They joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2013. We looked at how many seasons it took for each program to reach the postseason in the FBS. Conference USA currently has 14 teams with seven from the West Division located in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The Dukes currently play in the Colonial Athletic Association, which stretches from Maine to South Carolina. (Photo: Tim Cowie/App State Athletics). Just five years ago, both of these programs were a part of the Big South Conference. I guess the majority of ULM students come from outside 71201 which probably means those students that left small town LA either take those degrees and move back home or move to Dallas/H-town because they sure as hell don’t move the needle in Monroe. Finally, keep in mind that while these teams would see increased revenues after they moved, they would also see increased costs in the form of stadium upgrades and travel for other sports would increase among other factors. In 2016, the Aggies knocked off Kent State … For one, we look at each team separately and do not take into account all the dominoes from a potential realignment with our other teams. Not a bad move based on the assumptions above. College Football Realignment Speculation List, WAC’s Southland Conference Overtures Make Little Sense for the Schools. The 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, is organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.. Proudly powered by WordPress The list also includes ties between FCS & FBS teams before overtime rules were adopted in 1996. They are the most recent teams to transition from the FCS to the FBS. Texas StateTexas State was an FCS program from 1984–2011. FCS Spring 2021: The Best Returning Defensive Lineman In Each Conference. UTA move would be good, and help the Sun Belt get closer to 12. The three schools that moved from FCS to FBS this season use existing on-campus stadiums: Appalachian State plays at Kidd Brewer Stadium, home to the Mountaineers since 1962 and affectionately known to the school's fans as "The Rock". NDSU is geographically awkward if they were to move up to the FBS. WKU was in the Sun Belt Conference from 2009-2014 and then joined Conference USA. Appalachian StateApp State was an FCS program from 1982–2013 and was a member of the SoCon. Appalachian State has become a perennial favorite in the Sun Belt since becoming a full-time member in 2014, and there has been an increasing amount of buzz surrounding Charlotte since the 49ers joined Conference USA in 2015. We will make some assumptions about each team below that may or may not hold true if these scenarios in reality. Along with all these games, five FCS/I-AA classified teams have upset ranked FBS/I-A teams: Cincinnati surprised No. It competed as an FCS independent in 2011 before joining the WAC in 2012. Since their National Championship in 2010, they have made the playoffs five times and progressed to at least the quarterfinals on each occasion. To pay for the new sport, the cost would most likely go to students in the form of higher tuition as noted above. This is a list of games by season where a FCS/1-AA school defeated an FBS/1-A opponent. Here is another FCS powerhouse each year. Its last FCS conference was the CAA. Liberty has an 18-6 overall record the past two seasons with a pair of bowl victories and in 2020 the team was ranked in the Associated Press FBS … Not a bad move based on assumptions above.The Sun Belt is the final option and teams leaving the Southland Conference frequently find the Sun Belt as their FBS destination. FCS Programs Moving into FBS: 4 In 2012 the Big 12 took further hits, losing Texas A&M and Missouri to the now 14-member SEC. However, the Bison would have to prove themselves at the FBS level first which would put them in the Mountain West. That would be far too time-consuming to consider. CharlotteCharlotte had a football program from 1946-1948. Aug 29, 2018 College Football, College Football Realignment, Eastern Washington Eagles, FBS, FCS, Jacksonville State Gamecocks, James Madison Dukes, NCAA Football, North Dakota State Bison, Sam Houston State Bearkats, UT-Arlington Mavericks, VCU Rams, Virginia Commonwealth Rams Navy is a horrendous fit for the West Division, which means that the AAC could balance the divisions by getting a second West team and moving Navy to the far more natural East. So where would they land if they went to the FBS? Although there were FCS options such as North Dakota State and others who reached out to schedule games with Campbell, Minter was adamant about finding FBS teams … One area that UTA would not have to worry about is finding a FBS conference. