Big TelEveN To Explore Expansion.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

"Frank The Tank"....what a douche. Included in his windbag analysis were statement after statement to the effect that the Little Eleven is some sort of elite ACADEMIC conference. What a laugh.

[zen]

lol Ivy League beware.The largest determining factor, regardless of what anyone says publicly, is always going to be money.

[johnnyzip84]

This has more to do with realignment at the bottom rung, but apparently the NCAA is going to require any FCS team seeking to upgrade to FBS to receive an invitation from an FBS conference first before the NCAA will allow the upgrade. Schools such as Charlotte, Texas St, UT-SA, etc. would not seem to be affected since the Sunbelt would likely want them in. But a school like UMass (one of ZW's favorites) might be affected greatly. In fact, if UMass would want to go to FBS it appears the MAC would be their only real option.

Link

[GP1]

This has more to do with realignment at the bottom rung, but apparently the NCAA is going to require any FCS team seeking to upgrade to FBS to receive an invitation from an FBS conference first before the NCAA will allow the upgrade. Schools such as Charlotte, Texas St, UT-SA, etc. would not seem to be affected since the Sunbelt would likely want them in. But a school like UMass (one of ZW's favorites) might be affected greatly. In fact, if UMass would want to go to FBS it appears the MAC would be their only real option.

Link

Thanks for the link.

The MAC should be thinking about contraction and not expansion.

Getting back to one of the points I have been making about college football. BCS schools need their own division. It's laughable that teams "upgrading" to D-IA are considered to be a the same level as BCS schools. It's such a farce I can't believe people even take it seriously. If the NCAA would realign the divisions and create one more, I think it would be better for everyone because schools could better compete at their ability level and they wouldn't need to have schools "upgrading" into a level where they can't perform well at the highest level.

On the surface, this looks like a good rule, but under the surface, it really does nothing to improve college football. Someone must have really been hungover that day at the NCAA convention.

[g-mann17]

This has more to do with realignment at the bottom rung, but apparently the NCAA is going to require any FCS team seeking to upgrade to FBS to receive an invitation from an FBS conference first before the NCAA will allow the upgrade. Schools such as Charlotte, Texas St, UT-SA, etc. would not seem to be affected since the Sunbelt would likely want them in. But a school like UMass (one of ZW's favorites) might be affected greatly. In fact, if UMass would want to go to FBS it appears the MAC would be their only real option.

Link

Thanks for the link.

The MAC should be thinking about contraction and not expansion.

Getting back to one of the points I have been making about college football. BCS schools need their own division. It's laughable that teams "upgrading" to D-IA are considered to be a the same level as BCS schools. It's such a farce I can't believe people even take it seriously. If the NCAA would realign the divisions and create one more, I think it would be better for everyone because schools could better compete at their ability level and they wouldn't need to have schools "upgrading" into a level where they can't perform well at the highest level.

On the surface, this looks like a good rule, but under the surface, it really does nothing to improve college football. Someone must have really been hungover that day at the NCAA convention.

What's laughable is your incessant ramblings on College elitism and BCS superiority and contraction as the country and number of youth continue to expand. You continue to sound like the "Jake" of reforming college athletics. "Make it semi-pro, let the money schools compete against each other, we should know our place."

[GP1]

What's laughable is your incessant ramblings on College elitism and BCS superiority and contraction as the country and number of youth continue to expand.

Did someone say something about ramblings?

[g-mann17]

What's laughable is your incessant ramblings on College elitism and BCS superiority and contraction as the country and number of youth continue to expand.

Did someone say something about ramblings?

No, someone said something about incessant ramblings.

[cornbread]

You guys remind me of something...

Did someone say something about ramblings?

No, someone said something about incessant ramblings.

[g-mann17]

You guys remind me of something...

His momma called him Cassius, I'm gonna call him Cassius.

[cornbread]

You guys remind me of something...

His momma called him Cassius, I'm gonna call him Cassius.

hahahaha

Give a hand to my band, Sexual Chocolate.

[cornbread]

You guys remind me of something...

His momma called him Cassius, I'm gonna call him Cassius.

hahahaha

Give a hand to my band, Sexual Chocolate.

Big Ten (11) to potentially add more than one team

That could open a few spots for Akron to move on up.

[Ryno aka Menace]

You guys remind me of something...

His momma called him Cassius, I'm gonna call him Cassius.

hahahaha

Give a hand to my band, Sexual Chocolate.

Big Ten (11) to potentially add more than one team

That could open a few spots for Akron to move on up.

