Georgia State officially to Sunbelt

NT03 · April 7, 2012

My fingers are too fat to cut & paste the link, but it was just tweeted by the sunbelt conference

NorthTexan95 · April 7, 2012

Are they sure this time?

Mean Green 93-98 · April 7, 2012

I really hope they're our replacement.

NT03 · April 7, 2012

I really hope they're our replacement.

Has to be.

greenminer · April 7, 2012

Only blogs at this point, but many inside sources and consistency seems to reaffirm the notion. Supposedly an announcement will be made MOnday @ 2pm

Atlanta Journal blog

Georgia State has accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference, a person inside the conference with knowledge of the situation said on Saturday. They will become members in 2013.

Georgia State declined to comment. The university was contacting donors on Saturday, asking them to attend a special event at 2 p.m. Monday at the Georgia Dome.

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Georgia State has accepted an invitation to join Sun Belt

Panther Talk

PantherTalk.com has confirmed from multiple sources including donors and with the Sun Belt that a special event will be held at the Georgia Dome on Monday at 2:00PM. It is expected that Georgia State will be formally announce the acceptance of an invite to the Sun Belt for all sports.

Someone linked to CBS Sports online, but it was not a perma and I cannot find anything there after a search for Georgia State. Brett McMurphy did a writeup for them that was preliminary

Georgia State is one of the leading candidates to receive an invitation from the Sun Belt, college football industry sources told CBSSports.com's Brett McMurphy and Tony Barnhart.

The Sun Belt is strongly considering extending an invitation to Georgia State and the parties have had informal discussions. An invitation could occur in the coming weeks with Georgia State a possibility to be added to the league as early as 2013, sources said.

Edited April 7, 2012 by greenminer

Side Show Joe · April 7, 2012

I don't care who they add, as long as UNT is gone. It appears that under Benson, the Belt is determined to remain a gateway conference for the FCS.

GrayEagle · April 7, 2012

I don't care who they add, as long as UNT is gone. It appears that under Benson, the Belt is determined to remain a gateway conference for the FCS.

No doubt true, but where would you expect the SBC to get replacements?

Georgia State is in a big market and could be a good get depending on what Bill Curry can do with them. It moves them a step closer to getting possibly Appalachian State or Charlotte. Then when the WAC folds they'll likely get UTSA, Texas State and possibly La Tech (if CUSA doesn't take them) and they've got a decent nucleus of teams to at least surpass the MAC.

Rudy · April 7, 2012

There has to be a behind the door deal with Bensen and the WAC. Get hired by the SBC, kill it, and get rehired by the WAC.

Way to go on this hire SBC. :sick:

UNT90 · April 7, 2012

I don't care who they add, as long as UNT is gone. It appears that under Benson, the Belt is determined to remain a gateway conference for the FCS.

This. Get us out of here as quickly as possible. Seems Benson's WAC tendencies to take whoever have followed him to the Belt.

And to think I was initially glad when Waters resigned. "Things can always get worse" just took on a whole new meaning.

Edited April 7, 2012 by UNT90

UNT90 · April 7, 2012

No doubt true, but where would you expect the SBC to get replacements?

Georgia State is in a big market and could be a good get depending on what Bill Curry can do with them. It moves them a step closer to getting possibly Appalachian State or Charlotte. Then when the WAC folds they'll likely get UTSA, Texas State and possibly La Tech (if CUSA doesn't take them) and they've got a decent nucleus of teams to at least surpass the MAC.

And they will continue to be laughed at by EVERY other college football conference.

It's about perception, and the Sun Belt just went a long way to furthing the perception of every college football fan that they are the worst conference at the highest level (The WAC will soon be gone). Not just with fans, but with recruits, also.

While I'd like to blame this all on Benson, the university presidents have to approve this.

Way to go, presidents.

Edited April 7, 2012 by UNT90

shaft · April 7, 2012

This is bad news for another reason.

If the MWC side of the merger is really adding Utah State, then it means UTEP might not be moving over.

