU moves east. What we loose in G5 cash distributions we would make up in gaining the Chicago market (no facts just speculation). But the biggest factor is that we would field a league of teams where our top 6-8 teams could beat any other G5 top 6-8 at anytime. We would also field a league that would instantly compete and win against mid level G5 teams. I understand we are leaving a geographic gap in Alabama and Georgia, but this is about changing the perception of CUSA.

 

[Blueraider_Mike]

We don't need more teams. We all need to win more OOC against the power 5and win bowl games. And would be a bonus if our stadiums were more than half full.