App State and Georgia Southern to join Sun Belt

[ASUG8]

Gonna be a lot of ASU's in I-A:
-Arizona State University
-Arkansas State University
-Appalachian State University

Seriously, I think there's a pretty major rebranding at my ASU to make us App State vs. ASU going forward.

[ASUMountaineer]

Gonna be a lot of ASU's in I-A:
-Arizona State University
-Arkansas State University
-Appalachian State University

Seriously, I think there's a pretty major rebranding at my ASU to make us App State vs. ASU going forward.

There's only one App State.

[CAA Flagship]

[JohnStOnge]

I think it's sad both for FCS and for the two schools. Odds are overwhelming that they will lose more money on their athletic programs. Oh...they'll classify what the Universities kick in to cover the loss and balance the books as "revenue" for their athletic department...but the reality will be it will drain the schools of funds. And they'll go from being two very special programs in their current realm to being two bottom feeders in their new one. They'll play their season with hopes of getting into an exhibition game where, usually, two below average FBS schools will be playing each other.

The saddest thing to me is there are actually fans on the McNeese board now saying they wish McNeese's Administration...which has steadfastly proclaimed that it has no desire to move the program to FCS...had the "vision" to do something like sue for admission the the Sun Belt. Me, no way I'd want my school's program in the Sun Belt.

[slycat]

Ergo: I was not wrong.

TXST, unlike the others, accepted in the fall of 2010 and went FCS Indy the following year, playing 12 games and adding 11 scholarships. Once we accepted the SLC "threw us out" but we played SLC teams in that Indy year to fill out their schedule (2011). Last year we were FBS transitional and helped fill out the WAC schedule (to keep them viable but we all know how that went). We will be full FBS and eligible for everything in 2013.

Ready to tailgate with AZ(TX)GRIZ(VANDAL)FAN when Idaho visits San MArcos?

Oh shit I forgot Idahos long lost son is in SA now.

[GoAgs72]

App State is more distinctive than ASU plus it sounds like you're more into technology (or at least cell phones). Kind of like MSU - I don't don't whether it's Montana State, Michigan State, McNeese State, etc.

[93henfan]

Gonna be a lot of ASU's in I-A:
-Arizona State University
-Arkansas State University
-Appalachian State University

And two GSUs.

[BDKJMU]

Ok then, would be smart to not sign papers till June 1. As I understand it:

This March ASU & GSU announce move to Sun Belt.
2013 full So-Con & I-AA schedule, ineligible for So-Con title & playoffs.
2014 transition yr, assume a mixed I-A & I-AA schedule.
2015 eligible for Sun Belt title & bowl eligible.

April 20, 2011 UMass announced were moving to MAC.
2011 played full CAA/I-AA schedule, ineligible for CAA title & I-AA playoffs.
2012 full I-A schedule.
2013 MAC title & bowl eligible.

May 17, 2012 ODU announced move to CUSA. Didn't sign papers till June 1.
2012: played full CAA/I-AA schedule, ineligible for CAA title. Eligible for I-AA playoffs.
2013: transition yr, 1/2 I-A, 1/2 I-AA schedule.
2014: full I-A & CUSA schedule, CUSA title & bowl eligible.

ASU, GSU, and UMass announced too early to maintain playoff eligibility. Sucks for ASU and GSU fans because they have been in the playoffs the last 8 straight years and last 3 national semis respectively, and would have been highly likely not only So Con title and playoff contenders, but NC contenders. Now they are ineligible for the So-Con title and the playoffs. Face pretty much 2 meaningless seasons.

As opposed to ASU and GSU, ODU did it right. Whether you announce in March, April, or May, it looks like you still have a yr 2 transition season and are conference & bowl eligible by year 3. But ODU in not announcing until mid May, signing the papers till June 1, left themselves playoff eligible for one last season, leaving themselves with only 1 virtually meaningless season instead of 2. Smart move.

If we waited like ODU did, we wouldn't be eligible for the Sun Belt until 2016 with 2014 and 2015 being transition years. The way it stands now, our "transition years" are 2013 and 2014. Even though we are in different conferences and ODU announced almost a year earlier, ODU/GSU/ASU are all on the same timeline now.

