Which I-A teams should move to I-AA?

[Lumberjacks76]

I'm looking at TSN's rankings 1 through 119, and half of the bottom quarter should seriously consider moving down in rank to Division I-AA.

Which of these lower-ranking Division I-A programs should move back down to Division I-AA? I've selected teams with an "x" by their name:


Troy
x - South Florida
Mississippi State
x - Baylor
x - Vanderbilt
Eastern Michigan
x - East Carolina
Army
x - Rutgers
Indiana
x - Louisiana-Lafayette
x - San Jose State
x - Duke
San Diego State
x - Rice
x - Central Michigan
x - Louisiana-Monroe
New Mexico State
x - Temple
x - Ohio
x - Ball State
Arkansas State
Utah State
x - SMU
Central Florida
x - Western Michigan
x - Idaho
x - Buffalo
x - Florida International
Florida Atlantic

Paul

[89Hen]

Paul, I understand your questioning weaker I-A teams, but there is no reality to any of the ones in BCS conferences to move anywhere. They are all sports members of the conferences. Every conference has their weak teams and the ACC would have no interest in losing a Duke, or the BXII a Baylor. Beyond that, if a team isn't making money at the I-A level, chances are they won't make money as a I-AA either.

If you want an honest answer, I think the SunBelt would be a better fit for I-AA, but as long as they still have the promise of having their champ play in a bowl game, no matter how terrible the bowl, they will stay right where they are.

[arkstfan]

If the I-AA enhancements are helpful and turn out to be meaningful moving from I-A to I-AA may become more viable. If the labels are stripped off and we return to what we saw before Division I was divided (conferences setting various scholarship limits under the Division I limit with no attendance, stadium, etc requirements) then you might see some schools "quietly" become I-AA by lowering their scholie limits. Until the new minimum scholarship standards were adopted there were several of those schools not only under 85 but approaching and even under 63 at times.

I would say the probable scenario though is if 5 years from now when Realignment Phase IV begins if a few schools are left standed without a league that they might go I-AA for the simple reason that they will have a hard time complying with the I-A schedule requirements.

[Lumberjacks76]

The Sun Belt is pretty awful. Arizona State crushed Louisiana-Lafayette in a down year by a score of 63-27.

Paul

[TexasTerror]

Why Rice? They can get major teams to come to their place. Texas and A&M aren't strangers for two for ones with Rice. They sell those games out. With Rice being in C-USA, it'll help them out big time with UH and SMU coming to town. I believe they wanna renew the rivalry with Baylor as well, which would be great!

[tarmac]

"I would say the probable scenario though is if 5 years from now when Realignment Phase IV"



What do you think phase IV will look like?

[kats89]

The Sun Belt conference is a joke in my opinion. Nothing but I-A wannabes. However, I look for the NCAA to do away with I-AA and make it a playoff I-A.

[BlackSaturday]

I can't forsee ECU as a I-AA school. They have been succseful in I-A, until lately. Even with their recent decline they still averaged over 30k fans. They are regularly playing the ACC North Carolina teams.

[ngineer]

Realistically, Army and Navy should drop down to I-AA and fill out the PL were they belong, as they play in the Patriot in all other sports (except wrestling). It will never happen, though, due to the Pentagon.
Florida Atlantic should also give up its halucinations.

[89Hen]

It will never happen, though, due to the Pentagon.
Hey, they could package it in the base realignment. :p

[colgate13]

ngineer - my thoughts exactly. Army and Navy need to give up the I-A expenses and come down to I-AA. Heck, those are our tax dollars funding losing (for the most part) programs!

[kats89]

Hey, they could package it in the base realignment. :p


xlolx

[Tod]

Realistically, Army and Navy should drop down to I-AA and fill out the PL were they belong, as they play in the Patriot in all other sports (except wrestling). It will never happen, though, due to the Pentagon.
Florida Atlantic should also give up its halucinations.

So what happens to Air Force? Not really fair to compete with Army and Navy for the Commanders-in-Chief Trophy if they have 22 more schollies. But now that I think about it, I don't know how the academies work that out, since they all have full rides. Hmmmmm... :confused:

[arkstfan]

Academies are only under roster limits because they are all on a "full ride".

As to Realignment IV.

That's too hard to call because we don't know yet what the money will look like for the Big East as it becomes more dependent on hoops for revenue nor what CUSA will look like as it becomes less dependent on hoops for their revenue.

[Red Hawk]

I'd add Vanderbilt though it won't happen until they are out of the SEC.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

So what happens to Air Force? Not really fair to compete with Army and Navy for the Commanders-in-Chief Trophy if they have 22 more schollies. But now that I think about it, I don't know how the academies work that out, since they all have full rides. Hmmmmm... :confused:

IMVHO....

The Service Academies don't offer scholarships. Everyone gets a free ride, plus a service requirement. Everyone can agree they are execptions to any I-A or I-AA scholarship rules.

Army and Navy should become a part of the PL in football. There is nothing stopping them from choosing to compete with Air Force should they wish for the Commanders-in-Chief trophy. Army/Navy would still draw the same as a I-A or I-AA game. I don't believe it would affect their "recruiting" per se since when playing for Army you're not getting recruited just to play football, it's also for other factors.

They probably never will reclassify simply because:

1) they use their games to recruit nationally. When Army plays at Arizona, it's not just a game, it's also a recruiting drive. Again, this is a unique situation.

2) both are adamant that somehow dropping to I-AA will cause so much of a loss of face and horror among alumni that it's not ever a consideration.

[WUTNDITWAA]

Why should we care about who should drop where? :confused:

[troyw]

The Sun Belt conference is a joke in my opinion. Nothing but I-A wannabes. However, I look for the NCAA to do away with I-AA and make it a playoff I-A.

You should be happy that Troy moved to 1-A....it opened the door for you to actually have a shot at winning a conference championship! :)

[89Hen]

You should be happy that Troy moved to 1-A....
Who? :p