What teams have your conference lost...?

[putter]

We have been talking about which conference is the strongest top to bottom but which teams has your conference lost? Would you be better if they had not left?

The Big Sky has lost Boise St., Idaho, Nevada-Reno and CS Northridge (dropped program). The first three were powerhouses in I-AA and would have given the Big Sky one of, if not, the best conference in all the land.

[OL FU]

Kinda hard to say with the SoCon since it has been around for 80 years or so. :) I guess I won't count all of the now SEC and ACC teams. Recent losses, VMI and ETSU. While ETSU occasionally had good teams (mid 90's and before), the losses did not impact the recent conference strength. Marshall leaving obviously weaken football but I, personally, have no problem being weaker due to their departure.

[Gamecocks99]

Troy was in what conference?

[golionsgo]

We have been talking about which conference is the strongest top to bottom but which teams has your conference lost? Would you be better if they had not left?

The Big Sky has lost Boise St., Idaho, Nevada-Reno and CS Northridge (dropped program). The first three were powerhouses in I-AA and would have given the Big Sky one of, if not, the best conference in all the land.


The Southland Conference has undergone tons of changes over the years. Schools like Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Arkansas State, Northeast Louisiana (now UL-Monroe), Southwestern Louisiana (now UL-Lafayette), Troy State, and Jacksonville State were all part of the Southland at one time. Lamar and Texas-Arlington are still in the Southland but have dropped football.

We (Southeastern Louisiana) have been in the Southland Conference since 1997-98, but this will be our first year as an official football member.

You mentioned Boise State, probably one of our biggest wins as a program (prior to dropping football in 1985) was beating Boise State in Boise in 1980, 17-14. That was our very first game as a member of I-AA. The Broncos went on to win the National Championship that year over Eastern Kentucky.

[DuckDuckGriz]

Also in the Big Sky was Gonzaga way back in the day when they had football.

[OL FU]

Also in the Big Sky was Gonzaga way back in the day when they had football.

We had Davidson before they dropped football. :D

[mainejeff]

Yankee/A-10/CAA has lost:

Vermont - dropped football
Boston University - dropped football
UConn - moved up to I-A

[89Hen]

Yankee/A10 has lost Boston University (1997) and UConn (1999) since the advent of I-AA (Vermont dropped football after 1974). Both were more competitive in their last few years. BU made the playoffs in '93 and '94 and UConn in '98.

[Hansel]

"lost" St Mary's (RIP) UNC on the way out

[Tribe4SF]

W&M and Richmond dropped out of the SoCon in the seventies.

[Sly Fox]

We essentially traded Elon for VMI in the Big South.

I think it was basically a wash overall. Obviously the Keydets haven't done much since coming over but neither have the Phoenix.

[colgate13]

We lost Towson to the A-10... You're welcome guys!

[ngineer]

We also lost Davidson while we were still known as the Colonial League in the late 1980's. William & Mary was originally going to join the Colonial back in 1986, but backed out when the alums got up in arms over dropping the scholarships...

[MR. CHICKEN]

Troy was in what conference?

BIG LAXATIVE CONFERENCE!.............BAWK!............:eyebrow:

[ngineer]

BIG LAXATIVE CONFERENCE!.............BAWK!............:eyebrow:

Is that why they focus on the 'running' game? :D

[OL FU]

W&M and Richmond dropped out of the SoCon in the seventies.

Also, East Carolina.

[Ivytalk]

The Ivies have been the same "Ancient Eight" since, like, forever. The true "legacy" tradition! :D

[tsutiger]

Ohio Valley

Youngstown State - Gateway
Western Ky. - Gateway
Akron - MAC 1A
Middle Tennessee State - SunBelt 1A
Austin Peay - Pioneer
Morehead State - Dropped Football

[89Hen]

Ohio Valley
Youngstown State - Gateway
Western Ky. - Gateway
Akron - MAC 1A
Middle Tennessee State - SunBelt 1A
I think we have a winner on who may be the most different with and without teams that were once in the conference.

