Who's Moving to Division I-AA

[HenHouse1]

I am curious about this...
I have seen alot of talk abot different schools moving up, but I was just wondering, does anyone have a list of actual schools that are moving up? I am not talking about speculation but schools that have made actual declarations or are atleast planning a move. Thanks for any help!

[MarkCCU]

I read somewhere that NSU and Valdosta State are planning on moving up in ranks.

[gr8ness97]

Winston-Salem State is moving up next year (my school), and North Carolina Central just got approved by their trustees to start the reclassification in dec or june

[JoshUCA]

The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) is moving into the Southland Conference next season!


GO BEARS...Beat the Blue Ho's!

[MarkCCU]

interesting...

[henfan]

West Chester University (PA) is "moving up" so that the Hens won't have to play a D-II school every year. :)

[TexasTerror]

Where the heck are all these schools going to go, conference-wise? Div I is getting more and more schools left and right now, it seems.

[Reed Rothchild]

I read somewhere that NSU and Valdosta State are planning on moving up in ranks.


NSU :confused: :confused: :confused:

[89Hen]

Where the heck are all these schools going to go, conference-wise? Div I is getting more and more schools left and right now, it seems.
There is TONS of room in the current conferences. IMO 9 is the optimum number for a I-AA conference so you have 8 conference and three OOC.

Big South - 5
Great West - 6
Patriot - 7
Southland - 8 (with the addition of UCA)
Southern - 8
Gateway - 8
Big Sky - 8

And once Old Dominion, Georgia State, George Mason and/or UNC-W get off their collective arses and establish football, there will be room in the CAA and A10/America East/or whatever you want to call it once they split. :p

[Grizzaholic]

The last couple of years NDSU was wanting to come to the Big Sky, but it hasn't surfaced as of yet.

[TexasTerror]

There is TONS of room in the current conferences. IMO 9 is the optimum number for a I-AA conference so you have 8 conference and three OOC.

Southland - 8 (with the addition of UCA)

Tons of room? Are you kidding? SLC has Lamar, UTA, UTSA and now A&M-CC without football. We're at 12 schools total. SLC can not handle more than 12...

And we're not the only league out there that has non-FB playing institutions...

[grizindabox]

89Hen, the Big Sky will be at 9 next season with the addition of Northern Colorado.

[Ronbo]

I believe there is talk of a couple schools in the GLIAC going I-AA too. Wayne State is one, I think Saginaw Valley State is the other considering.

[89Hen]

Tons of room? Are you kidding? SLC has Lamar, UTA, UTSA and now A&M-CC without football. We're at 12 schools total. SLC can not handle more than 12...

And we're not the only league out there that has non-FB playing institutions...
Talking football here. The CAA (former Atlantic 10) has 12 full members, yet has taken in 6 more with the addition of football and even more for other sports....

CAA Members (full)
Delaware
Drexel
George Mason
Georgia State
Hofstra
James Madison
UNC - Wilmington
Northeastern
Old Dominion
Towson
Virginia Commonwealth
William & Mary

CAA Football members
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Richmond
Villanova

CAA Wrestling members
Binghamton
Boston University
Campbell
Rider
Sacred Heart (Lacrosse too)
Wagner

CAA Swimming member
College of Charleston

That's 25 schools.

[89Hen]

89Hen, the Big Sky will be at 9 next season with the addition of Northern Colorado.
Forgot about that, perfect then. But that just makes one more spot in the GWFC.

I still think the Gateway needs to take in NDSU and SDSU, while the BSC should take in CalPoly (cripes they play 5 BSC this year anyway) and UC-D. SUU should just stop playing football. :(

[lucchesicourt]

I think many of you will wish UCD dropped football when we get to a full schollie level. That will leave one less playoff spot for the rest of 1AA.

[89Hen]

I think many of you will wish UCD dropped football when we get to a full schollie level. That will leave one less playoff spot for the rest of 1AA.
We shall see if UC-D can beat anyone outside of the GWFC and Big Sky (0-4 lifetime vs I-AA's outside of those two conferences). ;)

[Russ B]

We're 1-0 vs the Pac-10 this year. :P :D

[ysubigred]

There is TONS of room in the current conferences. IMO 9 is the optimum number for a I-AA conference so you have 8 conference and three OOC.

Big South - 5
Great West - 6
Patriot - 7
Southland - 8 (with the addition of UCA)
Southern - 8
Gateway - 8
Big Sky - 8

And once Old Dominion, Georgia State, George Mason and/or UNC-W get off their collective arses and establish football, there will be room in the CAA and A10/America East/or whatever you want to call it once they split. :p

I think 9 teams are ideal for a conference. 10 teams then you need a EW or NS. Grabbing 3 quality OOC games are more realistic than 4.

