WKU and NM State next?

[TechAlum05]

From Chad Bishop (Western Kentucky beat writer for the Bowling Green Daily News): https://twitter.com/MrChadBishop

The rumor of Western Kentucky and New Mexico State joining Conference USA is a strong one. Neither school has confirmed, thus, chill.

When I know, you will. RT @Gracepeacebg: @MrChadBishop when are we expecting a annoucement?

Hi friends. Only confirmation is that there is no confirmation/announcement/press conference/party/anything. Strictly rumors and hearsay.

[ITdrummer]

I don't want ANY UL-X nor New Mexico State. Why do you want Lafayette?

I didn't say I wanted them. I said I would rather have them than NM St.

[parialex]

These two are a bit of a surprise.

New Mexico State because of, among other things, UTEP. UTEP has already had to swallow bringing UTSA in. If true, I have to assume this means that UTEP will have no invitation from the MWC is forthcoming. Alternately, AggieVision is such a big plus that it's worth losing UTEP over. I doubt that. So, either UTEP has come around on the idea of NMSU or UTEP has nowhere to go.

Western Kentucky surprises me because of the market. Though the athletics budget mentioned by someone else is a good selling point.

[RougeDawg]

Takes away their last option to have an immediate FBS member.

Wow. I thought it must have been for basketball, but that is pretty damn ruthless. However, there is another . . .

[Tech77]

Sorry, but that makes no sense. If we take ASU it does the same thing.

[LATechBanjo]

Wow. I thought it must have been for basketball, but that is pretty damn ruthless. However, there is another . . .

Idaho has given up. Too much $$$. id bet they are not staying in the FBS past 2014.

[ITdrummer]

I can't believe stAte hasn't been on the list yet. Would have figured they would have been picked up before WKU and FAU based solely on performance. Although, FAU brings a larger market, so I can kind of understand that one.

[parialex]

Arkansas State's issue is likely academics. They've avoided adding any more schools that aren't USNWR National. Not that they're necessarily using USNWR as a guide, but we might look at it as an indicator.

[LATechBanjo]

Sorry, but that makes no sense. If we take ASU it does the same thing.

Down to 7 after WKU (6 if you dont count GA State -2014). Don't you need 8 for a conference? I remember seeing that if one team left the WAC this year, the goose was cooked.

[parialex]

Down to 7 after WKU (6 if you dont count GA State -2014). Don't you need 8 for a conference? I remember seeing that if one team left the WAC this year, the goose was cooked.

You need 8, but you can get a waiver if you have some transitioning programs. The Big East had less than eight one year, the SBC has in the past as well, and the WAC did this year. The WAC is dead, obviously, but they would have been okay if they'd had some teams in transition to keep the number at 8.

Oh, and Tech77 is correct. If the purpose was to cripple the SBC, they could have picked any two SBC teams or NMSU and it would have had the same effect.

[TechAlum05]

Down to 7 after WKU (6 if you dont count GA State -2014). Don't you need 8 for a conference? I remember seeing that if one team left the WAC this year, the goose was cooked.

They will have 7 football members (including Georgia State) and 9 basketball members after 2013.

[LATechBanjo]

You need 8, but you can get a waiver if you have some transitioning programs. The Big East had less than eight one year, the SBC has in the past as well, and the WAC did this year. The WAC is dead, obviously, but they would have been okay if they'd had some teams in transition to keep the number at 8.

So my point is that Mr. Peanut has to find another FCS victim willing to jump in the mix, which is not going to be easy.

[parialex]

So my point is that Mr. Peanut has to find another FCS victim willing to jump in the mix, which is not going to be easy.

The SBC is better-positioned than the WAC was to do that. They're in an environment where schools want to make the jump *and* they have no standards. Jacksonville State, Lamar, and SHSU are all in their footprint and at least two of the three have expressed interest in transitioning to FBS. I'm not sure about the situation with Idaho (whether the 8 schools have to be allsport or whether you can use FBO's to get to 8).

[TechAlum05]

So my point is that Mr. Peanut has to find another FCS victim willing to jump in the mix, which is not going to be easy.

Since Karl Benson became the Sun Belt Commissioner in February, the conference has lost Florida International, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Middle Tennessee State, and Western Kentucky to C-USA. He gained Texas State (recent FCS football team in 2010), Georgia State (current FCS football team), and UT-Arlington (non-football member).

Time for Karl to do what he does when he loses more members of his conference: raid the nearest FCS conference.

After only several weeks on the job, Benson quickly set the tone for the future of the Sun Belt Conference by adding Georgia State, Texas-Arlington and Texas State to the league. These three new additions to the Sun Belt Conference add not just stability to the league, but also strength.

Because of Benson’s vision, the Sun Belt Conference will remain a 10-team football league and restore its position as a 12-team basketball league because of the additions. Additionally, the Sun Belt Conference will be able to restore a logical geographical split for divisional play.

http://www.sunbeltsports.org/ABOUTTH...arlBenson.aspx

[hookdown]

So my point is that Mr. Peanut has to find another FCS victim willing to jump in the mix, which is not going to be easy.

Florida A&M, JMU, Liberty, or perhaps North Alabama? I think all of them have made noises in the past few years about moving up.