Just to play devils advocate could expansion of the Big10 be a bad thing for Akron...Im just saying we seem to have the worst luck sometimes. Let say the Big10 expanse with 3 or 5 teams, they raid the Big East leaving the conference with about 5 teams.....Conference USA and The MAC have 12 and 13 teams respectively. What if CUSA and the MAC stand their ground and and BIG East becomes defunct (It has happened before...see Big West). Now we are playing with West Virginia, UConn in our Conference, Cincinnati, Louisville, South Florida go BACK to Conference USA, etc. We could be looking at a situation that would probably push us down in the final conference standings! Any thoughts?

[cornbread]

You guys remind me of something...

His momma called him Cassius, I'm gonna call him Cassius.

hahahaha

Give a hand to my band, Sexual Chocolate.

Big Ten (11) to potentially add more than one team

That could open a few spots for Akron to move on up.

Just to play devils advocate could expansion of the Big10 be a bad thing for Akron...Im just saying we seem to have the worst luck sometimes. Let say the Big10 expanse with 3 or 5 teams, they raid the Big East leaving the conference with about 5 teams.....Conference USA and The MAC have 12 and 13 teams respectively. What if CUSA and the MAC stand their ground and and BIG East becomes defunct (It has happened before...see Big West). Now we are playing with West Virginia, UConn in our Conference, Cincinnati, Louisville, South Florida go BACK to Conference USA, etc. We could be looking at a situation that would probably push us down in the final conference standings! Any thoughts?

In the long run.... i would have to argue for the AWESOMENESS of your idea. The level of competition would be great. You know what they say about a rising tide...

[UAZipster0305]

If the Big 11 takes:

1 school, then it will be Missouri

3 schools, they will be Missouri, Notre Dame, and Pitt

5 schools, they will be Missouri, Notre Dame, Pitt, West Virginia, and UConn/Rutgers.

I think the best for UA would be that the Big 11 takes 3 schools leaving the Big East looking to add at least 2. UCF would probably be the leading contender with another spot unknown. If the Big 11 takes 5 schools, I think the Big East is done.

[johnnyzip84]

Some question whether the Big East will even survive after the Big-11 is done.

ESPN Link

NY Times Link

[ZachTheZip]

The MAC is going to remain mostly unchanged, and be left even further in the dust. Akron needs to prepare to take advantage of whatever happens. If they see an opportunity, jump on it immediately before some other desperate school does.

[Spin]

Getting back to one of the points I have been making about college football. BCS schools need their own division. It's laughable that teams "upgrading" to D-IA are considered to be a the same level as BCS schools. It's such a farce I can't believe people even take it seriously. If the NCAA would realign the divisions and create one more, I think it would be better for everyone because schools could better compete at their ability level and they wouldn't need to have schools "upgrading" into a level where they can't perform well at the highest level.

If you're going to do that, then you can't go by conferences. You have to do it by school. When the top 4 or 5 MAC schools can play with the bottom 4 or 5 Big Ten schools, why should the Indiana's and the Colorado's and the Vanderbilts play in a "super division" with the USC's and the Alabamas and the tOSU's? And why should TCU and Boise State be excluded, just because they come from a less powerful conference?

According to Sagarin Ratings, Central Michigan finishes 5th in the Big Ten. Just because Washington State is in a powerhouse conference, doesn't mean they could win half of their games in the MAC.

[Zip Watcher]

Now geographic Promotion & Relegation a la Futbol leagues in Europe .. that could be cool.

[xu9697]

I think what you are going to have is something like this...

Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Missouri....

They will wait to announce the 5th team. They will tell ND, "We are about to rip apart the Big East. Do you want to be in the Big Ten or not".

ND says yes, they are team #5. If they say no, hello Kansas or Nebraska or UConn.

My wildcard= Maryland. This would help Big Ten get into even more of the ACC/SEC country.

How does this affect the MAC/Akron. SO MANY ways it can go.

My #1 guess is BE goes away if they lose 4 or more teams...ACC and even SEC (WVU) grab them up to get to 14 to 16 teams.

If they lose 4, might hold on with 4 teams, keep 4 basketball only schools (the rest go to A-10..A-10 kicks out Duquesne and others to the Horizon) and add 8 schools that play both. Memphis and Temple would be high on that list. Central Florida, Southern Miss, ECU would be others. Akron, Buffalo and Toledo could be options, along with Marshall.

Lose a few..MIGHT just keep all b-ball schools, and get their numbers for football back to 8. Least likely scenario b/c football would be so low at this point.

[ZachTheZip]

I think what you are going to have is something like this...

Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Missouri....

