Could Liberty be FBS in "months"?

[knucklehead]

That is the hint that Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr. gave yesterday at a meeting with city leaders.

It's been very quiet on this topic for quite some time, but could this mean talks are ongoing behind the scenes? Who knows.

Link here. http://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Falwell-Liberty-University-football-may-reach-FBS-in-a-matter-of-months-394368091.html

[Catsfan90]

I had a wierd theory when him and Mr. Trump began their partnership. I wondered if he was going to use some of Trump's influence/ connections in order to advance the university. It's possible.

[KPSUL]

OK, what are the details? Sun Belt or C-USA?

[Seawolf97]

Best of Luck if they make the jump !

[POD Knows]

I had a wierd theory when him and Mr. Trump began their partnership. I wondered if he was going to use some of Trump's influence/ connections in order to advance the university. It's possible.

Trump's connections in higher education? xconfusedx

[Sycamore62]

I would like to see what Liberty could do if they went FBS. Not just the teams but the school in general. I hope it happens.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

This is only a hunch, but IMVHO, they'd be looking at C-USA over the Sun Belt, IF this is indeed happening.

A big reason for this is that C-USA seems to be the big loser if the Big XII expands (Big XII takes from AAC, AAC takes from C-USA).

Let me throw another wrinkle in this: What if the AAC takes Old Dominion, and Liberty takes the place of ODU?

[walliver]

Liberty's many online students may be of interest to C-USA's marketing people, but it would seem that JMU would be a better fit.

Maybe this is part of an A-Sun/Big South/Sun Belt merger.

[KPSUL]

I'm thinking the AAC would sooner take JMU than OD.

[KPSUL]

Maybe this is part of an A-Sun/Big South/Sun Belt merger.

That seems like the most plausible scenario. I'm going to the JSU @ Liberty game this Saturday, it may be my last visit to Williams Stadium.

[knucklehead]

Right now I have no real info or even good guesses. Had some in the past that all failed. It's been so quiet, I almost thought it was a dead issue. Now this.

I'd be for CUSA way before the Belt at this point. Way better fit.

[knucklehead]

That seems like the most plausible scenario. I'm going to the JSU @ Liberty game this Saturday, it may be my last visit to Williams Stadium.

Hope you enjoy your visit. I'll be there for sure! Hope it's not you last though.

[COLOR="silver"]

[walliver]

If this happens, this would be devastating to the Big South football conference. A league based around a core of Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb, Presbyterian, and Kennesaw State would put the auto-bid at risk. The would need to keep Monmouth and add another affiliate (or get Campbell, Stetson, and/or Jacksonville to move to scholarship football) just to keep the league at 6 members.

[RootinFerDukes]

This is only a hunch, but IMVHO, they'd be looking at C-USA over the Sun Belt, IF this is indeed happening.

A big reason for this is that C-USA seems to be the big loser if the Big XII expands (Big XII takes from AAC, AAC takes from C-USA).

Let me throw another wrinkle in this: What if the AAC takes Old Dominion, and Liberty takes the place of ODU?

You do realize that IF the cusa takes an Fcs school, and that's still a big if, JMU is their top choice. Liberty's only chance is hoping there are multiple sbc losses and they then finally take them. Eku is probably ahead of them for a sbc opening.

[BEAR]

"A BIG SUN" CONFERENCE...... logo of a supernova. xlolx

[RootinFerDukes]

I'm thinking the AAC would sooner take JMU than OD.

No they wouldn't. After being raided by the big 12, they take a small market Fcs school over an already fbs big market school one conference rung below them. They'd look stupid in a moment that they desperately need to not further damage their brand.

[knucklehead]

You do realize that IF the cusa takes an Fcs school, and that's still a big if, JMU is their top choice. Liberty's only chance is hoping there are multiple sbc losses and they then finally take them. Eku is probably ahead of them for a sbc opening.

You are basing this on what? Not arguing. You just state it like a fact.

[Laker]

"A BIG SUN" CONFERENCE...... logo of a supernova. xlolx

Why does this remind me of something from the 5th Element?

http://www.jupiterscientific.org/virtualastronomer/solarsystem/reducedk/prom1743_eit_big_sun_lks.jpg

[Lehigh Football Nation]

If this happens, this would be devastating to the Big South football conference. A league based around a core of Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb, Presbyterian, and Kennesaw State would put the auto-bid at risk. The would need to keep Monmouth and add another affiliate (or get Campbell, Stetson, and/or Jacksonville to move to scholarship football) just to keep the league at 6 members.

Perhaps a blow to the conference, but not that surprising for anyone who's read a football article about Liberty in the past five years. Unquestionably Liberty's outsized presence in the conference would be missed, but it seems like the Big South has been planning for this day for years and have some sort of plan in place.

