OT: D1

[IUPNation]

They would need a new stadium. probably. They have talked about that and, if you remember, they were talking about using the soccer stadium in Chester.

They’ll never get a new campus stadium at Nova. The neighbors would fight that tooth and nail. Their baseball team plays in Plymouth Meeting.

I don’t see Nova following suit.

Delaware does need to demolish and replace Blue Chicken Stadium.

[IUPNation]

I think their stadium will hold them back but it’not far off from what Delaware is working with, so who knows.

They can play at Subaru Park in Chester if needed…

[Fightingscot82]

It's one thing for Delaware to want the Sun Belt; it's another thing entirely for the Sun Belt to want them. The SBC is in a good spot with their 14 teams, and doesn't need to add a good-not-great Delaware program. So if Delaware wanted FBS, C-USA might've been their only option.

I actually think that the MAC would have benefitted from adding both Delaware and UMass and establishing their footprint further east. But they seem content with the teams they have.

The MAC dabbled with UMass but didn't like what they offered plus the cost of travel to Amherst. MAC schools seem rich by our standards but are poor by FBS standards and are more of a bus league than we assume since most schools are away from big airports and close enough to just drive. But UMass also doesn't quite have the money we assume it does - but also had extensive travel costs. Those trips add up. UMass also didn't exactly win very often even in the MAC. So they agreed to part ways. I always assumed they were a cheap replacement for Temple's short stint in the MAC. Just like when we added Seton Hill after CW Post left.

But yeah, I think adding UMass and Delaware together could have offered something even if it created an awkward dead zone over Pennsylvania. Maybe they could have talked Temple back in. I enjoyed my two years working at a MAC school. The similarities to the PSAC are there to scale.

[ctrabs74]

It's one thing for Delaware to want the Sun Belt; it's another thing entirely for the Sun Belt to want them. The SBC is in a good spot with their 14 teams, and doesn't need to add a good-not-great Delaware program. So if Delaware wanted FBS, C-USA might've been their only option.

I actually think that the MAC would have benefitted from adding both Delaware and UMass and establishing their footprint further east. But they seem content with the teams they have.

The MAC might be the only genuine "bus" league in FBS with a relatively small footprint from DeKalb, Ill. (which is about a couple hours west of Chicago) to Buffalo from east-to-west - a 9+ hour bus trip - and from Mount Pleasant, Mich. (CMU - about an hour north of Lansing) to Athens, Ohio (Ohio University - about an hour 15 minutes southeast of Columbus) - which is about a 6 hour trip.

Adding Delaware to that league would've been a logistical nightmare for the existing MAC schools, let alone UMass.

[EastStroud13]

Notable news for people who follow DI-AA/FCS football in the eastern half of the PSAC's footprint - Delaware has announced they are moving up to DI-A/FBS to join Conference USA in the 2025-26 season.

IMO, Delaware's move to FBS was increasingly likely with many of their ex-CAA foes, like James Madison, making the jump, but UD should have never joined Conference USA; they should have targeted the Sun Belt, which is where many of the stronger ex-FCS programs in the eastern U.S. have gone in recent years.

It's one thing for Delaware to want the Sun Belt; it's another thing entirely for the Sun Belt to want them. The SBC is in a good spot with their 14 teams, and doesn't need to add a good-not-great Delaware program. So if Delaware wanted FBS, C-USA might've been their only option.

I actually think that the MAC would have benefitted from adding both Delaware and UMass and establishing their footprint further east. But they seem content with the teams they have.

[Ram040506]

If you were the Big Ten, and wanted to expand the television footprint AND not have to deal with the ACC buyout/GOR nonsense, why wouldn't they target JMU and say Central Florida instead of UVA and FSU/Miami? JMU is up and coming in a big way, and UCF is the biggest school in the state of Florida. Seems like it would make a lot of sense and strike a huge blow to those ACC schools mentioned as JMU and UCF would then have access to incredible funds into their athletic programs that could put them ahead of there more well known neighbors in state.

[iupgroundhog]

I think their stadium will hold them back but its not far off from what Delaware is working with, so who knows.

They would need a new stadium. probably. They have talked about that and, if you remember, they were talking about using the soccer stadium in Chester.

[Fightingscot82]

Cool. UD belongs in the FBS. As for those two conferences, I can see pluses and minuses to each. I will be able to see them play when they come to UTEP and NMSU.

Is 'Nova next?

