GSU Explores FBS Move

[RidgeRunner]

Article: http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-state-s...a_state_sports

The SLUMBELT. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeks! My comments were

"NOT THE SLUMBELT! We are better off staying where we are in the CAA. The slum conference is barely FBS, an inferior basketball conference, hardly any schools that look like us, and generally not academically accomplished. Taking a step backwards is not taking a step forward."

[GSUdpb]

The Sunbelt is where we come in and establish ourselves as FBS. Then we move to Big East or whatever the CUSA/MWC merger becomes. They reference falling UCF and USF's route to Big East.

[jackson]

Article: http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-state-s...a_state_sports

The SLUMBELT. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeks! My comments were

"NOT THE SLUMBELT! We are better off staying where we are in the CAA. The slum conference is barely FBS, an inferior basketball conference, hardly any schools that look like us, and generally not academically accomplished. Taking a step backwards is not taking a step forward."

Geographically it makes more sense.

[Mathman]

I'm surprised by the announcement at this point. While no commitments have been made, I don't think GSU would have looked at FBS unless it was seriously considering it. GSU has the potential fan base but they don't show up in enough numbers. The athletic fee is already pretty high so I'd expect it to go even higher.

As for conferences, Sunbelt makes the most sense. Although CUSA probably would like to be in Atlanta and Georgia. But I'm unsure GSU is even ready to compete at this level.

[RidgeRunner]

I'm surprised by the announcement at this point. While no commitments have been made, I don't think GSU would have looked at FBS unless it was seriously considering it. GSU has the potential fan base but they don't show up in enough numbers. The athletic fee is already pretty high so I'd expect it to go even higher.

As for conferences, Sunbelt makes the most sense. Although CUSA probably would like to be in Atlanta and Georgia. But I'm unsure GSU is even ready to compete at this level.

Don't think it was an announcement. Doug just did some digging and got info thru freedom of information act.

[GSU Mens BB Fan]

The athletic fee is already pretty high so I'd expect it to go even higher.

I don't know Mathman...think about the money we'll save with bus trips to AL and TN versus flights to VA, D.C., MD, MA, NY, DE, NH, RI, ME...etc.

[Mathman]

One downside to going to the Sunbelt is that the CAA schools are much better academically. William & Mary, Northeastern and Drexel are really good. Nice company.

Although one upside is that with Denver leaving, if GSU joined the Sunbelt, it would be one of the best schools. South Alabama has a larger endowment but that supports their med school. It would be a bit of a homecoming though as GSU would see FIU, FAU, Troy, and Little-Rock Arkansas of the old TAAC days.

And speaking of TAAC, our old adversaries, Hardin-Simmons and Centenary are now American Southwest Division III.

Even with so many schools leaving CUSA, schools like Rice, Tulsa, and Tulane are really good (especially Rice). UAB likewise has to support its Med school with it endowment. GSU is probably better than Marshall and Southern Mississippi, and can hold its own with East Carolina and Texas El Paso.

As far as rankings, GSU really needs to break into the US News listing. GSU can't even get to #194 which is the cutoff.

[-Tribal-]

Richmond, Villanova and Delaware also have top-notch academics. If I had to pick CAA teams that are similar to GSU, I'd go with ODU and Towson. Large, urban schools with room for growth in the classroom.

Do you think your decision-makers are considering peer academics with regards to FBS conferences?

[RidgeRunner]

Do you think your decision-makers are considering peer academics with regards to FBS conferences?

I do know that
1 - they know academics in CAA is better than SB
2 - they know basketball in CAA in better than SB
3 - they know football in SB is barely FBS
4 - they know FBS a football team in the South equate to a better school, in public's mind, than a FCS football school in the South

From what I have seen & heard first hand and second hand is that the school will get more recognition and alumni giving when they have FBS football. Welcome to how universities are graded in the deep South.

[-Tribal-]

There's talk of Coastal Carolina joining the CAA. You guys like Myrtle Beach?