oldngrizzly
Well-known member
Will Montana ever join FBS football or are they forever FCS ?
It is very likely the NCAA will have different subdivisions within 5 years. Who knows what it will all look like.Will Montana ever join FBS football or are they forever FCS ?
Geography is getting out of hand... somebody is going to get smart and figure out a new conference with the right teams and footprint makes sense ... I predict a nostalgic trend as some of the better/well funded/good facility teams think big picture. Who wants to travel to Delaware or Missouri for a conference game...Playoff yes...If the G5 ever get their own Playoff system I could see both us and MSU along with other upper FCS Squads make the move.
Granted personally even now I'd love to be in the MWC, their might be a slim hope we get a look if OSU + Wazzu find a different home and the $$ is there for the MWC to add schools.
We'd be G5, not P5 and already would be in the upper half of attendance in the MWC, the only logical spot and option. It'd be similar to the current Big Sky footprint:If Wyoming and Boise are competitive FBS schools and Idaho was I don’t buy the argument that Montana’s location somehow precludes inclusion in an FBS conference. P5 are now coast-to-coast conferences. We’ll just need a bigger stadium…
I think Cal Poly would be a huge stretch...Ahh it wouldn't be the offseason without at least 1 move up thread. Just to piggyback real quick, there's been articles in recent weeks that the G5 is exploring creating their own playoff system and completely eliminating bowl games. I welcome that with open arms and if that happens then it's absolutely time to go. We can re-unite with all our old friends and still play meaningful postseason College Football.
If this were to happen, I could see a scenario where the Big Sky may wanna move up as a conference and join the G5. I'm not sure if that's possible or if they would ever get approval for that, but it got me thinking if they could do that, which schools in the Big Sky could actually do it? Here's my list of all the Big Sky schools I think could pull it off:
UM
MSU
Idaho
Weber
NAU
SAC
Davis
Cal Poly
All of these schools get enough subsidization from either the state or generate it themselves that these would be the 8 most likely to do it if the Big Sky became a G5 conference. The schools that would get left behind are:
EWU
PSU
UNC
ISU
I think Eastern would really badly wanna move up, but with the way things are going there currently, I just don't think they could pull it off. The other 3 would never be able to pull it off. Maybe they could all join the Pioneer League or something lol. Any who, just thought this would be kind of a fun scenario to throw out there.
Bowls would have to go away, the NCAA would need to re-class the teams outside the Power 4, eliminate any "move up" fees and a playoff would need to be in place....I’m happy with being in the FCS for now. I like the format they use for the playoffs. If everyone started moving up, we would end with about a 100 bowl games at the end of the year, not what I would like to see.Just my opinion
Not sure how I understand how it would dilute the money given the huge media money the playoff will pull in... wouldn't the addition on another class and playoff only add to the revenue...granted you would have to deal will some existing bowl contracts but that doesn't seem to be an issue with the new 12 team format...I will have to go back and look, but I am pretty sure that part of the discussion was that the G5 schools would limit, and even negate, the ability for FCS teams to move up if a playoff was approved. The existing schools don't want to dilute the money.
They say that but I would bet that wouldn't end up being the case. With how constant things evolve and change in college athletics, if they were to restrict future FCS teams from moving up, then they'd find themselves in a serious bind when teams like San Diego State or South Florida were to eventually get a P4 invite. Not to mention with how money grabbing these guys are, if the right program came along, these commissioners wouldn't hesitate to add somebody that would benefit their leagueI will have to go back and look, but I am pretty sure that part of the discussion was that the G5 schools would limit, and even negate, the ability for FCS teams to move up if a playoff was approved. The existing schools don't want to dilute the money.
Not sure how I understand how it would dilute the money given the huge media money the playoff will pull in... wouldn't the addition on another class and playoff only add to the revenue...granted you would have to deal will some existing bowl contracts but that doesn't seem to be an issue with the new 12 team format...
There will be movement, but the current G5 wants to negate large movement. They don't want the number of conferences to grow.They say that but I would bet that wouldn't end up being the case. With how constant things evolve and change in college athletics, if they were to restrict future FCS teams from moving up, then they'd find themselves in a serious bind when teams like San Diego State or South Florida were to eventually get a P4 invite. Not to mention with how money grabbing these guys are, if the right program came along, these commissioners wouldn't hesitate to add somebody that would benefit their league
Not a stretch at all. Don’t let the lack of gridiron success fool you, Cal Poly is a well funded athletic department with some of the nicest facilities in the conference. Check out the madden athletic center, which should be completed in the next year or so. I believe the groundbreaking was last year.I think Cal Poly would be a huge stretch...
I don't necessarily agree with the watered-down argument. A lot of teams have improved and come into FCS too. Yes, the top several losses were probably irreplaceable, but where was SDS when App and Geo. So. left? The MV is now a much stronger conference than it was, and the Big Sky is very strong in recent years. I don't think FCS football "suffered" in any respect last season.The FCS gets more and more watered down. While Missouri state wasn’t exactly a powerhouse in football they were a respectable playoff team just recently and also had a strong athletic program. Losing respectable FCS programs hurts, and the division continues to suffer those losses. Not sure if the Griz or MSU will get the shot at a move up anytime soon, but I’ve been ready to see them make the move for a decade, and would welcome the change.