Eagle_77
June 6th, 2005, 03:41 PM
I posted this on GSU message board but I feel that it goes for most SoCon teams and a lot of I-AA teams. Wanted to know what you guys think as well.
"I have heard time and time again that we should move to I-A and that the Sun Belt is a perfect fit for us. I decided to do a little research to see just how we would fit into this confernce. I tried to break this down every way possible.
1. Location- out of the available confernces in I-A this seems to fit. 2-FLA, 2-LA, 1-ARK, 1-Tenn, 1-ALA, 1-TX. Here is the driving distance and hours to get there according to MapQuest.
Ark St (3-8)- 665.57/11.5 hrs
FAU (9-3)- 491.35/7.75 hrs
FIU (3-7)- 533.87/8.5 hrs
LA Laf (4-7) 716.56/12.5 hrs
LA Mon (5-6) 707/11.25 hrs
Troy (7-4) 306.61/6.5 hrs
Midd Tenn St (5-6) 426.36/7 hrs
N. Texas (7-4) 1027.44/16.5 hrs
Thats an average of 609.35 miles or roughly 10 hrs driving time per away game. Our longest road trip now is App St. at 336.81/6.5 hours. Our average now is 270.5 which is a difference of 338.85 milse per road game. I just dont see people traveling to these games for the most part which benifits the program in no way as far as I could see. If we were traveling to different teams thats a different story but not for this list.
2. We can compete- this is pretty much a fact at this point. This leage was a wopping 43-45 last year. That is with one team playing a I-AA schedule in FIU which we all know the outcome of us and them last year. Only three teams had winning records and two of those teams went to small bowls in which they lost. How is this competition so much better than what we are playin now? The SoCon was 45-45 last year with two teams making it to the post season and one going as far as the semi-finals. I just dont see the big step up in competition. At this point all i see is a difference in scholarships and give the I-AA teams the same number of scholarships and i bet the records would still be very similar.
3. Great chance at Conf championship and postseason- this is very true but how much different will it be than now. We win the conf go to a no name bowl game play another bottom feeder I-A program for what?
4. Rivalrys- We have a history with Middle Tenn St from when we first entered the league. We played them several times before joining the SoCon and proved to be a major problem at times. While this rivalry could be re-birthed what other type of rival do we have? Troy was a usually a good team in I-AA and would be the closest. Can either of these teams or any other team in the Sun Belt bring what the App St and Furman games bring to the program?
While I am all for us moving to I-A is the Sun Belt the answer to that? I personally think that some people are so eager to move up that any I-A confernce would do even if it is not the best for the program. Please prove to me why the Sun Belt would help the program."
"I have heard time and time again that we should move to I-A and that the Sun Belt is a perfect fit for us. I decided to do a little research to see just how we would fit into this confernce. I tried to break this down every way possible.
1. Location- out of the available confernces in I-A this seems to fit. 2-FLA, 2-LA, 1-ARK, 1-Tenn, 1-ALA, 1-TX. Here is the driving distance and hours to get there according to MapQuest.
Ark St (3-8)- 665.57/11.5 hrs
FAU (9-3)- 491.35/7.75 hrs
FIU (3-7)- 533.87/8.5 hrs
LA Laf (4-7) 716.56/12.5 hrs
LA Mon (5-6) 707/11.25 hrs
Troy (7-4) 306.61/6.5 hrs
Midd Tenn St (5-6) 426.36/7 hrs
N. Texas (7-4) 1027.44/16.5 hrs
Thats an average of 609.35 miles or roughly 10 hrs driving time per away game. Our longest road trip now is App St. at 336.81/6.5 hours. Our average now is 270.5 which is a difference of 338.85 milse per road game. I just dont see people traveling to these games for the most part which benifits the program in no way as far as I could see. If we were traveling to different teams thats a different story but not for this list.
2. We can compete- this is pretty much a fact at this point. This leage was a wopping 43-45 last year. That is with one team playing a I-AA schedule in FIU which we all know the outcome of us and them last year. Only three teams had winning records and two of those teams went to small bowls in which they lost. How is this competition so much better than what we are playin now? The SoCon was 45-45 last year with two teams making it to the post season and one going as far as the semi-finals. I just dont see the big step up in competition. At this point all i see is a difference in scholarships and give the I-AA teams the same number of scholarships and i bet the records would still be very similar.
3. Great chance at Conf championship and postseason- this is very true but how much different will it be than now. We win the conf go to a no name bowl game play another bottom feeder I-A program for what?
4. Rivalrys- We have a history with Middle Tenn St from when we first entered the league. We played them several times before joining the SoCon and proved to be a major problem at times. While this rivalry could be re-birthed what other type of rival do we have? Troy was a usually a good team in I-AA and would be the closest. Can either of these teams or any other team in the Sun Belt bring what the App St and Furman games bring to the program?
While I am all for us moving to I-A is the Sun Belt the answer to that? I personally think that some people are so eager to move up that any I-A confernce would do even if it is not the best for the program. Please prove to me why the Sun Belt would help the program."