The Sun Belt is going to grow

Harry · April 8, 2012

Right now the Sun Belt has a non-football member in Arkansas-Little Rock. Having one more in the East would help to balance things out. That would give GSU another year or two to follow South Alabama’s lead and play another season or two as an FCS independent before moving up. We’ve seen what can happen when schools make the move before they’re really ready (FIU was just terrible for several years before Mario Cristobal helped to right the ship.) And, while the South Florida Panthers have been in bowls the last two years, they spent a boatload of time and money getting to that point while trying to compete in the highest level of football competition.

But, regardless of when the football move comes about, the bottom line is the Peach State Panthers are coming into the league.

The question arises, who will join them?

In his introductory press conference, Benson said he was looking for schools that “fit the geographic footprint” of the Sun Belt. Most took that to mean from Texas to the East Coast, and no further north than Bowling Green or Jonesboro. He also said current FBS schools and schools that were planning to make the move would be considered.

An earlier CBSSports article said Texas-San Antonio and Charlotte were prime candidates. But, since then, reports have surfaced the Roadrunners are making a big push to get into the CUSA/MWC conglomerate. Charlotte, from a football standpoint, isn’t ready and probably won’t be for a few years. And, Charlotte is unlikely to leave the Atlantic-10 for the Sun Belt while waiting for its football to mature.

Given South Alabama and Georgia State’s fledging programs, it’s not likely the Sun Belt is going to do some mass additions of more FBS newbies. The exception would be UTSA, which has a market size that is attractive to more than one league. And, no other school seems to have mass appeal at this time.

Texas State? Maybe, but probably not as long as North Texas remains a member of the Sun Belt. Appalachian State? Western schools aren’t enamored with the difficulty of travel to Boone, NC. Old Dominion? They aren’t ready yet and even if they are, does the geographic footprint fit? Georgia Southern? They haven’t come forward and said they’re going to move to the FBS and even if they do, Statesboro isn’t Atlanta.

Read more: http://espn1420.com/sun-belt-is-going-to-grow-from-the-birds-nest/

UNTflyer · April 8, 2012

Currently at ten football playing members, the Sun Belt can lose two (three if GSU comes in ) and still be a viable league. More than half the league has been mentioned as possible invitees to the MWC/CUSA hodgepodge. Conventional wisdom believes two, FIU and North Texas, have the best chance at an invite.

http://espn1420.com/sun-belt-is-going-to-grow-from-the-birds-nest/

DeepGreen · April 8, 2012

"And then, of course, there is Louisiana Tech. The Ruston school is like the homely girl at the school dance, waiting for the good looking boy to approach and ask her to dance. That girl has been sitting and waiting now for about a decade. And, the dance is almost over. If that good looking boy doesn’t walk over soon, the girl will have to dance with the guy with (according to her) pimples and horn-rimmed glasses."

NorthTexan95 · April 8, 2012

I think Georgia State was done this early because their current conference was going to increase the buyout to leave next week. I think UTSA, LT, and others will wait to see how the Alliance pans out before committing to the Sun Belt. So I wouldn't expect anymore additions to the Sun Belt until after the Alliance makes its decision.

techdawg88 · April 8, 2012

I think Georgia State was done this early because their current conference was going to increase the buyout to leave next week. I think UTSA, LT, and others will wait to see how the Alliance pans out before committing to the Sun Belt. So I wouldn't expect anymore additions to the Sun Belt until after the Alliance makes its decision.

thank you, I don't know why others can't realize the reason Georgia St got invited now rather than later & nobody is going to make any final decisions until they know what is going to happen with the Alliance

Edited April 8, 2012 by techdawg88

UNT90 · April 8, 2012

thank you, I don't know why others can't realize the reason Georgia St got invited now rather than later & nobody is going to make any final decisions until they know what is going to happen with the Alliance

So, as a Tech fan, does the Georgia St. addition now make you feel better about La. Tech joining the Belt?

techdawg88 · April 8, 2012

So, as a Tech fan, does the Georgia St. addition now make you feel better about La. Tech joining the Belt?

not really, but if we don't get an invite to the Alliance what choice do we have? Tech has 2 options: CUSA/Alliance or Sun Belt since the WAC is going to be dead and no longer an option

Side Show Joe · April 8, 2012

I think Georgia State was done this early because their current conference was going to increase the buyout to leave next week. I think UTSA, LT, and others will wait to see how the Alliance pans out before committing to the Sun Belt. So I wouldn't expect anymore additions to the Sun Belt until after the Alliance makes its decision.

I think you are absolutly right. GSU was added now to help them avoid a larger buyout later. I just think we still should have waited. I don't care if GSU would have to pay more later to join the Sun Belt. I believe the Sun Belt will have lots of options when the other conferences are done with expansion.

Are we going to let FCS conferences force our hand, or our we going to control the situation?

I think this was a weak move by the Sun Belt, under Benson's direction.

stebo · April 8, 2012

I think you are absolutly right. GSU was added now to help them avoid a larger buyout later. I just think we still should have waited. I don't care if GSU would have to pay more later to join the Sun Belt. I believe the Sun Belt will have lots of options when the other conferences are done with expansion.

Are we going to let FCS conferences force our hand, or our we going to control the situation?

I think this was a weak move by the Sun Belt, under Benson's direction.

The Belt just got played by the CAA

UNT90 · April 8, 2012

not really, but if we don't get an invite to the Alliance what choice do we have? Tech has 2 options: CUSA/Alliance or Sun Belt since the WAC is going to be dead and no longer an option

This is my point.

The Sun Belt should be targeting what is left of the WAC, especially La. Tech (and programs like it with long-standing football tradition), which is dead inside the conference footprint. Georgia St. is, or should be, a second tier Invite. Inviting them now sends the message to every other WAC team "Hey, don't worry, we will take crappy FBS start ups, so just rest assured that we will be here for you if you don't find a home somewhere else." In essence, "Yes, we are the crappiest conference in college football."

If they later want to take Georgia St., well, whatever, but who freaking cares whether or not Georgia St. has to pay a bigger buy out. I would even say that if Georgia St. can't make the commitment to pay a bigger buyout, what kind of commitment will they make to be a legitimate FBS football school? They want in? Wait their turn and pay to play. .

Inviting them at this point and time makes zero sense.

It's all about perception.

My mind goes back to the friday night band competition at the conference basketball tournament when Waters told Benson "don't mess it up".

Well, that didn't take long.

Edited April 8, 2012 by UNT90