Georgia Southern and App State to the Sun Belt

[ysuindy]

Twitter reports have GSU and App joining the Sun Belt Conference, with press conferences coming Wednesday. 

https://twitter.com/AppTrailWSJ

https://twitter.com/rvarner

[IAA Fan]

I saw that. Both of their fan-bases are crying, and coming up with ways they will join c-USA. If anything, C-USA will grab WKU (out of the Sun Belt) for their basketball, and drop Marshall. Both GaSU and ASU have always been so full of themselves. When WKU leaves, the Sun Belt will grab Liberty ...or one of the Southland teams ...probably SHS to get their hands on a major city. This is only if Marshall stays in c-USA, and does not wind up in the Sun Belt.

[ysuguins4]

This will create much more parity in the Southern Conference.  These two have been playoff regulars, so it makes it easier to receive an at-large bid.

[Wick250]

This is a good thing for us.  Not only will it create parity in that conference, but it will also reduce the Southern conference to a 1 or 2 bid league.  It also dramatically weakens the southern-east coast axis that many, correctly or not, feel has exerted too much influence with the selection committee over the years.  In over two decades, Boise State is the only former IAA team to find the promise land and stay there, unlike Marshall's brief flirtation with glory.  Good luck to GSU and ASU.  They are going to need it.

[IAA Fan]

This is a good thing for us.  Not only will it create parity in that conference, but it will also reduce the Southern conference to a 1 or 2 bid league.  It also dramatically weakens the southern-east coast axis that many, correctly or not, feel has exerted too much influence with the selection committee over the years.  In over two decades, Boise State is the only former IAA team to find the promise land and stay there, unlike Marshall's brief flirtation with glory.  Good luck to GSU and ASU.  They are going to need it.

Good points Wick. The power of the "Big-3" has diminished greatly with the rise of Wofford, and the decline of Furman. However it really did exist for quite some time. All that changed, over those years, was GSU taking Marshall's spot in the conference and the "big-3".

[ysuguins4]

If Liberty also moves to the Sun Belt, that may trigger some movement betweenthe Big South and the Southern Conference.

[Lets_Talk]

Good article on how these moves will lead to a lessening of FCS football. And, while not in the article, YSU still has their hands full in the MVFC. Do not expect UNI to be down for a 2nd season in a row. NDSU is a dominate program, SDSU is very good, and the only really weak program right now in the MVFC is Missouri State. YSU is a middle of the pack MVFC program. But, losing programs the caliber of App State and GSU to FBS/1A does not help at all with regards to the perception of FCS football as "non D1 football"


In the FCS Huddle: End of the FCS as we know it is looming
http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/news/news.aspx?id=4579842