Texas State "heavy favorite" to join Pac-12, LaTech favored to join Sun Belt

[biggie]

I personally would prefer WKU over MTSU and La Tech being last of those 3.

[Stonewall]

I was responding to MTSU specifically as asked. WKU does the same from a market perspective and is tangibly a better overall program, so yes , between the two. But MTSU over La Tech.

[AppinVA]

Stand pat for the time being >>> WKU >>>>>> MTSU >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> LaTech.

[AppWyo]

I really do not see a return of any of the former Sun Belt members. I believe there is still bad blood from when they left the Sun Belt. For Marshall, ODU, and USM to choose the Sun Belt over staying in C-USA or joining the American speaks volumes about the position the Sun Belt is in conference wise. The fact that JMU picked the Sun Belt with all of the choices it was faced with when it moved from the CAA says a lot about the position of the Sun Belt is in then and now.

If Texas State was the eager to join the new PAC-??, it seems they would have left already. I am not saying that they will not leave, it just seems odd that they have yet to leave.

Let's face the fact that the only conference ECU would go to now is the ACC, they might join the Big XII to give WVU a travel partner, they have always considered themselves above schools like Appalachian. If that were not the case, they would not have left the SoCon in the 70's.

[BambooRdApp]

Were Marsha, ODU, USM and JMU even offered membership in the AAC? I did not recall that they were offered to join AAC at time they joined SBC....in football that is...not other sports SBC does not offer.

SBC has been good for App. However, not sure it is what the AAC was going to be when UCF, Houston, Cincy were in the conference.

[AtlAppMan]

Funny how the landscape changes.
We wanted to join CUSA in 2008-2010 timeframe when it was really good.
By the time we were able to make the move that would have been a disaster in 2014-2015.
The AAC looked good 4-5 yrs ago, now it is on a downward trajectory like CUSA. It is just a matter of time.
The SBC move turned out to be a great move in hindsight.
Point is, it is very difficult to predict where these are going. Who would have ever thought PAC would be where it is now and ACC would be in such a vulnerable situation 5-10 yrs ago. I would not have.

[JTApps1]

Opening up a new tv market without stretching the footprint.

They're in it, but I'm just not sure they really open up the market.

[AppinVA]

Funny how the landscape changes.
We wanted to join CUSA in 2008-2010 timeframe when it was really good.
By the time we were able to make the move that would have been a disaster in 2014-2015.
The AAC looked good 4-5 yrs ago, now it is on a downward trajectory like CUSA. It is just a matter of time.
The SBC move turned out to be a great move in hindsight.
Point is, it is very difficult to predict where these are going. Who would have ever thought PAC would be where it is now and ACC would be in such a vulnerable situation 5-10 yrs ago. I would not have.

It can be argued that we made the Sun Belt the great move it is today.

[Saint3333]

Funny how the landscape changes.
We wanted to join CUSA in 2008-2010 timeframe when it was really good.
By the time we were able to make the move that would have been a disaster in 2014-2015.
The AAC looked good 4-5 yrs ago, now it is on a downward trajectory like CUSA. It is just a matter of time.
The SBC move turned out to be a great move in hindsight.
Point is, it is very difficult to predict where these are going. Who would have ever thought PAC would be where it is now and ACC would be in such a vulnerable situation 5-10 yrs ago. I would not have.

It can be argued that we made the Sun Belt the great move it is today.

I'd argue no other program has done more to grow the SBC than App. Our influence was critical to adding GS, CCU, and JMU at each round of expansion.

[AppStFan1]

Funny how the landscape changes.
We wanted to join CUSA in 2008-2010 timeframe when it was really good.
By the time we were able to make the move that would have been a disaster in 2014-2015.
The AAC looked good 4-5 yrs ago, now it is on a downward trajectory like CUSA. It is just a matter of time.
The SBC move turned out to be a great move in hindsight.
Point is, it is very difficult to predict where these are going. Who would have ever thought PAC would be where it is now and ACC would be in such a vulnerable situation 5-10 yrs ago. I would not have.

It can be argued that we made the Sun Belt the great move it is today.

I'd argue no other program has done more to grow the SBC than App. Our influence was critical to adding GS, CCU, and JMU at each round of expansion.

We were also critical in adding Marshall and both them and JMU wanted ODU. I have to think that was also critical in adding Southern Miss. We are the top brand in the league so we carry a lot of weight in the SBC for sure.

[AppWyo]

Funny how the landscape changes.
We wanted to join CUSA in 2008-2010 timeframe when it was really good.
By the time we were able to make the move that would have been a disaster in 2014-2015.
The AAC looked good 4-5 yrs ago, now it is on a downward trajectory like CUSA. It is just a matter of time.
The SBC move turned out to be a great move in hindsight.
Point is, it is very difficult to predict where these are going. Who would have ever thought PAC would be where it is now and ACC would be in such a vulnerable situation 5-10 yrs ago. I would not have.

It can be argued that we made the Sun Belt the great move it is today.

I'd argue no other program has done more to grow the SBC than App. Our influence was critical to adding GS, CCU, and JMU at each round of expansion.

