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Post by troysux on Feb 26, 2024 15:30:23 GMT -6
UMASS and their crappy football program is joining the MAC in 2025 for all sports.
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stevo
Full Member
Posts: 735
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Post by stevo on Feb 26, 2024 15:34:35 GMT -6
Don't be surprised if Western Ky follows them.
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Post by Whup Em All on Feb 26, 2024 15:48:08 GMT -6
Don't be surprised if Western Ky follows them. Not gonna happen. WKU fans have told me the ONLY reason they were looking at the MAC in the first place was because they thought CUSA was dying and didn't want to be left behind. Most (not all, but most) of their fans are very happy with the current version of CUSA.
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Post by jsu02 on Feb 26, 2024 16:47:24 GMT -6
I would think WKU would prefer EKU not be FBS. Their only option to have some control over the situation is to remain in CUSA. Should WKU leave, expect EKU to be announced within 24 hours or less.
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Post by Cleburneslim on Feb 26, 2024 18:18:37 GMT -6
Don't be surprised if Western Ky follows them. Not gonna happen. WKU fans have told me the ONLY reason they were looking at the MAC in the first place was because they thought CUSA was dying and didn't want to be left behind. Most (not all, but most) of their fans are very happy with the current version of CUSA. WKU will not demote themselves to the Mac.
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Post by Cleburneslim on Feb 26, 2024 18:19:33 GMT -6
I'm glad those stupid rumors of UMass to CUSA will now be dead.
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Post by jsualumnus on Feb 26, 2024 20:35:00 GMT -6
I'm glad those stupid rumors of UMass to CUSA will now be dead. No kidding….
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Post by jaxstate_student25 on Feb 27, 2024 1:28:40 GMT -6
So who do y'all want? I want Chattanooga but I don't think they're an option 😭. Everyone on Twitter is saying Tarleton State but I'm not so sure about them. They are boring and wouldn't help us get any better (athletically and academically) just my opinion though
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Post by jsumania on Feb 27, 2024 8:51:01 GMT -6
WKU and the MAC are flirting with each other according to reports, but I'll be shocked if they leave... it'd be a blow to CUSA if they did leave.
I'm starting to wonder if Delaware backs out of their CUSA commitment and joins the MAC?
Joining academically with Miami, Buffalo, and UMass would probably be high on Delaware's list.
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Post by Whup Em All on Feb 27, 2024 10:00:11 GMT -6
So who do y'all want? I want Chattanooga but I don't think they're an option 😭. Everyone on Twitter is saying Tarleton State but I'm not so sure about them. They are boring and wouldn't help us get any better (athletically and academically) just my opinion though Chatty seems like a good option -- and in a perfect, bus-league world, I suppose they would be -- but when you break down the actual numbers, they'd be a terrible addition. They have solid men's basketball. That's pretty much it. They're mediocre (at best) in football, with near-zero fan support, even when they're contending for the SoCon championship. They do not field a baseball team. Honestly, if it came to it, I think I'd rather have UNA over the Mocs. Much better fan base in an area that's exploding in growth. Gives us a bit more geographical separation between teams (3 hours vs 2 hours). And though they've been struggling with the move to D-I so far, they're on an upward trend, rather than accepting the status quo of eternal mediocrity. But if we look outside our immediate area -- which honestly, is what we should do (I just brought up UNA as an answer to Chatty) -- Tarleton is most likely. I'm sure they'll probably approach Mo State first to gauge their interest, but if the Bears aren't immediately on board with it, CUSA won't give them the long leash they gave UMass. Tarleton will get the nod over EKU, only because we need some western teams and the financial base for Tarleton is much higher