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! It appears that as long as McLaughlin is at VCU, the Rams will not have a football team without someone donating what is needed. There are three conferences: The American Athletic Conference,  Conference USA, and Sun Belt. Verdict: The current travel arrangements do not differ much as if they were to play in the Mountain West. Western Kentucky WKU competed in the FCS from 1978-2007. teams that moved from fcs to fbs For example, in last year's game against Chattanooga, South Carolina also took a hefty payday as the Gamecocks raked in over $1.14 million in net income and came out of Williams-Brice Stadium with a win. The Bearkats have made seven straight playoff appearances with two National Championship losses to North Dakota State (those pesky Bison). 2018: 6-62019: 8-5 (FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl win)2020: 9-1. The Minutemen joined the MAC in 2013 and have been an FBS independent since 2016. Sam’s coverage of the FCS began in 2012 as the sports editor and eventual editor-in-chief of NDSU’s The Spectrum. FCS PODCAST: The ASUN Conference Forms + Senior Bowl + Jeff Choate + Recruiting, FCS Players Impressing At The Senior Bowl, Former FCS Players on Super Bowl 55 Rosters, FCS Spring 2021: The Best Returning TE In Each Conference, FCS Playoff Resumes Entering The 2021 Spring Season, FCS Spring 2021: The Best Returning Offensive Lineman In Each Conference, Former FCS Players on 2021 NFL Conference Championship Rosters, WNBA Draft Lottery to Take Place During Halftime of Louisville v. DePaul Matchup. Here are the 12 teams that have jumped to the FBS since 2008 and their records as FBS programs for each season. Verdict: The Southland Conference is a wonderful spot for Sam Houston State right now. "If they expand the FBS playoffs to eight teams and a Group of Five team is guaranteed a spot, that changes things," the person said. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Bison have only won six of the last seven FCS National Championships as of this writing and have clearly been the best team of the decade at the FCS level. UMassUmass played in the FCS from 1978–2011. 2014: 9-32015: 9-4 (GoDaddy Bowl win)2016: 5-72017: 2-102018: 10-3 (Raycom Media Camellia Bowl win)2019: 7-6 (FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl loss)2020: 6-4. UT Arlington previously had a football program until 1985 when the constant financial losses caused the school to stop sponsoring the sport. Sources tell me North Carolina A&T Chancellor @WhoIsHLM told faculty members on Friday the school is looking into moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision. School: The conference has been split into East and West Divisions among its 10 members. The second best group was the new programs followed by teams that had one or no playoff appearances in the final five FCS seasons. 5 … Much like the FBS preseason poll, there's a lot of royalty that is in the national title conversation year in and year out. The Western Athletic Conference announced that five teams will be joining the conference effective July of 2022 as well as the its intention to reinstate college football in the WAC the same year. Back in 2004, students voted to increase tuition by $2 per semester hour if football was brought back. 2012: 8-42013: 7-52014: 4-82015: 3-92016: 6-72017: 6-52018: 3-92019: 4-82020: 7-4. The Pac-12 is a long shot considering they would probably want to see how they perform in the FBS before having them join. NC A&T officially drew more than 15,000 fans a home game, more than some current FBS programs. Welcome to the second portion of our two-part series examining the transition from the FCS to FBS. Some have struggled mightily. The Flames became a provisional FBS member in 2018 and became a full FBS member with bowl eligibility in 2019. The stadium expenditure would probably be another point of concern. FCS powerhouses like James Madison and North Dakota State University made no more than $1.7 million. Conference USA would be the best fit for costs and travel as they would only face a West opponent on the road once every other year. A total of 19 teams made the move from FCS to FBS during the time period studied. Or the Sun Belt could flip the division from east and west to the north and south while also adding another team to have an even number of teams. LibertyLiberty played in the FCS from 1989–2017 with its last 15 years spent in the Big South Conference. VCU has not fielded more than a club team for football. 85 nationally — ahead of 45 FBS teams. Based on an 8 game schedule, they would have to face two East opponents each year with one at home and one on the road. FCS Realignment: What Teams Are Switching Conferences? The Bobcats joined the WAC in 2012 and then became a Sun Belt Conference member in 2013. It’s a mixed bag when looking at records of these 12 teams since they became FBS programs. The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a wrinkle into 2020-21 NCAA sports scheduling, and FCS football is no exception. It’s a risky move. The more I think about this, the more I reach the same conclusion. Yep, and the state now has more FCS schools (Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word). Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. 