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| Georgia Southern Football |
Well the Sun
Belt Conference has finally made it happen and looks as if they will be
extending four invitations to (2) FCS powerhouses and (2) former WAC football
members that will be independents in 2013.
On Monday
the Sun Belt has made it known that they are inviting long expected Georgia
Southern, and Appalachian State two FCS Southern Conference members and New
Mexico State and Idaho of the WAC, soon to be independent FBS members in 2013. The
Sun Belt stuck with their plans to add additional members within thirty days.
Georgia
Southern and Appalachian State was expected, but New Mexico State and Idaho was
a guess. Sun Belt Conference expanded their geographic footprint in football
only and stayed within their footprint for all other sports. New Mexico State
and Idaho will join in football only in 2014, while Georgia Southern and
Appalachian State will join in all sports in 2014. They will be FBS independent
transitional members in 2014 and could compete for all Sun Belt Championships
and post seasons bowl games in 2015.
NMSU and
Idaho will both join on July 1, 2014 and be eligible to compete for the
conference title and post season bowl games in 2014.
The Sun Belt
Conference is adding four members after they lost four members in Florida
Atlantic, Florida International, Middle Tennessee State and North Texas to
C-USA. When the Sun Belt Conference meet to expand they thought big and
expanded enough to create a new conference football championship game beginning
in 2015, when the new FBS playoff system kick in. The Sun Belt Conference wants to be competitive
in the new process and don’t want to be over looked.
I really
commend the SBC board and AD’s for this move, this is what our conference
should look like and it brings more excitement to the conference. It is believe
that the conference will be made up of two divisions a (East) and a (West)
division that will look like the following; (West) UL-Lafayette, UL-Monroe, Arkansas
State, Texas State, New Mexico State and
Idaho and the (East) will consists of Western Kentucky, South Alabama, Troy,
Georgia State, Georgia Southern and Appalachian State all in football.
Rumors are
that each division will play eight conference games, all six members plus two
cross over members. Each member will have the opportunity to play four
non-conference games beginning in 2015.
It is
expected that C-USA will call Western Kentucky that will cause the Sun Belt
Conference to be without one and back down to 11 members in football. If this
so happens the SBC will be extending an invitation once again, but the question
is to whom? Many believe that that invitation will go to Sam Houston State in
Texas among others.
Georgia Southern and Appalachian State brings a big rivalry to the Sun Belt Conference, and Georgia State and Southern will not create their long projected rivalry. That looks nice to see that the SBC has two members in Georgia. App State and GSU also brings in large attendances, which will also help the conference. I wonder who will get the first home game between the two schools. This will be an exciting first FBS conference game between the two can’t wait.
Georgia Southern and Appalachian State brings a big rivalry to the Sun Belt Conference, and Georgia State and Southern will not create their long projected rivalry. That looks nice to see that the SBC has two members in Georgia. App State and GSU also brings in large attendances, which will also help the conference. I wonder who will get the first home game between the two schools. This will be an exciting first FBS conference game between the two can’t wait.