than for EKU. The Colonels haven't so much "accepted mediocrity" as they've been stuck in it. Tarleton seems to be pushing its way through it. I'm not saying they're the greatest thing since sliced bread -- most folks in Texas kind of cringe at the thought of Tarleton coming on board -- but I think it's kind of like Kennesaw. Folks who've known about Kennesaw for decades are in disbelief that they're about to be an FBS school. Kennesaw is supposed to be a local college for kids who couldn't (or didn't want to) leave home. It's high school with cigarettes and NAIA athletics. It's not supposed to be an R2 university competing at the highest level of the NCAA. That's where Texans are with the Texans. I think ultimately, Tarleton will be a good addition. They'll be regional rivals of Sammy and La Tech, and not *terribly* far from UTEP and NMSU. Out of that group, Sammy will become their No. 1 rival in time, since those two schools have more in common than the other three. Will it be enough to make the Bearkats forget SFA and the Battle of the Piney Woods? Probably not. But Tarleton will be to Sammy what Kennesaw is to Jax State (and MTSU is to WKU). A new rival to replace an old one they won't be playing anymore. Oh... and to address one specific comment in your post: So who do y'all want? I want Chattanooga but I don't think they're an option 😭. Everyone on Twitter is saying Tarleton State but I'm not so sure about them. They are boring and wouldn't help us get any better (athletically and academically) just my opinion though Tarleton is matching or outperforming Chatty in athletics nearly across the board: FOOTBALL: Tarleton (8-3, Sagarin #134) - UTC (8-5, Sagarin #161) FOOTBALL ATTENDANCE: Tarleton (18,697) - UTC (8,177) MEN'S HOOPS: Tarleton (17-7, NET 142) - UTC (17-10, NET 134) HOOPS ATTENDANCE: Tarleton (~1,300) - UTC (3,209) BASEBALL: Tarleton (24-26, RPI 183) - UTC (--) SOFTBALL: Tarleton (31-29, RPI 161) - UTC (25-27, RPI 168) And when it comes to academics, Tarleton is a Carnegie R2 university. Chattanooga is one step down with a basic D/PU classification. Don't get me wrong... I'm not fired up about the prospects of Tarleton State joining us in CUSA. I'd MUCH rather have EKU or SFA. But of the realistic choices, Tarleton's not too bad. And they could turn into a really good one in time. Missouri State would probably be the more "prestigious" choice, such as it is, and, if you ignore football, they are pretty strong both athletically and academically. But they don't thrill me at all. I'd accept them if they came on board. I just wouldn't prefer them.
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Post by Whup Em All on Feb 27, 2024 10:10:24 GMT -6
WKU and the MAC are flirting with each other according to reports, but I'll be shocked if they leave... it'd be a blow to CUSA if they did leave. I'm starting to wonder if Delaware backs out of their CUSA commitment and joins the MAC? Joining academically with Miami, Buffalo, and UMass would probably be high on Delaware's list. If Delaware has any form of escape clause, I could see this happening. They're probably kicking themselves for jumping at the chance to join CUSA. Of course, the MAC doesn't have a history of taking FCS programs, so it's possible the Blue Hens wouldn't have gotten an invitation at all from the MAC if they had said no to CUSA. (Assuming the MAC has a choice.) The MAC's interest in WKU is a no-brainer. The Toppers are a regional program (convenient to the many Indiana and Ohio schools in the MAC) and would instantly be a contender in most, if not all, sports. But I don't think it's a mutual attraction anymore. If WKU is talking to the MAC, it's probably just to see the numbers so they're making a decision based on facts and not emotion. But the facts are, CUSA has passed the MAC on nearly every metric that actually matters. Half of WKU's fan base would be happy with the MAC, but the other half would hate it. And WKU does all their recruiting down south, not in the rust belt. It just wouldn't be a good move. Delaware may be next up if the Toppers say no. And if they're unable (or unwilling) to move, one has to think an FCS program has a shot. Maybe even NDSU. That would be an interesting thing to watch, even if the Bison have lost a step competitively in the past couple years.
