Second round of conference expansion is beginning.

[Zipmeister]

geographically maybe...not academically. Pitt...yes

Outside of Northwestern, I didn't know the Big Ten schools were Ivy Leaguelike. I don't know how the schools rank, but WVU lives in the same neighborhood as the rest of the Big Ten with the exception of Northwestern. Pitt ranks right up there with Northwestern.

If by the "same neighborhood" you mean they live in the cart barn just out of sight of the expensive homes surrounding the country club, I agree with you 100%.

Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, MSU, OSU, Minnesota and WVU can easily be said to have the same level of schooling. West Virginia is easy to make fun of, but we aren't talking Marshall.

I never said the Mountaineers didn't wear shoes to class. They just don't have the academic stature of any school in the Big Ten (and several MAC schools).As a first step to becoming better informed study the material in the following link.http://tfpa.cafcs.org/ViewAllInstitutions.aspx

[GP1]

I never said the Mountaineers didn't wear shoes to class. They just don't have the academic stature of any school in the Big Ten (and several MAC schools).As a first step to becoming better informed study the material in the following link.http://tfpa.cafcs.org/ViewAllInstitutions.aspx

I really don't care what these silly little reports say. There is an old saying, "There are lies, damn lies and statistics". They are good enough for the Big Ten. I didn't know the Exercise Science degrees Big Ten players were getting are that hard to get.

[johnnyzip84]

It's a done deal. Pitt & 'Cuse are accepted by ACC.So will we host our 1st ever ACC football opponent in 2015?

[ZachTheZip]

So this means that the Big East is in absolute panic mode. They, out of all the BCS conferences, can least afford to lose a single member, let alone two. UCF and Houston will be getting phone calls any day now. And if Houston isn't even a guarantee that they'll accept. As Akron fans, we need to be on our knees praying that some conference sees value in the Cleveland-Akron media market and in our notable success as an overall athletic program (football not withstanding).The dominoes are falling towards a 14-team conference landscape.

[GP1]

So this means that the Big East is in absolute panic mode. They, out of all the BCS conferences, can least afford to lose a single member, let alone two. UCF and Houston will be getting phone calls any day now. And if Houston isn't even a guarantee that they'll accept. As Akron fans, we need to be on our knees praying that some conference sees value in the Cleveland-Akron media market and in our notable success as an overall athletic program (football not withstanding).The dominoes are falling towards a 14-team conference landscape.

The Big East should panic? Everyone who is in a BCS conference that is not the Big Ten, SEC, ACC or PAC (Insert number here) should be in a panic.Attention MAC fans. The reason everyone is going to the BT, SEC, ACC and PAC #? is because, in part, they don't want to be part of a level of football that has us in it. The answer is finding our own answer with MAClike conferences and make the best of a bad situation. There should be an emergency meeting of all non-BCS, D-1A schools to set a framework for the future with four mega conferences and potentially without the ncaa.

[Zipsrifle]

So this means that the Big East is in absolute panic mode. They, out of all the BCS conferences, can least afford to lose a single member, let alone two. UCF and Houston will be getting phone calls any day now. And if Houston isn't even a guarantee that they'll accept. As Akron fans, we need to be on our knees praying that some conference sees value in the Cleveland-Akron media market and in our notable success as an overall athletic program (football not withstanding).The dominoes are falling towards a 14-team conference landscape.

The Big East should panic? Everyone who is in a BCS conference that is not the Big Ten, SEC, ACC or PAC (Insert number here) should be in a panic.Attention MAC fans. The reason everyone is going to the BT, SEC, ACC and PAC #? is because, in part, they don't want to be part of a level of football that has us in it. The answer is finding our own answer with MAClike conferences and make the best of a bad situation. There should be an emergency meeting of all non-BCS, D-1A schools to set a framework for the future with four mega conferences and potentially without the ncaa.

I hate to say this, but I think you are right. Took a while for me to come around to this, but I was thinking in the past week or so, why should the MAC break up? We have a bunch of poor teams, who's to say they will all be back fill for these other conferences. Prior to yesterday I thought we would have a few teams that could be in the TOP 25. I didn't really understand how those teams (Temple, Toledo) had improved so much so quickly. Fact is, they can't even beat a team in the top 25 so we still don't have any top 25 material. So, yes, the Mid-Majors need to stop standing on the side of the room hoping to be invited to dance. They need to go start their own party or we'll be standing all alone in the end.

[Zipmeister]

I never said the Mountaineers didn't wear shoes to class. They just don't have the academic stature of any school in the Big Ten (and several MAC schools).As a first step to becoming better informed study the material in the following link.http://tfpa.cafcs.org/ViewAllInstitutions.aspx

I really don't care what these silly little reports say. There is an old saying, "There are lies, damn lies and statistics". They are good enough for the Big Ten. I didn't know the Exercise Science degrees Big Ten players were getting are that hard to get.

