ASU/GSU/JMU to the FBS? / Eastern Conf Realignment

[PAllen]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...ce-sources-say

I hate to interrupt the middle of playoff selection time (one of the most exciting times in FCS), but there are now "sources" saying that Maryland and Rutgers may be on their way to the Big10. Assuming the ACC goes after UConn (or even Umass?), does this leave an opening for Big East or MAC invites to ASU, JMU, and/or GSU? Or does the Big East/MAC go after some Conference USA teams, and thus the dominoes continue down the line? I'd be interested in any thoughts or "sourced" rumors over the coming days and weeks out of our friends down south.

[walliver]

I can no longer remember who is still in C-USA or who has gone to the Big Least.

I doubt C-USA goes for either of the 3 teams you mentioned. They already have ODO in Va, UNCC in NC, and I don't think they want the Statesboro Market. If CUSA raids the Sunbelt, spots could open up for ASU and GSU, JMU is well out of the CUSA footprint and would probably have to hope for a MAC defection.

[Apphole]

I can no longer remember who is still in C-USA or who has gone to the Big Least.

I doubt C-USA goes for either of the 3 teams you mentioned. They already have ODO in Va, UNCC in NC, and I don't think they want the Statesboro Market. If CUSA raids the Sunbelt, spots could open up for ASU and GSU, JMU is well out of the CUSA footprint and would probably have to hope for a MAC defection.

What is this "CUSA footprint" you speak of?

[DFW HOYA]

[URL]. Assuming the ACC goes after UConn (or even Umass?), does this leave an opening for Big East or MAC invites to ASU, JMU, and/or GSU?

No.

[walliver]

What is this "CUSA footprint" you speak of?

It should have been SunBelt footprint.

CUSA limits itself to teams that are the 3d or 4th most popular teams in large markets (which doesn't explain ECU, but I wonder if the current CUSA would bring in a team from the Greenville NC market)

[ITmonarch10]

It should have been SunBelt footprint.

CUSA limits itself to teams that are the 3d or 4th most popular teams in large markets (which doesn't explain ECU, but I wonder if the current CUSA would bring in a team from the Greenville NC market)

ECU/Marshall were invited before the era of Huge TV contracts and attendance was king. I could sworn App State was invited around 2001 or so to join a FBS conference as well.

[Mr. C]

ECU/Marshall were invited before the era of Huge TV contracts and attendance was king. I could sworn App State was invited around 2001 or so to join a FBS conference as well.

No, Appalachian State has never had an official FBS invite. What people might not know, however, is that there were some discussions among a group of ADs in Pittsburgh in 1995 that could have resulted in a brand new FBS conference at the time. Some of the schools that were at that meeting were Appalachian State, Marshall, Georgia Southern, The Citadel, Army and Navy. Can't recall any others off the top of my head. I'd have to look at the story I wrote at the time (which is currently located in the dark recesses of my garage with hundreds of other newspaper sports sections from the past 35 years).

That meeting, incidently, was the first thing that led to a pretty sizable feud between a certain ASU athletic director and the sports editor of the local newspaper, one that didn't work out well for the AD. The AD lied about the meeting and then the next day, there was a story in the Winston-Salem Journal about it.

[PAllen]

No, Appalachian State has never had an official FBS invite. What people might not know, however, is that there were some discussions among a group of ADs in Pittsburgh in 1995 that could have resulted in a brand new FBS conference at the time. Some of the schools that were at that meeting were Appalachian State, Marshall, Georgia Southern, The Citadel, Army and Navy. Can't recall any others off the top of my head. I'd have to look at the story I wrote at the time (which is currently located in the dark recesses of my garage with hundreds of other newspaper sports sections from the past 35 years).

That meeting, incidently, was the first thing that led to a pretty sizable feud between a certain ASU athletic director and the sports editor of the local newspaper, one that didn't work out well for the AD. The AD lied about the meeting and then the next day, there was a story in the Winston-Salem Journal about it.

Man, I can see why that deal fell apart. Great for the current/former SoCon teams, OK for Navy, Horrible for Army.

[WileECoyote06]

It should have been SunBelt footprint.

CUSA limits itself to teams that are the 3d or 4th most popular teams in large markets (which doesn't explain ECU, but I wonder if the current CUSA would bring in a team from the Greenville NC market)

ECU is the fourth most popular team in the NC market.

[mainejeff]

Big East Football won't exist after they lose Rutgers and UConn. Boise State and San Diego State will return to the Mountain West (or maybe go to the Big 12). Who else is in the Big East again? Louisville (ACC/Big 12?), Cincinnati, Memphis, SMU.......what a freakin mess!