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Post by jsumania on Feb 27, 2024 10:29:39 GMT -6
So who do y'all want? I want Chattanooga but I don't think they're an option 😭. Everyone on Twitter is saying Tarleton State but I'm not so sure about them. They are boring and wouldn't help us get any better (athletically and academically) just my opinion though Chatty seems like a good option -- and in a perfect, bus-league world, I suppose they would be -- but when you break down the actual numbers, they'd be a terrible addition. They have solid men's basketball. That's pretty much it. They're mediocre (at best) in football, with near-zero fan support, even when they're contending for the SoCon championship. They do not field a baseball team. Honestly, if it came to it, I think I'd rather have UNA over the Mocs. Much better fan base in an area that's exploding in growth. Gives us a bit more geographical separation between teams (3 hours vs 2 hours). And though they've been struggling with the move to D-I so far, they're on an upward trend, rather than accepting the status quo of eternal mediocrity. But if we look outside our immediate area -- which honestly, is what we should do (I just brought up UNA as an answer to Chatty) -- Tarleton is most likely. I'm sure they'll probably approach Mo State first to gauge their interest, but if the Bears aren't immediately on board with it, CUSA won't give them the long leash they gave UMass. Tarleton will get the nod over EKU, only because we need some western teams and the financial base for Tarleton is much higher than for EKU. The Colonels haven't so much "accepted mediocrity" as they've been stuck in it. Tarleton seems to be pushing its way through it. I'm not saying they're the greatest thing since sliced bread -- most folks in Texas kind of cringe at the thought of Tarleton coming on board -- but I think it's kind of like Kennesaw. Folks who've known about Kennesaw for decades are in disbelief that they're about to be an FBS school. Kennesaw is supposed to be a local college for kids who couldn't (or didn't want to) leave home. It's high school with cigarettes and NAIA athletics. It's not supposed to be an R2 university competing at the highest level of the NCAA. That's where Texans are with the Texans. I think ultimately, Tarleton will be a good addition. They'll be regional rivals of Sammy and La Tech, and not *terribly* far from UTEP and NMSU. Out of that group, Sammy will become their No. 1 rival in time, since those two schools have more in common than the other three. Will it be enough to make the Bearkats forget SFA and the Battle of the Piney Woods? Probably not. But Tarleton will be to Sammy what Kennesaw is to Jax State (and MTSU is to WKU). A new rival to replace an old one they won't be playing anymore. Oh... and to address one specific comment in your post: So who do y'all want? I want Chattanooga but I don't think they're an option 😭. Everyone on Twitter is saying Tarleton State but I'm not so sure about them. They are boring and wouldn't help us get any better (athletically and academically) just my opinion though Tarleton is matching or outperforming Chatty in athletics nearly across the board: FOOTBALL: Tarleton (8-3, Sagarin #134) - UTC (8-5, Sagarin #161) FOOTBALL ATTENDANCE: Tarleton (18,697) - UTC (8,177) MEN'S HOOPS: Tarleton (17-7, NET 142) - UTC (17-10, NET 134) HOOPS ATTENDANCE: Tarleton (~1,300) - UTC (3,209) BASEBALL: Tarleton (24-26, RPI 183) - UTC (--) SOFTBALL: Tarleton (31-29, RPI 161) - UTC (25-27, RPI 168) And when it comes to academics, Tarleton is a Carnegie R2 university. Chattanooga is one step down with a basic D/PU classification. Don't get me wrong... I'm not fired up about the prospects of Tarleton State joining us in CUSA. I'd MUCH rather have EKU or SFA. But of the realistic choices, Tarleton's not too bad. And they could turn into a really good one in time. Missouri State would probably be the more "prestigious" choice, such as it is, and, if you ignore football, they are pretty strong both athletically and academically. But they don't thrill me at all. I'd accept them if they came on board. I just wouldn't prefer them. I really think adding Tarleton State would not be good for the conference. There are proud, long-time FBS/1A programs like La Tech, UTEP, MTSU, and WKU who absolutely do not want to be seen on the same level as Tarleton State, mainly because they were a Division II school not even four years ago. They already struggled coming to terms that JSU, KSU, and SHSU were coming to CUSA from the FCS. Throw in Tarleton, and there will be severe apathy going on for the original CUSA members.
Like it or not, the stigma of it is real for those schools.
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Post by redcocks on Feb 27, 2024 10:42:27 GMT -6
I would like us to add South Dakota State .
