Bryan Maggard

[UL_Cajuns]

I can see the Cajuns getting an large still with the legit out of conference schedule this year, but we have to win those out of conference series.

[Cajunsmike]

I can see the Cajuns getting an large still with the legit out of conference schedule this year, but we have to win those out of conference series.

The out of conference schedule is definitely string enough to garner consideration for an at large bid IF you have success in those non conference games AND do well within your league. Jay mentioned the Big 10 now getting more bids. Just wait until the start of the season is pushed back. That will happen eventually and make it tougher for the mid major leagues. Still, that would be good for the game as it would make it more of a national game.

[Turbine]

I call the "Out of Conference" schedule the "Independant" schedule.

The indelendant portion of the schedule is where a team can make a name for itself nationally.

[VObserver]

If football stays in the top 25-30 and MBB can start winning the conference we are Big 12 caliber athletics…with the stadium and baseball adds we are there facility wise…and yes, we need our attendance to be at an all time high or there about…35k fb…7-8k basketball….baseball and softball to keep pace!

MBB and WBB are light years away from Big XII caliber. 6 of 8 current Big XII MBB teams are in the Top 25 this week, as are 5 WBB teams.

Baseball and Football can be competitive in the Big XII now and Softball can be a perennial contender for the Big XII championship.

[VObserver]

In my podcast with Coach Deggs, we talked about something I mentioned a year or two ago.

The number of at-large bids for baseball for teams outside the Power 5 have dwindled considerably. There used to be ten or so available in any given year. Now it's down to about five.

That is one of the reasons the SBC has become a one bid league.

The biggest reason for that is the Big 10. It wasn't that long ago it was a one bid league. Now it's 4-6 in any given year.

By the time the P5 gets its seat at the table there won't be much left.

CUSA was a super league last year. They sent four to the NCAA tournament. They are projected to do the same this year. If that happens, you'll see the SBC, American, Big West, ASUN and Southern Conferences fighting for the last two or three bids.

We can no longer judge our baseball coaches by at-large bids. It's no longer an apples to apples comparison.

It's never really about winning the tournament in the Sun Belt. Now, it becomes critical, as it's the only way you can assure you'll be in postseason.

I'll be reminding you of this later in the season, I'm sure.

Jay, this is a bit off topic, but not really. I am of the opinion that the sports most likely to be impacted by the NIL are high profile non-headcount sports like Baseball and Softball.
Big money schools who take those sports seriously can now make those sports essentially headcount sports by giving every rostered player some combination of scholarship money and NIL money equivalent to a full scholarship. If that happens, schools like UL will quickly become non-competitive unless we can come up with revenue sources to match the efforts of the schools with virtually unlimited funds available.