20 Penn State in 1983 (see below), Appalachian State beat No. 2012: 4-82013: 6-62014: 7-52015: 3-92016: 2-102017: 2-102018: 3-92019: 3-92020: 2-10. That concludes the second part of our series on the FCS to FBS transition. Some of those teams, … The Eagles play in the Big Sky Conference which stretches from Washington all the way to the middle of Arizona and out to the eastern border of North Dakota. Conference realignment has ushered quite a few teams into the FBS from FCS, a trend that will continue as schools like Georgia Southern and Appalachian State move to the Sun Belt in 2014. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. Again, this is not exactly ideal. The next-closest FCS program, according to the 247 composite, is No. Twelve teams have made the jump in the last twelve years. 14-ranked Chanticleers take on No. As part of the OVC, Jacksonville State is the southernmost member, but it is a comfortable distance to the northern most team, Eastern Illinois. They would have to upgrade the stadium to accommodate the increased number of fans. The Rams have the second-highest enrollment in the state (not counting Liberty’s online degree numbers). For C-USA, they would be a natural fit for the East Division while the same would be true for the Sun Belt. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football) They joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2017. Sam Houston State has one of the best offenses each season in the FCS and plays in the Southland Conference. FCS team wins over FBS teams Non-DI team wins over FCS teams Conference standings Conferences with possibility of playing in the spring. They are part of the Sun Belt in the other sports offered by the school. (In certain years, FCS championship teams will play 16 games.) What VCU does have in terms of location also applies to the student body. Some have found success but endured down years in the process. If they were dead set on the FBS, then Conference USA would be the best option. There are two natural destinations for EWU with the Pac-12 and Mountain West. Florida A&M tried this once, and it was a huge mess. To be fair, this is not the same sustained success as the previous two entrants, but strong enough for consideration. Well, not quite. … North Carolina A&T may be considering the move because of the success that other in-state FCS programs have had when making the jump to FBS. The JSU stadium can hold 24,000, which will help limit the amount they need to spend on expanding the stadium. Eastern Washington has also been a mainstay in the FCS Playoffs. However that would probably change drastically if they would start winning. String the initials FBS together and you’re talking about big-time programs the likes of Alabama and Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma, Southern Cal and Notre Dame. Actually, I think a program in New York could move up fairly effectively. We look first at which geographical area would be best and then look at the additional travel required if they were to move conferences. Georgia SouthernGeorgia Southern played in the FCS from 1984–2013. They have absolutely dominated the FCS since 2011, winning 6 of 7 National Titles, and playing for their 7th in a few weeks. The Jaguars played as an NCAA unclassified team in 2009 and 2010, then played as an FCS independent in 2011 and 2012. Joining up with … For the record, FIU and Louisiana Tech still don’t have winning seasons on average. Also consider the Fargodome, which has a capacity of 19,000 for football. That move has been an overwhelming success. Working to find out more. The stadium capacity of Roos Field is a paltry 8,600, which means a huge outlay to expand the size. They could go to the American Athletic, Conference USA, or Sun Belt. The now 14 team A10 had only 2 … There have been some worries expressed by current Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin. UTSAUTSA began its football program in 2010. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. | Verdict: Viable but UTA needs to be prudent about the costs and expected revenue so they do not make the same mistake from 1985. ***** FCS schools with FBS ambitions like James Madison, Liberty, Sam Houston State and Eastern Kentucky aren’t officially on the list of Big 12 targets, but the moves of the Big 12 might deeply affect their ambitions of moving to FBS. Finally, Sam Houston State would have to increase the size of the stadium from the current size of roughly 12,500. Charlotte joined Conference USA in 2015. 