While there are a plethora of statistics that would demonstrate that WVU is an academic notch or two below any school in the big ten, the information to which I referred you were ratings rather than statistics. I can't find any institutional quality ratings or statistics based on the rigor of courses taken by the schools football players. My thoughts are that with few exceptions such a comparison would be uniformly disheartening. Bottom line is while WVU would be competitive in the big ten in a few sports, they don't cut the mustard academically. You can want it to be one way, but it's the other.

[GP1]

While there are a plethora of statistics that would demonstrate that WVU is an academic notch or two below any school in the big ten, the information to which I referred you were ratings rather than statistics. I can't find any institutional quality ratings or statistics based on the rigor of courses taken by the schools football players. My thoughts are that with few exceptions such a comparison would be uniformly disheartening. Bottom line is while WVU would be competitive in the big ten in a few sports, they don't cut the mustard academically. You can want it to be one way, but it's the other.

We are talking about college athletics. I would be the Exercise Science department at WVU is just as good as the departments at Big Ten schools. Take a second to look at what Colonial Wards major in. It isn't engineering.

[GP1]

So, yes, the Mid-Majors need to stop standing on the side of the room hoping to be invited to dance. They need to go start their own party or we'll be standing all alone in the end.

I had a friend in college who had the motto as it related to picking up girls, "Go ugly early and avoid the rush". He figured he was never going to get a good looking girl and waiting around all night to get one would just leave him at the bar at 2 AM trying to pick up an ugly girl who nobody wanted earlier but now they look good to everyone. Why not just go for the ugly girl early and get it over with when the odds are in your favor?MAClike conferences need to build their own ugly girl before it is too late. We are all going to be stuck standing around with our peckers in our hands if we aren't careful.

[ZachTheZip]

The NCAAbbs boards have been shut down since the ACC announcement.

[UA Fan]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/sports/n...tors_picks=trueKind of ironic, if not funny. The BCS wants to get out from under the NCAA but in the process may be inviting involvement from Congress.

[johnnyzip84]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/sports/n...tors_picks=trueKind of ironic, if not funny. The BCS wants to get out from under the NCAA but in the process may be inviting involvement from Congress.

Not surprised in the least. I'll say it again. The enormous stickling point will be deciding who gets in the 4x14 or 4x16 matrix. This is why we're seeing the recent upheaval.

[GP1]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/sports/n...tors_picks=trueKind of ironic, if not funny. The BCS wants to get out from under the NCAA but in the process may be inviting involvement from Congress.

Good article. Thanks for posting it.A current problem with the ncaa is there is no institutional oversight over the ncaa. Same goes for the bcs....I'm not even 100% sure of what the bcs is or who runs it. The people overseeing the ncaa are the institutions themselves and they really aren't doing a very good job of it. The animals are running the zoo at the ncaa and we see what happens. When things get out of control is when Congress steps in. The last thing I want is Congress to step in and start regulating athletics.

[Doug Snyder]

I never said the Mountaineers didn't wear shoes to class. They just don't have the academic stature of any school in the Big Ten (and several MAC schools).As a first step to becoming better informed study the material in the following link.http://tfpa.cafcs.org/ViewAllInstitutions.aspx

I really don't care what these silly little reports say. There is an old saying, "There are lies, damn lies and statistics". They are good enough for the Big Ten. I didn't know the Exercise Science degrees Big Ten players were getting are that hard to get.

Does that "take my word for it" approach fly at home or work?? Just because you claim to be the "Great One" does not make it true and it probably will not fly here either.

[Zip Watcher]

The NCAAbbs boards have been shut down since the ACC announcement.

Server crashed, or intentional. What is KC doing with his time today?

[GP1]

Does that "take my word for it" approach fly at home or work?? Just because you claim to be the "Great One" does not make it true and it probably will not fly here either.

We are talking about college athletics, not calculus bees. WVU is good enough for the Big Ten.

[ZachTheZip]

So will we host our 1st ever ACC football opponent in 2015?

They'll buy out the contract after we play them in Pitt. They are overscheduled right now and have to drop some OOC games. A road game at a MAC school would be at the top of the list of games to dump.

[Doug Snyder]

So, yes, the Mid-Majors need to stop standing on the side of the room hoping to be invited to dance. They need to go start their own party or we'll be standing all alone in the end.

I had a friend in college who had the motto as it related to picking up girls, "Go ugly early and avoid the rush". He figured he was never going to get a good looking girl and waiting around all night to get one would just leave him at the bar at 2 AM trying to pick up an ugly girl who nobody wanted earlier but now they look good to everyone. Why not just go for the ugly girl early and get it over with when the odds are in your favor?MAClike conferences need to build their own ugly girl before it is too late. We are all going to be stuck standing around with our peckers in our hands if we aren't careful.

My friends had a different approach. We went to the bar very late and picked up drunk girls who saw us as more attractive and we did not spend a dime on their drinks. Way more effeciant and economcal. I actually think the same approach should be used in this issue as well. There is always more than one successful approach.

[ZachTheZip]

The NCAAbbs boards have been shut down since the ACC announcement.