Saying all that I would like to see the GFC pick up a 9th team. Perferablly a team closer to Y-town then Indy St. If one of the D II's can't convert over to the GFC/1AA then how about...........For the WKU fan's EKU leaving the OVC for the GFC :)

[WYOBISONMAN]

Forgot about that, perfect then. But that just makes one more spot in the GWFC.

I still think the Gateway needs to take in NDSU and SDSU, while the BSC should take in CalPoly (cripes they play 5 BSC this year anyway) and UC-D. SUU should just stop playing football. :(


--But we wanna be in the Big Sky...... :(

[ucdtim17]

The GWFC will have only 5 after UNC heads to the BSC next year, so we'd welcome any newcomers. And there's no way UCD ever goes to the BSC, and while I'd hesitate to speak for CP, I don't think that would ever happen either. Makes great sense for FB, but nothing else. It's tough playing I-AA out here

[ucdtim17]

Cal State Bakersfield is looking at moving up, but they don't play football. I think they're hoping for an invite from the Big West, but it hasn't happened yet. That seems like it could be a good football town if they ever wanted to add it - it's a lot more like Texas than anywhere else in Calfornia (just like Fresno, which draws 41,000 a game). Unlikely though, to say the least

[89Hen]

Saying all that I would like to see the GFC pick up a 9th team. Perferablly a team closer to Y-town then Indy St. If one of the D II's can't convert over to the GFC/1AA
Like one of the PSAC West teams you've played in the past? The Rock?

[gophoenix]

Presbyterian of the SAC-8 (where Elon and Gardner-Webb) is moving up in 2007.

[blur2005]

Talking football here. The CAA (former Atlantic 10) has 12 full members, yet has taken in 6 more with the addition of football and even more for other sports....

CAA Members (full)
Delaware
Drexel
George Mason
Georgia State
Hofstra
James Madison
UNC - Wilmington
Northeastern
Old Dominion
Towson
Virginia Commonwealth
William & Mary

CAA Football members
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Richmond
Villanova

CAA Wrestling members
Binghamton
Boston University
Campbell
Rider
Sacred Heart (Lacrosse too)
Wagner

CAA Swimming member
College of Charleston

That's 25 schools.
If we wanted a CAA/America East split, we could have (if GA State, Mason, and ODU added teams)

CAA:
Delaware
George Mason
Georgia State
Hofstra
James Madison
Northeastern
Old Dominion
Towson
William & Mary

A-10/America East:
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Richmond
Villanova

Maybe Albnay or someone would join that new conference in the northeast. Or UMass goes I-A, Richmond and Villanova join the Patrio, and the other three keep the CAA at 12.

[*****]

If we wanted a CAA/America East split, we could have (if GA State, Mason, and ODU added teams)...No I-AA Conference should be more than 10 teams IMO. With teams moving up there should either be new conferences if they can't fit in an existing one that has less than 10 teams or they play as independents.

[skinny_uncle]

No I-AA Conference should be more than 10 teams IMO. With teams moving up there should either be new conferences if they can't fit in an existing one that has less than 10 teams or they play as independents.
Playing as an independent is a dead end. It is hard enough to get 11 quality games if you have a conference that takes care of 2/3 of your games. It is a nightmare for independents, I'm sure. Savannah State is the only IAA listed as an independent this year. They are 0-10 against a less than impressive schedule. I'm not sure how you can survive s an an independent. IAA does not have its own version of Notre Dame.

[putter]

I think you could see Sac St and Portland St getting out of the Big Sky and entering the Great West and the Big Sky looking at NDSU and SDSU.

[*****]

... I'm not sure how you can survive as an independent...Cal Poly had no problem with it...

[89Hen]

Cal Poly had no problem with it...
Neither did GSU, YSU or Hofstra. That said, it is much easier to be in a conference.

[SoCon48]

I am curious about this...
I have seen alot of talk abot different schools moving up, but I was just wondering, does anyone have a list of actual schools that are moving up? I am not talking about speculation but schools that have made actual declarations or are atleast planning a move. Thanks for any help!


Mansfield :D

[Chi Panther]

I'd really like to see NDSU and SDSU join the GFC.......but as previously mentioned.....YSU is soo far east...and their fans wouldn't like this.

What SHOULD happen....but won't......is getting EIU back in the GFC. Why they left makes no sense other than they couldn't beat UNI back in the day....

I think it would be great to add EKU as well....lots of tradition there.....but that would only be a great addition IF WKU would stay which doesn't seem to be the case.....

So I guess to wrap up this rant.....I'd like to see two teams added and they would be NDSU and SDSU.....