A new and better FBS thread

[BigHorns]

I thought going independent wasn't allowed anymore? Or did the kerfuffle over Liberty cancel all that?

There's a lot of barriers to cross.

1) It's not permitted without FBS conference invite, but could apply for a FBS waiver. However the committee has turned down the last 3 or 4 waiver requests, they seem to be strictly sticking to the rules for now.

2) Assuming you pass the first barrier, have to come up with a schedule. Much harder than it sounds. Liberty was spending millions each year to get other FBS teams to play them, and decided it wasn't feasible long term. Would be even harder for us, P5's in general are looking for easy wins at home OOC, not challenging road games. We might be able to persuade some MAC or CUSA teams to come play us for enough cash, but they won't be looking for losses either. You are also required to host at least 5 FBS home games per NCAA to remain a FBS member.

3) Assuming the first two barriers are crossed, would have to convince the CFP cartel to let us in. This may be the most challenging, because its basically a separate corporation owned by the conferences, and they aren't eager to share money or access with others. They are already arm wrestling each other how to carve up PAC's slot and votes, before its even officially dead.

The only team that has really made Indy work well is Notre Dame. The thing is they are essentially an ACC associated school, and are given an ACC schedule each year due to a formal agreement. Their history and status have also given them a great media deal, and believe they are the only independent school that has direct membership in the CFP. In spite of all this, there is still rumors they may be pushed to formally join ACC or B10 at some point.

[heffray]

I guess my general feeling (while fully admitting I’m not thinking about all the nitty gritty details/considering ALL factors) is that FCS is a slow death. Since you’re already diagnosed with a terminal ailment (FCS), you don’t have THAT much risk going FBS independent if that ends up blowing up in your face. Doing it now, increasing scholarship allotment and so forth, “communicates” to the college football world where your intentions/commitments are. I would imagine that you could embarrassingly drop back down to FCS if it didn’t work out (…Idaho for example)

Forgive me for splitting hairs here, but your post said “…you’re poised to guarantee…” and what you just described sounds more like “…you’re taking a big gamble and hoping decision-makers totally out of your control make room for you when unknown things happen at unknown times…”

Going independent doesn’t guarantee anything, not even close, but that’s just my opinion…

It sounds more like you’re advocating for taking a big gamble so that, if it doesn’t work out, when the dust settles, at least you can say that you tried… fwiw, I think there’s a case to be made for that approach.

[NDSUguy]

Forgive me for splitting hairs here, but your post said “…you’re poised to guarantee…” and what you just described sounds more like “…you’re taking a big gamble and hoping decision-makers totally out of your control make room for you when unknown things happen at unknown times…”

Going independent doesn’t guarantee anything, not even close, but that’s just my opinion…

It sounds more like you’re advocating for taking a big gamble so that, if it doesn’t work out, when the dust settles, at least you can say that you tried… fwiw, I think there’s a case to be made for that approach.

Isn’t all of this a gamble? Say or go nothing is certain. Going D1 was a big gamble. It paid off but it could’ve gone much much worse. Right now we’re waiting for an invite (that we can’t control) and hoping for the best. Dr Chapman and Gene where are you….

[heffray]

There's a lot of barriers to cross.

1) It's not permitted without FBS conference invite, but could apply for a FBS waiver. However the committee has turned down the last 3 or 4 waiver requests, they seem to be strictly sticking to the rules for now.

2) Assuming you pass the first barrier, have to come up with a schedule. Much harder than it sounds. Liberty was spending millions each year to get other FBS teams to play them, and decided it wasn't feasible long term. Would be even harder for us, P5's in general are looking for easy wins at home OOC, not challenging road games. We might be able to persuade some MAC or CUSA teams to come play us for enough cash, but they won't be looking for losses either. You are also required to host at least 5 FBS home games per NCAA to remain a FBS member.

