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Post by brandon on Jan 25, 2022 8:57:35 GMT -6
Busy day today. The CAA will have a press conference and likely announce that Hampton and Monmouth (along with Stony Brook) are joining. I've read that they could possibly be members for the 2022 season. If so, that leaves the Big South with only five teams this fall. NOT good for them. Another rumor is that due to some of the dominoes falling in the midwest, the Horizon league may be looking at Bellarmine as a replacement for Illinois-Chicago, who is likely moving to the Missouri Valley. I would hate to lose Bellarmine, since I really want ASUN basketball to improve long-term. But that league would make more geographic sense for them. It will be really interesting to see what happens with Big South football. Will they try to add affiliates or members from somewhere else? Or do they call Ted Gumbart and call in the favor they extended to us and Kennesaw, and ask to affiliate with our football teams? The Big South really only has "expansion options" in the MEAC schools. But if any more MEAC teams leave for the BSC, that puts the MEAC themselves under the threshold for an autobid. Plus, if you're the Big South, do you run the risk of the media claiming you were the ones to "kill" an HBCU conference (if the MEAC disbanded)? I personally get the feeling we will end up taking in at least the 4 Big South teams from the Carolinas as affiliates. Robert Morris? Who knows. Bellarmine is interesting... Most seem to think they will go to the Horizon, but their fans and school officials have said on multiple occasions they they are a southern facing school, meaning they want their footprint to be in the South. If that's true, I think the ASUN is perfect for them. Time will tell. As for the Big South, they made two mistakes, 1- taking so many affiliate members over the years. What do you expect? 2- Keeping your conference full membership in mostly the Carolina and Virginia area. If they would have taken KSU as a full member then possibly UNA would have put interest in the Big South as a full member. I think the OVC may be the major football loser here. Regardless of what the Big South does, I really think that the ASUN is about to get the OVS southern schools, maybe as football only members. May even get the Big South schools as football members. What if Eastern Illinois joins the Summit? They have natural rivals there and the Summit, if they decided to, could split from the MVFC and have their own football. At that point, the OVC is left with Tennessee schools and SEMO for football. I think, with the possible exception of Tenn State, who could choose to go to the SWAC or MEAC, they all join the ASUN for football and the OVC drops football. ASUN football 2023 EKU SEMO UCA UTM APSU TTU UNA KSU Campbel Gardner Webb NCAT Charleston Southern Not ideal as far as numbers go and being FCS but you can get creative with divisions. Two 6 school divisions with a couple of cross division games. Save the last week for the championship. Everyone plays. 1vs1 for the championship and the rest of the games are another conference game. The last week of the schedule will be a TBA game. And. It could be part of the Atlanta games that Gumbart was talking about. |
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Post by unafied on Jan 25, 2022 9:45:14 GMT -6
Busy day today. The CAA will have a press conference and likely announce that Hampton and Monmouth (along with Stony Brook) are joining. I've read that they could possibly be members for the 2022 season. If so, that leaves the Big South with only five teams this fall. NOT good for them. Another rumor is that due to some of the dominoes falling in the midwest, the Horizon league may be looking at Bellarmine as a replacement for Illinois-Chicago, who is likely moving to the Missouri Valley. I would hate to lose Bellarmine, since I really want ASUN basketball to improve long-term. But that league would make more geographic sense for them. It will be really interesting to see what happens with Big South football. Will they try to add affiliates or members from somewhere else? Or do they call Ted Gumbart and call in the favor they extended to us and Kennesaw, and ask to affiliate with our football teams? The Big South really only has "expansion options" in the MEAC schools. But if any more MEAC teams leave for the BSC, that puts the MEAC themselves under the threshold for an autobid. Plus, if you're the Big South, do you run the risk of the media claiming you were the ones to "kill" an HBCU conference (if the MEAC disbanded)? I personally get the feeling we will end up taking in at least the 4 Big South teams from the Carolinas as affiliates. Robert Morris? Who knows. Bellarmine is interesting... Most seem to think they will go to the Horizon, but their fans and school officials have said on multiple occasions they they are a southern facing school, meaning they want their footprint to be in the South. If that's true, I think the ASUN is perfect for them. Time will tell. As for the Big South, they made two mistakes, 1- taking so many affiliate members over the years. What do you expect? 2- Keeping your conference full membership in mostly the Carolina and Virginia area. If they would have taken KSU as a full member then possibly UNA would have put interest in the Big South as a full member. I think the OVC may be the major football loser here. Regardless of what the Big South does, I really think that the ASUN is about to get the OVS southern schools, maybe as football only members. May even get the Big South schools as football members. What if Eastern Illinois joins the Summit? They have natural rivals there and the Summit, if they decided to, could split from the MVFC and have their own football. At that point, the OVC is left with Tennessee schools and SEMO for football. I think, with the possible exception of Tenn State, who could choose to go to the SWAC or MEAC, they all join the ASUN for football and the OVC drops football. ASUN football 2023 EKU SEMO UCA UTM APSU TTU UNA KSU Campbel Gardner Webb NCAT Charleston Southern Not ideal as far as numbers go and being FCS but you can get creative with divisions. Two 6 school divisions with a couple of cross division games. Save the last week for the championship. Everyone plays. 