Introducing, The Big Four

[boyblue]

Do any of you know if there is any NCAA rule preventing the GSC from fielding only four teams for the foreseeable future? Is it a situation where we'll be given 2 or three years to add teams. If we are allowed to exist with four teams indefinitely, I say we own it, we're now The Big 4!

[Eagle74]

The Big-4 Independents 😉

[CalifOKRA]

Do any of you know if there is any NCAA rule preventing the GSC from fielding only four teams for the foreseeable future? Is it a situation where we'll be given 2 or three years to add teams. If we are allowed to exist with four teams indefinitely, I say we own it, we're now The Big 4!

I'm not sure how it all works. There are a lot of questions.
Does the conference receive a grace period to add schools? Are the remaining schools able to seek a new conference to become football affiliated members only?
I'm sure there are plenty more questions.

[getnastyblazers]

I am not sure what the options are, to be honest I think VSU long term is going to have to make a hard decision to either move up or shut down football. I don't see a viable conference option in d2 anymore as much as this pains me to say.

[Finchwidget]

As far as I know, there are no rules explicitly forbidding a conference from only fielding 4 teams in a sport. However, I believe the playoffs are moving from earned access to an automatic qualifier system starting next year, and in order for a conference champion to receive an automatic bid, I think you need either 6 or 7 conference members to sponsor a sport... Either way, less than the GSC has now. I believe you'd probably get a buffer period of a year or two to get back to that number, but after that, you'd lose your autobid, so it wouldn't necessarily be a guarantee that the GSC would always have a member in the playoffs. However, the remaining four teams are very strong, so I imagine 1 or 2 GSC teams would be able to secure an at-large bid most years anyway. The crux of the issue is less about whether the NCAA would allow it though and more about how to fill an 11-game schedule when you only have 3 guaranteed conference games.

It's not completely unprecedented though-- for many years, the ACC has only had 5 men's lacrosse teams, so they're ineligible to receive an autobid to the D1 men's lacrosse tournament. However, because they're such a strong lacrosse conference, a lot of their teams get in anyway through at-large bids.

[laker]

What are they going to do next year? With four teams, even playing everyone home and away only gives you six games. Tough to fill that many OOC games.

[getnastyblazers]

What are they going to do next year? With four teams, even playing everyone home and away only gives you six games. Tough to fill that many OOC games.

I think at this point it is up in the air; we are all going to be scrambling to fill out the schedule.

[ctrabs74]

I'm not sure how it all works. There are a lot of questions.
Does the conference receive a grace period to add schools? Are the remaining schools able to seek a new conference to become football affiliated members only?
I'm sure there are plenty more questions.

The PAC-12 got a two year grace period from the NCAA to retain their status as an FBS conference (not necessarily a "Power Five" conference, but an FBS conference nonetheless). I would think that the NCAA has a similar grace period for D2 football conferences. I haven't been able to find the exact D2 equivalent to D1 for that particular rule, but I'd suspect it's similar rules.

[Redwing]

I think at this point it is up in the air; we are all going to be scrambling to fill out the schedule.

It's a bit of a travel, but I suspect the GLIAC has a few openings. Each has 4 open or OOC dates

[CalifOKRA]

It's a bit of a travel, but I suspect the GLIAC has a few openings. Each has 4 open or OOC dates

I believe the cost of travel makes this option difficult.

[getnastyblazers]

It's a bit of a travel, but I suspect the GLIAC has a few openings. Each has 4 open or OOC dates

May be our only option.

[Redwing]

I believe the cost of travel makes this option difficult.

Well, you guys did a H&H not too long ago with GV. And one longer travel game a season can be budgeted... especially since the 4 left of the GSC typically have better teams on a national scale.

[cneagle99]

The realignment really hurts you guys as well as the SAC now only has open dates week 0&1 and then only one school per week for the rest of the season. My gut is most SAC schools will keep the open date in the middle of the season and try to get their one non-conference game in those early weeks.

[cwfenn]

Do any of you know if there is any NCAA rule preventing the GSC from fielding only four teams for the foreseeable future? Is it a situation where we'll be given 2 or three years to add teams. If we are allowed to exist with four teams indefinitely, I say we own it, we're now The Big 4!

This happened to the GNAC before their football programs merged into the LSC. They were down to three teams and would play a double round robin with 2-3 OOC games against the LSC and another OOC game elsewhere. The conference was treated as an independent and could only earn an at large bid. With earned access going off the table next year, I’m not sure how this changes things.

[Eagle74]

What are they going to do next year? With four teams, even playing everyone home and away only gives you six games. Tough to fill that many OOC games.

Conference Carolinas (which now includes some former GSC teams) tossed them a life line to cover at least the next 2 seasons. Now if they want to run with it or not is their choice.