[89Hen]

When you see things like this, I guess we should be glad we lost any ties with UConn...

theft of four laptop computers (http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/3899582)

STORRS, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut guards Marcus Williams and A.J. Price were suspended from the team on Wednesday after the duo were arrested in connection to the theft of four laptop computers.
:p

[arkstfan]

I think we have a winner on who may be the most different with and without teams that were once in the conference.

The Southland has lost teams in every direction.
Trinity - moved to Division III
Abiliene Christian - moved to Division II
UL Lafayette - Left to remain I-A after 1981 change in I-A standards.
Lamar - left to be an independent in football (American South / Sun Belt hoops) later dropped it then returned to SLC
Tex-Arlington - kicked out after dropping football, later returned as non-football member.
Arkansas State - left for American South / Sun Belt basketball later moved to I-A.
La.Tech - left for American South / Sun Belt basketball and to move to I-A.
UL Monore - left in football for I-A (now leaving for all sports in Sun Belt)
North Texas - left for Big West and I-A football
Jacksonville State - left for OVC
Troy - left for I-A.

That is a lot for a conference that has only been around since 1964. Lamar and UTA were charter members but had periods when they weren't in the league. McNeese State is the oldest continuous member joining in 1972. Everyone else joined in 1987 or later.

[89Hen]

I thought about the Southland as soon as I posted, but the Southland is still a strong conference without these teams. The OVC is probably at the bottome of the auto-bid conferences and if YSU and WKU were members, they probably wouldn't be. I was thinking difference as in strength, not make-up.

[FightinBluHen51]

When you see things like this, I guess we should be glad we lost any ties with UConn...

theft of four laptop computers (http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/3899582)

STORRS, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut guards Marcus Williams and A.J. Price were suspended from the team on Wednesday after the duo were arrested in connection to the theft of four laptop computers.
:p


Yep, except for the pervurbial Eddie Conti reference :D

[tsutiger]

I thought about the Southland as soon as I posted, but the Southland is still a strong conference without these teams. The OVC is probably at the bottome of the auto-bid conferences and if YSU and WKU were members, they probably wouldn't be. I was thinking difference as in strength, not make-up.

I agree with you with Western KY, but not YSU. You people give YSU too much credit. They were nothing before JT now they are nothing that he’s gone. Check their history. I could be wrong but they never won the OVC when they were a member. Their best season in the OVC was 87, their last season. YSU tied for first, but EKU was crowned champs by beating them head to head. Notice how they haven’t been to the playoffs since JT left, and their record has gotten worse each year. 2001 8-3, 2002 7-4, 2003 5-7, 2004 4-7. IMO MTSU was a much bigger loss. Not YSU.

[GannonFan]

I agree with you with Western KY, but not YSU. You people give YSU too much credit. They were nothing before JT now they are nothing that he’s gone. Check their history. I could be wrong but they never won the OVC when they were a member. Their best season in the OVC was 87, their last season. YSU tied for first, but EKU was crowned champs by beating them head to head. Notice how they haven’t been to the playoffs since JT left, and their record has gotten worse each year. 2001 8-3, 2002 7-4, 2003 5-7, 2004 4-7. IMO MTSU was a much bigger loss. Not YSU.

Although they certainly were at their best under Tressel, they did have several seasons of success under Narduzzi, including a run at the national title in DII just before IAA really took off in the late 70's.

[89Hen]

I could be wrong but they never won the OVC when they were a member.
Has YSU ever won a Gateway title either? Who cares about conference championships when you have a playoff system.

[tsutiger]

Although they certainly were at their best under Tressel, they did have several seasons of success under Narduzzi, including a run at the national title in DII just before IAA really took off in the late 70's.


From 1950 to 1987 their last season in the OVC, YSU won 8 or more games 4 times.

1987 8-4
1979 11-2
1978 10-2
1974 8-2

Like i said. Now that JT is gone back to being weak.