What would happen to the FCS and college football if.......

[putter]

The NCAA really wanted to try and level the playing field and reduced football scholarships from 85 down to 70. You could theoritically go 2 deep on offense, defense, special teams with 4 schollys left over. This would cause the hoarding of talent by the Big 5 to begin to be spread out amonst other conferences and thus allow lower conferences to recuit top talent to their programs. Would the Big 5 be as dominent and able to spin off or could you have a more cohesive NCAA FBS with the other conferences now with top tier talent and could compete. Wonder if it would have more top FCS programs looking to move up?

Was having this conversation with some ex-FCS players. Interesting prospects.

[Green26]

Yes, it would level the playing field to some extent. I suppose some more FCS teams might move up, but I doubt that many more would. If the ncaa tried to force this on the Big 5, the Big 5 would split from the ncaa in a heartbeat in football. Then the Big 5 might increase its scholarships and attract more talent.

[Catbooster]

I'm not sure there's any reason to have an FCS if that was done. Instead of a 22 scholarship difference, it would only be 6. Hardly worth having 2 subdivisions. I can't imagine that happening.

But yes, I suppose in theory it would reduce the advantage for the top of the FBS.

[skinny_uncle]

NFL teams get by with 53 on the roster. Why do D1 teams need so many players?

[bonarae]

Although it makes no difference on the Ivies, the reduction of scholarship numbers in D-I football may level the playing field to some extent. But there are several factors that may make this not proceed: how prepared are the scholarship FCS teams to accommodate more of these for football, will the "Transfer U" trend continue, etc.

[Sitting Bull]

Number of players to me is not a big deal, now or going forward.

It's money, pure and simple.

FCS will remain I think the home base of schools who want and recognize the importance of football within the scope of the university though have no interest in a meaningless arms race, masquerading as a peer of the major five conferences. They won't make, or expect to make, money on football and will be willing to support it like any other department within reason.

[UAalum72]

NFL teams get by with 53 on the roster. Why do D1 teams need so many players?

If a player gets hurt, the pros can hire a new player the next day. Colleges have to make do with whoever's enrolled in the fall semester.

[Professor Chaos]

What would happen? The P5 conferences would completely break away from the NCAA and probably offer even more full ride scholarships than they do now.

[Catamount87]

It's an interesting theoretical discussion but in reality that'd never happen. The BCS conferences have been positioning themselves such that they now basically can control the NCAA and do as they please. Sharing anything with non-BCS schools and conferences is an absolute never-going-to-happen in their eyes. I firmly believe that at some point in the next several years that they will completely breakaway from the NCAA.

[TypicalTribe]

What would happen? The P5 conferences would completely break away from the NCAA and probably offer even more full ride scholarships than they do now.

Then the question would be how many of the Big 5 schools (Wake, Vandy, etc.) might decide that it was too much for them and drop out. Would be an interesting decision for a number of schools.

[semobison]

NFL teams get by with 53 on the roster. Why do D1 teams need so many players?

Every year you lose 10-20 seniors, or guys leaving early. It is nice to have guys who have been in the program for a year or two to replace the players leaving.

[Sycamore62]

If a player gets hurt, the pros can hire a new player the next day. Colleges have to make do with whoever's enrolled in the fall semester.

NFL teams dont have 25 players that arent physically ready to play (or shouldnt)

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The day the NCAA tries to flex their muscles like that, the P5 leave the following day and go up to 120 scholly athletes. Not that the NCAA would ever try, because they're run by a P5 lackey as it is.

[Sycamore62]

Then the question would be how many of the Big 5 schools (Wake, Vandy, etc.) might decide that it was too much for them and drop out. Would be an interesting decision for a number of schools.

I think these schools will continue to make more money. heck, half of them do nothing to earn it except ride coat tails

[walliver]

The Big 5 will do well no matter what happens.
The big attraction of playing at Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, etc is not number of scholarships, but being able to play in front of 80,000-100,000 screaming fans on national television.

If the Big 5 leave, the NCAA will likely ratchet down scholarship limits at all levels.

[putter]

IF the Big 5 left then they would have their football, however, the NCAA could legislate that no NCAA member school would/could play the Big 5. How would that affect them being able to schedule only themselves? If they dropped out then some of those schools would lose a lot of money not being able to play in March Madness. Heck, there may not even be an NCAA as we know it if that happened.

[REALBird]

I think these schools will continue to make more money. heck, half of them do nothing to earn it except ride coat tails
Exactly, too much money to be left behind to get a case of the "morals". Hell the BIG 10 network paid out almost 25 million a school last year just from their TV network. Imagine being Northwestern a school who is private, and probably loses money on most of their sports programs if it wasn't for the subsidizing from the Big 10 leaving.....not happening.

[REALBird]

The day the NCAA tries to flex their muscles like that, the P5 leave the following day and go up to 120 scholly athletes. Not that the NCAA would ever try, because they're run by a P5 lackey as it is.

Good luck with that....I think the Big 5 will always be a part of the NCAA, and the NCAA will always make the necessary accomodations to appease the Big 5 at the expense of others. First thing is the Big 5 would have to somehow find a way to carry over the NCAA's Anti-Trust exemption, while proving that college athletics is still about amatuerism (lol....cough....lol...) OK. Sorry. Then, in order to make this about more than just watching them beat up on themselves at the expense of making money, they NEED to lure in the Mountain West, MAC, Sun-Belts, etc,. to ensure that they put up the charade that "EVERYONE" has a chance to compete for a National Championship. Knowing it's really the SEC, ACC, Pac-12 and maybe the Big 10/Big XII winner in a good year.

To keep those boosters and alums coming back for Homecoming, you need a Middle Tennessee State or Ball State on the schedule. It's a win-win. They get the W (most of the time) the lower tier FBS schools get some money and TV exposure (sometimes).....everyone sells their soul and the Devil (ESPN) is happy!

[Sycamore62]

The only amatuers in college are the athletes. Had to get that in there

about the only thing that could hurt the Big 5 would be a viable minor league football league