Something to remember here too is for hoops the Big South is plenty healthy with or without Liberty, and if Liberty does get invited to an FBS conference, "flipping" Campbell to scholarship football, Stetson. Jacksonville or both sponsoring scholarship football in this Big South/A-Sun Alliiance... there are a lot of options, and that's only with existing football teams. Florida-Gulf Coast could also start scholarship football and fill a huge amount of any gap left by Liberty, too. Bottom line, the Big South may be healthier than one might think - especially after the A-Sun alliance.

[RootinFerDukes]

You are basing this on what? Not arguing. You just state it like a fact.

http://pilotonline.com/sports/college/old-dominion/football/minium-conference-usa-needs-to-expand-jmu-georgia-state-are/article_c8d63f75-097a-5565-874a-3b595e311eec.html

I know it's somewhat speculative, but their beat writer has consistently said ODU and UNCC favor adding JMU, FWIW. He's probably bound to have some sources.

[JMU2004]

Wonder if this has anything to do with the A-Sun/Big South announcement a few weeks back.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://pilotonline.com/sports/college/old-dominion/football/minium-conference-usa-needs-to-expand-jmu-georgia-state-are/article_c8d63f75-097a-5565-874a-3b595e311eec.html

I know it's somewhat speculative, but their beat writer has consistently said ODU and UNCC favor adding JMU, FWIW. He's probably bound to have some sources.

The critical part of this speculation is that ODU stays in C-USA. In that case, yes, JMU makes sense. Where it might not make sense is if ODU heads to the AAC. In that scenario, Liberty might be a better replacement for ODU in C-USA.

[Catsfan90]

Trump's connections in higher education? xconfusedx
Yah, coaches, donors, NCAA officials, whoever. Being the Republican nominee/ his name im sure has a lot of influence.

[walliver]

http://pilotonline.com/sports/college/old-dominion/football/minium-conference-usa-needs-to-expand-jmu-georgia-state-are/article_c8d63f75-097a-5565-874a-3b595e311eec.html

I know it's somewhat speculative, but their beat writer has consistently said ODU and UNCC favor adding JMU, FWIW. He's probably bound to have some sources.

IF C-USA could get JMU and keep UNCC and ODU, I wonder if they would make an effort to go after App State.

[RootinFerDukes]

The critical part of this speculation is that ODU stays in C-USA. In that case, yes, JMU makes sense. Where it might not make sense is if ODU heads to the AAC. In that scenario, Liberty might be a better replacement for ODU in C-USA.

if there was support for JMU past the two mentioned schools of ODU/UNCC, then it would still be there minus ODU. Yes JMU would pause significantly to join a league without ODU. They aren't going to suddenly drop their top FCS candidate for another one just because one school left. There's still up to 13 others.

it's sun belt or bust for liberty and that league has shown an unwillingness to add them in the past.

[POD Knows]

Yah, coaches, donors, NCAA officials, whoever. Being the Republican nominee/ his name im sure has a lot of influence.

Actually, my post was a backhanded slap at Trump U but I am sure he has connections but I doubt he gives two ****s about Liberty joining the Sun Belt. It would be small potatoes.

[walliver]

Actually, my post was a backhanded slap at Trump U but I am sure he has connections but I doubt he gives two ****s about Liberty joining the Sun Belt. It would be small potatoes.

If he loses the election and returns to his business life, he will probably buy the Sun Belt and rename it the Trump Conference. And put it's games on Tuesday nights with the slogan "Tuesday is now Trumpday". He will re-establish Trump University and pay all his players a FCOA of $100,000 per year, sue the SEC for antitrust issues and then sell New Trump U right before it goes under. This is the man after all, who wouldn't release Dough Flutie from his contract when the USFL folded, and made him sit out for two years before going to the NFL.

I agree that he couldn't care less about Liberty and FBS. Now the right-sized check to his opponent's foundation and liberty will be in the B1G.

[tigonian02]

Not likely for Liberty moving up in that short of a timeframe. Sunbelt likes the idea of being at 10 football members bc the schools are getting maximum play off money. As someone stated earlier...history hasn't favored Liberty with the Sunbelt. In any scenario, we would have to lose a member to look at expansion again. CUSA is overloaded at this time with 14 schools the playoffs only give max money up to 10 schools, so they're splitting the pot currently. The AAC has made it pretty clear that they won't expand unless they fall under 10 members. The MAC? I dunno...maybe? It's more likely that CUSA and the Sunbelt wait a few years and either A) trade around to create 2 regionalized east/west conferences, or B) wait a few more years again until the west CUSA schools decide to form their own conference and invite some western Sunbelt schools leaving the CUSA eastern schools to reorganize with some of the eastern Sunbelt schools. B is by far more messy

[KPSUL]

Hope you enjoy your visit. I'll be there for sure! Hope it's not you last though.

