Big South and SoCon should merge

[bucs90]

Anyone thought of the Big South and SoCon merging? Last year, the Big South flat owned the SoCon, something like 7-1. This year, they are 4-1, with Gardner Webb playing Citadel tomorrow still.

Why not just merge them now that they are...well, I'd say equal now, but BSC has surpassed the SoCon right now. Anyway...they should merge to one conference. Does FCS allow a championship game like FBS? IF so, they could all have a bye the final week, and play a conference championship game the week before the playoffs between the following two divisions:

North:
Liberty
Western Carolina
Gardner Webb
East Tennessee State
VMI
Monmouth
Kennesaw State (2015 Big South member)
UT-Chattanooga

South:
Charleston Southern
The Citadel
Coastal Carolina
Presbyterian
Furman
Samford
Mercer
Wofford

That would be two 8-team divisions. Each team would get 7 division games plus 1 cross-division game, and then a bye week before the playoffs. This year, Eastern Washington played Sam Houston State on August 23rd, so this new conference could start 1 week early like EWU did, and that way still be able work another bye week in mid-season. They'd get 4 non-conference games to still work with also.

I think it'd be a great merger for one conference that is a bit too small but doing very well (BSC) and one that is shrinking and struggling to keep up past glory and in need of a jump start.

[SuperHornet]

Those divisions are too big. IMO, super-conferences are stupid. You nearly always have have an argument about who goes to the title game (in FBS) or wins the title directly (in FCS) because schools can't play the entire league. That's dumb, IMO. The best arrangement (for me) is nine for football (so everyone plays everyone and there are still three or four non-conference games, depending on the year) and ten for hoops (which allows for a nice travel partner home-and-home schedule before the conference tournament).

Besides, your arrangement busts up perhaps the biggest rivalry in the Big South. That's not good, either....

[bucs90]

Those divisions are too big. IMO, super-conferences are stupid. You nearly always have have an argument about who goes to the title game (in FBS) or wins the title directly (in FCS) because schools can't play the entire league. That's dumb, IMO. The best arrangement (for me) is nine for football (so everyone plays everyone and there are still three or four non-conference games, depending on the year) and ten for hoops (which allows for a nice travel partner home-and-home schedule before the conference tournament).

Besides, your arrangement busts up perhaps the biggest rivalry in the Big South. That's not good, either....

They are big, but at 8 teams, only 1 team bigger than SEC divisions. SEC has 2 cross over games. My idea only has 1 cross division, which would rotate.

Yes, it does separate Liberty and Coastal, and Citadel and VMI. I suppose they could switch, or, just make those permanent cross over games. I think Liberty and Coastal are ONLY rivals because the league title so often goes through those two teams. Geographically, CSU would be much more of a natural rival for CCU, but CSU just isn't contending for the Big South yearly like Liberty is to challenge CCU. In my set-up, I think Liberty would develop the same kind of rivalry with ETSU or UTC, since they'd challenge for that division.

[Ibanez]

No they shouldn't. It'd be watered down.

[keydet21]

Sounds cool but never gonna happen. SoCon would never want to give up the history and records they have. Big South might be more open to it but you would need two sides to agree.

Why would there be any compelling reason to merge?

[Ibanez]

Sounds cool but never gonna happen. SoCon would never want to give up the history and records they have. Big South might be more open to it but you would need two sides to agree.

Why would there be any compelling reason to merge?

The SoCon would feel relevant again.

[bucs90]

Sounds cool but never gonna happen. SoCon would never want to give up the history and records they have. Big South might be more open to it but you would need two sides to agree.

Why would there be any compelling reason to merge?

Same reason SEC expanded in 91. Just to be groundbreakers. First FCS conference championship game setup. Combine all.the Southeast programs.

[OL FU]

Sounds cool but never gonna happen. SoCon would never want to give up the history and records they have. Big South might be more open to it but you would need two sides to agree.

Why would there be any compelling reason to merge?

Same reason SEC expanded in 91. Just to be groundbreakers. First FCS conference championship game setup. Combine all.the Southeast programs.

Because under the current playoff scheduling if we had a championship game, (unless we played it a week early which probably wouldn't be practical to have an 11 or 12 game season), we would not participate in the playoffs. just not enough weeks in the football year.

Second reason, ok the BSouth has equaled or surpassed the SoCon (for two years), but the B south football wise is still a relatively unstable conference. Liberty wants to move up (not sure they can), my guess is that even with all the positive talk, CCU would love to move out. and of course, who knows how long Monmouth is going to stay.

