How long do you see us in the Sunbelt?

[appbio91]

Another question I have is --- Why do some of you guys feel that FCS is in trouble? - I am not questioning anyone's opinion just asking what is driving your opinion? It seems that there is more parity in FCS and several conferences (certainly not the SoCon) are much stronger ---

This is one of the areas I still disagree with the FBS or nothing crowd. The FCS top 25 landscape looks the same as it has in recent memory ( minus App and GaSo). This is still very relevant football to the respective fan bases. The SoCon is less relevant for sure but as a whole I see nothing to suggest FCS is a wasteland.

To keep this from getting jacked into a FBS vs FCS dscussion, there is no question in my mind we did the right thing.

[appst89]

Another question I have is --- Why do some of you guys feel that FCS is in trouble? - I am not questioning anyone's opinion just asking what is driving your opinion? It seems that there is more parity in FCS and several conferences (certainly not the SoCon) are much stronger ---

This is one of the areas I still disagree with the FBS or nothing crowd. The FCS top 25 landscape looks the same as it has in recent memory ( minus App and GaSo). This is still very relevant football to the respective fan bases. The SoCon is less relevant for sure but as a whole I see nothing to suggest FCS is a wasteland.

To keep this from getting jacked into a FBS vs FCS dscussion, there is no question in my mind we did the right thing.

The reason I think FCS might be in trouble is because of money. With the P5 focusing more on strength of schedule, the opportunity for money games is diminishing, and may disappear entirely. Without the money games, many programs are going to be strapped for cash, especially if they are basketball-first schools (Northern Iowa, Missouri St., etc.) who have to figure out how to deal with paying whatever "full cost of attendance" stipend is implemented by the P5. Those schools will likely sacrifice football for a chance to remain relevant in basketball, or will have to move their football to a G5 conference, if they can find an invite. If FCS continues to exist as a division, I believe it will be with fewer scholarships and likely with a lot fewer teams, but I think it's more likely that it just goes away eventually.

[appbio91]

You might have a point. G5 teams like App might get the money games going forward. BTW could we survive over the next few years without the annual money game?

[bcoach]

There is another situation to look at. Virginia legislature is looking at collage costs and are now looking hard at student fees and athletic fees in particular. If this were ever to be a situation where these fees would be capped, reduced, or eliminated, it could be a model that other states would look at. For many schools that would be devastating. It is the little guys that would hurt. As an example these fees amount to only 2% of the budget at VT but 25% at William and Mary.
There is a lot of screaming about student debt all across the country. This issue is not going away.

[bcoach]

You might have a point. G5 teams like App might get the money games going forward. BTW could we survive over the next few years without the annual money game?

NO

[WVAPPeer]

Another question I have is --- Why do some of you guys feel that FCS is in trouble? - I am not questioning anyone's opinion just asking what is driving your opinion? It seems that there is more parity in FCS and several conferences (certainly not the SoCon) are much stronger ---

This is one of the areas I still disagree with the FBS or nothing crowd. The FCS top 25 landscape looks the same as it has in recent memory ( minus App and GaSo). This is still very relevant football to the respective fan bases. The SoCon is less relevant for sure but as a whole I see nothing to suggest FCS is a wasteland.

To keep this from getting jacked into a FBS vs FCS dscussion, there is no question in my mind we did the right thing.

The reason I think FCS might be in trouble is because of money. With the P5 focusing more on strength of schedule, the opportunity for money games is diminishing, and may disappear entirely. Without the money games, many programs are going to be strapped for cash, especially if they are basketball-first schools (Northern Iowa, Missouri St., etc.) who have to figure out how to deal with paying whatever "full cost of attendance" stipend is implemented by the P5. Those schools will likely sacrifice football for a chance to remain relevant in basketball, or will have to move their football to a G5 conference, if they can find an invite. If FCS continues to exist as a division, I believe it will be with fewer scholarships and likely with a lot fewer teams, but I think it's more likely that it just goes away eventually.

Good point - losing money game/s would be a critical blow - question then - I'll use Western Carolina as an example (simply because we all know them) - how much do they make going to Alabama? - how much would they make going to a G5 school say ECU? - how much of a loss of money?

[firemoose]

I'm sticking with the same thing I've posted on here a dozen times on the past few years. I won't say it again but nothing I've heard from all the people I've talked to around the country and all that I've read says that the underlying plan that's been there has changed. Some monkey wrenches have been thrown in during the past couple of years that have slowed things down but the wrenches will run out eventually. Until I hear a change in the undertone that indicates a change of direction from the P5 I'm staying with what I've been told.

[appbio91]

I'm sticking with the same thing I've posted on here a dozen times on the past few years. I won't say it again but nothing I've heard from all the people I've talked to around the country and all that I've read says that the underlying plan that's been there has changed. Some monkey wrenches have been thrown in during the past couple of years that have slowed things down but the wrenches will run out eventually. Until I hear a change in the undertone that indicates a change of direction from the P5 I'm staying with what I've been told.

P5 goes own way, G5 gets a playoff, FCS becomes new DII?

[wb247]

Good point - losing money game/s would be a critical blow - question then - I'll use Western Carolina as an example (simply because we all know them) - how much do they make going to Alabama? - how much would they make going to a G5 school say ECU? - how much of a loss of money?

At the end of the day, after expenses, it is probably only within 50K or so more of a payday to go to Alabama. I thought I read 480K to go to Alabama. ECU would likely pay around 300K. I would think everyone agrees that ECU is not typical, though. They're working with nearly 50,000 in attendance each week. A better guess is what would Southern Miss/UAB/MTSU/etc... pay for a home game?

