UAB to the MVC?

[glm38]

Hardly. Idaho and NMSU are still in the Sun Belt and the Belt has made no bones about it that they would like to get teams closer than those two. I have no doubt that if MSU wanted and was ready to go, they would replace Idaho

I don't understand the desire to go to the Sun Belt, which is an abysmal basketball conference and an afterthought in the FBS. I also don't understand what makes MSU so attractive besides the location.

Really the only attraction is that of being in an FBS conference which is equated with being big time as opposed to fcs. There is the thinking that being FBS would do wonders for attendance and donor support. Personally I like the MVC s high level of fcs football.

Also on a smaller scale I've heard it mentioned that we would have a good shot at winning the sun belt every year in basketball (getting in the tournament) which obviously can't happen in the MVC with the rise of Wichita State. As a basketball guy I see that as a chicken $@#$ thought process. I would rather we stay and try to emulate the better valley schools like WSU and UNI.

Just for the record I don't believe anyone in our administration has ever publicly stated we are interesting in joining the sun belt. It's been at the fan level.

[Championz]

Really the only attraction is that of being in an FBS conference which is equated with being big time as opposed to fcs. There is the thinking that being FBS would do wonders for attendance and donor support. Personally I like the MVC s high level of fcs football.

Also on a smaller scale I've heard it mentioned that we would have a good shot at winning the sun belt every year in basketball (getting in the tournament) which obviously can't happen in the MVC with the rise of Wichita State. As a basketball guy I see that as a chicken $@#$ thought process. I would rather we stay and try to emulate the better valley schools like WSU and UNI.

Just for the record I don't believe anyone in our administration has ever publicly stated we are interesting in joining the sun belt. It's been at the fan level.

Solid reasoning. Thanks for the input.

[lime]

any dreams that might have still lingered about MSU and the Sun Belt are dead, they picked Coastal Carolina (over Eastern Kentucky, FWIW)

Hardly. Idaho and NMSU are still in the Sun Belt and the Belt has made no bones about it that they would like to get teams closer than those two. I have no doubt that if MSU wanted and was ready to go, they would replace Idaho

Eerrmmm...

If EKU was the other finalist they would be next on the list to replace whomever.

I would also bank on Jax State getting the call before MSU

you also have Liberty ready to jump (although they aren't getting much love) or UT-Arlington or UA-Little Rock adding football. I wouldn't bet a ton on the latter, but there have been a lot of similar schools adding, plus I could see pressure on UALR to do it as the Razorbacks phase out games in Little Rock.