C-USA considered preemptive expansion

[Charleston Pony]

CUSA isn't going to attract anyone that will make the conference more attractive in terms of "market" appeal. I could see expansion to 14 teams with the obvious benefit of reducing travel expenses. With 7 team divisions, you have an equal number of home/away games in divisional play. You could even implement a rule requiring only 1 football game to be scheduled against a team in the other division and count that as a non-conference game. That would allow schools to schedule more regional non-conference games or go more national, depending on what each school wants to do. Some may choose to play more than 8 games against CUSA schools. I just don't see the benefit in 16 teams.

[EastStang]

I think it depends how the dominoes fall this time. If Baylor, SMU, TCU, AFA, Tulsa, Tulane, Rice, Navy, and Army are out in the cold on this one, it might behoove us to look at some sort of magnolia league. AFA, Army and Navy would be great for that. That would leave them 4 games for non-conference (and all their games against each other are conference games). This was informally discussed at the time of the last round of mergers and there was not the possibility of Baylor or AFA being left out in the cold then. But if Baylor didn't come on board we could substitute other CUSA teams like UH, Marshall or USM.

[ponyboy]

I hate magnolias. Can't we call it something else?

[couch 'em]

Unless being in a private school league allows us to get away with things other schools cannot (like the service academies do) or includes USC, it is a HORRIBLE idea. A league full of teams who don't try to win. Might as well join the sunbelt.

[Samurai Stang]

The Magnolia League is by far the single worst idea ever suggested on this message board. Only a true moron could ever support this horrible notion. The Magnolia League is the kind of pro-academic, anti-athletic conference that one would expect to come from the likes of Pye. Pye is dead, and it pleases me greatly. Let us not bring back his reign of terror now that SMU is finally improving.

[Samurai Stang]

I think it depends how the dominoes fall this time. If Baylor, SMU, TCU, AFA, Tulsa, Tulane, Rice, Navy, and Army are out in the cold on this one, it might behoove us to look at some sort of magnolia league. AFA, Army and Navy would be great for that. That would leave them 4 games for non-conference (and all their games against each other are conference games). This was informally discussed at the time of the last round of mergers and there was not the possibility of Baylor or AFA being left out in the cold then. But if Baylor didn't come on board we could substitute other CUSA teams like UH, Marshall or USM.

You desire a conference that consists of universities that would attempt to establish themselves as a southern Ivy League, and would then include UH? Does that not defeat the entire purpose of establishing such a conference?

[ponyboy]

Samurai's a little cranky this evening. First he's happy Pye's dead and now he disses EastStang!

[Samurai Stang]

Samurai's a little cranky this evening. First he's happy Pye's dead and now he disses EastStang!

I am always pleased that Pye is dead. That is not limited to any set period of time.

[HB Pony Dad]

All of this "hand-ringing" speculation over where SMU may land sounds as if you all need to add this key to your keyboards...



I expect that all this speculation over College FB's "alleged" restructuring is nothing more than FUD...

[ponyboy]

Samurai's a little cranky this evening. First he's happy Pye's dead and now he disses EastStang!

I am always pleased that Pye is dead. That is not limited to any set period of time.

There is something to be said for consistency.