Different Conferences

[Affirm]

Many on this board downplayed the significance of losing App State and Ga. Southern. The conference and Furman football has not been the same since they left. Just look at attendance for proof. The cost in dollars lost for our program has to be huge. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t see a great future for SoCon football. Again, I hope I am proven wrong. So far, it’s dying a slow death, and it’s painful to watch.

The ship has likely sailed so far as the SoCon being a good FCS football conference. It was actually falling behind even before GSU and App St left. The eastern US FCS conferences in general have declined - the SoCon obviously, but the Patriot League is almost indescribably bad now, and the CAA has JMU up top but is weaker than before beyond them. The most likely explanation is a saturation of football programs in the key southeastern recruiting areas (particularly by mid-major FBS programs).

Conference realignment at least wound up with the SoCon being unexpectedly strong in basketball, which was a concern after losing Davidson and CoC. That's the more nationally relevant sport (vs. FCS football) and also more suitable for small schools with necessarily small alumni/fan bases.

I believe we can still be succesful (CH has shown that to a degree ) but it is painful for me as a math nerd to figure all the scholarships (Mercer, App FBS, GSU FBS, Georgia State, UNC Charlotte, WOff as D1 instead of D2).. that just limits EVERYONE. Instead of 2 teams getting 10 good players each we have 10 teams getting 2 good players each.

Time will tell - please no more dam football programs in Southeast. How about someone start a football team in North Dakota area !!

It’s good that schools like Winthrop, CofC, UNCG, UNCW, UNCA, High Point, VCU, Radford, George Mason, George Washington, University of North Florida, Lipscomb, and Belmont do not have football; and also good that some of the D2 football schools like Valdosta State and West Florida are not, as far as I know, planning to move up to D1 soon.

[Davemeister]

Sidebar: does anyone think it would be a good idea to play App State for an FBS matchup? Pros/Cons?

Only "Con" I can see is the amount of $$$ they could pay us.

[MNORM]

Sidebar: does anyone think it would be a good idea to play App State for an FBS matchup? Pros/Cons?

Only "Con" I can see is the amount of $$$ they could pay us.

I'd love an opportunity to get back-to-back wins against Appy.

[Paul C]

Just to level set, the current SoCon is not a bad conference. Ahead of the OVC and then a big drop to the Patriot, SWAC, Northeast and Big South...of course below the power conferences like MVC, Big Sky and Colonial...

Sagarin

21 MISSOURI VALLEY (AA)= 52.05 52.33 ( 21) 10 52.08 ( 21)
22 BIG SKY (AA)= 50.74 50.86 ( 23) 14 50.77 ( 22)
23 COLONIAL (AA)= 50.21 50.90 ( 22) 12 50.40 ( 23)
24 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 45.20 45.79 ( 24) 8 45.50 ( 24)
25 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 42.81 42.88 ( 25) 11 42.86 ( 25)
26 SOUTHERN (AA)= 41.06 41.65 ( 26) 9 41.30 ( 26)
27 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 40.75 40.77 ( 27) 9 40.78 ( 27)
28 PATRIOT (AA)= 34.33 35.03 ( 28) 7 34.85 ( 28)
29 SWAC-WEST (AA)= 34.00 32.46 ( 31) 5 33.53 ( 30)
30 NORTHEAST (AA)= 33.83 34.06 ( 29) 9 33.82 ( 29)
31 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 33.08 33.77 ( 30) 8 33.09 ( 31)
32 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 30.62 30.64 ( 32) 9 30.63 ( 32)

And BTW, while App and GSU hurt in football, the replacements have elevated the SoCon greatly in basketball. In fact I’d argue that App and GSU and others leaving were the best thing that happened to basketball.

[FUBeAR]

In fact I’d argue that App and GSU and others leaving were the best thing that happened to basketball.

...and to the SoCon’s approval rating by the American Dental Association.

[Jasper]

Just to level set, the current SoCon is not a bad conference. Ahead of the OVC and then a big drop to the Patriot, SWAC, Northeast and Big South...of course below the power conferences like MVC, Big Sky and Colonial...

Sagarin

21 MISSOURI VALLEY (AA)= 52.05 52.33 ( 21) 10 52.08 ( 21)
22 BIG SKY (AA)= 50.74 50.86 ( 23) 14 50.77 ( 22)
23 COLONIAL (AA)= 50.21 50.90 ( 22) 12 50.40 ( 23)
24 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 45.20 45.79 ( 24) 8 45.50 ( 24)
25 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 42.81 42.88 ( 25) 11 42.86 ( 25)
26 SOUTHERN (AA)= 41.06 41.65 ( 26) 9 41.30 ( 26)
27 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 40.75 40.77 ( 27) 9 40.78 ( 27)
28 PATRIOT (AA)= 34.33 35.03 ( 28) 7 34.85 ( 28)
29 SWAC-WEST (AA)= 34.00 32.46 ( 31) 5 33.53 ( 30)
30 NORTHEAST (AA)= 33.83 34.06 ( 29) 9 33.82 ( 29)
31 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 33.08 33.77 ( 30) 8 33.09 ( 31)
32 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 30.62 30.64 ( 32) 9 30.63 ( 32)

And BTW, while App and GSU hurt in football, the replacements have elevated the SoCon greatly in basketball. In fact I’d argue that App and GSU and others leaving were the best thing that happened to basketball.

Good point. The SoCon is a much stronger BB conference now. I think they may well merit 2 bids to the tourney this year. There may well be 3 or 4 teams in the top 25 Mid Major standings at year end with 20 wins each. A few wins over brand name schools would also help.

[fufanatic]

Just to level set, the current SoCon is not a bad conference. Ahead of the OVC and then a big drop to the Patriot, SWAC, Northeast and Big South...of course below the power conferences like MVC, Big Sky and Colonial...

Sagarin

21 MISSOURI VALLEY (AA)= 52.05 52.33 ( 21) 10 52.08 ( 21)
22 BIG SKY (AA)= 50.74 50.86 ( 23) 14 50.77 ( 22)
23 COLONIAL (AA)= 50.21 50.90 ( 22) 12 50.40 ( 23)
24 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 45.20 45.79 ( 24) 8 45.50 ( 24)
25 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 42.81 42.88 ( 25) 11 42.86 ( 25)
26 SOUTHERN (AA)= 41.06 41.65 ( 26) 9 41.30 ( 26)
27 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 40.75 40.77 ( 27) 9 40.78 ( 27)
28 PATRIOT (AA)= 34.33 35.03 ( 28) 7 34.85 ( 28)
29 SWAC-WEST (AA)= 34.00 32.46 ( 31) 5 33.53 ( 30)
30 NORTHEAST (AA)= 33.83 34.06 ( 29) 9 33.82 ( 29)
31 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 33.08 33.77 ( 30) 8 33.09 ( 31)
32 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 30.62 30.64 ( 32) 9 30.63 ( 32)

And BTW, while App and GSU hurt in football, the replacements have elevated the SoCon greatly in basketball. In fact I’d argue that App and GSU and others leaving were the best thing that happened to basketball.

Sure would love an opportunity to prove that the SoCon is better than the Ivy and Southland, which I think we are. Unfortunately, it doesn’t fit the Ivy’s brand to challenge itself in the playoffs.