[TribeFanInNC]

Sounds cool but never gonna happen. SoCon would never want to give up the history and records they have. Big South might be more open to it but you would need two sides to agree.

Why would there be any compelling reason to merge?

Same reason SEC expanded in 91. Just to be groundbreakers. First FCS conference championship game setup. Combine all.the Southeast programs.

For several years when the CAA had twelve teams we were split into 2 divisions, but there was no championship game. If the two division leaders had the same record, there was a tiebreaker for the auto bid.

[bucs90]

Same reason SEC expanded in 91. Just to be groundbreakers. First FCS conference championship game setup. Combine all.the Southeast programs.

For several years when the CAA had twelve teams we were split into 2 divisions, but there was no championship game. If the two division leaders had the same record, there was a tiebreaker for the auto bid.

I love the 2 division format. Its always better when there are more goals for a team to play for. I think having a Week 0 game like some high schools do, and like Eastern Washington/Sam Houston St did this year, would bump the season back a week, then schedule a bye week for all teams before the playoffs. The 2 division winners would pay during that bye week for the auto-bid and conference championship.

Anyway, just a nice thought, I know it will never happen. I do wish the Big South would expand though. 8-10 teams would be nice.

[JayJ79]

if the two combined, it would mean one less AQ, and thus another at-large. works for me.

[The Cats]

Big South and SoCon should merge -

Will never happen. The Citadel and Furman don't want it, so it ain't gonna happen.

By the way, WCU is not interested either, nor is Wofford, VMI, Mercer. More than enough to stop any merger talk.

[bucs90]

Big South and SoCon should merge -

Will never happen. The Citadel and Furman don't want it, so it ain't gonna happen.

By the way, WCU is not interested either, nor is Wofford, VMI, Mercer. More than enough to stop any merger talk.

Yep, and there certainly is no official "merger talk", I just made this idea up for discussion. That said, I do think the SoCon and Big South will both have to expand in the future.

[rokamortis]

No point in merging - as others have said. No championship game, lose an auto bid.

I know this won't happen either, but I'd rather see the larger schools get together and let the smaller schools get together.

UTC, WCU, ETSU, Coastal, Liberty, KSU then find a couple more to get to 8. I know it is a pipe dream but I think it would be a great all-sport conference.

[CID1990]

Big South and SoCon should merge -

Will never happen. The Citadel and Furman don't want it, so it ain't gonna happen.

By the way, WCU is not interested either, nor is Wofford, VMI, Mercer. More than enough to stop any merger talk.

Hey look its the "Furman and El Cid are the BORG" meme again

[bucs90]

Presbyterian just beat Western. Coastal probly going to blow Furman out.

The Big South vs SoCon 2013/2014 record is just ugly for the SoCon.

[keydet21]

Presbyterian just beat Western. Coastal probly going to blow Furman out.

The Big South vs SoCon 2013/2014 record is just ugly for the SoCon.

VMI must've poisoned the SoCon with our suckiness.

[Ibanez]

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THE SOCON?!?!?!?

[93henfan]

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THE SOCON?!?!?!?

It's almost like their two best teams just left for FBS or something.

[Ibanez]

FBS??? What is this?

[CID1990]

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THE SOCON?!?!?!?

The conference is down.

It may be permanent or it may be temporary.

I do know this though: there are a lot more schools competing for kids nowadays, and if I was a kid choosing between Myrtle Beach and Hooters or Traveler's Rest and some jesus freak girl with pimply face and tetracycline poisoned teeth I'd go with Myrtle Beach. Just saying.

[bucs90]

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THE SOCON?!?!?!?

It's almost like their two best teams just left for FBS or something.

No samford and Chattanooga are still there

[bucs90]

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THE SOCON?!?!?!?

The conference is down.

It may be permanent or it may be temporary.

I do know this though: there are a lot more schools competing for kids nowadays, and if I was a kid choosing between Myrtle Beach and Hooters or Traveler's Rest and some jesus freak girl with pimply face and tetracycline poisoned teeth I'd go with Myrtle Beach. Just saying.

FCS/1-AA football in South Carolina used to be nothing but Citadel and Furman, with SC State occasionally popping up. The emergence of Wofford from NAIA, CCU and CSU starting teams, PC moving up, ddefinitely is a factor.

[OL FU]

Furman finally started looking like the team that was expected. Hopefully it is a trend.