Liberty moving on up!

[billings_poke]

in a Top division of 96 there would be more western teams and probably two western divisions one in each of the Pacific and Mountain time zones. The MAC and Sunbelt would be dropped before any MWC teams are. IF MWC teams are dropped then you are going way below 96 teams and OOC scheduling becomes a problem for the top teams. remember they want 7 to 8 home games every year.

You would have these all with 16
ACC
BE
CUSA/MWC
BIG
BIG 12
PAC 12

MAC and SUnBelt not making the cut and dropping 26 or so teams out of FBS. I mean NMSU averages 7K per game and you have them making the CUT? lol yea right

I really don't see anyone being forced to drop actually but rather the top schools making it so expensive to stay that some make the decision to drop as they simply can't raise the funds to meet new requirements to stay FBS. This is where Idaho is as they simply never upgraded their facilities in any significant way

No face it if you want to be in a league with USU, Wyoming, CSU, Fresno, UNV, and Air Force you will have to move up.

 

[Paytonlives]

in a Top division of 96 there would be more western teams and probably two western divisions one in each of the Pacific and Mountain time zones. The MAC and Sunbelt would be dropped before any MWC teams are. IF MWC teams are dropped then you are going way below 96 teams and OOC scheduling becomes a problem for the top teams. remember they want 7 to 8 home games every year.

You would have these all with 16
ACC
BE
CUSA/MWC
BIG
BIG 12
PAC 12

MAC and SUnBelt not making the cut and dropping 26 or so teams out of FBS.

I really don't see anyone being forced to drop actually but rather the top schools making it so expensive to stay that some make the decision to drop as they simply can't raise the funds to meet new requirements to stay FBS. This is where Idaho is as they simply never upgraded their facilities in any significant way

No face it if you want to be in a league with USU, Wyoming, CSU, Fresno, UNLV, and Air Force you will have to move up.

I disagree... But we will see. I dont think the Wyomings Utah states (etc) Will have a chioce. They wont move down... just be left out.

 

[billings_poke]

I disagree... But we will see. I dont think the Wyomings Utah states (etc) Will have a chioce. They wont move down... just be left out.

You are having them keep teams with less than 15K in attendance and budgets under 18 million while booting teams with better markets, more attendance, and larger budgets just so you can fit Montana in with certain schools. That is not how it will work to me. If you haven't noticed with the BE expansion you are relying on Geography way too much here. You also don't understand the front range schools ties to New Mexico and Texas Schools here. Wyo, CSU, Air Force, and New Mexico agreed to be joined at the hip which is one reason why AF turned down the BE invite. None of those 4 schools will ever get an invite to the top 5 conferences and yet they will reamain in one conference together unless that invite to the BIG 12 were to happen and it won't. Wyo and CSU will also desperately want a texas connection no matter what

Simple truth is that with a new 4 team playoff all but 4 conferences are already left out anyway. The Break away has already happened. The SEC, BIG, BIG 12, and PAC have already set up the new playoff rules and, while sharing a bit more money so they keep the rest around for scheduling reasons, they have already left. The middle group already exists and while a few might get added to the top 4 the lines are already drawn. Maybe the ACC squeaks in and there are 5 top conferences who get playoff access but I have my doubts. 80 schools at most and most of the last adds will come from the BE getting ripped apart. Yet even more FCS teams are lining up to move up to that middle group. To me UM moves up with Appy State, Old Dominion, etc or you stay in FCS.

I agree a middle group is forming below the top 4 - 5 conferences, and that middle group includes Wyoming, but you will have to move up a conference to join that group just like APPY state and Old Dominion are trying to do and leave the Big Sky.

 

[kemajic]

Im not saying thats where I want to be or even if UM does... just that the NCAA has been moving toward this and will be there soon.

The NCAA has shown no poweer to influence any conference changes that have been going on right under their noses, many of which destroy long natural rivalries. So what evidence is there that they will even have a seat at the table of such discussions? They are at the mercy of the BCS and impotent to do anything more in FB than regulate.

 

[billings_poke]

Im not saying thats where I want to be or even if UM does... just that the NCAA has been moving toward this and will be there soon.

The NCAA has shown no poweer to influence any conference changes that have been going on right under their noses, many of which destroy long natural rivalries. So what evidence is there that they will even have a seat at the table of such discussions? They are at he mercy of the BCS and impotent to do anything more in FB than regulate.

actually agree. The NCAA has no voice on conference alignment or post season FBS football. The Breakaway is done and the top 4 conferences have already cornered most of the cash and TV. They want the rest around for scheduling opportunities. Montana needs to try and move up to the remnants of the MWC or sit tight in the Big Sky. There will be no new western conference combining the two.

 

[grizfan47]

People...People
Years ago I said it will all change in 2015, It might be 2014...

This is just all part of the big picture.

In places like Liberty and App State where there are 100 Colleges/Universities within 400 miles, they have to move up to make sure they are part of the second tier when the split happens. By staying in the FCS they face the chance of falling to Division 3, because of number of schools.

Montana is another story... Because of location (lack of schools), population of state and history, UM is a given for second tier status.

BTW... Why do you think MSU, Weber and Sac State have been in such a hurry to fix facilities in a down economy? Even crappy facility EWU is trying to look good...

Idaho is really in the same boat as Montana, they will be second tier no matter what they do. Not good enough (and never will be) to compete with the likes of USC, Arizona and Washington but not small enough to fall to division 3.

I THINK it will end up like this
Now there are 120 FBS and 122 FCS (total 242, best numbers I could find)

Its coming:
Division 1- 96 teams (6 conferences X 16 teams)
Division 2- 96 teams (lower FBS teams + upper FCS teams)
Divison 3- 50 former FCS teams + the addition of 46 "smaller" schools (The Idaho States, NAU's and UNC + the likes of Western Washington, and maybe Carroll College etc.)

Nicely put Payton. I think you are more closely accurate than not accurate. Of course there may be tweeks to your forcast but some change is coming none the less. There have been many other good points put forth in this thread as well.

I personally believe that the upper echelon of FCS will be joining forces with the lower tier of FBS in the future in some fashion. I also feel that UM and MSU should be competing with the likes of Wy, Utah State and Idaho. My feelings are purely from the standpoint of 25000 fans in the stadium vs 8000. It also has nothing to do with the calabre of competition on the field since all FCS has 63 scholarships and clearly a team with even 1800 students can compete. I love the playoffs and hope they would continue in whatever fashion the NCAA irons this all out.