Server crashed, or intentional. What is KC doing with his time today?

It probably got unintentionally DDOS'd from all the people trying to get on to the Big East and Conference Expansion boards.

[GP1]

So, yes, the Mid-Majors need to stop standing on the side of the room hoping to be invited to dance. They need to go start their own party or we'll be standing all alone in the end.

I had a friend in college who had the motto as it related to picking up girls, "Go ugly early and avoid the rush". He figured he was never going to get a good looking girl and waiting around all night to get one would just leave him at the bar at 2 AM trying to pick up an ugly girl who nobody wanted earlier but now they look good to everyone. Why not just go for the ugly girl early and get it over with when the odds are in your favor?MAClike conferences need to build their own ugly girl before it is too late. We are all going to be stuck standing around with our peckers in our hands if we aren't careful.

My friends had a different approach. We went to the bar very late and picked up drunk girls who saw us as more attractive and we did not spend a dime on their drinks. Way more effeciant and economcal. I actually think the same approach should be used in this issue as well. There is always more than one successful approach.

Either way, we end up with the ugly girl. Let's dictate our future in lieu of it being dictated for us.

[zippy5]

GP1, I respect your opinion on this, but I don't think you realize that conferences aren't really just about athletics. WVU has no chance of the Big Ten, and a miniscule chance at the ACC. Those 2 conferences take academics just as seriously as athletics. Academics as a whole institution, not how smart the players are.for instance, the Big Ten isn't going to accept anyone that isn't an AAU member, which WVU is not.

[Zipmeister]

Does that "take my word for it" approach fly at home or work?? Just because you claim to be the "Great One" does not make it true and it probably will not fly here either.

We are talking about college athletics, not calculus bees. WVU is good enough for the Big Ten.

Interested in a small wager? I'll bet on WVU never gets an invite to the big ten because the presidents of the member schools don't want to lower their academic standards (even though basket weaving for jocks classes at WVU are first rate).

[ZachTheZip]

I think the next move will be made by the PAC-Whatever.

[you am i]

GP1, I respect your opinion on this, but I don't think you realize that conferences aren't really just about athletics. WVU has no chance of the Big Ten, and a miniscule chance at the ACC. Those 2 conferences take academics just as seriously as athletics. Academics as a whole institution, not how smart the players are.for instance, the Big Ten isn't going to accept anyone that isn't an AAU member, which WVU is not.

Interestingly, Nebraska was a member of the AAU when they were invited to join the Big Ten, but they have since had their membership revoked. Something about insufficient funds dedicated to research.I agree that WVU will not be asked to join the Big Ten. Academically, they are a tier 3 university. Their academic standards are low and their endowment is less than half of the lowest endowed school in the Big Ten. The Big Ten presidents and chancellors would consider it slumming to go after the likes of WVU. I can't see the Big Ten getting bigger than 16 teams, but who knows. If/when the Big 12 implodes, Iowa State, Kansas, and Kansas State will probably be asking to get in. And, although it makes no geographic sense, Texas would make a tremendous addition.

[UAZipster0305]

All the major conferences (Big Ten, PAC-X, ACC, and SEC) are going to 16 teams.The Big Ten needs to pick up four schools to make it to 16...I expect those four to be Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Northwestern is still an odd fit for the conference and if they ever decide to leave, WVU could fill their spot.After the addition of Pitt and Syracuse, the ACC still needs two schools...USF and UConn are likely choices.From the Big East, Cincy, Louisville, TCU, and Rutgers remain and will likely have the same fate...a new conference forms that also includes the remnants from the Big 12 (Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State, Baylor...an odd fit, and Iowa State)...still two schools shy of 16...Memphis and Houston.The SEC needs four schools...this is tough without plundering the ACC...Vanderbilt is an odd fit similar to Northwestern and Baylor...I have no idea how this one plays out...IMO, the SEC is the key to where all the dominoes fall. Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas are a good fit here too.The PAC-X currently has twelve members and needs four...it takes Boise St., BYU, UNM, and Nevada-Reno or Idaho...this is more about conquering geography than finding academically similar schools...there really aren't any west of Colorado and east of California, Oregon, and Washington.The remaining schools fold into 3-4 new mid-major conferences and we're pretty much back to where we started. Temple remains on the fence between major and mid-major, and some D-IAA schools move up (e.g. Villanova). Hence, there are as many second-tier schools as there are first tier and Akron still hasn't really advanced its standing at all. As GP1 says, there is a great opportunity for the second-tier schools to form their own division and stop being punching bags for the first-tier schools.Rutgers, Temple, Akron, Toledo, Miami, Ohio, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Middle Tennessee, Can't ( I hate to say it, but the rivalry is good for us), WMU, and CMU could make for a nice 12-member conference with nearly every school having a natural rival. If VCU only had football! If going for 14, include Buffalo and Bowling Green...Ball State and Eastern Michigan should be excluded at all cost though. Where we would get two more for a 16 member conference, I don't know.