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This may eventually level the playing field:

Fewer JCs allowed, and no more 'easy' degree plans:

Difficulty of degrees
Guidelines may make athlete-friendly majors thing of past. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2003-11-18-atheletes-majors_x.htm

Academic paths to cross
New degree rules may slow junior college athletes' leap to D-I.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2003-11-18-jrcollege-rules_x.htm

D-1A college football is going to face some difficult choices in the future.

I don't know if the university presidents will have enough courage to unify and really force the football programs to shift toward the paramount academic mission of their institutions.

Articles like these give me some hope.

SMU could be a big winner if significant reforms occur.

Unfortunately these changes are scheduled to coincide with changes in NCAA Minimum qualification standards that will no longer require a SAT/ACT qualification score to earn a scholarship. The result will be a huge increase in qualifying students who can be admitted to the Big Ten, Big 12 and other major conferences that now limit the admission of partial qualifiers and are tired of getting beat by the Fresno St, Northern Illinois, Troy St, Marshall's of the world who have focused on these partial qualiers to compete. I think SMU should support measures that raise NCAA Minimum qualification standards for all schools but the fact is those standards are being watered down not strengthened. The emphasis will change but will SMU be on an even playing field?

<small>[ 11-18-2003, 10:09 PM: Message edited by: Stallion ]</small>