D2 to FBS

[unalions]

So, if the media coverage and comments on podcasts are correct, UNA could begin the transition to FBS in 2024 as part of the ASUN-WAC Football Conference.

I'm not sure I ever really imagined that would so quickly be in the future for the Lions football program when we watched UNA play for the D2 title during that Kansas City blizzard in 2016.

If this happens, that would mean UNA went from D2 to FBS in a decade (actually less, technically).

UNA Football Timeline

2016 – D2 (Gulf South Conference, D2 National Runner-up)
2017 – D2 (GSC, Final season)
2018 – FCS* (Independent, Hybrid FCS/D2 schedule)
2019 – FCS* (Big South)
2020 – FCS* (Played 1 FCS/3 FBS in COVID season)
2021 – FCS* (Big South)
2022 – FCS (ASUN)
2023 – FCS (AWFC)
2024 – FBS* (AWFC)
2025 – FBS* (AWFC)
2026 – FBS (AWFC)

*Transitional Season

[jegs2]

There's a move to take UNA to FBS?

[lion1979]

Jan 2, 2023 20:47:06 GMT -6 jegs2 said:

There's a move to take UNA to FBS?

I seriously hope not. We will get SMOKED for years until we get D1 facilities and an FBS level budget..

[roaringsince96]

What? After we dominated the FCS scene last year…it’s definitely time.

[unafied]

I think our "problem" is that all the teams surrounding us in the southeast are hell-bent on moving to FBS. I mean, one of my biggest reasons for wanting to be FCS is that we would get to play Jacksonville State again, and now that's gone. IMO, playing them, Kennesaw, Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky, UCA, etc., are all preferable to either, say, joining the OVC to play teams like UT-Martin and Gardner-Webb, or joining the Southland and being so far from other teams in the conference.

Now, IF we could get into the SoCon, I would 100% do that and be happy to stay in FCS for the foreseeable future. But, the SoCon seems absolutely uninterested in adding anyone.

So, we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Something like 7-5 might be our ceiling for a long time. But, if all quality competition from the southeast leaves us behind, would staying in FCS only to get our brains beat in every year by a MVFC team in the playoffs, really be worth hanging around for?

[unalions]

Jan 4, 2023 7:26:42 GMT -6 unafied said:

I think our "problem" is that all the teams surrounding us in the southeast are hell-bent on moving to FBS. I mean, one of my biggest reasons for wanting to be FCS is that we would get to play Jacksonville State again, and now that's gone. IMO, playing them, Kennesaw, Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky, UCA, etc., are all preferable to either, say, joining the OVC to play teams like UT-Martin and Gardner-Webb, or joining the Southland and being so far from other teams in the conference.

Now, IF we could get into the SoCon, I would 100% do that and be happy to stay in FCS for the foreseeable future. But, the SoCon seems absolutely uninterested in adding anyone.

So, we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Something like 7-5 might be our ceiling for a long time. But, if all quality competition from the southeast leaves us behind, would staying in FCS only to get our brains beat in every year by a MVFC team in the playoffs, really be worth hanging around for?

Well said.

[brandon]

I kinda feel like we almost have to try to move to FBS. There is no other Subdivision in D1 but football, the main goal was to reunite with regional rivals and create new rivalries with regional opponents.

So we now have JSU, Troy, South Alabama, UAB, MTSU, Southern Miss, Georgia Southern, KSU, La Tech, ULL, ULM all in FBS. That's a chunk of rivalries and potential rivals.

Then we have APSU, EKU, UCA, SFA, all wanting FBS.

If we stay in FCS, ETSU, Chattanooga, Mercer and Samford would be our only real chance at a rivalry.

Go back to D2, and other than maybe 3-4 schools, nothing moves the needle for most of us anymore.

Saying that 7 wins is the ceiling for us in FBS is a little premature though, if we have the right staff in place, and a reasonable schedule, it wouldn't be too hard for some great seasons.

We fumbled in the transition on coaching staff and money, hopefully we have learned from our f ups.

I did send an email addressed to two people, this is the gist...

"When we was ultra competitive and winning championships in D2, we did what was needed to be the best. If you want to win in D1, we need to get back to that mindset. It's all hands on deck or your moving backwards."

[unalions]

Jan 4, 2023 11:13:11 GMT -6 brandon said:

I kinda feel like we almost have to try to move to FBS. There is no other Subdivision in D1 but football, the main goal was to reunite with regional rivals and create new rivalries with regional opponents.

So we now have JSU, Troy, South Alabama, UAB, MTSU, Southern Miss, Georgia Southern, KSU, La Tech, ULL, ULM all in FBS. That's a chunk of rivalries and potential rivals.

Then we have APSU, EKU, UCA, SFA, all wanting FBS.

If we stay in FCS, ETSU, Chattanooga, Mercer and Samford would be our only real chance at a rivalry.

Go back to D2, and other than maybe 3-4 schools, nothing moves the needle for most of us anymore.

Saying that 7 wins is the ceiling for us in FBS is a little premature though, if we have the right staff in place, and a reasonable schedule, it wouldn't be too hard for some great seasons.

We fumbled in the transition on coaching staff and money, hopefully we have learned from our f ups.

I did send an email addressed to two people, this is the gist...

"When we was ultra competitive and winning championships in D2, we did what was needed to be the best. If you want to win in D1, we need to get back to that mindset. It's all hands on deck or your moving backwards."

Well said. D2 is done for us. Plus, the current GSC powers are having the exact same problem as UNA did in D2…scheduling. The GSC all played one conference opponent twice this season as a non-conference game and UWF still couldn’t fill their schedule. I feel for them.

In the south, FCS is drying up. SoCon seems locked in with their group and the Southland is an option but UNA would be way out of the footprint. Yet, it’s extremely possible the Lions will remain FCS as part of this new conference. That would be fine with me.

For all the reasons you’ve said, I totally get the FBS push. And we’ll just have to see how that all goes. But, if we’re still with this group of 9/10, I like our chances to compete in that league (FCS or FBS). That’s 8 conference games and 9 in 2025. I could see the Lions with 7-8 conference wins in a stellar year as part of that group.

Now, moving right into an established G5 league? No.