FCS Programs Most Likely to Move Up Due to Conf. Realignment

[guinzone]

Which FCS programs do you feel have the best possible shot of moving up to the FBS due to all this talk of mega-conferences and what have you in the FBS? Vote in the poll and discuss it in the thread. If you selected other from the poll options, simply list it in the discussion part of this thread.

PS: I only mentioned the schools that meet the attendance requirement in the last two seasons. Feel free to add those who did not make the cut attendance wise, but you feel would make a good fit in the FBS.

[andy7171]

If JMU, ODU and Delaware jump, I think Towson will force the issue and try also. I don't agree with it, but those are the schools TU wants to associate itself with.

I'm voting for your school though.

[GannonFan]

Probably should put Georgia State into this - even though they haven't played a down yet they've been very clear that they are going FBS in the short term.

Of course, jumping to FBS if the BCS conferences do go with the mega realignments won't mean a whole lot - the gap between the BCS schools and the non-BCS schools will be as big as its ever been - I'm not even sure what going FBS will do for these schools over what FCS is now. If you're jumping to FBS to get into one of the BCS conferences, that makes a lot of sense. To jump to get into a MAC or Sunbelt level conference, especially after realignment, seems like a road to nowhere.

[JConnolly]

I don't think App and Montana will want to give up their possible National Championship bid each year to play in the Lysol Toilet Bowl. I don't see Georgia Southern moving up where they have struggled as of late, and they already have Georgia and Georgia Tech in state. I could definitely see JMU, Delaware and North Dakota State moving up. Old Dominion might move up, but 2010 will only be their second year having a football team since 1941. Given Youngstown State's history with their 4 national titles, I put them in with GSU and ASU and Montana. They will not move up, because they don't want to compete for a bid in some Kellogg's Cereal Bowl, instead of have a shot at the National Championship. Also YSU would go from 1 of 2 FCS teams in Ohio, to 1 of 9 (If they moved up) FBS teams in Ohio. 6 of these teams are in the MAC, so no shot at the BCS Title.

[youngterrier]

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the first 5 moved up

[Col Hogan]

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the first 5 moved up

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if none of them moved up...

[dbackjon]

Could the MAC lose a team or two, opening up a spot for Youngstown?

[mainejeff]

1. Georgia State
2. ODU
3. JMU

Those 3 will move up within 3 years IMO.

[danefan]

Interestingly, A Nova fan just posted on AGS that there is word that if the Big East is looking for teams after this shakeup it is looking at the following 3:

Army
Navy
Villanova

Apparently the Big East will make it financially feasible for Villanova with an incentive package.

[GannonFan]

Interestingly, A Nova fan just posted on AGS that there is word that if the Big East is looking for teams after this shakeup it is looking at the following 3:

Army
Navy
Villanova

Apparently the Big East will make it financially feasible for Villanova with an incentive package.

As always, the big questions remain for nova - where would they play and who would show up, especially if the Big East is a watered down, non-BCS football conference at the end of this (will still be a great b-ball conference barring disaster)? They would need to build a stadium, after finding somewhere to build it (Radnor isn't an option and they can't get the Linc). Even Army and Navy are longshots - they kinda like where they are right now.

[LastMinuteman]

PS: I only mentioned the schools that meet the attendance requirement in the last two seasons.

That's not really important. UConn wasn't doing that when they made the switch.

[AZGrizFan]

I picked Montana (WAC), JMU (renovated Big East) and other (West Coast team like Cal Poly, UC Davis or Sac State) most likely to WAC as well.

[UCABEAR]

Texas State....because they're the bees knees.

[slycat]

Texas state will move up. I give it a strong chance they are in the first wave to go.

[89Hen]

Of the ones on the list... ODU, JMU and AppSt in that order.

[Herky]

I picked Montana (WAC), JMU (renovated Big East) and other (West Coast team like Cal Poly, UC Davis or Sac State) most likely to WAC as well.

I agree, it just makes sense.

[JSU02]

The 1st wave will be Jax State, Texas State, and UTSA. Maybe a few others

[guinzone]

Honestly, until YSU becomes a powerhouse program again like they were in the 1990s, I do not want them moving up to the MAC. I would much rather play for the Division 1 National Championship than the Amana Toilet Bowl against some shitty opponent.

I think it would be a lot nicer to see the likes of Akron and Cant State drop to the FCS where they belong so we can see those rivalries renewed.

[kuntryboimike]

a guy i was talking to said montana got an offer to move up but they declined because they like being the big dogs in AA. i dont no how much truth thereis to that. anyone care to tell me the real story?

[SuperHornet]

Could the MAC lose a team or two, opening up a spot for Youngstown?

I don't think it matters, Jon. I strongly suspect that one of the fall-outs of this mega-expansion is the enforced "downgrade" of conferences such as the MAC and the Sunbelt to FCS.

[SUUTbird]

Interestingly, A Nova fan just posted on AGS that there is word that if the Big East is looking for teams after this shakeup it is looking at the following 3:

Army
Navy
Villanova

Apparently the Big East will make it financially feasible for Villanova with an incentive package.

I could see this happening but not so much with Nova but with JMU. Army and Navy deserve to be in an autobid conference and i think they would fit in really well with the Big East. I think the Dukes have a better shot then Nova just because JMU is currently overhauling their stadium and actually get fans to show up to their games.

[AZGrizFan]

Could the MAC lose a team or two, opening up a spot for Youngstown?

I don't think it matters, Jon. I strongly suspect that one of the fall-outs of this mega-expansion is the enforced "downgrade" of conferences such as the MAC and the Sunbelt to FCS.

Why? They're ALREADY in a second tier behind the big six. What's going to make the MAC, Sunbelt C-USA & WAC any different now? There'll still be bowl games a-plenty.

[clenz]

I don't think it matters, Jon. I strongly suspect that one of the fall-outs of this mega-expansion is the enforced "downgrade" of conferences such as the MAC and the Sunbelt to FCS.

Why? They're ALREADY in a second tier behind the big six. What's going to make the MAC, Sunbelt C-USA & WAC any different now? There'll still be bowl games a-plenty.

Agreed...however, some schools may find that dropping to FCS would save a ton of money in terms of their athletic department. If they already aren't drawing well because they suck why not try dropping and seeing what they can do?

[∞∞∞]

I doubt we move up anytime within the next 5 years. I can see a scenario where we're invited into an FBS conference but still play FCS until the program is ready to make the jump, but that's not an attractive situation for any conference in the short-term. And if we do go too soon, then we risk falling into the cycle of mediocrity after what would certainly be many initial losing seasons. Simply put, ODU is too late to the party.

Our fans are happy in the FCS for now. There's no rush to move up unless something like the Big East came calling, but I highly doubt that'll happen. Our administration and coaches have stated that the mission for ODU football is to win an FCS National Championship, and I trust they're going to see that through. That said, we'll move up eventually. But we're probably gonna miss our chance due to this realignment.

[Seahawks]

Interestingly, A Nova fan just posted on AGS that there is word that if the Big East is looking for teams after this shakeup it is looking at the following 3:

Army
Navy
Villanova

Apparently the Big East will make it financially feasible for Villanova with an incentive package.

Makes sense as far as Army and Navy goes. I've always felt they belonged in the Big East.