3) Assuming the first two barriers are crossed, would have to convince the CFP cartel to let us in. This may be the most challenging, because its basically a separate corporation owned by the conferences, and they aren't eager to share money or access with others. They are already arm wrestling each other how to carve up PAC's slot and votes, before its even officially dead.

The only team that has really made Indy work well is Notre Dame. The thing is they are essentially an ACC associated school, and are given an ACC schedule each year due to a formal agreement. Their history and status have also given them a great media deal, and believe they are the only independent school that has direct membership in the CFP. In spite of all this, there is still rumors they may be pushed to formally join ACC or B10 at some point.

BYU turned Indy into a Big12 invite…

[BigHorns]

BYU turned Indy into a Big12 invite…

Indeed they did after many years. They went to B12 to gain CFP access.
Prior to being Indy BYU was in the MWC.

Believe Liberty was the only school to ever move from FCS to FBS Indy.
That was a unique case, and they spent a shit ton of money to do it. Many many millions just on scheduling.

That school almost literally prints money.

[land grant bison]

“Poised to guarantee” meant that as P5 (now P4) decisions continue to impact everyone else, you’re sitting as an FBS independent as the landscape radically shifts. In this scenario, G5 conferences are reacting to P4 decisions. G5 conference realignment perceptions of NDSU are likely a lot different if we are FBS independent compared to FCS. This is what I meant by the “poised to guarantee” that second tier level comment.

Obviously you can’t predict how the whole thing shakes out, but I’d rather be FBS Independent than FCS if P4 breaks away and everyone else is scrambling on what do to next. Doomsday scenarios of this not working out don’t seem so bad to me since it’s not like NDSU football will cease to exist as a program. You can always continue playing at some level…ala back as a member of FCS.

[GCWaters]

There's a lot of barriers to cross.

1) It's not permitted without FBS conference invite, but could apply for a FBS waiver. However the committee has turned down the last 3 or 4 waiver requests, they seem to be strictly sticking to the rules for now.

2) Assuming you pass the first barrier, have to come up with a schedule. Much harder than it sounds. Liberty was spending millions each year to get other FBS teams to play them, and decided it wasn't feasible long term. Would be even harder for us, P5's in general are looking for easy wins at home OOC, not challenging road games. We might be able to persuade some MAC or CUSA teams to come play us for enough cash, but they won't be looking for losses either. You are also required to host at least 5 FBS home games per NCAA to remain a FBS member.

3) Assuming the first two barriers are crossed, would have to convince the CFP cartel to let us in. This may be the most challenging, because its basically a separate corporation owned by the conferences, and they aren't eager to share money or access with others. They are already arm wrestling each other how to carve up PAC's slot and votes, before its even officially dead.

The only team that has really made Indy work well is Notre Dame. The thing is they are essentially an ACC associated school, and are given an ACC schedule each year due to a formal agreement. Their history and status have also given them a great media deal, and believe they are the only independent school that has direct membership in the CFP. In spite of all this, there is still rumors they may be pushed to formally join ACC or B10 at some point.

If you have a conference invite, why would you go independent?

[BigHorns]

The mistake people are making on FBS Indy is assuming we can just wish it so.

It would take a lottery style miracle just to be permitted to do it.
Then we would likely have to spend an additional $5-$10m per year initially to put together a FBS schedule.

And that still could leave us out of CFP and Bowl access.

Odds are far higher of getting a MAC invite, if we want it bad enough.

[BigHorns]

If you have a conference invite, why would you go independent?

Generally, you wouldn't, especially with the current CFP structure.

UConn and UMass were unique, in that they cared more about Basketball than football.
So they chose to leave FBS conferences in favor of stronger basketball conferences. (A10 and Big East)
AAC did not want UConn without their basketball. MAC did not want UMass without basketball.

Not sure they would make the same choice today. UMass desperately wants back in a conference.

[BigHorns]

PAC-2 is said to be trying to rebuild still.

This is what we really need to happen. FBS Indy is a pipe dream imo.

https://x.com/brett_mcmurphy/status/...HQPKWSmnUDKjxg