Coastal Carolina Prez: We would accept a Sun Belt invite.

[APPdiesel]

Wonder if we'd ever invite James Madison football only.

[Saint3333]

0% chance. At this stage JMU will need to publicly express interest in the SBC to mend the fences.

[AppinVA]

That's 24 h (1,679.1 mi) via I-40 W and I-20 W. Ouch!

Hmmmmmm. There seems to be a bit of construction along the way. Better plan for that. I'm hoping the accident will be clear by then, though.

[appst89]

After confirming that the third visit is NMSU, the Troy chancellor later said that they would be bringing ONE recommendation back to the conference. That certainly throws a wrench into things. The politics of the Belt would have to have changed pretty dramatically for there to be enough votes to add a school in the east without adding NMSU for all sports. This should be interesting.

[Saint3333]

CCU olypics announce this fall, then next summer they announce NMSU all sports, CCU football in 2018, and one more school (EKU currently), while giving Idaho notice.

[JTApps1]

After confirming that the third visit is NMSU, the Troy chancellor later said that they would be bringing ONE recommendation back to the conference. That certainly throws a wrench into things. The politics of the Belt would have to have changed pretty dramatically for there to be enough votes to add a school in the east without adding NMSU for all sports. This should be interesting.

We know our AD and Troys new AD both have ties to NMSU's AD so both schools may be more open to adding them now. So either that or it is a situation where they like Coastal, but want to compare them to one other possible addition to make sure its the right decision.

[APPdiesel]

0% chance. At this stage JMU will need to publicly express interest in the SBC to mend the fences.

At its point it'd be nice to have them, but I ain't counting on it. A little surprised, as it would align them in a division with App and GA Southern, the best 2 football programs in the SB East, with the exception of Troy, travel in the east would be minimal, and they'd be jumping out ahead of the changes. I think that's what surprises me about their obstinance. They have to see it coming.

This whole realignment would set up 2 powers in the east - App/GSU, and 2 powers in the west - ULL/stAte. I like it.

[Appalachman]

I think if it is EKU/CCU and keep NMSU, EKU will be west addition with NMSU. Keeps AL schools together and in many ways a flight is a flight. Mizoo in sec as example, without the cost problem. By the globe EKU is nearly as far west as USA anyway.

[AppSt94]

I don't think EKU would be placed in the West. Assuming the adds are EKU , CCU, and NMSU for all sports, the most logistical alignment with travel partners would be

East
EKU/ASU
CCU/ Southern
Ga St./Troy

West
USA/Louisiana
LaMo/Ark St
Tx St/NMSU.

[APPdiesel]

Check it out...JMU alums have started a fan page to get them into FBS... jmu2fbs.com that's cute, and not functional yet.

[AtlAppMan]

What has happened to JMU since 2008? They have really just performed at barely a step above mediocrity. They are 42-29 in that span, roughtly 59% winning. However, I guess it should not surprise me since Mickey Matthews was a 60% throughout his JMU reign, 1999-2013.

Theoretically they are a good fit for SBC but they don't seem to "want it enough" to me.

[APPARJ]

Check it out...JMU alums have started a fan page to get them into FBS... jmu2fbs.com that's cute, and not functional yet.

That is a Big South quality website.

[APPdiesel]

What has happened to JMU since 2008? They have really just performed at barely a step above mediocrity. They are 42-29 in that span, roughtly 59% winning. However, I guess it should not surprise me since Mickey Matthews was a 60% throughout his JMU reign, 1999-2013.

Theoretically they are a good fit for SBC but they don't seem to "want it enough" to me.

It appears their administration are holding out for something bigger and better. I don't know what it is they think they're going to get. They're basically us with only 1 national championship instead of 3. They're a mid major sized school with a 25,000 seat stadium in a small media market. Too far from DC to pull any real numbers there so it's not what C-USA or AAC are looking for.

I've said it before, if SBC could pull in Coastal and James Madison it'd be a (theoretically) stout division with schools not-in-but-adjacent-to good media markets like DC, Charlotte, and Atlanta (I don't count Ga State because...come on) that all probably have strong alumni bases.

Mark my words, JMU administration will hold out and be left out, or forced to accept a MAC invite.

[Saint3333]

Poor JMU fans, I really do feel bad for them. Three years from now CCU will be higher up the expansion list for the conference they would like to join. That has to be depressing.

[T-Dog]

If JMU's administration wanted a Sun Belt invite, they would get one immediately. But that ship has sailed. So has Liberty.

