Getting Ready for 2004 Football is it Spring yet

[bigearl]

I'm a little confused. On the Sunbelt website, it lists 11 schools as being Sunbelt schools. They are as follows:
UL
ULM
Utah St.
N. TX
Troy St.
NM St.
Florida Int.
Florida Atl.
Idaho
Mid. TN St.
Arkansas St.


What gives? Who is and who isn't in the Sunbelt. I know the deal with FL Int. and FL Atl., but what's the story w/ NM st. and Idaho leaving? Also, if anyone knows of a website that list the conferences that would be nice. It's hard to keep up these days with all the realignment.

[Turbine]

Originally posted by bigearl
...if anyone knows of a website that list the conferences that would be nice. It's hard to keep up these days with all the realignment.

	SunBelt		WAC		SEC
1	Arkansas State	1	Boise State	1	Alabama
2	Idaho	2	Fresno State	2	Arkansas
3	Middle Tennessee	3	Hawaii	3	Auburn
4	North Texas	4	Louisiana Tech	4	Florida
5	Louisiana	5	Nevada	5	Georgia
6	UL-Monroe	6	San Jose State	6	Kentucky
7	Florida Atlantic *	7	New Mexico State	7	LSU
8	Florida International *	8	Utah State	8	Ole Miss
9	Troy State		Texas-El Paso	9	Mississippi State
	New Mexico State		Rice	10	South Carolina
	Utah State		SMU	11	Tennessee
			Tulsa	12	Vanderbilt
	CUSA		Big East		MAC
1	Alabama-Birmingham	1	Pittsburgh	1	Akron
2	East Carolina	2	Rutgers	2	Ball State
3	Houston	3	Syracuse	3	Bowling Green
4	Memphis	4	West Virginia	4	Buffalo
5	Southern Mississippi	5	Cincinnati	5	Central Michigan
6	Tulane	6	Connecticut	6	Eastern Michigan
7	Central Florida	7	Louisville	7	Kent State
8	Marshall	8	South Florida	8	Miami (Ohio)
9	Rice		Boston College	9	Northern Illinois
10	SMU		Miami (Fla.)	10	Ohio
11	Tulsa		Temple	11	Toledo
12	Texas-El Paso		Virginia Tech	12	Western Michigan
	Army		Connecticut #		Central Florida
	Cincinnati				Marshall
	Louisville
	South Florida
	Texas Christian
	Big 12		Big 10		ACC
1	Baylor	1	Illinois	1	Boston College
2	Colorado	2	Indiana	2	Miami (Fla.)
3	Iowa State	3	Iowa	3	Virginia Tech
4	Kansas	4	Michigan	4	Clemson
5	Kansas State	5	Michigan State	5	Duke
6	Missouri	6	Minnesota	6	Florida State
7	Nebraska	7	Northwestern	7	Georgia Tech
8	Oklahoma	8	Ohio State	8	Maryland
9	Oklahoma State	9	Penn State	9	North Carolina
10	Texas	10	Purdue	10	North Carolina State
11	Texas A&M	11	Wisconsin	11	Virginia
12	Texas Tech			12	Wake Forest
	PAC 10		Mountain West		FB Independents
1	Arizona	1	Air Force	1	Navy
2	Arizona State	2	Brigham Young	2	Notre Dame
3	California	3	Colorado State	3	Army
4	Oregon	4	New Mexico	4	Temple
5	Oregon State	5	San Diego State		Troy State
6	Southern California	6	UNLV
7	Stanford	7	Utah
8	UCLA	8	Wyoming
9	Washington	9	Texas Christian
10	Washington State
	# was independent in FB		Left or leaving
	* moving up to D1		Moved to, or moving

[bigearl]

WOW, great work Turbine. Thanks, this explains everything. When are NMSU and USU leaving the Belt?

[bigearl]

Turbine, what's the story with Idaho "probably gone?"

[bigearl]

and can we get up to a 12 member conference? Who are possible candidates to join the Belt to get us up to 12? I'm thinking Tech might join, but I'm not sure after that.

[Turbine]

Originally posted by bigearl
Turbine, what's the story with Idaho "probably gone?"

It's just my opinion, but others have it as well, and I'm not the first to state it, I just agree with them.

The WAC is down to 8 members and are in serious danger (at some point in the future) of losing at least another school.

If and when that happens, they would (as it stands now) be left with less than 8 members. When it comes to bowls and bids they would be under the minimum, and I am not so sure a 7 member group could even be called a conference.

Idaho is in their back yard, and would jump for the same reasons New Mexico State and Utah State jumped.

[bigearl]

Makes sense, and I think you're probably right.

[1stTake]

Hey Big Earl I started this thead and I can answer your question. There is no way in a dozen years the Sunbelt can get up to twelve teams.

[bigearl]

Why not? Like you just said, if NMSU and USU would have stayed we'd be at 11. Add Tech and we have 12. I think it is possible and I don;t understand your argument.

[bigearl]

why doesn't Notre Dame ever join a conference? I would think it would be to there benefit to join either the Big 10, or the Big East. I think they will join the Big 10 within the next year or so, then they will have a 12 member conference as well.

[Textitan]

If they actually joined a conference in football (remember this is the only sport they are an independent in) then they would have to give up all of that money from the TV deal with NBC. No other school has this opportunity. Notre Dame will not be giving this up anytime soon.

[bigearl]

good point