They will wait to announce the 5th team. They will tell ND, "We are about to rip apart the Big East. Do you want to be in the Big Ten or not".

ND says yes, they are team #5. If they say no, hello Kansas or Nebraska or UConn.

My wildcard= Maryland. This would help Big Ten get into even more of the ACC/SEC country.

How does this affect the MAC/Akron. SO MANY ways it can go.

My #1 guess is BE goes away if they lose 4 or more teams...ACC and even SEC (WVU) grab them up to get to 14 to 16 teams.

If they lose 4, might hold on with 4 teams, keep 4 basketball only schools (the rest go to A-10..A-10 kicks out Duquesne and others to the Horizon) and add 8 schools that play both. Memphis and Temple would be high on that list. Central Florida, Southern Miss, ECU would be others. Akron, Buffalo and Toledo could be options, along with Marshall.

Lose a few..MIGHT just keep all b-ball schools, and get their numbers for football back to 8. Least likely scenario b/c football would be so low at this point.

The question is whether Bob Huggins and Mike Thomas campaign to get Akron into a new Big East. I know they both were for that move in the past, until they moved on to their goals without us.

[Zip Watcher]

The current state of the basketball facilities could be a needle to that balloon in a hurry. No way Huggy is bringing his Mountaineers to the JAR if he can help it.

[UA Fan]

Some question whether the Big East will even survive after the Big-11 is done.

ESPN Link

NY Times Link

"Will the Big East survive? If the Big Ten grabs Rutgers, Connecticut, Syracuse and Pittsburgh, that seems unlikely"

I don't know why they say that. WVU, Cinci, Louisville and USF wouldn't want to go back to CUSA. Unless the ACC decides to also become a 16-team "superconference" and take them all in, it seems much more likely the Big East would just start adding Memphis, ECU, UCF... From the MAC they would probably be most interested in Temple and Buffalo (for its proximity and academics). If CUSA loses 4 members to the Big East, would they be able to get enough replacements from the MAC or SunBelt with their wide-ranging geography? They're the conference that seems the most vulnerable due to their high travel costs and limited revenue.

[ZachTheZip]

The biggest disaster for Akron is if Pitt goes to the Big Ten. If that happens, then both of the closes major metro areas to Akron will be controlled by the Big Ten. Unless Akron miraculously gets an invite to a BCS conference and manages to convert Cleveland, our second biggest source of recruits (Western PA) gains the same "Big Ten is the only conference worth a damn and if I can't get in I'll go D-II before I have to play in the MAC" mentality as many of the recruits in Ohio.

[Captain Kangaroo]

The current state of the basketball facilities could be a needle to that balloon in a hurry. No way Huggy is bringing his Mountaineers to the JAR if he can help it.

Maybe we could play our Mountaineer game at The Q or Wolstein Center?

I have to believe CUSA will be raided heavily by the "new" Big East before any MAC school would appear on their radar.

Unfortunately I don't see any way a 16-team Big 10, and the fallout, would help Zips athletics.

[johnnyzip84]

Some question whether the Big East will even survive after the Big-11 is done.

ESPN Link

NY Times Link

"Will the Big East survive? If the Big Ten grabs Rutgers, Connecticut, Syracuse and Pittsburgh, that seems unlikely"

I don't know why they say that. WVU, Cinci, Louisville and USF wouldn't want to go back to CUSA. Unless the ACC decides to also become a 16-team "superconference" and take them all in, it seems much more likely the Big East would just start adding Memphis, ECU, UCF... From the MAC they would probably be most interested in Temple and Buffalo (for its proximity and academics). If CUSA loses 4 members to the Big East, would they be able to get enough replacements from the MAC or SunBelt with their wide-ranging geography? They're the conference that seems the most vulnerable due to their high travel costs and limited revenue.

I think the point being made is that even if the remnants of the Big East (in this scenario) look elsewhere for additonal members, the end result be such a watered-down, non-geographically based version that it might make better sense just to call it something else. If WVU were to go the the ACC, not one single traditional "Eastern Independent" would be left in the Big East (except for perhaps Temple if they get back in). Of course, the current WAC has been through this already. The "old WAC" (basically the Mountain West plus UTEP) is nothing at all like the new WAC.

While I think it's unlikely the new Big East comes calling for any MAC school besides Temple and perhaps Buffalo, I DO think this upheaval could provide the opportunity for the more serious players in the MAC to leave the others behind. I hope the visionaries in the conference are working behind the scenes right now to develop contingency plans for what seems to be a likely Big 11 announcement to come at anytime. Why not head things off at the pass even. Toledo, Akron and Buffalo are the schools that I hope would lead the charge.