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Post by Whup Em All on Feb 27, 2024 12:34:24 GMT -6
I really think adding Tarleton State would not be good for the conference. There are proud, long-time FBS/1A programs like La Tech, UTEP, MTSU, and WKU who absolutely do not want to be seen on the same level as Tarleton State, mainly because they were a Division II school not even four years ago. They already struggled coming to terms that JSU, KSU, and SHSU were coming to CUSA from the FCS. Throw in Tarleton, and there will be severe apathy going on for the original CUSA members. Like it or not, the stigma of it is real for those schools. I don't disagree. Some of them were able to stomach Sammy because of their recent National Championship and their historical strength (or at least solidness) in hoops and basketball. WKU and MTSU played JSU a couple times in our joint FCS/I-AA history, so they at least knew of us, and the outgoing UAB fans gave us their blessing. Heck, even troy state and App State fans had good things to say about us. (Which was shocking for different reasons.) Delaware has the funding, academic reputation, and state flagship status to overcome the FCS stigma. (And like Sammy, they've got an FCS Natty in their trophy case.) Kennesaw has been a MUCH harder pill to swallow, for the exact reasons you mentioned about Tarleton. Worse, given their student body size and Atlanta market, Kennesaw looks like a prime candidate to be poached by another league someday, once their FBS transition is complete. La Tech and WKU fans, in particular, bristle at the thought of these newer teams using CUSA as a stepping stone when they've been stuck here for a decade. As for Tarleton? They have potential. That's it. Just potential. Even their market (which is one of their brighter selling points) is more potential than anything at this time. They're midway between Abilene and Fort Worth, an area experiencing skyrocketing growth. But that growth isn't in Stephenville yet. It's just ... potential. Even some of the fans who support Tarleton getting a CUSA invite feel that it wouldn't hurt to let the Texans simmer a bit down in FCS. Build out all those facilities (more potential) and win some trophies in football and basketball (potential!) and continue making progress on their quest to become an R1 university (potential!). I'd be absolutely fine with us staying at 11 teams for a bit. I would've been OK with 9, to be honest. But if we're moving to 12, and that certainly seems to be the plan, it looks like Tarleton has the lead over Mo State and EKU. (Or at least, the Texans are neck and neck with the Bears. The Colonels appear to be safely in 3rd.) Hey, we could always invite all three and move to 14. I'm sure that'd be popular with everybody.
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Post by smith79jordan on Feb 27, 2024 15:57:12 GMT -6
I really think adding Tarleton State would not be good for the conference. There are proud, long-time FBS/1A programs like La Tech, UTEP, MTSU, and WKU who absolutely do not want to be seen on the same level as Tarleton State, mainly because they were a Division II school not even four years ago. They already struggled coming to terms that JSU, KSU, and SHSU were coming to CUSA from the FCS. Throw in Tarleton, and there will be severe apathy going on for the original CUSA members. Like it or not, the stigma of it is real for those schools. I don't disagree. Some of them were able to stomach Sammy because of their recent National Championship and their historical strength (or at least solidness) in hoops and basketball. WKU and MTSU played JSU a couple times in our joint FCS/I-AA history, so they at least knew of us, and the outgoing UAB fans gave us their blessing. Heck, even troy state and App State fans had good things to say about us. (Which was shocking for different reasons.) Delaware has the funding, academic reputation, and state flagship status to overcome the FCS stigma. (And like Sammy, they've got an FCS Natty in their trophy case.) Kennesaw has been a MUCH harder pill to swallow, for the exact reasons you mentioned about Tarleton. Worse, given their student body size and Atlanta market, Kennesaw looks like a prime candidate to be poached by another league someday, once their FBS transition is complete. La Tech and WKU fans, in particular, bristle at the thought of these newer teams using CUSA as a stepping stone when they've been stuck here for a decade. As for Tarleton? They have potential. That's it. Just potential. Even their market (which is one of their brighter selling points) is more potential than anything at this time. They're midway between Abilene and Fort Worth, an area experiencing skyrocketing growth. But that growth isn't in Stephenville yet. It's just ... potential. Even some of the fans who support Tarleton getting a CUSA invite feel that it wouldn't hurt to let the Texans simmer a bit down in FCS. Build out all those facilities (more potential) and win some trophies in football and basketball (potential!) and continue making progress on their quest to become an R1 university (potential!). I'd be absolutely fine with us staying at 11 teams for a bit. I would've been OK with 9, to be honest. But if we're moving to 12, and that certainly seems to be the plan, it looks like Tarleton has the lead over Mo State and EKU. (Or at least, the Texans are neck and neck with the Bears. The Colonels appear to be safely in 3rd.) Hey, we could always invite all three and move to 14. I'm sure that'd be popular with everybody. Fourteen? I can hear Inutech typing from here.
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