[moehler]

alot of JMU fans feel that the administration deceived them, they were told if you make contributions that went to the renivations and expansion of the stadium and you make contributions that increase the budget to 36-39 million a year, that they would aggressively pursue an invite to a FBS conference. Now. a lot of JMU fans feel the administration doesn't really want to move up unless they hit the lottery such as a P5 conference, which is never going to happen, or maybe the MAC or USA comes calling, which I don't think is going to happen anytime soon. Pretty sad whats going on up there.

[AppinATL]

The heck with 'em. That's what they get for those stupid streamers. Or as Josey Wales would say, " the hell with those boys. Buzzards gotta eat, same as the worms."

[APPARJ]

What has happened to JMU since 2008? They have really just performed at barely a step above mediocrity. They are 42-29 in that span, roughtly 59% winning. However, I guess it should not surprise me since Mickey Matthews was a 60% throughout his JMU reign, 1999-2013.

Theoretically they are a good fit for SBC but they don't seem to "want it enough" to me.

It appears their administration are holding out for something bigger and better. I don't know what it is they think they're going to get. They're basically us with only 1 national championship instead of 3. They're a mid major sized school with a 25,000 seat stadium in a small media market. Too far from DC to pull any real numbers there so it's not what C-USA or AAC are looking for.

I've said it before, if SBC could pull in Coastal and James Madison it'd be a (theoretically) stout division with schools not-in-but-adjacent-to good media markets like DC, Charlotte, and Atlanta (I don't count Ga State because...come on) that all probably have strong alumni bases.

Mark my words, JMU administration will hold out and be left out, or forced to accept a MAC invite.

I don't understand the vitriol for JMU not joining the Sun Belt and instead potentially holding out for the MAC. If I were a JMU fan, I'd take the MAC over the Sun Belt. Harrisonburg is almost Pennsylvania and they fit in more regionally with schools like Akron and Miami (OH) than anyone in the Sun Belt.

And let's be honest, it's nice to have an appealing regional situation when you can get it. After all, App State is currently in a conference with Idaho.

The Sun Belt kicks the SoCon's butt every which way EXCEPT for the regional footprint. For that, the SoCon was almost perfect.

That's why I think it would be so cool for Eastern Kentucky and CCU to join the Sun Belt.

[APPdiesel]

I don't understand the vitriol for JMU not joining the Sun Belt and instead potentially holding out for the MAC. If I were a JMU fan, I'd take the MAC over the Sun Belt. Harrisonburg is almost Pennsylvania and they fit in more regionally with schools like Akron and Miami (OH) than anyone in the Sun Belt.

And let's be honest, it's nice to have an appealing regional situation when you can get it. After all, App State is currently in a conference with Idaho.

The Sun Belt kicks the SoCon's butt every which way EXCEPT for the regional footprint. For that, the SoCon was almost perfect.

That's why I think it would be so cool for Eastern Kentucky and CCU to join the Sun Belt.

I don't despise or dislike JMU for anything. I just think they are making a stubborn mistake. IF Karl Benson made it public that the Sunbelt's ultimate goal were to have 14 permanent football members - two 7 team divisions - lending 6 divisional games every year + 2 rotating teams from the other division with a conference championship game, I think that would be a very attractive situation for JMU.

Imagine a Sunbelt East:
JMU, App, Coastal, Ga Southern, Ga State, Troy, and EKU. No matter where you are, at least 2 divisional games would be within reasonable driving distance.

And a Sunbelt West:
S. Alabama, Monroe, Lafayette, Arkansas St, Texas St, New Mexico St + an associate member Idaho or full member Sam Houston or McNeese. Same situation - most divisional games are within driving distance. Both divisions could help alleviate some of the enormous travel cost issues.

T-Dog and I tweeted back and forth about splitting the playoff money more ways. Maybe I'm still an idealist, but I thought the point was to build the strongest conference possible in all sports - because being a strong conference and winning games is what's important, not keep our hands on the biggest slice of the conference payout possible.

[asu66]

"... Maybe I'm still an idealist, but I thought the point was to build the strongest conference possible in all sports - because being a strong conference and winning games is what's important, not keep our hands on the biggest slice of the conference payout possible."

The strongest conference possible in all sports certainly would not include Sam Houston, McNeese or Idaho. Those ol' Southland Conf. institutions are dead to the Sun Belt. Idaho is dead to about any conference that has FBS football. Mizzou State would be a steal for M/W basketball, baseball and several Olympic sports. The Bears' football program would need three seasons to ramp up scholarships, schedules and a stadium addition, and then MSU would be a home run for Benson & Co. (This, of course, assumes that Benson opts for two western members. NMSU is a lock. Benson wants NMSU men's basketball. Pistol Pete suddenly has become a "force." So much so that the Aggies might just enter the SB at the top of the league, talent-wise.)