http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/co ... 27180.html

The Vandals would be the first FBS program to drop down to FCS. Is this "extortion" for the Sun Belt Presidents?

Not that I think it will happen this year, but Idaho is not going to be in the Belt forever. They're out on their own island with a tough time recruiting players to play in an extremely outdated venue. While I know their fans would rather they drop football altogether rather than drop down to the FCS, they'd be in the middle of the Big Sky's footprint and be able to compete immediately.

Big Sky is absolutely perfect for Idaho. Many posts I've read say they think it's embarrassing for the state university to be FCS (obviously it has more to do with Boise State than being FCS). But winning is a great salve. They'd instantly be relevant in that conference.

Bye Idaho, good luck. I could stomach keeping NMSU and having unbalanced scheduling until a we find a suitable expansion team in the east, then making NMSU a full member (the teams out west seem to like NMSU and their basketball is good)

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

Drop Idaho and NMSU + push Troy and USA to the west + add two to the east = strong and central divisions

West:
Ark State
ULM
ULL
Texas State
USA
Troy

East:
App
GS
GSU
CCU
EKU/UTC
JMU

APPdiesel wrote:Big Sky is absolutely perfect for Idaho. Many posts I've read say they think it's embarrassing for the state university to be FCS (obviously it has more to do with Boise State than being FCS). But winning is a great salve. They'd instantly be relevant in that conference.

Bye Idaho, good luck. I could stomach keeping NMSU and having unbalanced scheduling until a we find a suitable expansion team in the east, then making NMSU a full member (the teams out west seem to like NMSU and their basketball is good)

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

Maine, New Hampshire, & Delaware are 3 FCS "flagships" that come to mind. Sure it might be embarrassing to drop down but their AD has mentioned the Big Sky on multiple occasions.

proasu89 wrote:

APPdiesel wrote:Big Sky is absolutely perfect for Idaho. Many posts I've read say they think it's embarrassing for the state university to be FCS (obviously it has more to do with Boise State than being FCS). But winning is a great salve. They'd instantly be relevant in that conference.

Bye Idaho, good luck. I could stomach keeping NMSU and having unbalanced scheduling until a we find a suitable expansion team in the east, then making NMSU a full member (the teams out west seem to like NMSU and their basketball is good)

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

Maine, New Hampshire, & Delaware are 3 FCS "flagships" that come to mind. Sure it might be embarrassing to drop down but their AD has mentioned the Big Sky on multiple occasions.

Also, both of the Dakota's (NDSU, UND, USD, and SDSU) are FCS "Flagship" programs.

proasu89 wrote:

APPdiesel wrote:Big Sky is absolutely perfect for Idaho. Many posts I've read say they think it's embarrassing for the state university to be FCS (obviously it has more to do with Boise State than being FCS). But winning is a great salve. They'd instantly be relevant in that conference.

Bye Idaho, good luck. I could stomach keeping NMSU and having unbalanced scheduling until a we find a suitable expansion team in the east, then making NMSU a full member (the teams out west seem to like NMSU and their basketball is good)

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

Maine, New Hampshire, & Delaware are 3 FCS "flagships" that come to mind. Sure it might be embarrassing to drop down but their AD has mentioned the Big Sky on multiple occasions.

Montana & Montana State, also.

All of those examples prove my point that it's not about being an FCS flagship but an inferiority complex with Boise State.

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

Idaho's AD has said their goal is to get back to the Big Sky. If I recall Idaho was pretty successful in the FCS days so it might not be so bad for the little rural school whose playing in the shadow literally of Washington State.

8993 wrote:Drop Idaho and NMSU + push Troy and USA to the west + add two to the east = strong and central divisions

West:
Ark State
ULM
ULL
Texas State
USA
Troy

East:
App
GS
GSU
CCU
EKU/UTC
JMU

JMU is not going to join the Sun Belt. Let's please move on and quit feeding their egos.

Capt. Ed wrote:

8993 wrote:Drop Idaho and NMSU + push Troy and USA to the west + add two to the east = strong and central divisions

West:
Ark State
ULM
ULL
Texas State
USA
Troy

East:
App
GS
GSU
CCU
EKU/UTC
JMU

JMU is not going to join the Sun Belt. Let's please move on and quit feeding their egos.

You beat me to it. JMU is a lost cause at this point. Unless they make some administration changes who decide to go that route, they are content with FCS until they get what they want in the form of a conference invite.

As for the Idaho situation. It makes sense for so many reasons. They're already in as a basketball member. Geographically it is more appealing than what they currently have going. They'd likely be able to do well their first year joining.

Big Sky would openly accept them I am sure.

APPdiesel wrote:All of those examples prove my point that it's not about being an FCS flagship but an inferiority complex with Boise State.

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

Boise State was a junior college in the life-time of some on this board. I am sure that stings to some in Moscow.

If/when James Madison ejects their pointed heads out of their posteriors and calls us, the Sunbelt will welcome them with open arms. For now I could care less. I want the existing members to step up and play well. We're known as an FCS expansion league - and rightfully so - we need ULL, ULM, USA, Troy, Texas St, etc (the old guard) to step up and go .500 on the season at least.

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

APPdiesel wrote:...we need ULL, ULM, USA, Troy, Texas St, etc (the old guard) to step up and go .500 on the season at least.

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

We need them to go .500 out of conference. I find it annyoying they claim all of these great/ "bowl eligible" 7/8 wins seasons and when you look closely none of those wins are out of conference.

On the BBS board, they are all resigned to mediocrity. Just being happy with 6 wins and a bowl. I hope App and GaSo never get to this point and always strive for more. I think the two of us have slapped the conference upside the head the last couple seasons.

Invite the Bizon?

Ideally, UT-Arlington would restart their football program. I don't see any way that the schools in the west support another eastern addition or two.

sonsofyosef wrote:Invite the Bizon?

No. No more Rocky Mountain teams with domes

TheMackAttack wrote:Ideally, UT-Arlington would restart their football program. I don't see any way that the schools in the west support another eastern addition or two.

I say no more start-ups. They are like an anchor. Add teams with history and winning tradition, or keep the conf membership as is +\- Idaho & NMSU (would be ok with all sports NMSU).

The issue with the conference right now is the two non-playing football schools are both in the west so you can't balance the conference without having two football only schools in the west. I would be perfectly content with sending UT-Arlington to the Southland and adding New Mexico State for all sports and for trading Little Rock to the MVC for Missouri State. However, I think UT-Arlington fielding football is the quickest/easiest way for this to work out.

mtnjax wrote:

sonsofyosef wrote:Invite the Bizon?

No. No more Rocky Mountain teams with domes

Fargo, North Dakota is in the Rockies now?

Smart assness aside. NDSU is content. They've got local love and are happy where they're at and what they're doing. Really is no conference for them to join.