1vs1 for the championship and the rest of the games are another conference game. The last week of the schedule will be a TBA game. And. It could be part of the Atlanta games that Gumbart was talking about. I hope you're right on Bellarmine. I tend to lean towards these conferences doing everything they can to stay alive. You just don't see one fold very often, and there are always D2 schools out there who are looking to move up. Though the OVC dropping football makes some sense, too. If I'm the ASUN, I try to pick 2 to 4 schools from those conferences to offer spots to, whoever you identify as being the best. Offer them full membership. Then I'd let everyone who's left figure it out. That probably sounds like a jerk move after the Big South gave us and Kennesaw a home, but loyalty doesn't really seem to be rewarded much in college athletics. Still, if I had to bet, I'd probably put money on the Big South schools playing with us, at least for a while. |
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Post by slulionsfan on Jan 26, 2022 12:14:41 GMT -6
Bellarmine is interesting... Most seem to think they will go to the Horizon, but their fans and school officials have said on multiple occasions they they are a southern facing school, meaning they want their footprint to be in the South. If that's true, I think the ASUN is perfect for them. Time will tell. As for the Big South, they made two mistakes, 1- taking so many affiliate members over the years. What do you expect? 2- Keeping your conference full membership in mostly the Carolina and Virginia area. If they would have taken KSU as a full member then possibly UNA would have put interest in the Big South as a full member. I think the OVC may be the major football loser here. Regardless of what the Big South does, I really think that the ASUN is about to get the OVS southern schools, maybe as football only members. May even get the Big South schools as football members. What if Eastern Illinois joins the Summit? They have natural rivals there and the Summit, if they decided to, could split from the MVFC and have their own football. At that point, the OVC is left with Tennessee schools and SEMO for football. I think, with the possible exception of Tenn State, who could choose to go to the SWAC or MEAC, they all join the ASUN for football and the OVC drops football. ASUN football 2023 EKU SEMO UCA UTM APSU TTU UNA KSU Campbel Gardner Webb NCAT Charleston Southern Not ideal as far as numbers go and being FCS but you can get creative with divisions. Two 6 school divisions with a couple of cross division games. Save the last week for the championship. Everyone plays. 1vs1 for the championship and the rest of the games are another conference game. The last week of the schedule will be a TBA game. And. It could be part of the Atlanta games that Gumbart was talking about. I hope you're right on Bellarmine. I tend to lean towards these conferences doing everything they can to stay alive. You just don't see one fold very often, and there are always D2 schools out there who are looking to move up. Though the OVC dropping football makes some sense, too. If I'm the ASUN, I try to pick 2 to 4 schools from those conferences to offer spots to, whoever you identify as being the best. Offer them full membership. Then I'd let everyone who's left figure it out. That probably sounds like a jerk move after the Big South gave us and Kennesaw a home, but loyalty doesn't really seem to be rewarded much in college athletics. Still, if I had to bet, I'd probably put money on the Big South schools playing with us, at least for a while. Unless something changed over the last couple of weeks, SEMO and Tennessee State (along with Lamar coming back) are likely coming to the Southland. I was told it was pretty much a done deal, but I've heard "done deal" too many times to count in the recent past. |
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Post by brandon on Jan 26, 2022 12:50:54 GMT -6
I hope you're right on Bellarmine. I tend to lean towards these conferences doing everything they can to stay alive. You just don't see one fold very often, and there are always D2 schools out there who are looking to move up. Though the OVC dropping football makes some sense, too. If I'm the ASUN, I try to pick 2 to 4 schools from those conferences to offer spots to, whoever you identify as being the best. Offer them full membership. Then I'd let everyone who's left figure it out. That probably sounds like a jerk move after the Big South gave us and Kennesaw a home, but loyalty doesn't really seem to be rewarded much in college athletics. Still, if I had to bet, I'd probably put money on the Big South schools playing with us, at least for a while. Unless something changed over the last couple of weeks, SEMO and Tennessee State (along with Lamar coming back) are likely coming to the Southland. I was told it was pretty much a done deal, but I've heard "done deal" too many times to count in the recent past. Good to know |
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Post by brandon on Feb 4, 2022 6:25:06 GMT -6
The ASUN is currently looking to invite 3 schools, the best I can gather is all 3 have football, and they will not come in until after the inaugural ASUN football season, so basically when JSU and Liberty leave.
