ASUN adding FCS football-JSU, EKU and CAU

[apaladin]

Jacksonville St and Eastern Kentucky leaving the OVC. Central Arkansas leaving the Southland. Kennesaw St .ans North Alabama will join from the Big South.
https://fbschedules.com/asun-announces- ... -football/

[MidlandsPaladin]

"The ASUN will begin play in the FCS in the fall of 2022. The conference hopes to add a sixth member, a number that is required in order to receive an automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. Austin Peay and Chattanooga are two schools that have been mentioned as possibilities."

[Affirm]

"The ASUN will begin play in the FCS in the fall of 2022. The conference hopes to add a sixth member, a number that is required in order to receive an automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. Austin Peay and Chattanooga are two schools that have been mentioned as possibilities."

Don’t they already have the 6th FB member, Stetson, which would leave Pioneer?

[mathprofhiker]

I thought this was big news when I read it on FBSchedules yesterday; those are some good football schools. This is probably not in the realm of possibility (because the other schools are all government schools), but I would like to see Furman, Wofford, and a couple others join this new ASUN and form a "power" FCS conference for the southeast much like the MVFC, Colonial, or Big Sky for their respective regions. That would be good for FCS football in this region and improve the competitive balance nationwide.

[Affirm]

I thought this was big news when I read it on FBSchedules yesterday; those are some good football schools. This is probably not in the realm of possibility (because the other schools are all government schools), but I would like to see Furman, Wofford, and a couple others join this new ASUN and form a "power" FCS conference for the southeast much like the MVFC, Colonial, or Big Sky for their respective regions. That would be good for FCS football in this region and improve the competitive balance nationwide.

If not what you suggest, I would like to see Furman, Wofford, 1-2 other (Citadel? WCU? ETSU? VMI?) join the CAA. CAA Football-South has 4 current members, with 7 other FCS schools in CAA-North.
For either idea, though, it appears that we would be adding a lot to our average travel distance for conference competition, compared to SoCon.
In that regard, we probably should stay put.
If any current SoCon school(s) go to ASUN, wonder how that will change things.

[Affirm]

Addendum to the above about
SoCon & CAA & ASUN for Furman football.
I believe that IF Furman were to consider changing conferences, such a move would be more realistic if we would bring along with us Wofford plus “Citadel or Mercer or WCU or ETSU”, because of travel time from Greenville to conference games.
In the CAA, Furman plus 2 other schools including Wofford and “either Citadel or Mercer or WCU or ETSU” would increase the size of CAA SOUTH to make that a 7-school division of CAA to match the current CAA NORTH.

Average travel time (driving) from Greenville:
•
... to the 4 most distant SoCon FB schools = 4 hrs + 9 min
[VMI (305 min), SU (270), UTC (222), MU (199)]
•
... to the 4 most distant CAA-SOUTH FB schools = 5 hrs + 21 min
[W&M (391 min), JMU (356), UR (348), EU (189 min)
•
... to the 4 most distant schools in the new version of ASUN FB = 6 hrs + 51 min ... or, 7 hrs + 26 min if Stetson is going to move their FB from PFL to ASUN (of which Stetson is already a member in other sports, before ASUN adds FB)
[UCA (607 min), UNA (373), JSU (363), EKU (302)... or, StetsU (427) Stetson is “in”, making them 1 of the 4 most distant from Greenville instead of EKU being 1 of the 4 most distant.

[The Jackal]

"The ASUN will begin play in the FCS in the fall of 2022. The conference hopes to add a sixth member, a number that is required in order to receive an automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. Austin Peay and Chattanooga are two schools that have been mentioned as possibilities."

Out of all member schools, I expect UTC would be the most likely to leave. However, I still do not believe this makes sense for the Mocs for the simple reason that the SoCon is a much better basketball conference.

I would like to see the SoCon protect itself against conference realignment, though.

[Affirm]

You are right.
I am concerned Mercer & Samford might leave.

[DoomedDin1127]

Just out of curiosity... how could you tell if a program isn’t happy with being in the SoCon? Just not doing well in the conference? I’ve personally wondered if schools/teams love or hate the SoCon. How can the SoCon get teams to join?

[Affirm]

Just out of curiosity... how could you tell if a program isn’t happy with being in the SoCon? Just not doing well in the conference? I’ve personally wondered if schools/teams love or hate the SoCon. How can the SoCon get teams to join?

To be “happy”, schools have to believe that the total overall rewards outweigh the total overall costs in SoCon compared to in conference Y or in conference Z (including also any 1-time fees and other 1-time costs for changing conferences, and taking into account what, if any, other conference may be open).

[FUpaladin08]

I don’t see FU, Woff, or Cit leaving the Socon when they all contend for the title each year. Not to mention the strength of basketball. I could see UTC or Sanford jump if that meant they had a better shot at contending for the playoffs each year.

Of course the question I have is why didn’t the Socon land one or two of these schools? We should be looking to boast the conference in football instead of jumping ship to a conference where FU will land as middle of the pack.

[apaladin]

Fyi Stetson will not participate in ASun football. They will stay in the non-scholarship Pioneer League.

[Affirm]

Fyi Stetson will not participate in ASun football. They will stay in the non-scholarship Pioneer League.

Thanks. I did not know, but wondered.

[apaladin]

I could see UTC or Sanford jump if that meant they had a better shot at contending for the playoffs each year.

With JSU, KSU, CAU, I really dont see the path to the playoffs much easier if at all.