A One-Year ASUN/WAC Hybrid League for AQ Status in '21

[TexasTerror]

We have said that creativity will reign supreme in '21 for football in light of the recent announcement(s) about league membership...


I am not a subscriber to EXTRA POINTS but seeing some social media chatter that the ASUN & WAC are exploring a 'hybrid' league in '21 per Matt Brown of Extra Points to ensure the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs for next year and to help these school(s) with scheduling.


The deadline to submit a request for an automatic bid for '21 is fast approaching.


Multiple leagues - ASUN, WAC, Big South, OVC and Southland - impacted by the decisions in recent weeks pertaining to new league membership.


Dixie State's athletic director acknowledged on social media that they are not sure if they can be "full participants" in the WAC schedule due to the amount of contracts that they are linked to.


From an FCS perspective, this could be a fun one-year league! The WAC's new schools from Texas, Tarleton, Central Arkansas, Jacksonville State and Eastern Kentucky. Am I missing someone if Dixie State is not in the mix? That would give each of the schools seven conference in '21 and the league would have an automatic bid as there'd be six "eligible" schools plus Tarleton.


Should add that I have also seen comments that the ASUN schools would perhaps just compete in the Big South in '21 and this is a non-issue but Matt Brown usually knows something.

[NHwildEcat]

I am a subscriber; and there is talk of a 'hybrid' league, but it still seems like a monumental hurdle to climb. ASUN will still only be at 5 schools (EKU, Jacksonville State, Central Arkansas, Kennesaw State and North Alabama). North Alabama is still transitioning and won't be eligible under current rules until 2022-23 while Liberty will remain FBS-Independent, and Stetson will continue as non-scholarship w/in the Pioneer. I don't see how they get an AQ until they add a new member and UNA becomes fully eligible in '22-23.

WAC should have 6 eligible programs this fall. Then Southern Utah would be counted on in '22. So I think the WAC gets one.

If both leagues end up w/ AQ's we will be at an even 12/12 split for the playoffs (AQ's/at-large).

Based off of prior comments made by Matt Brown, what I am keenly watching for now is the CAA. Seems like quite a bit of unrest between the northern and southern schools. Will America East schools form their own AE run league? Who joins them etc? So much movement.

[Daytripper]

We have said that creativity will reign supreme in '21 for football in light of the recent announcement(s) about league membership...


I am not a subscriber to EXTRA POINTS but seeing some social media chatter that the ASUN & WAC are exploring a 'hybrid' league in '21 per Matt Brown of Extra Points to ensure the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs for next year and to help these school(s) with scheduling.


The deadline to submit a request for an automatic bid for '21 is fast approaching.


Multiple leagues - ASUN, WAC, Big South, OVC and Southland - impacted by the decisions in recent weeks pertaining to new league membership.


Dixie State's athletic director acknowledged on social media that they are not sure if they can be "full participants" in the WAC schedule due to the amount of contracts that they are linked to.


From an FCS perspective, this could be a fun one-year league! The WAC's new schools from Texas, Tarleton, Central Arkansas, Jacksonville State and Eastern Kentucky. Am I missing someone if Dixie State is not in the mix? That would give each of the schools seven conference in '21 and the league would have an automatic bid as there'd be six "eligible" schools plus Tarleton.


Should add that I have also seen comments that the ASUN schools would perhaps just compete in the Big South in '21 and this is a non-issue but Matt Brown usually knows something.

That would be a fun season if they could combine as a Hybrid. I think it is possible because I think most all traditional rules are out the window because of the Covid upheavals.

[katss07]

I am a subscriber; and there is talk of a 'hybrid' league, but it still seems like a monumental hurdle to climb. ASUN will still only be at 5 schools (EKU, Jacksonville State, Central Arkansas, Kennesaw State and North Alabama). North Alabama is still transitioning and won't be eligible under current rules until 2022-23 while Liberty will remain FBS-Independent, and Stetson will continue as non-scholarship w/in the Pioneer. I don't see how they get an AQ until they add a new member and UNA becomes fully eligible in '22-23.

WAC should have 6 eligible programs this fall. Then Southern Utah would be counted on in '22. So I think the WAC gets one.

If both leagues end up w/ AQ's we will be at an even 12/12 split for the playoffs (AQ's/at-large).

