The Sun Belt After the Dominoes Fall
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#244102
(In Topic #37578)
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The Sun Belt Conference After the Dominoes Fall
Clay Lewis by
With all of the talk about the possibility of Big 10 and PAC 10 expansions, what would be the affect on the Sun Belt Conference (SBC)? After reading several articles discussing various scenarios, it appears the consensus is the Big East Conference will start the dominoes falling for Conference USA (C-USA) and then the SBC. The Big East would probably invite East Carolina and Central Florida from C-USA and then Florida Atlantic and Florida International from the SBC. As a result C-USA would entice North Texas from the SBC by adding new comer Texas-San Antonio.
What then does the Sun Belt look like? Well not too bad.
On the horizon in 2013, UNC Charlotte, Kennesaw State and Nova Southeastern will have added football programs. All three have enrollments over 22,000. The Sun Belt should also begin building relationships with Appalachian State and Georgia Southern. Both schools should be announcing moves to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in the near future. This will probably coincide when the schools in the Colonial Athletic Association decide to move up to (FBS) in mass. This is a discussion for a later date.
The addition of these five schools (UNC, KSU, NSU, ASU, GSU) to the Sun Belt will allow the conference to form two division with the subsequent alignment making it economically favorable due to the reduced travel cost for all sports. Nova Southeastern will have the same travel cost no matter who they play. However, at this point, the weak link would be Louisiana-Monroe because of enrollment concerns. The SBC could then look at replacing UL-Monroe with Lamar University. Imagine the Sun Belt Conference consisting of:
SBC – North
Appalachian State
Arkansas State
Kennesaw State
Middle Tennessee
UNC Charlotte
Western Kentucky
SBC South
Nova Southeastern
Georgia Southern
Lamar
Louisiana – Lafayette
South Alabama
Troy
When all of the dominoes fall, the Sun Belt schools would blanket the SEC with each of its schools having a minimum enrollment of 16,000 (2013 estimate). There would be marquee matchups that will excite the alumni plus the SBC would also be in position to help the University of North Florida (Jacksonville) and Florida Gulf Coast University (Ft. Myers) when they decide to add football programs. Both schools would become instant intra-conference rivals with Nova Southeastern and each other. Another option could be Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond.
SBCmarquee matchups:
Arkansas State vs. Middle Tennessee State
South Alabama vs. Troy
Middle Tennessee vs. UNC Charlotte
Kennesaw State vs. Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern vs. Appalachian State
Appalachian State vs. UNC Charlotte
Lamar vs. Louisiana Lafayette
Louisiana Lafayette vs. South Alabama
Kennesaw State vs. Middle Tennessee
Lamar vs. Arkansas State
Appalachian State vs. Middle Tennessee State
Plus the possibility of other big regional money games:
Appalachian State vs. East Carolina
South Alabama vs. Southern Mississippi
Alabama Birmingham vs. South Alabama
UNC Charlotte vs. North Carolina
UNC Charlotte vs. North Carolina State
UNC Charlotte vs. Tennessee
Middle Tennessee vs. Tennessee
Middle Tennessee vs. Memphis
Middle Tennessee vs. Kentucky
Western Kentucky vs. Kentucky
Georgia Southern vs. Georgia
Kennesaw State vs. Georgia
Kennesaw State vs. Georgia Tech
UNC Charlotte vs. Clemson
South Alabama vs. Auburn
South Alabama vs. Alabama
Troy vs. Auburn
Nova Southeastern vs. Miami
Louisiana Lafayette vs. Louisiana State
South Alabama vs. Louisiana State
Lamar vs. Louisiana State
Posted
Curious Owl
Member since 2009
Re: The Sun Belt After the Dominoes Fall
Posted
Full Flight
Member since 2009
Re: The Sun Belt After the Dominoes Fall
Posted
Administrator
Member since 2006
Re: The Sun Belt After the Dominoes Fall
owl said
this guy is smoking some good stuff… strong strong strong stuff
Lol…Thought the same thing…
He spent ALOT of time on working it up though!
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2005
Re: The Sun Belt After the Dominoes Fall
The Sun Belt After the Dominoes Fall
i think the big east is going to change a lot in the next 5 years. It has all these catholic schools with no football, it might split into two conferences. not sure how but it would make no sense for UCF traveling to Depaul to play hoops. they couldn't be anymore opposite.
The big east needs some football schools but can't take anymore b-ball teams.
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VIP DONOR
Member since 2005
Re: The Sun Belt After the Dominoes Fall
nextdoorSTB said
i'm pretty sure that nova won the d2 championship. so them moving their team up to d1 is inevitable.
This is a football article though, I didn't realize that Nova was getting a program.
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2006
Re: The Sun Belt After the Dominoes Fall
Exit39 said
villanova is not going to go 1a in football, its too small of a school and it can't compete against penn state and Univ of Pitt. Its a basketball school, that's it. The Northeast doesn't do well in football, BC and UConn never sell out small stadiums. its professional sports area.
i think the big east is going to change a lot in the next 5 years. It has all these catholic schools with no football, it might split into two conferences. not sure how but it would make no sense for UCF traveling to Depaul to play hoops. they couldn't be anymore opposite.
The big east needs some football schools but can't take anymore b-ball teams.
They're talking about Nova Southeastern in Davie, not Villanova in Philly
My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2007
Re: The Sun Belt After the Dominoes Fall
Florida Atlantic University Owls
2007 Sun Belt Football Champions 2007 New Orleans Bowl Champions 2008 Motor City Bowl Champions 2011 Sun Belt Basketball Champions No Bowls without Owls
2007 Sun Belt Football Champions 2007 New Orleans Bowl Champions 2008 Motor City Bowl Champions 2011 Sun Belt Basketball Champions No Bowls without Owls
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VIP DONOR
Member since 2008
Re: The Sun Belt After the Dominoes Fall
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VIP DONOR
Member since 2006
Re: The Sun Belt After the Dominoes Fall
Teambeer is the most knowledgeable FAU sports fan I know, way smarter than me.
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