Ok. But what would GSU and ASU fans prefer?
-No 2013 playoffs, and bowl eligible for a toilet bowl in 2015, or
-Playoffs/shot at the NC 2013, and eligible for a toilet bowl 2016?

ASU and GSU would be near locks for the the 24 team playoffs this upcoming season, and both would be legitimate Top 10 NC contenders. But by simply not waiting to sign the paperwork/make it official 2+ months later on June 1, sounds like they are trading one last shot at a playoff run/shot at the NC in 2013 for a much lesser chance at a toilet bowl in 2015.

[Baldy]

If we waited like ODU did, we wouldn't be eligible for the Sun Belt until 2016 with 2014 and 2015 being transition years. The way it stands now, our "transition years" are 2013 and 2014. Even though we are in different conferences and ODU announced almost a year earlier, ODU/GSU/ASU are all on the same timeline now.

Ok. But what would GSU and ASU fans prefer?
-No 2013 playoffs, and bowl eligible for a toilet bowl in 2015, or
-Playoffs/shot at the NC 2013, and eligible for a toilet bowl 2016?

ASU and GSU would be near locks for the the 24 team playoffs this upcoming season, and both would be legitimate Top 10 NC contenders. But by simply not waiting to sign the paperwork/make it official 2+ months later on June 1, sounds like they are trading one last shot at a playoff run/shot at the NC in 2013 for a much lesser chance at a toilet bowl in 2015.

Of course I would prefer the 2013 season as a farewell tour/one more shot at a title year, but that didn't fit into the Belt's wishes. They want all the new teams to be bowl eligible by 2015. As an incentive, and unlike other recent move-ups, they are allowing GSU and App to compete for a Sun Belt championship in 2014.

[SuperHornet]

Gonna be a lot of ASU's in I-A:
-Arizona State University
-Arkansas State University
-Appalachian State University

And two GSUs.

Even if GASo stays FCS, they will ALWAYS be better than GASt....

[wkuhillhound]

The geography portion is the biggest issue for me - I can be in Atlanta in a couple of hours and Statesboro in just a little more. Aside from that it's a hike to get to Troy or MTSU at just over 5 hrs. by car. I know BSC fans are used to that, but it'll be a struggle to fill seats in N. Texas or God forbid Las Cruces. Does anyone besides UM make money in BSC football?

MTSU is in CUSA next year. With WKU also leaving, the SBC will look like this:

Football (9)
South Alabama
Troy
Arkansas State
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
Texas Sate
Georgia State
Georgia Southern
Appalachian State

Non-football (2)
Arkansas-Little Rock
Texas-Arlington



So the SBC will be looking to add at least one more fb school, and probably 3 to have a title game.

Regardless, it's still a nice compact conference for one that resides in the FBS.

When has WKU left the Sun Belt. That is news to me. MTSU, North Texas, Florida International, and Florida Atlantic left to go to Conference USA starting next season.

[BDKJMU]

The geography portion is the biggest issue for me - I can be in Atlanta in a couple of hours and Statesboro in just a little more. Aside from that it's a hike to get to Troy or MTSU at just over 5 hrs. by car. I know BSC fans are used to that, but it'll be a struggle to fill seats in N. Texas or God forbid Las Cruces. Does anyone besides UM make money in BSC football?

MTSU is in CUSA next year. With WKU also leaving, the SBC will look like this:

Football (9)
South Alabama
Troy
Arkansas State
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
Texas Sate
Georgia State
Georgia Southern
Appalachian State

Non-football (2)
Arkansas-Little Rock
Texas-Arlington



So the SBC will be looking to add at least one more fb school, and probably 3 to have a title game.

Regardless, it's still a nice compact conference for one that resides in the FBS.

Since we are talking football here, 11 football schools. You left off Idaho and New Mexico State. Nothing compact about that.