If the SBC is adding another eastern team is it to replace a departing FIU?

These types of moves to bode well for UNT getting into the merger.

stebo · April 8, 2012

This is bad news for another reason.
If the MWC side of the merger is really adding Utah State, then it means UTEP might not be moving over.
If the SBC is adding another eastern team is it to replace a departing FIU?

These types of moves to bode well for UNT getting into the merger.

This move just baffles me. The only thing that makes sense is that the Belt wants to add them now for the appearance of being proactive. That way when the conference loses teams, the new schools are not labeled as 'replacement ' schools. Going to 11 is a weird number. It's 12 for all other sports but 11 in football indicates there is more movement ahead. I do not like this move unless the Belt is trying to add to replace us.

Side Show Joe · April 8, 2012

No doubt true, but where would you expect the SBC to get replacements?

Georgia State is in a big market and could be a good get depending on what Bill Curry can do with them. It moves them a step closer to getting possibly Appalachian State or Charlotte. Then when the WAC folds they'll likely get UTSA, Texas State and possibly La Tech (if CUSA doesn't take them) and they've got a decent nucleus of teams to at least surpass the MAC.

I can't see any way the Belt falls below 8 teams after the dust has settled. If the conference still wanted to expand there will be plenty of candidates for the Belt to chose from. Evaluate the best programs at that time. I see no need to expand right now just to appear proactive. Adding GSU now, and saving them money on their buyout, makes them look poor and the Belt look bush league. Adding GSU later after accessing all the avalible candidates, will cost GSU more, but it would project an image of the Belt as calculating and thorough in there expansion and desirable to other programs. These programs won't have other options. The Sun Belt will be the only lifeboat, and there will not be enough seats for everyone. The conference can afford to be patient and selective.

Just my opinion.

Edited April 8, 2012 by Side Show Joe

techdawg88 · April 8, 2012

I can't see any way the Belt falls below 8 teams after the dust has settled. If the conference still wanted to expand there will be plenty of candidates for the Belt to chose from. Evaluate the best programs at that time. I see no need to expand right now just to appear proactive. Adding GSU now, and saving them money on their buyout, makes them look poor and the Belt look bush league. Adding GSU later after accessing all the avalible candidates, will cost GSU more, but it would project an image of the Belt as calculating and thorough in there expansion and desirable to other programs. These programs won't have other options. The Sun Belt will be the only lifeboat, and there will not be enough seats for everyone. The conference can afford to be patientand selective.

Just my opinion.

IA, but you have to remember who the new Sun Belt commissioner is Karl Benson. I really don't understand why the Sun Belt felt he was a good choice to replace Wright Waters

UNT90 · April 8, 2012

I can't see any way the Belt falls below 8 teams after the dust has settled. If the conference still wanted to expand there will be plenty of candidates for the Belt to chose from. Evaluate the best programs at that time. I see no need to expand right now just to appear proactive. Adding GSU now, and saving them money on their buyout, makes them look poor and the Belt look bush league. Adding GSU later after accessing all the avalible candidates, will cost GSU more, but it would project an image of the Belt as calculating and thorough in there expansion and desirable to other programs. These programs won't have other options. The Sun Belt will be the only lifeboat, and there will not be enough seats for everyone. The conference can afford to be patient and selective.

Just my opinion.

Agree. And the Belt should be hard after WAC programs. Finish that conference with a death blow of adding La. Tech and New Mexico St. Have to wait until after MWC/CUSA expansion? No problem. Wait. Don;t rush to add a FBS start up and then add them early so THEY can SAVE MONEY. Makes the conference look desperate and small time, but, then again, maybe Benson has operated desperately for so long, it's simply second nature.

shaft · April 9, 2012

I do not like this move unless the Belt is trying to add to replace us.

My fear is this move is not to replace us, but one of the Florida schools.

It does make sense that the SBC presidents decided Georgia State is the top expansion candidate, so go head and add them now. But it does make you wonder who they have in mind for the 12th spot.