I believe Georgia Southern was added hours before Appalachian was added to the sun belt. The Sun Belt wanted to bring in existing rivals, and the relationship between App State and Southern intrigued the conference, according to a source. https://www.sbnation.com/college-footba ... e-sun-belt According to its source, the Sun Belt wanted to “bring in existing rivals,” and they were “intrigued” by the rivalry. https://theappalachianonline.com/report ... onference/

I just hope that whoever is added to the SBC has existing rivals in or with sun belt teams. I think that is what the addition of JMU and Marshall were for Appalachian. Maybe Stephen F. Austin will join the Sun Belt? We and Georgia Southern both have a rivalry with them. If only suffering loses to them and by them in the I-AA/ FCS Playoffs is the source of that rivalry.

[AppinVA]

Funny how the landscape changes.
We wanted to join CUSA in 2008-2010 timeframe when it was really good.
By the time we were able to make the move that would have been a disaster in 2014-2015.
The AAC looked good 4-5 yrs ago, now it is on a downward trajectory like CUSA. It is just a matter of time.
The SBC move turned out to be a great move in hindsight.
Point is, it is very difficult to predict where these are going. Who would have ever thought PAC would be where it is now and ACC would be in such a vulnerable situation 5-10 yrs ago. I would not have.

It can be argued that we made the Sun Belt the great move it is today.

I'd argue no other program has done more to grow the SBC than App. Our influence was critical to adding GS, CCU, and JMU at each round of expansion.

I believe Georgia Southern was added hours before Appalachian was added to the sun belt. The Sun Belt wanted to bring in existing rivals, and the relationship between App State and Southern intrigued the conference, according to a source. https://www.sbnation.com/college-footba ... e-sun-belt According to its source, the Sun Belt wanted to “bring in existing rivals,” and they were “intrigued” by the rivalry. https://theappalachianonline.com/report ... onference/

I just hope that whoever is added to the SBC has existing rivals in or with sun belt teams. I think that is what the addition of JMU and Marshall were for Appalachian. Maybe Stephen F. Austin will join the Sun Belt? We and Georgia Southern both have a rivalry with them. If only suffering loses to them in the I-AA/ FCS Playoffs is the source of that rivalry.

No we don’t.

[BambooRdApp]

Funny how the landscape changes.
We wanted to join CUSA in 2008-2010 timeframe when it was really good.
By the time we were able to make the move that would have been a disaster in 2014-2015.
The AAC looked good 4-5 yrs ago, now it is on a downward trajectory like CUSA. It is just a matter of time.
The SBC move turned out to be a great move in hindsight.
Point is, it is very difficult to predict where these are going. Who would have ever thought PAC would be where it is now and ACC would be in such a vulnerable situation 5-10 yrs ago. I would not have.

It can be argued that we made the Sun Belt the great move it is today.

I'd argue no other program has done more to grow the SBC than App. Our influence was critical to adding GS, CCU, and JMU at each round of expansion.

I believe Georgia Southern was added hours before Appalachian was added to the sun belt. The Sun Belt wanted to bring in existing rivals, and the relationship between App State and Southern intrigued the conference, according to a source. https://www.sbnation.com/college-footba ... e-sun-belt According to its source, the Sun Belt wanted to “bring in existing rivals,” and they were “intrigued” by the rivalry. https://theappalachianonline.com/report ... onference/

I just hope that whoever is added to the SBC has existing rivals in or with sun belt teams. I think that is what the addition of JMU and Marshall were for Appalachian. Maybe Stephen F. Austin will join the Sun Belt? We and Georgia Southern both have a rivalry with them. If only suffering loses to them in the I-AA/ FCS Playoffs is the source of that rivalry.

No we don’t.

A rivalry with SFA... bahahahaha

[AppWyo]

Georgia Southern beat them in 1989's championship game https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_S ... s_football and ruined Appalachian's perfect season in 1995 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_NCAA ... all_season. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_F ... s_football

Maybe Western Carolina will get their act together and be the next best team in the FCS that makes a move to the FBS.

Other than ECU, and the current list of rivals in the SBC, who would be a rival with Appalachian in football?

[Saint3333]

ULM beat Marshall in the 1987 1-AA championship, now that is a rivalry!

[BambooRdApp]

So, each team played SFA once.

So, every team App has ever played once is a rival. Our arch rival Lindenwood is coming to town people. It is just plain ole hate... bahahahaha.

Texas A&M, Michigan, Tennessee, Penn State, clemson, Gawgia Ohio U,., UAB...all our rivals... Bahahahaha bahahaha

[AppWyo]

It only takes one loss to a team for you not to like them. The current students cannot stand CCU, no App Fan considered them a rival until App lost to them.

I just hope that App and Liberty are never in the same conference.

[Stonewall]

One FCS school to keep an eye on. No , not Western.

[Bootsy]

It only takes one loss to a team for you not to like them. The current students cannot stand CCU, no App Fan considered them a rival until App lost to them.

I just hope that App and Liberty are never in the same conference.

When App beat Coastal in 2021 and our students stormed the field, I remember more than a few older alums saying, “Why are the kids out on the field? We expect App to beat teams like Coastal each year.”

Ahhhh…the memories.

[AppStFan1]

One FCS school to keep an eye on. No , not Western.

I can't imagine it would be Campbell or NC A&T. I know they both want to move up. I can't see the SBC adding Montana, Montana State, or Sac State due to location. I would love to add NDSU and SDSU if they were closer to the footprint so I am going to guess it is not them either. Is it Tarleton State or Eastern Kentucky? Believe it or not Tarleton State would be a good one. They have great facilities, good attendance, money, and are a rising program like UTSA has been. I could see them develop into a top tier G5 at some point.