Conference USA expands for 2013

[Harry]

Multiple news outlets are reporting that Conference USA is expanding, but Appalachian State is not one of the schools that is being brought into the league.

Florida International, Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Texas-San Antonio, Charlotte and Old Dominion will be added to the league in 2013, giving C-USA 14 programs. Old Dominion is moving up to the FBS after a successful

FCS season, and Charlotte is starting football in 2013. Charlotte was a founding member of C-USA in 1995, but moved to the Atlantic 10 in 2005.

The expansion allows C-USA to stage a conference football championship game. Leagues must have 12 teams in order to hold one of those events.

Joining Conference USA was one of the available options Appalachian State was exploring during its investigation into moving from the FCS level into the FBS. NCAA rules dictate that an institution must join a conference before it can make the move from the FCS to the FBS.

http://CBSSports.com reported that the expansion would eliminate the proposed Conference USA/Mountain West Conference merger. The website said there were too many legal obstacles, including issues about automatic bids and loss of television revenues, for the merger to happen. The website added that the MWC and C-USA would continue to “work together on a plan to share scheduling, television and marketing resources.”

The new Conference USA will be divided into two divisions, according to http://CBSSports.com<. The East Division will include East Carolina, Charlotte, Marshall, Southern Mississippi, Florida International, Alabama-Birmingham and Old Dominion.

The West Division includes Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Rice, Texas-San Antonio, Tulane, Tulsa and Texas El-Paso.

read more: http://www2.wataugademocrat.com/Breaking_News/story/REPORTS-Conference-USA-expands-for-2013-id-007688

[Rudy]

I'd love for Ap State to get into the SBC. And looking at the CUSA West, I don't see any reason why we shouldn't compete for a trip to the title game.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Slow down..... We need to be in and playing first..... we have people wanting TxState, NMSU, MTSU, WKU, LaLa, App. State and others in this league.... It would be an insane size. We don't even get a vote yet.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Is UTEP in CUSA or the MWC? Do their alums even know or is just more message board chatter saying they are going to the MWC?

[Green2012]

So is there a theoretical cutoff for division 1 teams? It seems being division 1 is going to lose its "exclusiveness" sooner or later. Smite me if you want but I'm not thrilled about the FCS teams springing straight up into CUSA since this is the supposed conference we've been wanting to be in for some time now.

With that said, I'm pumped about the geographic layout of CUSA for home and away games. When will divisions be decided?

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

So is there a theoretical cutoff for division 1 teams? It seems being division 1 is going to lose its "exclusiveness" sooner or later. Smite me if you want but I'm not thrilled about the FCS teams springing straight up into CUSA since this is the supposed conference we've been wanting to be in for some time now.

With that said, I'm pumped about the geographic layout of CUSA for home and away games. When will divisions be decided?

.

---Agree ..... although I do somewhat understand the UTSA thing because of.... the huge market ... enrollment size ( 30,000+) .... and no competing pro teams in NFL or MLB ...both of which play in the football season. They were selected purely on potential and San Antonio is starved for some type of home team other than the Spurs. . I just hope that what we are hearing is what is actually happening. I am a bit surprised UTSA jumped TxState which I think is better known... but TxState hasn't been that successful even in the Southland and that hurt them .

..