SoCon To Sunbelt The Right Move For App State Football?

[RobGriz]

If you had said in 1995 what this conference would look like, and where the big boys of the time would be now, most fans would've said we belong up a level.

Do most of you realize that since Marshall left the SoCon after the 1996 seaon, there have been 37 new programs either move up to IAA or start up. And some of those start up programs are already IA or going IA. It amazes me that some people would rather sit around and be a shark in a bathtub than move on.

For those who like being a big fish in a small pond. Just remember this, the big fish is always the first to die in a drought. And the small fish usually feast on the big fish hoping for rain to come.

Better to be a big fish, as you say, than a bottom feeder in a bottom feeding conference that doesn't even qualify for a no name bowl game. But many are dilusional enough to believe that the Griz, with the current coaching staff and administration could somehow raise to top of said bottom feeder FBS conference and get an invite to an elite conference where we will once again take our place among the elite. What they fail to realize is we have a better chance of becoming the next Idaho than the next Boise State, given the current state of affairs at the UofM.

 

[IdaGriz01]

... the current coaching staff and administration could somehow raise to top of said bottom feeder FBS conference and get an invite to an elite conference where we will once again take our place among the elite. What they fail to realize is we have a better chance of becoming the next Idaho than the next Boise State, given the current state of affairs at the UofM.

Sad, but true.

 

[HerdFan12]

HerdFan, I don't necessarily disagree with you, but you do need to realize that schools in the eastern half of the country have WAY more options when it comes to "moving up." In the west, there are two FBS conferences that play football: the Pac-12 and the Mountain West, period -- and neither one of the them is beating down Montana's door to join them! So, where does Montana go, were we to "move up"?

I hate to say this but this is where Montana admin should have had the vision to go IA either in the late 1990s or early 2000s when the WAC was still a viable conference. At that time the WAC looked like this:


Boise State
Hawaii
Fresno State
Nevada
San Jose State
Louisiana Tech
Rice
SMU
UTEP
Tulsa

The way things look right now Montana may have put themselves in a corner that they can't get out of even if they wanted to. Montana no matter where they are they will always be just like Boisie State, New Mexico State and UTEP, you will always be an outliner of a conference.

 

[flowtowngriz]

A BCS conference isn't going to knock on our door until we start knocking around on their doors. We need t show we have an interest to move up then maybe we will get some attention from them.

 

[Ursa Major]

... the current coaching staff and administration could somehow raise to top of said bottom feeder FBS conference and get an invite to an elite conference where we will once again take our place among the elite. What they fail to realize is we have a better chance of becoming the next Idaho than the next Boise State, given the current state of affairs at the UofM.

Sad, but true.

+2

 

[putter]

A BCS conference isn't going to knock on our door until we start knocking around on their doors. We need t show we have an interest to move up then maybe we will get some attention from them.

It is possible the Montana is doing this. However, no top conference is going to want an FCS program which is why a lot of these top FCS programs are moving up now. They want to establish themselves in the FBS - no matter what conference and hope that opens up a door to something bigger in the future.

 

[billings_poke]

Griz nation sure is a divided group on this issue it seems

 

[GlassOnion]

better chance of becoming the next Idaho than the next Boise State,

Or you could stay FCS and become the next Youngstown State. Win a bunch of NCs and then fall off the face of the earth.

Guess there are extremes on both sides, huh?

 

[Spanky]

I ask again....does anyone know the views of our AD regarding our conference affiliation?

 

[billings_poke]

better chance of becoming the next Idaho than the next Boise State,

Or you could stay FCS and become the next Youngstown State. Win a bunch of NCs and then fall off the face of the earth.

Guess there are extremes on both sides, huh?

I really don't see a strong future for FCS given the economics of most of the schools in the division. I don't see how they avoid cutting scholarships, programs, and travel costs. It sure isn't going away but it has to make some real changes to prosper once the FBS money stops trickling down.

kind of what the Appy AD was hinting at in his talk on the radio I listened to. He wants to be the program paying an FCS team $400K to come play rather then the FCS program that needs the $400K to balance the books

 

[flowtowngriz]

I would say that the U is happy where they are. They haven't said anything to suggest they are still open to moving up but they said they think we are where we should be and think the Griz scat rivalry is very important.

 

[BigSkyBears]

I would say that the U is happy where they are. They haven't said anything to suggest they are still open to moving up but they said they think we are where we should be and think the Griz scat rivalry is very important.

The University of Miami is already an FBS team. They play in the ACC.

 

[RobGriz]

I would say that the U is happy where they are. They haven't said anything to suggest they are still open to moving up but they said they think we are where we should be and think the Griz scat rivalry is very important.

The University of Miami is already an FBS team. They play in the ACC.

Who?

 

[billings_poke]

I would say that the U is happy where they are. They haven't said anything to suggest they are still open to moving up but they said they think we are where we should be and think the Griz scat rivalry is very important.

The University of Miami is already an FBS team. They play in the ACC.

Nah the U is Utah. get a clue

 

[flowtowngriz]

The u of Montana gees. Haha

 

['68griz]

HerdFan, I don't necessarily disagree with you, but you do need to realize that schools in the eastern half of the country have WAY more options when it comes to "moving up." In the west, there are two FBS conferences that play football: the Pac-12 and the Mountain West, period -- and neither one of the them is beating down Montana's door to join them! So, where does Montana go, were we to "move up"?

I hate to say this but this is where Montana admin should have had the vision to go IA either in the late 1990s or early 2000s when the WAC was still a viable conference. At that time the WAC looked like this:


Boise State
Hawaii
Fresno State
Nevada
San Jose State
Louisiana Tech
Rice
SMU
UTEP
Tulsa

The way things look right now Montana may have put themselves in a corner that they can't get out of even if they wanted to. Montana no matter where they are they will always be just like Boisie State, New Mexico State and UTEP, you will always be an outliner of a conference.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. You can't blame today's situation on what maybe should have been done a decade ago. We are stuck with today's reality, and Montana IS in the west -- geography wins out.

 

[billings_poke]

HerdFan, I don't necessarily disagree with you, but you do need to realize that schools in the eastern half of the country have WAY more options when it comes to "moving up." In the west, there are two FBS conferences that play football: the Pac-12 and the Mountain West, period -- and neither one of the them is beating down Montana's door to join them! So, where does Montana go, were we to "move up"?

I hate to say this but this is where Montana admin should have had the vision to go IA either in the late 1990s or early 2000s when the WAC was still a viable conference. At that time the WAC looked like this:


Boise State
Hawaii
Fresno State
Nevada
San Jose State
Louisiana Tech
Rice
SMU
UTEP
Tulsa

The way things look right now Montana may have put themselves in a corner that they can't get out of even if they wanted to. Montana no matter where they are they will always be just like Boisie State, New Mexico State and UTEP, you will always be an outliner of a conference.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. You can't blame today's situation on what maybe should have been done a decade ago. We are stuck with today's reality, and Montana IS in the west -- geography wins out.

Yea but the MWC could easily lose 2-4 teams in the next couple of years and will have to invite new members. I fully expect that to happen

 

[Purple Reign]

A BCS conference isn't going to knock on our door until we start knocking around on their doors. We need t show we have an interest to move up then maybe we will get some attention from them.

The Final Four weekend is the time for knocking on doors.It`s next weekend and it is great timing for JMU. GO Dukes ! :clap: