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Idaho-Eastern Washington wasn't a David and Goliath matchup circa Michigan-Appalachian State. This was about one team - and in many ways, one conference - dishing a big ol' slice of humble pie to a program that's consistently belittled its former home since leaving nearly two decades ago.
A program that's been told by both Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson and Sun Belt commissioner Karl Benson to go away.
A program that has spent a significant amount of time and manpower trying to convince its base that success at the FBS level is not only attainable, it's expected.
A program that by the looks of it, would have trouble competing with Weber State, let alone Montana State.
No, Idaho isn't too good to join the Big Sky, it's that the Big Sky - and EWU in particular - is too good for Idaho.

ASUG8 wrote:I think App would struggle with recruiting with the big boys - In NC alone you have Wake Forest, UNC, NC State, Duke (maybe not such a threat), ECU, and now upstart CAA member UNC - NASCAR. Just out side that you start getting into the competition with Clemson, Ga. Tech, Tennessee, etc. not to mention trying to compete in the Virginia market.

Marshall is the poster child for how bad it can get around this area. Top of the world to basement dweller.

bonarae wrote:Uhm, I crossposted this one to the other site, and I thought of the ex-FCS teams (who dropped the sport as recently as 3 years ago) located in the Northeast and the West Coast. I was also thinking about Idaho that should've gone their way because they have really struggled in I-A/FBS.

CAA Flagship wrote:

bonarae wrote:Uhm, I crossposted this one to the other site, and I thought of the ex-FCS teams (who dropped the sport as recently as 3 years ago) located in the Northeast and the West Coast. I was also thinking about Idaho that should've gone their way because they have really struggled in I-A/FBS.

Mike Johnson wrote:

bonarae wrote:Uhm, I crossposted this one to the other site, and I thought of the ex-FCS teams (who dropped the sport as recently as 3 years ago) located in the Northeast and the West Coast. I was also thinking about Idaho that should've gone their way because they have really struggled in I-A/FBS.

I couldn't think of any West Coast FCS teams that dropped football in the last three or four years. So, I compared a list of FCS teams in 2008 and 2012. Division II Western Washington did drop football a couple of years ago. St. Mary's dropped football in 2004.

Four are no longer on the list of FCS teams:
Hofstra
Iona
Northeastern
Winston-Salem State (who never completed the transition and dropped back to Division II)


Five have been added to the list:
Georgia State
Lamar
Old Dominion
South Alabama
Texas-San Antonio

However, most of these are simply passing through FCS on their way to FBS.

AZGrizFan wrote:

Mike Johnson wrote:
I couldn't think of any West Coast FCS teams that dropped football in the last three or four years. So, I compared a list of FCS teams in 2008 and 2012. Division II Western Washington did drop football a couple of years ago. St. Mary's dropped football in 2004.

Four are no longer on the list of FCS teams:
Hofstra
Iona
Northeastern
Winston-Salem State (who never completed the transition and dropped back to Division II)


Five have been added to the list:
Georgia State
Lamar
Old Dominion
South Alabama
Texas-San Antonio

However, most of these are simply passing through FCS on their way to FBS.

Cal State Northridge? But that's been more than 3-4 years...was it 2000?

AZGrizFan wrote:Cal State Northridge? But that's been more than 3-4 years...was it 2000?

danefan wrote: I would never want to see any team drop their program.

I'd rather see a team struggle at FBS than drop the program.

catbooster wrote:

danefan wrote: I would never want to see any team drop their program.

I'd rather see a team struggle at FBS than drop the program.

Agreed, but there is another option - going back to FCS, which IMO is the best option for Idaho.