Based off of prior comments made by Matt Brown, what I am keenly watching for now is the CAA. Seems like quite a bit of unrest between the northern and southern schools. Will America East schools form their own AE run league? Who joins them etc? So much movement.

Brown's "Conference at a Crossroads" article on the CAA certainly made it seem like there is some unrest in the CAA. Got to wonder if the larger, more FBS ready schools look towards a move to better position themselves as it becomes clearer that the P5 will split from NCAA (the 3 VA schools, Delaware, the 2 NY schools, maybe UNH or Elon).

[WestCoastAggie]

For selfish reasons, I would hope the A-Sun schools play ball with the Big South in football this fall. I would love to play - and hopefully beat - Jax State, Kennesaw State, and Central Arkansas.

[TexasTerror]

WAC should have 6 eligible programs this fall. Then Southern Utah would be counted on in '22. So I think the WAC gets one.

The WAC only has four eligible schools since Tarleton and Dixie St are both in transition for '21 and not eligible for a FCS playoff berth.

On top of that, Dixie State's AD said their schedule is going to be hard to break out of to play a full WAC schedule in '21 because they had 10 OOC games + 1 game vs SHSU on the docket. The WAC will be at five schools in '22 and likely able to obtain a waiver that year if you had to ask me.

[DFW HOYA]

Got to wonder if the larger, more FBS ready schools look towards a move to better position themselves as it becomes clearer that the P5 will split from NCAA (the 3 VA schools, Delaware, the 2 NY schools, maybe UNH or Elon).

Outside of JMU and Delaware, no CAA schools are I-A candidates.

Richmond plays in a 8,217 seat stadium. They're not going back to City Stadium.
William & Mary has made Cary Field aka Zable Stadium a showplace, but 12,617 is as far as Colonial Williamsburg will allow.
Albany and Stony Brook could expand, but now is not the time to expect the state of NY to invest $200M on stadium work when NYC is in the dumps.
New Hampshire? 11,000 seats.
Elon? 11,000.

Outside the Ivies, the only stadia in the Northeast that could realistically get to 30,000 seats in short order is JMU, Delaware, and Holy Cross.

[NHwildEcat]

Outside of JMU and Delaware, no CAA schools are I-A candidates.

Richmond plays in a 8,217 seat stadium. They're not going back to City Stadium.
William & Mary has made Cary Field aka Zable Stadium a showplace, but 12,617 is as far as Colonial Williamsburg will allow.
Albany and Stony Brook could expand, but now is not the time to expect the state of NY to invest $200M on stadium work when NYC is in the dumps.
New Hampshire? 11,000 seats.
Elon? 11,000.

Outside the Ivies, the only stadia in the Northeast that could realistically get to 30,000 seats in short order is JMU, Delaware, and Holy Cross.

I don't think anyone from the CAA is moving to FBS - JMU, if they got an American invite - otherwise I don't see it.

UNH is content in FCS, it's the right place for the program.

[NHwildEcat]

The WAC only has four eligible schools since Tarleton and Dixie St are both in transition for '21 and not eligible for a FCS playoff berth.

On top of that, Dixie State's AD said their schedule is going to be hard to break out of to play a full WAC schedule in '21 because they had 10 OOC games + 1 game vs SHSU on the docket. The WAC will be at five schools in '22 and likely able to obtain a waiver that year if you had to ask me.

Dang, that is right. I forgot they would still be transitioning. The ASUN news has pushed the WAC to the back of my brain, it feels like awhile ago they announced their plans.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Brown's "Conference at a Crossroads" article on the CAA certainly made it seem like there is some unrest in the CAA. Got to wonder if the larger, more FBS ready schools look towards a move to better position themselves as it becomes clearer that the P5 will split from NCAA (the 3 VA schools, Delaware, the 2 NY schools, maybe UNH or Elon).

I still think Delaware and Villanova could end up in the PL. The key will be some sort of compromise regarding redshirting/AI. Covid has in many ways opened up the 5th year option. The AI is something that I still don't completely understand.....

Definitely some (seismic?) changes coming to D1 football as a whole. I would have bet against them happening before Covid issues quieted down. The fact institutions, especially state schools, are willing to change course under this climate really surprises me.