[appbio91]

Speaking of FCS, NDSU finally lost. 33 game win streak broken.

[firemoose]

I'm sticking with the same thing I've posted on here a dozen times on the past few years. I won't say it again but nothing I've heard from all the people I've talked to around the country and all that I've read says that the underlying plan that's been there has changed. Some monkey wrenches have been thrown in during the past couple of years that have slowed things down but the wrenches will run out eventually. Until I hear a change in the undertone that indicates a change of direction from the P5 I'm staying with what I've been told.

P5 goes own way, G5 gets a playoff, FCS becomes new DII?

Close. Better way to put it is P5 GETS their own way, and as much money as they can possible get, trickle down effect is the G5 schools that have been FBS for a while have to take measures to compensate for the loss of non school generated income in their budgets, which means cutting expenses such as travel costs. We all know the easiest way to do that.

This has been the bottom line plan for the past 5 years or so and what all have been quietly planning for. I've spoken to numerous people at both P5 and G5 schools and heard what those have heard from others at G5 and P5 schools. Until they change what they are saying I still believe some form of this will happen. All depends now on how the lawsuits working their way through the system pan out. Once the P5 figure out how they affect them then things will start again. What and how far could change on a dime with the next wrench thrown in but, as I said, the undertone is still the same so far. Stay tuned.

[AppGrad78]

I know you are guessing like most of us however do you see the G5 going to some type of playoffs in conjunction with the existing lower tier bowl games? ---

Ned: I'm pessimistic. The one overriding motivator in college athletics -- the thing that influences 99.9 percent of all decisions -- is money.

Because of that, at least two forces are working against a playoff for G5 teams.

1) G5 commissioners are worried that a playoff might be a money loser, similar to the FCS playoffs. Given the attendance numbers we're seeing across college football in November, it's hard to argue. I suspect the Sun Belt's reluctance to add a 12th football school is influenced at least a little bit by similar concerns. Neither want a playoff game or a conference championship game that busts the budget.

2) Bowl officials have such a good thing going for themselves, they are going to block a G5 playoff with any means possible. And they shouldn't be underestimated. They are a corrupt bunch (see Fiesta Bowl) and were probably the single biggest obstacle keeping the P5s from a playoff for all these years.

A playoff for G5 schools will materialize when the conferences think they can make money off it and when a compromise is reached with the bowls.

[spong]

my dream is to figure out a way to be in the same conference as UNCC and ECU. If it included Georgia Southern, JMU, Marshall, Old Dominion, Middle Tenn, and perhaps Memphis that would be great to. Slip Davidson and maybe Winthrop as non-football schools and it should be a lot of fun!

[appvette]

I'll be surprised if we are out of the Sunbelt in less than a decade, and I'm fine with that. As others have said, a few open spots will not help us. We only move if there is a big shift. Sun Belt got a bad rep. from a while back but they were one of the top (or maybe the top) G5 conferences last year and there are a lot of teams that are improving this year. I wouldn't be surprised to see a little movement with Idaho and NMSU and possibly one other addition but I don't see us going anywhere soon.

[AppAttack]

As long as the Sun Belt exists.

[97grad]

It makes me nervous to think that the folks predicting we'll be in the SBC for a long time could be right. Whatever else people think of the conference good or bad, it's a geographic disaster, and I really wonder how long we can afford to schlep our teams across its footprint.

[NewApp]

Two things I am confident in:

1) Every team that moves from FCS to FBS thinks they are the next Boise State.

2) Every team in the Sun Belt thinks they are just here as a stopover on their way to a bigger conference.

RP.

[Rick0714]

Another question I have is --- Why do some of you guys feel that FCS is in trouble? - I am not questioning anyone's opinion just asking what is driving your opinion? It seems that there is more parity in FCS and several conferences (certainly not the SoCon) are much stronger ---

This is one of the areas I still disagree with the FBS or nothing crowd. The FCS top 25 landscape looks the same as it has in recent memory ( minus App and GaSo). This is still very relevant football to the respective fan bases. The SoCon is less relevant for sure but as a whole I see nothing to suggest FCS is a wasteland.

To keep this from getting jacked into a FBS vs FCS dscussion, there is no question in my mind we did the right thing.

From everyone I have spoken to, the problem in FCS has nothing to do with competition on the FCS level. It's still relevant. It is, as we have all said, about the $. Not just losing the money games,but that is a big factor. The point is this, the FCS, aside from a few schools, has very few outside sources of funds (namely TV and advertising income). I see the FCS becoming a landscape dominated by small private schools where funds are not scarce. As the P5 grows, the G5 will get the more of what's left. Then of course, there is the rising costs. As I and others have stated, there will have to be changes made to account for those costs and football programs that are barely breaking even on average, are dead in the crosshairs. I love the playoffs, but as someone stated, they do lose money. DII has seen its share of programs joining their ranks to save costs from FCS (WSSU). I loved FCS football, but I think we made the only decision that was feasible. I hope it survives and thrives,but the outlook is dim.

[diehardapp18]

don't see us leaving for awhile. i feel like we're in a good spot right now. with ecu no longer in the cusa i don't get the appeal of that conference, and i doubt they're looking to expand anytime soon anyways. can't think of a move off the top of my head i could see happening anytime soon.

[Saint3333]

I was more concerned being stuck in the SoCon than I am with the SBC.