[COLOR="silver"] It's just that I'm far less likely to go to an FBS game if they do move. I always enjoy the LU games, great crowd. Who knows, maybe UNH will play an FBS game there in a few years.

[Twentysix]

It's just that I'm far less likely to go to an FBS game if they do move. I always enjoy the LU games, great crowd. Who knows, maybe UNH will play an FBS game there in a few years.

Should be a winnable game.

[UNIFanSince1983]

I mean they got 81K enrollment. That has to mean something for a potential conference right ;)

[Sycamore62]

I mean they got 81K enrollment. That has to mean something for a potential conference right ;)

lol only that just adding $100 to their athletic fee would make an extra $8M per semester

[dgtw]

Trump did wonders for the USFL so I'm sure the Sun Belt would love to have him aboard.

I don't see any of the Pioneer teams sudden adding scholarships. Jacksonville just had their coach leave over the issue so apparently they aren't doing it. Maybe one of the other two but it would take time to get up to speed as a full 63 team. That would make for a craptastic conference if one of them joined in the next two years.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SUUTbird]

When thinking about it I actually could see Liberty going to the Sun Belt Conference, with Idaho and New Mexico State being booted from the conference and Coastal Carolina in joining it would mean Liberty and one other school (EWU, Jacksonville State, JMU ect) would have to join to get the conference to 12 teams in order to have a Conference Championship Game. Not having one is leaving a lot of money on the table.

[KPSUL]

Should be a winnable game. Good point. We'll leave it to NDSU to slay all the FBS dragons.

[PAllen]

When thinking about it I actually could see Liberty going to the Sun Belt Conference, with Idaho and New Mexico State being booted from the conference and Coastal Carolina in joining it would mean Liberty and one other school (EWU, Jacksonville State, JMU ect) would have to join to get the conference to 12 teams in order to have a Conference Championship Game. Not having one is leaving a lot of money on the table.

Is it really though? How much does the MAC Conference Championship Game make? I'd expect that to be a bit more than whatever the Sun Belt would net.

[PAllen]

Answering the title question: Yes, they could be. Not factoring other sports (which I honestly don't know the numbers for), so could NDSU, Montana, JMU, and a handful of others.

[ngineer]

Trump's connections in higher education? xconfusedx

Hah! xlolx

[tigonian02]

When thinking about it I actually could see Liberty going to the Sun Belt Conference, with Idaho and New Mexico State being booted from the conference and Coastal Carolina in joining it would mean Liberty and one other school (EWU, Jacksonville State, JMU ect) would have to join to get the conference to 12 teams in order to have a Conference Championship Game. Not having one is leaving a lot of money on the table.

This is no longer valid as the rules have now changed to where a 10 team conference can have a championship game. It has already been announced that since the rule has changed, the Sunbelt will have a championship game starting in 2018.

[knucklehead]

Answering the title question: Yes, they could be. Not factoring other sports (which I honestly don't know the numbers for), so could NDSU, Montana, JMU, and a handful of others.

I would love that. Would be awesome if there were enough to form a new conference.

[Twentysix]

Good point. We'll leave it to NDSU to slay all the FBS dragons.

UNH will need it after the dumpstering I watched at the Q xeyebrowx

[ST_Lawson]

This is no longer valid as the rules have now changed to where a 10 team conference can have a championship game. It has already been announced that since the rule has changed, the Sunbelt will have a championship game starting in 2018.

Right, that's pretty much exactly why they were ok kicking out Idaho and New Mexico State. They only needed them to have 12 teams for a championship game in the first place. Once the rule was switched to 10, Idaho and NMSU were kicked to the curb.

[tigonian02]

Right, that's pretty much exactly why they were ok kicking out Idaho and New Mexico State. They only needed them to have 12 teams for a championship game in the first place. Once the rule was switched to 10, Idaho and NMSU were kicked to the curb.

Agreed. Losing them created a much more compact league and reduced a few of the bottom dwellers. Another reason also that the next time the Sunbelt expands, it will likely (hopefully) take its sweet time...especially if it splits into divisions.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Agreed. Losing them created a much more compact league and reduced a few of the bottom dwellers. Another reason also that the next time the Sunbelt expands, it will likely (hopefully) take its sweet time...especially if it splits into divisions.

Another perspective is that they chewed up and spit up two of their most loyal, vulnerable members that were saved from the WAC, while giving a younger, teal team which wasn't even a full member of the conference not only their slot, but also giving them voting rights so they could pull the trigger themselves against both of the other schools (not to mention three other schools that only joined the conference in the last five years).

