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| Texas State- Head Coach Dennis Franchione |
Both
the Bobcats and Panthers will join the Sun Belt in 2013. Texas State will play
one season in the WAC, while GSU wraps up its time in the Colonial Athletic
Association.
Dennis
Franchione and Bill Curry both attended their soon to be conference media day
on Monday.
“It
is exciting to be going into the Sun Belt (in 2013),” Franchione said. “It has
some great coaches and I think that we fit in this league nicely.”
“This
great thing about Texas State is that it really sells itself with 35,000
students, 12 doctoral programs, good academics, $70 million invested in
athletic facilities and the commitment to becoming a good FBS school,”
Franchione said. “The fact that we are an FBS program has helped our
recruiting.”
“We
play in the WAC this year and next year we begin our Sun Belt chapter,”
Franchione said. “I will probably keep track of the Sun Belt schools a little
bit, but our main focus will be on our games this year.”
Bill
Curry wasted no time in re-uniting with old friends and the Georgia State new
family.
“Media
Day is fun. I get to meet a lot of new people, and I get to see old friends,
coaches I knew in another life. Today makes me feel the beginning of another
new challenge for our Georgia State football program, said Curry.”
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| Georgia State Head Coach Bill Curry |
“The
Sun Belt Conference gives us instant credibility because we have become an FBS
program faster than most. Recruits take us more seriously, and our players
understand the intensity. It ramps things up for us, and we’ve got to work
harder and harder.”
Both
Georgia State and Texas State will be a great assest to the Sun Belt
Conference. Both schools are located in good media markets and Georgia State is
located in one of the largest cities in the south (Atlanta, GA) home of the Atlanta
Falcons.
To
speak of the Atlanta Falcons, the GA State panthers will play on the same field
as the Falcons inside the Georgia Dome.
It
will an interesting season come 2013, as we look forward to the new chapter in
the SBC. Georgia State will continue its rivalry with South Alabama, the two
teams has played each other in a home and home game series in FCS play, now
they will take the field in FBS conference play. Also look for GA State to
establish rivalries with Troy, FAU and Middle Tennessee.
Texas
State will also be creating rivalries; I look for rivalries against
UL-Lafayette, UL-Monroe and Arkansas State.
Come
2013 the tone will be much different for both football programs, better
recruits and new conference. Ga State and Texas State will replace North Texas
and FIU who chose to take their football program elsewhere.
The Sun Belt Conference is on the move and you should move with it. Once again welcome Georgia State (Panthers) and the Texas State (Bobcats).
The Sun Belt Conference is on the move and you should move with it. Once again welcome Georgia State (Panthers) and the Texas State (Bobcats).
