C-USA Should Try for a Big Steal

[UNTflyer]

Just kicking this around, because it's June...

But should C-USA make a big push to get teams from the bottom of the SEC, ACC, or Big 12?

Think about it - these teams have virtually ZERO chance of ever competing with Florida, Georgia, Auburn or LSU; with Texas or Oklahoma; with Miami, VA Tech, or Florida State. A few candidates:

Mississippi State

Vanderbilt

Boston College

Iowa State

Wake Forest

Crazy? Maybe. But consider the advantages for these teams. They would leave a league where they have not even sniffed a conference title. With expansion of the SEC, ACC, and Big 12 looming, their chances of competing when other big powerhouse schools make the jump will dwindle even further. Sure, being in a conference with big money offers a big pay day, but these schools are really just being paid to be cannon fodder on Saturdays.

By moving to C-USA, Miss State, Iowa State, et al have a significantly better chance of competing. And with the possibility of conference champions getting an automatic bid to the playoffs, it starts to possibly make sense.

Edited June 21, 2013 by UNTflyer

[Mean Green 93-98]

Sure, go ahead and ask. But none of those teams are leaving their present conferences for C-USA, especially in its newest incarnation.

[Harry]

His point is if they are a BCS buster every year they come out ahead. I really like the thinking out of the box Flyer. Not sure if it will fly but I can say I've never seen this idea before.

[EagleD]

You MIGHT convince an administration but never a fan base (read as donors).

[UNT90]

The students and alumni of these universities would revolt. Donations would dry up.

Just look at how many on here are predicting 8 wins this year with zero evidence to think that this is even a possibility. The fans of these other universities are the same way. They think that if just this or if just that happens, they can be competitive for the conference title.

It would be like us going back to the Sun Belt... strike that... like us going back to FCS football.

Anyone for that?

Edited June 21, 2013 by UNT90

[NorthTexan95]

These teams will he interested when their current conference kicks them out. It's coming one day.

[UNTflyer]

You think Mississippi State fans prefer the big paycheck, even though they have won only one conference title in 118 years?

Iowa State has two conference championships - both were more than 100 years ago from back when they were in the Missouri Valley Conference in 1911 and 1912.

We all thought a lot of things weren't going to happen before realignment.

Like Boise State and San Diego State leaving the Big East to go to the Mountain West.

Would Big Six doormats leaving for more competitive pastures really be that crazy?

[Mean Green 93-98]

His point is if they are a BCS buster every year they come out ahead. I really like the thinking out of the box Flyer. Not sure if it will fly but I can say I've never seen this idea before.

I can just hear the sales pitch: "Leave behind your major conference, and you can be the next Tulane!"

[UNTflyer]

It would be like us going back to the Sun Belt... strike that... like us going back to FCS football.

Anyone for that?

Apples and Oranges. Our move is an improvement for us in every respect.

How does Vanderbilt benefit from staying in the SEC and getting pounded every week by semi-professional teams? No conference titles since 1923, when they were co-champions.

[mgfan]

I love the idea, but I don't see it happening.

[UNTflyer]

I can just hear the sales pitch: "Leave behind your major conference, and you can be the next Tulane!"

The worst that can happen is they say "No." But I'd wait for the SEC to announce their expansion to 18 teams with the invitation of Florida State, Georgia Tech, Clemson, and Miami.

"Stay with your major conference, and you will be the next Muncie Flyers."

[PlummMeanGreen]

I'd rather CUSA and the Go5 conferences moreso try to steal some of the annual $20 million per Big Boy Conferences school TV monies instead. That is and maybe a few more million dollars is more than some Go5 conferences get for their entire conference.

To put it nicely... the Big Boy Conferences (BBC's) being the the true gents that they are should bring a huge vat of Vaseline with them at the next NCAA Convention when all our conferences are in attendance.

Not all schools in the BBC's (the bottom tier schools) deserve the windfall profits they are getting. Wonder how long they will get to enjoy that windfall?

GMG!

[HoustonEagle]

I have to assume you mean in football only? Some of these schools compete quite well in other sports.

[PlummMeanGreen]

I have to assume you mean in football only? Some of these schools compete quite well in other sports.

Yep, HoustonEagle, I mean't football and should have stated such.

GMG!

[UNT90]

Apples and Oranges. Our move is an improvement for us in every respect.

How does Vanderbilt benefit from staying in the SEC and getting pounded every week by semi-professional teams? No conference titles since 1923, when they were co-champions.

Money.

Yep. Money is the answer. And Prestige.

They would rather be associated with LSU than UNT any day and through any 0-12 season.

Think of it this way, what would UNT give to get an invitation to the Big 12? How many would say "Gee, we might not be competitive, so lets just stay in CUSA." I would bet zero, including you. Everyone wants to believe that their university will be big time one day. Just look at the amount of "sleeping giant" posts on this board.