[ASUG8]

MTSU is in CUSA next year. With WKU also leaving, the SBC will look like this:

Football (9)
South Alabama
Troy
Arkansas State
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
Texas Sate
Georgia State
Georgia Southern
Appalachian State

Non-football (2)
Arkansas-Little Rock
Texas-Arlington



So the SBC will be looking to add at least one more fb school, and probably 3 to have a title game.

Regardless, it's still a nice compact conference for one that resides in the FBS.

When has WKU left the Sun Belt. That is news to me. MTSU, North Texas, Florida International, and Florida Atlantic left to go to Conference USA starting next season.

Unless it's an April Fool's joke, sounds like a done deal.

http://www.bgdailynews.com/sports/weste ... 963f4.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dbackjon]

MTSU is in CUSA next year. With WKU also leaving, the SBC will look like this:

Football (9)
South Alabama
Troy
Arkansas State
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
Texas Sate
Georgia State
Georgia Southern
Appalachian State

Non-football (2)
Arkansas-Little Rock
Texas-Arlington



So the SBC will be looking to add at least one more fb school, and probably 3 to have a title game.

Regardless, it's still a nice compact conference for one that resides in the FBS.

When has WKU left the Sun Belt. That is news to me. MTSU, North Texas, Florida International, and Florida Atlantic left to go to Conference USA starting next season.

Once Tulsa is announced official to leave CUSA, WKU will be invited

[ASUMountaineer]

When has WKU left the Sun Belt. That is news to me. MTSU, North Texas, Florida International, and Florida Atlantic left to go to Conference USA starting next season.

Once Tulsa is announced official to leave CUSA, WKU will be invited

WKU's press conference was at 1:00PM EST. It is a done deal. I'm not sure when Tulsa will be announced.

[Aho Old Guy]

The propaganda from the local Hillbilly press is more depressing than the fact of Appalachian football leaving FCS.

.. Formed in 1976, the Sun Belt Conference is one of 11 conferences that sponsors NCAA Division I FBS football. Since 2007, the Sun Belt ranks fifth out of the 11 FBS conferences in postseason bowl game winning percentage ...

Nice spin, huh?

[ASUMountaineer]

The propaganda from the local Hillbilly press is more depressing than the fact of Appalachian football leaving FCS.

.. Formed in 1976, the Sun Belt Conference is one of 11 conferences that sponsors NCAA Division I FBS football. Since 2007, the Sun Belt ranks fifth out of the 11 FBS conferences in postseason bowl game winning percentage ...

Nice spin, huh?

Not as bad as the spin that it's in Appalachian State University's best interest to maintain the status quo.

[Aho Old Guy]

The propaganda from the local Hillbilly press is more depressing than the fact of Appalachian football leaving FCS.





Nice spin, huh?

Not as bad as the spin that it's in Appalachian State University's best interest to maintain the status quo.

You mean the sexual assaults that Appalachian seriously mishandled over the last 2 years?

Funny. I never hear you App fans crowing about that.

[CID1990]

Not as bad as the spin that it's in Appalachian State University's best interest to maintain the status quo.

You mean the sexual assaults that Appalachian seriously mishandled over the last 2 years?

Funny. I never hear you App fans crowing about that.

What the hell do furples know about sex?


Sent from the center of the universe.

[ASUMountaineer]

Not as bad as the spin that it's in Appalachian State University's best interest to maintain the status quo.

You mean the sexual assaults that Appalachian seriously mishandled over the last 2 years?

Funny. I never hear you App fans crowing about that.

What are you talking about?!?

You're ranting and raving about a change in athletic conferences. What does have to do with sexual assault cases? Many of us were upset about the way that situation was handled by the university and the athletics department. Why do you think that so many changes were made? You need to get a clue.

[AZGrizFan]

Ready to tailgate with AZ(TX)GRIZ(VANDAL)FAN when Idaho visits San MArcos?

Oh shit I forgot Idahos long lost son is in SA now.

Yeah, thanks alot, jackwagon.

[slycat]

Oh shit I forgot Idahos long lost son is in SA now.

Yeah, thanks alot, jackwagon.

I'll be back a lot in the fall. You'll have to come out to a game.

[SuperHornet]

I guess AZ's been hanging out with Gunny Ermey.