America East - no football, but 4 playoff teams

[danefan]

All four football playing schools in the America East will be in the playoffs this year.

Albany
Stony Brook
UNH
Maine

About time AEast officials wake the hell up and start a football league.

[JoshuaTU]

UNH and Maine would dominate that conference

[TwinTownBisonFan]

who else will add football?

or does the AEC just take associate members Rhoady and Fordham would give them 6... but I dont see any other obvious choices - unless they raid the NEC

[danefan]

who else will add football?

or does the AEC just take associate members Rhoady and Fordham would give them 6... but I dont see any other obvious choices - unless they raid the NEC

Take CCSU as an all-sports member and add URI and Fordham affiliates.

Hopefully that will be enought to get Vermont to convert their club team to a Varsity team.

[Seawolf97]

Rhode Island goes to the NEC in 2012 I believe, Fordham is adrift and just fired their coach aftergoing 1-10. Maybe CCSU ? Everyone not at 63 schollies would have to ramp up but it can be done. Seven programs wouldn't be bad for starters.

[danefan]

Rhode Island goes to the NEC in 2012 I believe, Fordham is adrift and just fired their coach aftergoing 1-10. Maybe CCSU ? Everyone not at 63 schollies would have to ramp up but it can be done. Seven programs wouldn't be bad for starters.

2013 for URI, but I think AEast football could talk the out of it.

[Seawolf97]

I hope so - 4Teams and 4 Play Off Berths -

[∞∞∞]

Not really sure why any program would leave their auto-bid conference for a conference that wouldn't have one for at least a few seasons. Just sayin'...

[danefan]

Not really sure why any program would leave their auto-bid conference for a conference that wouldn't have one for at least a few seasons. Just sayin'...

If the playoffs expand to 24, I could easily see the NCAA give an exemption.

[UAalum72]

UNH and Maine would dominate that conference

Even without a full boat of rides, Albany beat Maine in 2009 and 2010, so... maybe not.

[CAA Flagship]

America East - no football, and not much basketball either.

[JoshuaTU]

UNH and Maine would dominate that conference

Even without a full boat of rides, Albany beat Maine in 2009 and 2010, so... maybe not.

Exceptions to every rule.

[UAalum72]

Even without a full boat of rides, Albany beat Maine in 2009 and 2010, so... maybe not.

Exceptions to every rule.

Or... facts to refute uninformed opinion

[DSUrocks07]

DSU would join either the AEast in all sports (with football) or a raided NEC in all sports. We've had one foot out the door of the MEAC for a long time now.

[Seawolf97]

It would be good to see DSU in the AE as an all sports program. I'm bad with my NorthEast focus but DSU would make a good fit and easy travel partner right down I-95.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

It would be good to see DSU in the AE as an all sports program. I'm bad with my NorthEast focus but DSU would make a good fit and easy travel partner right down I-95.

Not nearly as good as Wagner or Monmouth or Fordham - all in the NYC area.

Looking at the America East - there is this "one of these things is not like the other" thing with UMBC as it is... the rest of the teams are more or less in New England - or at least north and east of NYC... makes nice geographic sense.

[JoshuaTU]

Exceptions to every rule.

Or... facts to refute uninformed opinion

Maine is much better now.

[DSUrocks07]

It would be good to see DSU in the AE as an all sports program. I'm bad with my NorthEast focus but DSU would make a good fit and easy travel partner right down I-95.

Not nearly as good as Wagner or Monmouth or Fordham - all in the NYC area.

Looking at the America East - there is this "one of these things is not like the other" thing with UMBC as it is... the rest of the teams are more or less in New England - or at least north and east of NYC... makes nice geographic sense.

Which is why I would feel that having UMBC as a 'travel partner' would work well for DSU.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Not nearly as good as Wagner or Monmouth or Fordham - all in the NYC area.

Looking at the America East - there is this "one of these things is not like the other" thing with UMBC as it is... the rest of the teams are more or less in New England - or at least north and east of NYC... makes nice geographic sense.

Which is why I would feel that having UMBC as a 'travel partner' would work well for DSU.

misread on my part

[SeawolvesFan90]

I'm almost sure these four teams wouldn't get bids if they were part of the America East conference. Considering two of them got in by means of the auto-bid. What happened this year is great, it shows AE football is possible but I doubt we see four bids under the AE banner...

[UAalum72]

Or... facts to refute uninformed opinion

Maine is much better now.

So you're saying whether Maine wins depends on if they're having a good year or not. They're not a lock. Just like everybody else.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Personally, I'd want my football conference to have 8-9 members who were all sports members. I can't see leaving an established league for a start-up with its existence dependent on affiliates. Now, if you can get CCSU, Monmouth, Delaware State and one or two more to come on board for all sports then you'd have a much better chance of interest from UNH and Maine. And then only having two affiliates (URI and Fordham) would make more sense. But please explain to me why BU, UVM, Hartford, SUNY-Binghamton and UMBC would approve adding 4-5 new all sports members thus making basketball a 13-14 team league? And excuse me if I'm very reluctant to put my alma mater's football future reliant on URI.

Somehow to me it seems more logical that W&M, UR, Towson, Delaware, Stony Brook, Albany, UNH and Maine would be the core of a Northeastern FCS conference. I just don't see any of the CAA football schools in this group going where JMU, ODU and GaStU want to go. Not with the way that Delaware is treating their fan base. Lot's of options to add to this core of eight and make a 9-12 member conference.

[89Hen]

All four football playing schools in the America East will be in the playoffs this year.

Albany
Stony Brook
UNH
Maine

About time AEast officials wake the hell up and start a football league.

Why? You'd go from four AE teams in the playoffs to two.

[mainejeff]

Somehow to me it seems more logical that W&M, UR, Towson, Delaware, Stony Brook, Albany, UNH and Maine would be the core of a Northeastern FCS conference. I just don't see any of the CAA football schools in this group going where JMU, ODU and GaStU want to go. [/color]

Agreed. And I think that you will see this or something similar in a few years. Maine and UNH just have to sit tight for now......they've solidified their CAA Football membership by both making the playoffs this season (couldn't have happened at a better time!). I have a feeling that Georgia State's membership in the CAA will be short-lived and JMU/ODU are attractive all-sports programs for a variety of reasons. Plan on at least 2 more seasons (2012 & 2013) in the CAA (as we know it) and then we'll see where everyone is at.