With teams leaving or joining the Big 10, Pac 10, Big 12, WAC, Big Sky (FCS), and the Mountain West Conferences respectively, due to TV network contracts, a shot to play in a better conference, or for a better fit. Some conferences in the world of Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) need and should expand as well. I took some time to examine the current line-up of FCS Conferences, and came up with a number of conferences that should or need to expand.
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is like the SEC of Football Bowl Champion Subdivision. It has a strong number of core teams, and it has established its own network to show the conference’s athletic events.
Currently, the Southland Conference has so much pull in the FCS; it was basically awarded the FCS Championship Game near its own headquarters (Frisco, Texas at Pizza Hut Stadium).
With that said, one of its current members; Univ.of Texas at San Antonio, (UTSA) will be starting its inaugural football season in 2011.
UTSA has all ready stated it wants to compete in the FBS, and is making current arrangements to enter into the FBS as an independent. Overall that will leave the Southland Conference will 11 total members, but 9 competing in football (The Univ. of Lamar Cardinals will resume its football program this up-coming season).
The other two members, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and University of Texas at Arlington do not have a football program.
This a great time for the conference to open its doors to expand and possibly have a championship game. Here are a few teams the conference can take a look at.
· Grambling State Tigers: The Tigers has a solid football team, and has finished with a winning record year in and year out. They fit geographically as well.
It would benefit the Tigers based on the fact that while they are in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) even if they win their conference title (as with all conference football members) they will not be able to participate in the FCS playoffs, for a chance to win a national championship.
That's because the SWAC does not participate in the FCS Playoffs due to games scheduled at the time the FCS Playoffs start. Also it would boost to the schools recruiting of athletes as well.
· Univ. of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions (UAPB): The Golden Lions are in the same situation as Grambling State, with not being able to participate in the FCS Playoffs. Ark at PB would add another rivalry to the Southland Conference by playing the Central Arkansas Bears and fits geographically.
· Prairie View A&M Panthers: PVA&M is a Texas based team, who along with UAPB and Grambling State also play in the SWAC Conference. The Panthers football team is on the rise and currently are the SWAC champions. Unfortunately, even with a 9-3 record, because of the SWAC rules, they were forced to sit at home during the FCS Playoffs.
Big South Conference:
In 2002 the Big South began sponsoring football. Currently the conference only has seven football members.
At this time the Big South has an automatic bid into the FCS Playoffs. Adding a school or two would help strengthen this conference.
· Jacksonville Dolphins: The Dolphins currently play in the Pioneer Conference. If the Big South would add the Dolphins to their conference, it would give them the Jacksonville, Florida market and its surrounding areas.
It would also open up more recruiting in the state of Florida.
· Charlotte 49ers: The Univ. of Charlotte begins play in 2013, resuming its football program, which discontinued play in 1948. The 49ers have stated it would eventually like to move up to FBS status, but there is no time table set for such a move.
Inviting Charlotte to the Big South would be perfect, since one a number of their current members are based in the state of North Carolina and to it would give the Big South the Charlotte, North Carolina market.
