2024 Schedule

[Wolf King]

Rumors in the wind: 1. UWF is researching a move to FCS but it may not necessarily be the ASUN; 2. Valdosta not researching any move but will be buying the stadium from Valdosta BOE.

[Finchwidget]

Rumors in the wind: 1. UWF is researching a move to FCS but it may not necessarily be the ASUN;

Where else would they go? The Southland?

[Shugley]

Delta State's schedule is out. Ten games, all against D2 opponents. https://gostatesmen.com/sports/football/schedule/2024

Looks like a good schedule. Not all cupcake non conference games. If I remember correctly (which I could be way off) the MVSU series was supposed to be a 4 year contract. I’m sure the gate sales were good, but there is no way it was a good look getting trounced by the D2 school 40 miles away when you’re supposed to be the big D1 school in the region.

[Wolf King]

Yes. Southland is a distinct possibility.

[CalifOKRA]

Looks like a good schedule. Not all cupcake non conference games. If I remember correctly (which I could be way off) the MVSU series was supposed to be a 4 year contract. I’m sure the gate sales were good, but there is no way it was a good look getting trounced by the D2 school 40 miles away when you’re supposed to be the big D1 school in the region.

I was watching SportsCenter at the gym this morning and saw MVSU was highlighted for winning their first basketball game of the season. It got me thinking.

Why is there so much disparity between Delta and Mississippi Valley in athletics?

They're essentially in the same location, the Mississippi Delta. I would imagine both schools are recruiting the same athletes, same schools (HS & JUCO), the same areas. Not sure if academic standards play a role, but I certainly doubt it does; neither school is an academic powerhouse. Plus, being D1 FCS, MVSU can offer more scholarships.

So, why is MVSU a perennial loser and why do they consistently lose to their lower division counterpart?

Edit to add: If Delta were to join the SWAC, they would easily be in the top half of the conference, if not in the top 3 teams. Especially with the extra scholarships. I know that's not saying much, but it blows my mind that MVSU is able to remain in FCS from a financial and athletic standpoint. I still believe that if MVSU and DSU were to merge, they'd be a stronger combined university athletically and academically. I know none of this would ever happen due to HBCU legacy, but it's just a thought.

[UNALions]

I was watching SportsCenter at the gym this morning and saw MVSU was highlighted for winning their first basketball game of the season. It got me thinking.

Why is there so much disparity between Delta and Mississippi Valley in athletics?

They're essentially in the same location, the Mississippi Delta. I would imagine both schools are recruiting the same athletes, same schools (HS & JUCO), the same areas. Not sure if academic standards play a role, but I certainly doubt it does; neither school is an academic powerhouse. Plus, being D1 FCS, MVSU can offer more scholarships.

So, why is MVSU a perennial loser and why do they consistently lose to their lower division counterpart?

Edit to add: If Delta were to join the SWAC, they would easily be in the top half of the conference, if not in the top 3 teams. Especially with the extra scholarships. I know that's not saying much, but it blows my mind that MVSU is able to remain in FCS from a financial and athletic standpoint. I still believe that if MVSU and DSU were to merge, they'd be a stronger combined university athletically and academically. I know none of this would ever happen due to HBCU legacy, but it's just a thought.

Good post. That whole thing boggles my mind for several reasons. Some of which can't be discussed on here other than in the off-topic forum. I wish both would merge and be the pride of the area for all communities. That said, DSU does well in so many sports but has got to improve enrollment. MVSU has a myriad of issues but I noticed one bright spot was that they literally tripled the size of their marching band with a new director in the matter of months! They were all over HBCU band social media getting great recognition for the school.

Aside from a merge, I think it would be a cool off-ramp for DSU to lobby the SWAC for a spot if the GSC ever ceases to sponsor football.

[UNALions]

Yes. Southland is a distinct possibility.

Absolutely. With those three schools in the NOLA area, those are three conference foes within a 3-hour drive from Pensacola. Much closer than any other conference in D2 or FCS. Now, those three farthest Texas schools are way out (Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Dallas area are all over 10 hours by car) there but no more so than football games in Utah in the ASUN/UAC. All-sports? I dunno.

The ASUN puts similar drives in the picture such as even Ft. Myers here in our own state is over 8.5 hours to get there. Over 9 hours up to Louisville to play Bellarmine. Of course, all of those turn into flights. They try to schedule it so you're in Kentucky for both Bellarmine and EKU. Or in Nashville for both Lipscomb and Austin Peay. Or in Jacksonville, for both JU and North FL. But, it's still a lot of travel. I don't know if it's any better than 7-hour bus trips to Tennessee for Union and Lee from down here, etc, though.

[Finchwidget]

Absolutely. With those three schools in the NOLA area, those are three conference foes within a 3-hour drive from Pensacola. Much closer than any other conference in D2 or FCS. Now, those three farthest Texas schools are way out (Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Dallas area are all over 10 hours by car) there but no more so than football games in Utah in the ASUN/UAC. All-sports? I dunno.

Good point. Now that I look at a map, UWF wouldn't look terribly out of place in the Southland footprint. I guess my initial shock was mostly that the Southland is a very nuclear conference-- I don't think they've ever had a member that wasn't in that 4 state corridor of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, so going outside of that footprint to Florida (even Pensacola) would be uncharted territory for them. That, and it feels like they've finally achieved stability again after getting raided by the WAC and ASUN, so I wasn't expecting them to go on the offensive anytime soon. But, UWF would be a pretty nice addition for both sides if it happens. Wishing nothing but the best for the Argos should they go!

[UNALions]

Good point. Now that I look at a map, UWF wouldn't look terribly out of place in the Southland footprint. I guess my initial shock was mostly that the Southland is a very nuclear conference-- I don't think they've ever had a member that wasn't in that 4 state corridor of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, so going outside of that footprint to Florida (even Pensacola) would be uncharted territory for them. That, and it feels like they've finally achieved stability again after getting raided by the WAC and ASUN, so I wasn't expecting them to go on the offensive anytime soon. But, UWF would be a pretty nice addition for both sides if it happens. Wishing nothing but the best for the Argos should they go!

I think that the Southland no longer has schools in OK and Arkansas allows for Pensacola to join the footprint more easily. Now, does UCA want to go back? They are an ASUN outlier being 5-hours away from UNA as their closest conference foe. But, the Southland footprint was no better for them.

[Wolf King]

Southland pitched UWG hard.

[UNALions]

Southland pitched UWG hard.

I get the pitch but Carrollton to Corpus Christi is 15 hours by bus. I can't image wanting to budget those flights for all sports. The closest conference foes would be 7-hours away in New Orleans.

The Braves have much closer travels in the northern part of the ASUN and I'm excited to see them join in just a few months! Now, if they beat UNA in any sport the first year or so, I won't be excited. Lol.

[Inkblot]

Mississippi College's schedule is out: like Delta State and Valdosta State, it's ten D2 opponents. https://www.gochoctaws.com/sports/fo.../schedule/2024

No non-D2 opponents on GSC schedules yet... after seeing Keiser unfairly punished in the NAIA rankings and selections for losing to GSC teams the last couple years, I wouldn't blame them if they're done playing D2s.

[BEARS]

Where else would they go? The Southland?

I know nothing, but my initial reaction would be SoCon before Southland.

[Finchwidget]

I know nothing, but my initial reaction would be SoCon before Southland.

I thought that too, but the SoCon doesn't really have a history of taking D2 call-ups

[Inkblot]

I thought that too, but the SoCon doesn't really have a history of taking D2 call-ups

Wofford, but that's about it.