per CBS
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... ue-expands

I agree with Gotlieb. There isn't much in terms of viable options for the Big 8 (12) for expansion.

Well if they go that route it will be to have 12 for football - a recent study told them they would a 10-15% better chance to get into the football playoffs with a conference championship game, so I don't know if "which schools" make a huge difference as long as they get to 12 ---

They should have got Louisville when they had the chance.

The Big XII doesn't have any slam dunk options, but they need to be proactive otherwise every other big leagu will see them as vulnerable.

Memphis, Cincinnati, USF, BYU, there are prime and slam dunk options. Houston as well, however Texas will shut that door in a hurry. This will have an effect on us in the Sun Belt.... if the AAC decides to expand.......

Not sure we will be affected. If AAC poaches C-USA, C-USA may not replace the teams that exit. I'm not sure it would be a benefit to them.

If they expand, I believe it will be BYU and UCF. BYU is a brand and UCF is the 2nd largest university in the US and opens a new market for them.

If BYU joins the big 12 they'd have to give up their ban on Sunday games. The conference will not throw everything into turmoil for one member.

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

I don't see any chance CUSA adds anybody anytime soon. IMO they over expanded and would love to drop back to 12 asap. Unless they are in jeopardy of dropping below 12 they will not be looking for anybody.

I believe Big XII has pursued BYU in the past. I think the hangup there is on BYU's end, not the conferences. That would probably be the Big XII's first wish, but otherwise they'll have to poach the AAC. I would guess Cincinnati is most likely, as apparently getting WVU a travel partner is a big issue.

APPdiesel wrote:If BYU joins the big 12 they'd have to give up their ban on Sunday games. The conference will not throw everything into turmoil for one member.

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

Unless that member is Texas, of course.

Not totally off topic but I am just curious. What is a travel partner? Never heard of this until this board.

bigdaddyg wrote:Not totally off topic but I am just curious. What is a travel partner? Never heard of this until this board.

Think of it this way...A more condensed version of the NBA east coast teams going on west coast road trips. Travel partner allows say Kansas to come to Morgantown, then Cincinnati (For example) all in one week for basketball. Helps Hawaii basketball the most.

This is my understanding....I could be wrong.

nothing for football really - it is for other sports - take our old SoCon - App could travel to play CoC on Saturday and then Citadel on Monday - or go to Greenville and play FU on Thursday and then Wofford on Saturday - Cincinnati could serve that purpose teamed with WVU -

It has already been well explained but I feel I am so important I want to add that Coastal is supposed to be App's travel partner in the Sun Belt. GSU & GST are travel partners already.

I do not the term "travel" partner. Basically what this means, is that someone like WVU would have an eastern based team that makes the other members of the conference come to in the same time zone. In Olympic sports WVU travels west and the other teams come east once. It is a competitive disadvantage. As for App in the Sun Belt, we have two in the teams from Georgia for sports. But a third in Coastal.

The Big XII's expansion won't directly affect the Sun Belt for several years, at least. Most of the damage will be felt by the AAC and CUSA, which may help to increase parity among G5 conferences if the Sun Belt continues to improve (cutting NMSU and Idaho will certainly help).

The article in the OP suggests that Cincy is the most likely pick for the XII. If so, the AAC will likely replenish from CUSA-- possibly with WKU or Marshall, unless JMU somehow enters the conversation.

Regardless, the Sun Belt is too far removed from those footprints to be affected until major realignment happens.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal ... -everybody

Here's a new one that actually mentions us. Wild idea.

SayYesToTheRock wrote:The Big XII's expansion won't directly affect the Sun Belt for several years, at least. Most of the damage will be felt by the AAC and CUSA, which may help to increase parity among G5 conferences if the Sun Belt continues to improve (cutting NMSU and Idaho will certainly help).

The article in the OP suggests that Cincy is the most likely pick for the XII. If so, the AAC will likely replenish from CUSA-- possibly with WKU or Marshall, unless JMU somehow enters the conversation.

Regardless, the Sun Belt is too far removed from those footprints to be affected until major realignment happens.

So please tell me how the Sun Belt is to far removed? Why? Are you saying that JMU is more attractive than Georgia Southern or App State? I disagree. Do you feel that a Liberty, Jacksonville, Jacksonville State, or North Dakota State is more attractive than teams from the Sun Belt? I disagree again. All of this is also conjecture, a basic debate. The decision by the Big 12 to expand will not take effect for at least two years but if you honestly feel that we should not take advantage of the opportunity to have a better bowl slot and potential more revenue you have your head in the sand.

The SBC will likely not be impacted unless more than two members leave CUSA for the AAC and/or MAC.

12 or even 10 teams in a G5 conference makes more sense than 14 (CUSA's current number) given the current revenue model.