?uestion about college football....

[SIUallDay]

why is it that in D-1 basketball all of the teams in college are in ONE division instead of being in one division and then split up into TWO seperate subdivisions? attendance is about the same as far as basketball goes w/ a FCS school' team averaging 3-10k and and BCS school going anywhere from 10k-25k.....whats the deal? why isn't it the same way for football? to me, it would be alot more interesting that way...that, AND having a playoff system....I hope I didn't confuse anybody on here...

[citdog]

why is it that in D-1 basketball all of the teams in college are in ONE division instead of being in one division and then split up into TWO seperate subdivisions? attendance is about the same as far as basketball goes w/ a FCS school' team averaging 3-10k and and BCS school going anywhere from 10k-25k.....whats the deal? why isn't it the same way for football? to me, it would be alot more interesting that way...that, AND having a playoff system....I hope I didn't confuse anybody on here...


come around here more often and you will find out!

[james_lawfirm]

why is it that in D-1 basketball all of the teams in college are in ONE division instead of being in one division and then split up into TWO seperate subdivisions? attendance is about the same as far as basketball goes w/ a FCS school' team averaging 3-10k and and BCS school going anywhere from 10k-25k.....whats the deal? why isn't it the same way for football? to me, it would be alot more interesting that way...that, AND having a playoff system....I hope I didn't confuse anybody on here...

The practical answer is because of the difference in $$ it takes to field a football team (63 scholarships, 11 coaches = FCS vs. 85 scholarships, 12 coaches = FBS) as compared to a basketball team (12 scholarships).

But, I agree that the FBS should have a real playoff system (just like ours).

[UAalum72]

Actually not a bad question from the historical view - why was Division I (or University Division) split into subdivisions? I assume the real reason was to ensure that the top six conferences got the big TV and bowl bucks, but was there ever any real danger that a I-AA team in the 1970s would take a Sugar Bowl invitation away from Alabama? Anybody here old enough to remember?

[Keeper]

Back in the late 60's the NCAA, realizing that the University Division
and College Division were each too large for proper competition,
came up with Divisions I-A I-AA II & III, and defined those divisions by
scholarship numbers primarily. I-AA started with University Division
conferences which opted for a lower scholarship limit yet remain
Division I all sports, led by the Big Sky, Southern, Ivy League and old
Yankee conferences. Independents included Colgate, Holy Cross, Boston Univ,
Lamar, Dayton, Drake, Lafayette, Lehigh. Southland, Ohio Valley, MEAC & SWAC
were added to Division I-AA from the College Division.
The rest of the College Division was partitioned into II & III (non-schollie).

Unfortunately, I am old enough to remember, maybe not very accurately.
Some say we're overdue for reclassification. It's a never ending evolution.

[appfan2008]

interesting thoughts but i dont think basketball will ever be split

[appfan2008]

it definately is

[SIUallDay]

basketball would be so boring if it was split up....but college football would be more exciting if both subdivisions hooked up again...but I don't know what would happen as far as the postseason...football is so physically demanding that you couldn't have a march madness style playoff....could they?

have an 8 game regular season w/ the conference champions getting an auto-bid, at large teams and having a single elimination tournament?

that would be ALOT

[blukeys]

Back in the late 60's the NCAA, realizing that the University Division
and College Division were each too large for proper competition,
came up with Divisions I-A I-AA II & III, and defined those divisions by
scholarship numbers primarily. I-AA started with University Division
conferences which opted for a lower scholarship limit yet remain
Division I all sports, led by the Big Sky, Southern, Ivy League and old
Yankee conferences. Independents included Colgate, Holy Cross, Boston Univ,
Lamar, Dayton, Drake, Lafayette, Lehigh. Southland, Ohio Valley, MEAC & SWAC
were added to Division I-AA from the College Division.
The rest of the College Division was partitioned into II & III (non-schollie).

Unfortunately, I am old enough to remember, maybe not very accurately.
Some say we're overdue for reclassification. It's a never ending evolution.

The split into Divisions I, II, and III occurred in 1973. Division I-AA was created in 1978. The first Champion was Florida A&M. The purpose for I-AA was to have a venue for cost containment Division I football. Let us know what you specifically want to know because 34 years of football is difficult to get into one post.

[FCSFAN]

NCAA wanted playoffs in football like everything else and the bowls refused so they split it