Of course, we haven't been competitive in the Sun Belt, so I guess being in the Big 12 wouldn't be that much of a difference except for the huge paychecks.

[JesseMartin]

I'd add Duke and UKy, maybe even Minnesota to the list if we're talking about football only, and possibly only including recent history. But the big thing that some of you danced around is this: would they be competitive if they moved down a level in conferences? The OOC track records of some of those schools aren't that great, so maybe not. But if they were, then maybe you'd see them going bowling - and winning - every year, getting a bigger share of that cashola, especially if they were the BCS buster (easier to compete with a power school once or twice a year than to get pounded by them every week). So the only real issue remaining would be the huge TV dollars, and that may work better or worse over the next few years depending on more realignment and who gets rights to what games. Of course, if they get tossed out, then there would be no choice...and they wouldn't have to pay out anything! So yet another issue that comes up with a "wait and see" policy. But in general terms I don't think it's a crazy idea at all, haven't we talked about this before? Maybe it was just me and the Moot Court guys back in the day, but it has definitely come up before.

[MDH]

Can we add the Dolphins?

[NT91]

Vandy should not be in the SEC.

[mdmeangreen]

Not.going.to.happen.

[Eagle1855]

I'd rather be in any of those team's position than that of North Texas.

Also, Mississippi State isn't going anywhere, ever.

[SilverEagle]

I like this discussion. The ability to think outside the box is what got us the, successful student vote to raise the athletic fees. Does anyone remember what a "no way in hell" situation that was before it happened?

To me, it would be all about timing. The perfect timing would be when someone from CUSA does a Boise St-type-BCS-bowl-busting event. THEN make the pitch to any and all of the aforementioned also- rans with the main message being "you can continue in your current traditional role of body bag in the SEC (and other leagues) or you can come to the land of opportunity".

If nothing else we raise a lot of eyebrows by boldly making the overtures. As my dearly departed mother used to say "you never get what you really want unless you ask for it".

[Stan R]

I like this discussion. The ability to think outside the box is what got us the, successful student vote to raise the athletic fees. Does anyone remember what a "no way in hell" situation that was before it happened?

Yes. Remember it quite well. To me it was much more frustrating and depressing than all of this talk of CUSA is "not a big upgrade". Like the difference between going on life support and getting the flu. Yeah, the flu is a bummer, but... Life Support?

[GrayEagle]

For now, I think it's safe to say that no one that is a member of a Power 5 Conference would consider leaving. The pay for an also-ran is simply too good to pass up. But, knowing the greed of the larger, more prestigious universities, it's impossible to say how long their benevolence will last. We know that there have been undertones of the Top 60 breaking away to form their own division. Should that happen, they could include whomever they want and not have to 'kick out' any of the less competitive teams.

I think that the best solution currently is to keep certain universities within the geographic footprint of CUSA informed that we will be there for them should the need ever arise.

[Eastwood Eagle]

Just kicking this around, because it's June...

But should C-USA make a big push to get teams from the bottom of the SEC, ACC, or Big 12?

Think about it - these teams have virtually ZERO chance of ever competing with Florida, Georgia, Auburn or LSU; with Texas or Oklahoma; with Miami, VA Tech, or Florida State. A few candidates:

Mississippi State

Vanderbilt

Boston College

Iowa State

Wake Forest

Crazy? Maybe. But consider the advantages for these teams. They would leave a league where they have not even sniffed a conference title. With expansion of the SEC, ACC, and Big 12 looming, their chances of competing when other big powerhouse schools make the jump will dwindle even further. Sure, being in a conference with big money offers a big pay day, but these schools are really just being paid to be cannon fodder on Saturdays.

By moving to C-USA, Miss State, Iowa State, et al have a significantly better chance of competing. And with the possibility of conference champions getting an automatic bid to the playoffs, it starts to possibly make sense.

Did you type this with a straight face? Is this a new bit?

Edited June 21, 2013 by Eastwood Eagle

[NTXCoog]

You think Mississippi State fans prefer the big paycheck, even though they have won only one conference title in 118 years?

Iowa State has two conference championships - both were more than 100 years ago from back when they were in the Missouri Valley Conference in 1911 and 1912.

Are conference championships the only way to judge how a team performs?

MS State has finished ranked twice (as recently as 2010) and has been to bowls 5 times since 2000.

ISU has been to 8 bowls since 2000.

So would you prefer UNT's 4 SunBelt championships and 4 bowls or ISU's 0 Big 12 championships but 8 bowls? UNT's 4 championships or MS State's 2 top 25 finishes?

And just to show I'm not being biased against UNT, as a UH fan, I actually prefer our #14 ranking in 2011 to our conference championship in 2006 where we didn't sniff the top 25 all season. There's much more prestige and respect for a top 25 ranking than there was for a CUSA championship.