At that point (assuming no one else leaves) the ASUN will be at 14/9...
I think that's the perfect number for divisions and football.
No, was not told who the 3 schools are, just that all 3 have contacted the ASUN about joining.
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Post by roaringsince96 on Feb 4, 2022 8:33:54 GMT -6
Liberty is not ASUN in football now. I would like to play them again in a couple of years with our talent improving and also having a complete coaching staff.
So it sounds like the ASUN is looking to add already established D1 programs, which makes sense for eligibility purposes. Thanks for the update.
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Post by brandon on Feb 4, 2022 14:50:37 GMT -6
Liberty is not ASUN in football now. I would like to play them again in a couple of years with our talent improving and also having a complete coaching staff. So it sounds like the ASUN is looking to add already established D1 programs, which makes sense for eligibility purposes. Thanks for the update. I wasn't including Liberty in football. With 3 additional schools with football It would be 8, I don't know why I hit the 9. I need to start proof reading...lol |
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Post by unalions on Feb 19, 2022 22:19:55 GMT -6
Interesting tweet.
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Post by unafied on Feb 20, 2022 7:27:54 GMT -6
I find it hard to believe that TSU would remain in the OVC, based on some of the comments George made about the conference. Not saying it completely burned any bridges, but he was at least standing on it with the torch lit. I don’t really see what benefit they get out of remaining there, anyway. They’d be better suited in a 7 or 8 team ASUN where they could play southern schools, and have several non-conference spots on the schedule for other HBCUs. At this point I’m really confused what several conferences are hoping to achieve. Why does the Big South want to stay afloat with three Carolina teams, one in Pittsburgh, and one in Rhode Island (if the rumors about Bryant are true)? That sounds terrible from a fan standpoint, and certainly not something that has long-term survival ability. The OVC may be slightly better off, since they can at least pull up mediocre D2 programs from the Midwest. Grand Valley could probably come in and immediately help them, but you know GVSU would be looking for the first ticket to the MVFC. But that conference is already bloated. Same as the CAA now is, with FOURTEEN teams. My thinking on this changes almost daily, but at this point, I’d say the best scenario for all involved would be this: - ASUN takes Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech, adds one D2 call-up to be a 14/8 team league;
- OVC adds whatever D2 teams they can, and perhaps agrees to use Robert Morris and Bryant as football affiliates;
- The 3 remaining Big South schools affiliate with the MEAC to stabilize that league. Big South football dies.
You still have the Southland hanging out there as an unstable conference themselves. But, at least they have multiple Texas teams they can always call up from D2. I think they can survive as long as McNeese doesn’t move to FBS.
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Post by brandon on Feb 20, 2022 10:15:25 GMT -6
Does anyone see the irony in all this?
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Post by unafied on Feb 20, 2022 11:21:47 GMT -6
Does anyone see the irony in all this? ? Not following you, pal. |
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Post by ekusteve on Feb 20, 2022 12:37:36 GMT -6
Lindenwood, near St. Louis, appears to be the next D2 targeted to join the OVC.
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Post by brandon on Feb 20, 2022 12:48:29 GMT -6
Does anyone see the irony in all this? ? Not following you, pal. If the OVC would have done the right thing in 2011, chances are they wouldn't be in this position... |
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Post by northalaspectator on Feb 20, 2022 17:10:19 GMT -6
Does anyone know either from an administration viewpoint or from an alumni fan base which of the following schools have FBS aspirations?
Eastern Kentucky
Kennesaw State
North Alabama
Central Arkansas
Austin Peay
From an fan base at least 5% of the fans
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Post by ekusteve on Feb 20, 2022 19:15:00 GMT -6
Does anyone know either from an administration viewpoint or from an alumni fan base which of the following schools have FBS aspirations? Eastern Kentucky Kennesaw State North Alabama Central Arkansas Austin Peay From an fan base at least 5% of the fans I know EKU does. Tried joining the Sunbelt but lost out to Coastal Carolina. Most don't know we inquired of the MAC in 1985 when N. Illinois had left. NIU came back later. |
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