Sunbelt Expansion... additions?

[CornCobPipes]

Not sure yet on the truth of this matter.

But, i'm hearing sources close to JMU are leaking out that the Sunbelt is inviting JMU, ODU, Southern Miss, and Marshall to join the Sunbelt Conference and is highly likely.

Troy would move to the West with the addition of Southern Miss. and the East would look like below:

App State
Marshall
Ga Southern
Coastal Carolina
ODU
Ga State
JMU

[AppFan11]

I have heard some of this too. If you are a Commish of a G5 conference, I would try to create a SEC of G5… I would try to collect the best programs that I could .

[AppSt94]

It would be interesting to see how they work the schedule? 8 team, 9 team, how do they determine the cross division opponents? Heard that the SEC is looking at 27 different scheduling scenarios for when Texas and Oklahoma join.

[AppStateNews]

Not sure yet on the truth of this matter.

But, i'm hearing sources close to JMU are leaking out that the Sunbelt is inviting JMU, ODU, Southern Miss, and Marshall to join the Sunbelt Conference and is highly likely.

Troy would move to the West with the addition of Southern Miss. and the East would look like below:

App State
Marshall
Ga Southern
Coastal Carolina
ODU
Ga State
JMU

Sun Belt is not likely to be going to 14 teams. I have also heard these 4 teams in the rumor mill, but that means some are likely also leaving.

[CornCobPipes]

Not sure yet on the truth of this matter.

But, i'm hearing sources close to JMU are leaking out that the Sunbelt is inviting JMU, ODU, Southern Miss, and Marshall to join the Sunbelt Conference and is highly likely.

Troy would move to the West with the addition of Southern Miss. and the East would look like below:

App State
Marshall
Ga Southern
Coastal Carolina
ODU
Ga State
JMU

Sun Belt is not likely to be going to 14 teams. I have also heard these 4 teams in the rumor mill, but that means some are likely also leaving.

Yeah I'm thinking guarding fallout.

Could we be leaving???

[9Steelman]

Possible West: Ark St, S Ala, S Miss, Tx St, Troy, ULL, & ULM 14 teams total maybe unless 2/4 teams leave

[Stonewall]

I would like to see the non-football schools move on.

[BambooRdApp]

Not sure I see how this add much, if any, value to conference in terms of getting more money from The Mothership TV station.
Troy would move to the West with the addition of Southern Miss. and the East would look like below:

App State
Marshall
Ga Southern
Coastal Carolina
ODU
Ga State
JMU

[pjc1979]

I would like to see the non-football schools move on.

I would too, nothing against them at all, but I would prefer symmetry at least for the major sports.

[Howard Street Hooligan]

so, we want to improve our conference and hopefully more tv money and we're going to invite JMU and ODU, a program that has had only one winning season since moving from FCS? I sure as hell hope not.

[t4pizza]

so, we want to improve our conference and hopefully more tv money and we're going to invite JMU and ODU, a program that has had only one winning season since moving from FCS? I sure as hell hope not.

I am with you on this one, doesn't move the needle for me. Like I said in another thread on this, I like Marshal addition but that is because they were our rival when I was at App and they mostly still have good football. As for the other 3 schools, we get a FCS team and two doormat football programs. This just doesn't impress me. How about trying to make a real move and grab some teams with a pulse. If the Sun Belt wants to have THE G5 football conference, it needs to go after football schools and only 1 on that list can even be remotely regarded that way.

[The Rock]

If Sb added ECU, Memphis, Marshall, and another quality team or 2 to the west, I would be all for it. It would good regional matchups and strengthen the conference. But like was said above, 2 crappy teams and a middling FCS program doesn’t impress me

[TractorApp]

I love this. Only thing better would be getting ECU in conference with us.

Marshall Rivalry history, National name, great basketbal
JMU Rivalry history, easy roadtrip, helps recruiting in DC/Northern VA
ODU Destination roadtrip for fans. Recruiting hotbed.
USM connects Sun Belt east and west. Nationally known name. Weakens C-USA as much as Marshall.