I think their stadium will hold them back but its not far off from what Delaware is working with, so who knows.

[iupgroundhog]

Notable news for people who follow DI-AA/FCS football in the eastern half of the PSAC's footprint - Delaware has announced they are moving up to DI-A/FBS to join Conference USA in the 2025-26 season.

IMO, Delaware's move to FBS was increasingly likely with many of their ex-CAA foes, like James Madison, making the jump, but UD should have never joined Conference USA; they should have targeted the Sun Belt, which is where many of the stronger ex-FCS programs in the eastern U.S. have gone in recent years.

Cool. UD belongs in the FBS. As for those two conferences, I can see pluses and minuses to each. I will be able to see them play when they come to UTEP and NMSU.

Is 'Nova next?

[CHIP72]

Notable news for people who follow DI-AA/FCS football in the eastern half of the PSAC's footprint - Delaware has announced they are moving up to DI-A/FBS to join Conference USA in the 2025-26 season.

IMO, Delaware's move to FBS was increasingly likely with many of their ex-CAA foes, like James Madison, making the jump, but UD should have never joined Conference USA; they should have targeted the Sun Belt, which is where many of the stronger ex-FCS programs in the eastern U.S. have gone in recent years.

[iupgroundhog]

Frank, Jr. fired.

With his long resume I am pretty sure Frank, Jr. will land in a high-profile position - however - I think IUP could use an OC/QB coach "consultant", even if it was just for a couple of months in early 2024.

[iupgroundhog]

I like the idea of divisions as I think an 18-team conference without them is just weird. I'm not a fan of the way they set up the divisions now. That should have been reevaluated a couple of years ago. Doing something as simple as putting Michigan or Ohio State in the West (logically Michigan) and trading out someone else would have evened things considerably. It's really been all about OSU, Michigan and Penn State as the other Eastern teams don't scare anybody. The funny thing to me now is that with the addition of the four good Pac 12 programs you could set up geographical divisions that would be fairly competitive. They're nuts if they don't set up some kind of pods or divisions for the non-revenue sports, but then again the whole conference expansion thing has gone nuts.

I agree. I haven't checked out how they will make the schedule so I can't comment on that. However, with no east and west divisions, it seems like scheduling will be kind of random and end up raising more question marks about where teams stack up competitively.

9 each in 2 divisions seems logical to me.

[Ship69]

Michigan is going to destroy Iowa. The top 3 in the BIG East Division are head and shoulders above any of the West teams. Thankfully they’re doing away with the divisions starting next season.

I like the idea of divisions as I think an 18-team conference without them is just weird. I'm not a fan of the way they set up the divisions now. That should have been reevaluated a couple of years ago. Doing something as simple as putting Michigan or Ohio State in the West (logically Michigan) and trading out someone else would have evened things considerably. It's really been all about OSU, Michigan and Penn State as the other Eastern teams don't scare anybody. The funny thing to me now is that with the addition of the four good Pac 12 programs you could set up geographical divisions that would be fairly competitive. They're nuts if they don't set up some kind of pods or divisions for the non-revenue sports, but then again the whole conference expansion thing has gone nuts.

[Fightingscot82]

Michigan 2 weeks ago: FIRE HARBAUGH

Michigan now: National Championship or bust!

Ohio State 2 Weeks Ago: National Championship or bust!

Ohio State now: FIRE RYAN DAY!

FBS coaches axed: Hogerson, Terry Bowden, Arnett.

Former Edinboro HC Justin Lustig is rumored to have been called about the Syracuse job. He was AHC & STC for Dino Babers after his 18 months in Edinboro.

[Chuck Norris]

Iowa and its truly horrible offense beating beating Michigan in a title game would almost be grounds for keeping Michigan out of the playoff as far as I'm concerned. Look past the Hawkeyes inflated record, and you see a team that was pounded by Penn State, lost to a mediocre Minnesota team, and barely edged Illinois, Northwestern, and Nebraska teams that were nothing special. Northwestern likely would have beat them if its first-string QB had played. The Hawkeyes were in line to set a weird record for the team winning the most games without averaging 250 yards a game on offense.

Iowa cracks me up. I watched some of the Nebraska game. If it’s 3rd and longer than 5 yards to go, they literally don’t even try to convert. They’re more than happy to kick a field goal or punt depending on where they are on the field. I would suspect Michigan will smoke them, but man would I laugh if the Wolverines had an off day and we got treated to a 10-7 slugfest and Iowa shocks the world.