2015: 2-102016: 4-82017: 1-112018: 5-72019: 7-6 (Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl loss)2020: 2-3. The Southland Conference is a wonderful geographical set up for the teams. JMU makes the most sense and is also the program most likely to make the jump. That would make them ideal to be put in either division as needed. Below is the latest information on the state of this year's FCS … North Dakota State is the first team discussed any time FCS to FBS transitions is explored. Learn how your comment data is processed. If C-USA expanded to 16 teams that would leave only one game per season they would face an East Division opponent (based on an 8 game conference schedule). That’s a sizable drop from the bottom of the FBS to the top of FCS. And being the only HBCU school in FBS may present some opportunities to expand their fanbase and reach folks that other schools can’t tap into. 25 Liberty. While the AAC and Conference USA are both plausible, the Sun Belt felt most natural. The Jacksonville State Gamecocks have dominated the Ohio Valley Conference with four straight titles. While some schools have moved up from the FCS to the FBS, the winning schools were still in the FCS at the time of their victories. It may be time for the Mavericks to make a comeback to the field. The team furthest to the west is Southeast Missouri State on the Missouri-Illinois border, which again, is not too bad. 2014: 7-52015: 11-2 (Raycom Media Camellia Bowl win)2016: 10-3 (Raycom Media Camellia Bowl win)2017: 9-4 (Dollar General Bowl win)2018: 11-2 (R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl win)2019: 13-1 (R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl win)2020: 7-2. The west division would be very similar to New Mexico and would also have to be done every other year. — … After graduating in 2015, he spent three years in the newspaper and magazine industry while starting his work for HERO Sports in the fall of 2016 as a freelancer. Change those initials to … 2014: 6-62015: 5-72016: 10-3 (Popeyes Bahamas Bowl win)2017: 5-72018: 4-82019: 1-112020: 0-0. CCU and Liberty are success stories when it comes to teams making the transition. After combing through the data, we found some obvious trends and perhaps a surprising trend. Verdict: The Ohio Valley is a decent fit for them, but if they are looking for the FBS, the Sun Belt makes sense. I'd love to see them move up to the FBS. UTA is the fourth largest school in Texas with an enrollment of 42,000 in the football crazed state. The school decided to bring back football 60 years later and the 49ers’ first two seasons were as an FCS independent from 2013-2014. NDSU seems pretty content to stay at the FCS level and who can blame them? The 12 member A10 had 3 teams make the tourney in 2001, 1 team in 2002, 3 in 2003, 4 teams in 2004, and 1 in 2005. JMU sits at the southern edge of the conference, which might make travel costly depending on the scheduling rotation. Those years were spent in the Big South Conference besides 2016, when the Chanticleers were an FCS independent. Old DominionOld Dominion played in the FCS from 2009–2013 and was a CAA member from 2011-2012. In part one we looked at how teams have fared in the past. This includes the FCS level. They are located in Richmond, which is the capital of Virginia. The team has a recent history of success against FBS opponents, with wins in three straight seasons. Its last FCS conference was the Gateway Football Conference, which is now the MVFC. They have made the FCS playoffs five straight seasons with a title game appearance in 2015 (yes, they lost to NDSU). Four of the five appearances resulted in a semifinal appearance. 2013: 1-112014: 3-92015: 3-92016: 2-102017: 4-82018: 4-82019: 1-112020: 0-4. 2013: 6-62014: 6-72015: 5-72016: 6-72017: 4-82018: 3-92019: 2-102020: 4-6. VCU, currently in the Atlantic 10 for all other sports, would make a wonderful addition to Conference USA. The American Athletic Conference would place the Bearkats in the West along with Houston, Memphis, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa, and Navy. It began as an indepedent before joining the CAA in 2012 for one season. How Have Former FCS Teams Performed After Transitioning To The FBS? In total, 11 teams moved up from the FCS to the FBS between 1992 and 2000, with more than a dozen programs following in the first decades of the 21st century. That would be far too time consuming to consider.Secondly, geography and travel are big components of the analysis. 2013: 0-122014: 1-112015: 6-72016: 3-92017: 7-5 (AutoNation Cure Bowl win)2018: 2-102019: 7-6 (NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl loss)2020: 5-4. That is one piece of the puzzle they will not have to worry about if they bring back football. Verdict: We would love to see North Dakota State make the transition, but it does not seem likely given some of the logistical constraints. At least their red turf would go along nicely with Boise State’s blue turf. However, one fits better than the other two and that is the Sun Belt. James Madison is a recent addition to the top level of the FCS. In 2016, they upset the Bison for the National Championship and then followed that up in 2017 with a loss to Bison in the title game. The reality is go for Pac-12 money (extremely unlikely) or stay put in the Big Sky. Georgia StateGeorgia State played its first football season in 2009. 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The second part, we found some obvious trends and perhaps a surprising trend also look at a few teams... Would put them in the Big Sky Mississippi, and we 're still beat to..