[t4pizza]

When I look at this list of teams in the proposed east

App State
Marshall
Ga Southern
Coastal Carolina
ODU
Ga State
JMU

I see a bunch of teams that were either FCS when I was at App (88-93) or didn't even have a team during that time frame. I know that also applies to much of the G5 in general but it really stood out as I looked at the list. For all those clamoring for closer regional conference, this at least provides that benefit. Trying to find the silver lining, at least 5 of those 7 schools have a good history in football with 4 having FCS national titles, 4 having won at least a share of an FBS conference title, and 3 having been ranked in the FBS top 25 within the past 2 years.

[NewApp]

Not sure yet on the truth of this matter.

But, i'm hearing sources close to JMU are leaking out that the Sunbelt is inviting JMU, ODU, Southern Miss, and Marshall to join the Sunbelt Conference and is highly likely.

Troy would move to the West with the addition of Southern Miss. and the East would look like below:

App State
Marshall
Ga Southern
Coastal Carolina
ODU
Ga State
JMU

Sun Belt is not likely to be going to 14 teams. I have also heard these 4 teams in the rumor mill, but that means some are likely also leaving.

Yeah I'm thinking guarding fallout.

Could we be leaving???

Where to...the decimated AAC?

[BambooRdApp]

Not sure yet on the truth of this matter.

But, i'm hearing sources close to JMU are leaking out that the Sunbelt is inviting JMU, ODU, Southern Miss, and Marshall to join the Sunbelt Conference and is highly likely.

Troy would move to the West with the addition of Southern Miss. and the East would look like below:

App State
Marshall
Ga Southern
Coastal Carolina
ODU
Ga State
JMU

Sun Belt is not likely to be going to 14 teams. I have also heard these 4 teams in the rumor mill, but that means some are likely also leaving.

Yeah I'm thinking guarding fallout.

Could we be leaving???

Where to...the decimated AAC?

Seems better than what we have currently in SBC.
Temple - Philly market
Memphis - Memphis market
Tulane - N.O. market
Navy - current Navy in military and vet market
SMU - Dallas market
Tulsa - Oklahoma and maybe more Texas market.
South Florida - Tampa market - bad today; but could be good tomorrow
EasyU - tobacco growers market - just kidding I am from eastern NC

[kearlnc1]

In full disclosure, I have a connection to ODU. Lived in Virginia Beach for 8 years, have a daughter graduate from there and went to a good number of games. Good people and tailgate scene. Hampton Roads is a sizable TV market and that brings money to the conference. That’s what we need. We can’t get an ECU out of AAC. Their TV revenue share in AAC is multiple times SB. SB has to make incremental improvements as they can. Agree a great destination game within driving distance.

[Yosef84]

No teams are leaving the AAC with a $10 million exit fee to join the SBC. I just don't believe that is happening.

I would be fine with the school being discussed. ODU certainly doesn't excite me, but they do have good basketball and at least some potential in football. It's a good recruiting market.

[hapapp]

Those four would also put us in 3 new states. Selfishly, JMU would be the closest Belt member to my house.

[appst89]

Lots of rumors, lots of moving parts. All of this is just talk, nothing confirmed, but:
1) UALR and UTA are supposedly on the way out.
2) Memphis and Boise St. are rumored to the Big 12, if not now then when Texas and OU depart.
3) SMU and Tulsa are rumored to the MWC.
4) Marshall and ODU are a package deal much like App and Stink were.
5) Many Sun Belt folks are convinced that the Belt is going to 14 for football.
6) ESPN is heavily involved in all of this.


If all of this is true, then adding Marshall, ODU, Southern Miss and JMU makes sense. Just because Texas St. is on an island, I might favor UTSA over JMU, but if they are thinking more geographically then JMU would be the pick.