knowITowl said

and an occ schedule including Miami, UF, FSU, Notre Dame, and FIU.

Where does Notre Dame fit into the picture??? Not for football.

GO OWLS!!!

CONFUSA is the only logical move.

The MAC doesn't make sense.

If anything happens the BIG EAST will most likely take top teams from CONFUSA and then top SBC teams will move into CONFUSA.

I see East Carolina and maybe UCF going to the BIG EAST and FAU and Troy moving to CONFUSA. I know people are going to get up in arms about my mentioning UCF, but they have the facilities in place and I think they will have a better chance of competing in the BIG EAST in the next 3-5 years than would FAU.

GO OWLS!!!

I was saying that the Big East raiding the MAC is just as much a possibility as it raiding the CUSA.

BUT its not happening, there is not one school, not even one, in the Big East that wants to expand.

SeminOWL2006 said

I was saying that the Big East raiding the MAC is just as much a possibility as it raiding the CUSA.

BUT its not happening, there is not one school, not even one, in the Big East that wants to expand.

My mistake. I read it as a move for FAU to the MAC. The BIG EAST could raid the MAC, but I don't think FAU would join the MAC. I personally think that if the MAC loses two teams that would be fine.

GO OWLS!!!

Right now, NOBODY is in position to go to the Big East conference because their commissioner doesn't want to expand… he doesn't even want people talking about it.

So FAU, FIU, UCF have plenty of time to develop their teams, facilities and fanbase before (if at all) the BE decides to expand.

The Big east is a ways off for any of us, but regarding CUSA …

I would like to see Troy and FAU move there only for a more interesting and perceived-better quality of opponent. Notice I said "perceived"?

I believe the SunBelt is right now better than CUSA, but CUSA schools have generally better facilities, are larger, are in larger markets (except for a few like USM and ECU) and get more media and fan attention than those in the SunBelt.

If CUSA keeps going down hill and the 'Belt keeps growing (in spite of its crummy P.R. and conference office leadership), it might playn out that CUSA schools merge with or move to the 'Belt and our top schools stay put.

It would be pretty exciting to have 'Belt up-and-comers such as Troy, FAU, MTSU and Arkansas State mixed with UCF, ECU, Memphis, USM and the like. We would see dramatically increased attendance all around, much more TV time, a number of more bowl invites - just for starters.

BTW, Troy's market is relatively small, but it is in both the Montgomery (state capital) and Dothan (fast-growing, adjacent to Florida and an important transportation and employment corridor. Auburn's market is about the same size or even smaller.