The Bobcat Nation

That whole conference seems to be ex fcs teams. The landscape is changing. I never wanted us to be fbs with no championship possibility. I'm betting there are lots of scheming going on behind the scenes. My bet is what is left of the Big sky goes to some new arraignment. The p5 are going to separate.

So what would a FBS Big Sky look like?

I think you start with Montana State, Weber State, Northern Arizona, UC Davis, South Dakota, South Dakota State, North Dakota, and North Dakota State

That's a pretty strong 8 teams that would be competitive in multiple sports with other group of 5 conferences if you where doing a breakaway new conference. Larger "state" universities and most are growing campuses and sports departments

catgrad05 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:31 pm

So what would a FBS Big Sky look like?

I think you start with Montana State, Weber State, Northern Arizona, UC Davis, South Dakota, South Dakota State, North Dakota, and North Dakota State

That's a pretty strong 8 teams that would be competitive in multiple sports with other group of 5 conferences if you where doing a breakaway new conference. Larger "state" universities and most are growing campuses and sports departments

I think the Dakota's stick in the mvfc, better geography.

allcat wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:07 pm

catgrad05 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:31 pm

So what would a FBS Big Sky look like?

I think you start with Montana State, Weber State, Northern Arizona, UC Davis, South Dakota, South Dakota State, North Dakota, and North Dakota State

That's a pretty strong 8 teams that would be competitive in multiple sports with other group of 5 conferences if you where doing a breakaway new conference. Larger "state" universities and most are growing campuses and sports departments

I think the Dakota's stick in the mvfc, better geography.

If we swapped out NAU and/or Davis for EWU and maybe added the Idaho schools we'd have the northern Rockies and plains covered.

Washington, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Dakotas (plus Arizona/NorCal if necessary). That's pretty compact geographically other than the fact that the Dakota schools are all on the east side of their states.

It would be hard to get the Dakotas to split from their conference though. No real reason to unless the rest of the conference wanted to stay FCS.

catgrad05 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:31 pm

So what would a FBS Big Sky look like?

I think you start with Montana State, Weber State, Northern Arizona, UC Davis, South Dakota, South Dakota State, North Dakota, and North Dakota State

That's a pretty strong 8 teams that would be competitive in multiple sports with other group of 5 conferences if you where doing a breakaway new conference. Larger "state" universities and most are growing campuses and sports departments

LOL - I like where your head is at.

coloradocat wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 4:17 pm

allcat wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:07 pm

catgrad05 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:31 pm

So what would a FBS Big Sky look like?

I think you start with Montana State, Weber State, Northern Arizona, UC Davis, South Dakota, South Dakota State, North Dakota, and North Dakota State

That's a pretty strong 8 teams that would be competitive in multiple sports with other group of 5 conferences if you where doing a breakaway new conference. Larger "state" universities and most are growing campuses and sports departments

I think the Dakota's stick in the mvfc, better geography.

If we swapped out NAU and/or Davis for EWU and maybe added the Idaho schools we'd have the northern Rockies and plains covered.

Washington, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Dakotas (plus Arizona/NorCal if necessary). That's pretty compact geographically other than the fact that the Dakota schools are all on the east side of their states.

It would be hard to get the Dakotas to split from their conference though. No real reason to unless the rest of the conference wanted to stay FCS.

EWU is too small both enrollment and football stadium they would be best placed with the Northern Colorados, Southern Utahs of the FCS

catgrad05 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 5:45 pm

coloradocat wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 4:17 pm

allcat wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:07 pm

catgrad05 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:31 pm

So what would a FBS Big Sky look like?

I think you start with Montana State, Weber State, Northern Arizona, UC Davis, South Dakota, South Dakota State, North Dakota, and North Dakota State

That's a pretty strong 8 teams that would be competitive in multiple sports with other group of 5 conferences if you where doing a breakaway new conference. Larger "state" universities and most are growing campuses and sports departments

I think the Dakota's stick in the mvfc, better geography.

If we swapped out NAU and/or Davis for EWU and maybe added the Idaho schools we'd have the northern Rockies and plains covered.

Washington, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Dakotas (plus Arizona/NorCal if necessary). That's pretty compact geographically other than the fact that the Dakota schools are all on the east side of their states.

It would be hard to get the Dakotas to split from their conference though. No real reason to unless the rest of the conference wanted to stay FCS.

EWU is too small both enrollment and football stadium they would be best placed with the Northern Colorados, Southern Utahs of the FCS

I would counter that the only thing missing at that program is money but then again they can't even sell out their small stadium now so I guess moving up and getting paid wouldn't bring that many more fans. I was mostly trying to find the most compact conference.

eweU will never be able to draw a crowd. No money but a bigger deal is WSU essentially in the same town. Portland and eweU are really in the same boat, nobody locally cares.

Cal Poly instead of EWU.

FCS could also lose James Madison to the Sunbelt Conference and Sam Houston State to Conference USA.

"James Madison is also expected to join the Sun Belt after its leadership on Friday approved the school exploring a move to the FBS."

"Sam Houston is the defending FCS national champion that has played in eight of the last 10 FCS playoffs and is located in Huntsville, Texas. The school left the Southland and joined the newly formed WAC in July. Sam Houston officials have long desired to move up to FBS, according to FCS sources."

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... -sun-belt/

On a side note. Sunbelt (once Idaho left) like Big Sky is a good name for a conference. Conference USA is not.

So JMU sounds like they are baking the jump to FBS. Their current athletic budget is just north of $52 million. If that’s where a FBS budget is approximately any idea where MSU’s is at? I am thinking we are further away from the group of 5 than I originally thought

catgrad05 wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 30, 2021 10:07 am

So JMU sounds like they are baking the jump to FBS. Their current athletic budget is just north of $52 million. If that’s where a FBS budget is approximately any idea where MSU’s is at? I am thinking we are further away from the group of 5 than I originally thought

$46million of their budget comes from student fees. MSU is $2 million.

Hawks86 wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 30, 2021 10:29 am

catgrad05 wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 30, 2021 10:07 am

So JMU sounds like they are baking the jump to FBS. Their current athletic budget is just north of $52 million. If that’s where a FBS budget is approximately any idea where MSU’s is at? I am thinking we are further away from the group of 5 than I originally thought

$46million of their budget comes from student fees. MSU is $2 million.

I was reading somewhere that fees can only make up 55% of the budget at FBS level and that will be JMUs biggest hurdle