Possible FCS teams to move up?

[UR Spider]

Saw this article and wondered who the canidates are that would fit into this sentence:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5276064

"The WAC is keeping its options open, too, scouring for schools. Benson said there are five or six candidates from the Football Championship Series the conference is keeping an eye on."

All very interesting.

[SFspidur]

Check this thread (http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?t=69665) for discussion.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://www.collegesportingnews.com/content.php?204-BCS-Conference-Changes-and-the-FCS-%28Part-II%29


This also might explain the WAC’s sudden interest in the three California schools. With five (albeit lesser-known) California schools, it could plausibly be the college football counterpoint to the Pac-12, Pac-16 or however it all shakes out.

That is, of course, if the NCAA doesn’t choose to reclassify the WAC as an FCS conference in the wake of such a move.

The NCAA has had a rule on the books saying in order for a team to remain FBS, it needs to average an attendance of more than 15,000 during a rolling two-year period.

Last year, three members of the WAC didn't even average this modest goal: Idaho (11,479 per game), Utah State (13,131) and New Mexico State (14,412). And excluding Fresno State, Hawai’i and Boise State, the rest of the WAC averaged well less than 20,000 fans per game.

If the Mountain West decided to take all three WAC schools that average more than 30,000 in attendance and the WAC replaces them with Cal Poly, UC Davis and Sacramento State, it could easily have a conference that averages less than 20,000 fans per football game.

[slostang]

The article says that Cal Poly recently dropped mens and womens Tennis. Not true. Cal Poly has not dropped any of it's athletics programs. It does mention that UC Davis dropped 4 sports, but did you notice that none of them were sports that the WAC sponsor?

[PaladinFan]

If the WAC cherry picks some of the West Coast teams, does that bring about the end of FCS football west of the Mississippi being relevant?

If I were king of the world I'd have half those WAC teams drop down and play FCS ball. That would be fun to watch.

[Cocky]

If the WAC cherry picks some of the West Coast teams, does that bring about the end of FCS football west of the Mississippi being relevant?

If I were king of the world I'd have half those WAC teams drop down and play FCS ball. That would be fun to watch.

No, because it sounds like the FCS Championship game is going to be played in PAC-10 territory.

[MplsBison]

I have to think that in the end Texas will do whatever it thinks will enable it to start their own cable network for UT sports.

Going to the Pac-10 or Big10 seemingly prevents that from happening.


Staying put in the Big XII (stay at 10 or add BYU and Air Force) will allow that but so would going to the SEC.

Why does everything say that Texas hates the SEC? Is it really that bad? And the SEC would let them have their own tv network and keep all the money, on top of getting money from monster ESPN and CBS deals.

[MplsBison]

http://www.collegesportingnews.com/content.php?204-BCS-Conference-Changes-and-the-FCS-%28Part-II%29

Wishful thinking at best.

Schools in the FBS now have made a capital investment to be there. You don't just kick them out because they didn't reach some arbitrary number that has nothing to do with anything.

That's not how business is done.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Wishful thinking at best.

Schools in the FBS now have made a capital investment to be there. You don't just kick them out because they didn't reach some arbitrary number that has nothing to do with anything.

That's not how business is done.

What does New Mexico State (average attendance, 14,500ish) have in common with Texas (average attendance: 100,000+)? They can't compete in the same bowls. really. Texas' budget on football probably is greater than New Mexico State's entire athletic budget. And Texas will probably get $7 million dollar checks every year while the Aggies struggle to become road fodder for Arizona or Arizona State.

It's hardly just wishful thinking.

[JDC325]

Some folks have no clue when they think the NCAA will ever be able to force a team back down to the FCS much less a whole conference. That is one of the most idiotic things I have read.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Some folks have no clue when they think the NCAA will ever be able to force a team back down to the FCS much less a whole conference. That is one of the most idiotic things I have read.

You mean, by changing a rule that the NCAA has complete control over? xrolleyesx

[MplsBison]

What does New Mexico State (average attendance, 14,500ish) have in common with Texas (average attendance: 100,000+)? They can't compete in the same bowls. really. Texas' budget on football probably is greater than New Mexico State's entire athletic budget. And Texas will probably get $7 million dollar checks every year while the Aggies struggle to become road fodder for Arizona or Arizona State.

It's hardly just wishful thinking.

All the numbers you cite have nothing to do with anything.

NM St has paid the costs of moving up to FBS. They are an FBS school now. So what if they don't meet some arbitrary number that has nothing to do with anything?

NCAA would be in the wrong to force a FBS team to FCS because of attendance and if it hasn't happened yet it's not going to happen.


Teams like Texas, Florida, etc. (the super powers) may just as well form their own association. They're at a level above FBS.

[lucchesicourt]

I found this little tidbit on WAC expansion.

“Benson added that the WAC has looked at potentially adding more than five or six FCS teams and that Montana would fit into the league's geographical footprint.”

http://www.ktvq.com/news/wac-disusses-possibly-inviting-fcs-big-sky-schools/