Conferences are supposedly havens of like-minded institutions, not a grouping of disposable programs that get discarded when they struggle on the field. I find the Sun Belt's treatment of Idaho and NMSU disgusting. It should be chilling to any member of the Sun Belt that their loyalty to you and your program is next to nothing.

[dgtw]

If the MWC had needed two more teams they would have bailed on the Sun Belt.

There is no cohesiveness or history with the Sun Belt or C-USA. They are there because they have no where else to go and are dreaming of a promotion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rokamortis]

Another perspective is that they chewed up and spit up two of their most loyal, vulnerable members that were saved from the WAC, while giving a younger, teal team which wasn't even a full member of the conference not only their slot, but also giving them voting rights so they could pull the trigger themselves against both of the other schools (not to mention three other schools that only joined the conference in the last five years).

Conferences are supposedly havens of like-minded institutions, not a grouping of disposable programs that get discarded when they struggle on the field. I find the Sun Belt's treatment of Idaho and NMSU disgusting. It should be chilling to any member of the Sun Belt that their loyalty to you and your program is next to nothing.

How were NMSU and Idaho loyal? They both left the Sun Belt for the WAC - the Sun Belt offered them a lifeline of 4 years and honored that commitment. I personally think they should have been retained but there were multiple valid reasons why their contract wasn't renewed: not a good geographical fit, CFP payout maxed out at 10 schools, competitiveness, and championship game needed only 10 teams.

[CID1990]

That is the hint that Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr. gave yesterday at a meeting with city leaders.

It's been very quiet on this topic for quite some time, but could this mean talks are ongoing behind the scenes? Who knows.

Link here. http://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Falwell-Liberty-University-football-may-reach-FBS-in-a-matter-of-months-394368091.html

First you must ask, "What would JC do?"


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[UNIFanSince1983]

I would love that. Would be awesome if there were enough to form a new conference.

Sadly forming a new conference isn't going to happen. However, if you can find an existing conference and just take it over like all these FCS schools have done in the Sun Belt so far...

[walliver]

Does a link exist to any useful information. The very short paragraph on the TV station's website sounds like second hand information.

I suspect any chance of Liberty leaving for FCS is:
1) Dependent on Big 12 expansion - do they add 0, 2 or 4 teams
2) The AAC's response to losing 1-3 members. Do they raid C-USA, the MAC, or even the Belt?
3) If C-USA loses members, do they rush to replace them or simply deal with a smaller conference? Do they go for FCS move-ups, or raid the Belt?
4) If the Belt loses members, do they suddenly go after Liberty - a school they have repeatedly rejected, or go with EKU or Missouri State or JSU or Presbyterian?

Of course, the key word is "months". They didn't specify how many. It reminds me of an old Steven Wright joke: "Everywhere is in walking distance ... if you have the time."

[RootinFerDukes]

For those that think that Liberty might go to the Sun Belt if it's picked over enough, take these facts and some reasonable speculation into consideration.

1) Liberty held a press conference to announce their intent to move up to FBS back on 5/12/12. That was 4 years, 4 months and 11 days ago.
2) Since that time, the SBC has added Texas-Arlington as an olympic sports member (5/24/12), Appalachian State and Georgia Southern as full-time members and Idaho and New Mexico State as Football only members (all on 3/27/13), and finally Coastal Carolina as a full-time member (9/1/15). Additionally, Georgia State (4/9/12) and Texas State (5/2/12) were added within a month prior to this announcement by Liberty. The chance of Liberty talking to the SBC at the same time was very likely.
3) Since that time, it has been rumored that James Madison and Eastern Kentucky were both legitimate candidates at one point to join the conference, with James Madison before CCU and EKU going head to head with CCU but the invite ultimately going to CCU.

Some proof in case you don't believe it for some reason:
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/4/16/5621602/james-madison-sun-belt-fcs-fbs
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2015/10/9/9353273/sun-belt-conference-realignment-new-mexico-state-eku-coastal-carolina

4) It is no secret that Liberty would submit their SBC invitation acceptance tomorrow if it came by Falwell's desk, so you can't argue that Liberty doesn't want to join the SBC if it came to that.

Knowing all of this, there have been six members added to the SBC (five excluding UTA's non-football membership) and another two schools reportedly courted all within the time that Liberty said they'd join FBS if invited. Something would have to drastically change to get into a conference that has prioritized eight other schools before you.

[PantherRob82]

First you must ask, "What would JC do?"


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He would turn the water into wine, but wine isn't allowed on campus.

[KPSUL]

UNH will need it after the dumpstering I watched at the Q xeyebrowx Thanks for the expert analysis!

[LUnpretty11]

To answer the question in the topic of this thread, no. I would love it if I was wrong, but Liberty will not be FBS in a matter of "months". 2-5 years? Maybe. Definitely not months.