Southern Miss To Sun Belt?

UNTflyer · July 8, 2008

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pb...D=2008807030321

The fact is, USM and its fans had better do everything in their power to make Conference USA strong and viable. Otherwise, the next thing you know, USM will be in the Sun Belt Conference.

The hard fact that a lot of those sipping the black-and-gold Kool-Aid willfully overlook is that demographically, USM has nothing to offer the Big East, or any other of the Big Six, the leagues that make up the BCS bowls.

Even if you include the Gulf Coast, the USM market lags way, way behind that of any other school that is often mentioned in any talk of Big East expansion.

And it is market share - the population of a school's given area - that has driven conference alignment in the past, and it will continue to drive it in the future.

As far as market share goes, not to mention several other criteria, Southern Miss has far more in common with Arkansas State and Troy of the Sun Belt than it does with C-USA brethren Memphis, UCF and Houston.

The truth, whether the Golden Eagle faithful want to admit it or not, is that if C-USA dissolves in the next realignment, USM is going to find itself on the outside looking in, and hoping for an invitation to the Sun Belt Conference.

emmitt01 · July 8, 2008

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pb...D=2008807030321
The fact is, USM and its fans had better do everything in their power to make Conference USA strong and viable. Otherwise, the next thing you know, USM will be in the Sun Belt Conference.
The hard fact that a lot of those sipping the black-and-gold Kool-Aid willfully overlook is that demographically, USM has nothing to offer the Big East, or any other of the Big Six, the leagues that make up the BCS bowls.
Even if you include the Gulf Coast, the USM market lags way, way behind that of any other school that is often mentioned in any talk of Big East expansion.
And it is market share - the population of a school's given area - that has driven conference alignment in the past, and it will continue to drive it in the future.
As far as market share goes, not to mention several other criteria, Southern Miss has far more in common with Arkansas State and Troy of the Sun Belt than it does with C-USA brethren Memphis, UCF and Houston.
The truth, whether the Golden Eagle faithful want to admit it or not, is that if C-USA dissolves in the next realignment, USM is going to find itself on the outside looking in, and hoping for an invitation to the Sun Belt Conference.

Old news...has been hashed and rehashed a week ago.

TeachinTodd · July 8, 2008

It may be old news to some (like those with more time to "dedicate" to boards like this), but for others like me, I welcome the posting of this info!

Green Mean · July 8, 2008

I dont see USM coming to the Belt.

Quoner · July 8, 2008

It may be old news to some (like those with more time to "dedicate" to boards like this), but for others like me, I welcome the posting of this info!

True - I miss tons of threads every weekend and when I travel and would appreciate them being reposted whenever I am here.

UNTflyer · July 8, 2008

I dont see USM coming to the Belt.

Well the whole thing is based on the assumption that C-USA collapses.

SUMG · July 8, 2008

That's kind of telling about how well thought of, the Sun Belt is. A paper in a town, threatening a school with the fact, that if you don't get your #### together, you're gonna be banished to the Sun Belt.