Unfreakingbelievable. (If this is true.)
According to CBS Sports, the Sun Belt might be even dumber than we thought.
Idaho, New Mexico State and Georgia Southern are on the Sun Belt’s list of schools to replace Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic, CBSSports.com has learned.
There are only 3 possibilities.
1. This report is wrong or incomplete. (I hope so.)
2. The Sun Belt really is that stupid. (Probably.)
3. Appalachian State’s administration already turned down the invite
Well option 3 is obviously incorrect based on App State AD Charlie Cobb’s very recent quotes in the Winston-Salem Journal:
“I would think we’re on radar screens. The question is, are we on the top of the list, the bottom of the list or in the middle? I really don’t have any new information other than I’ve just been burning the phone lines…We’re talking to everybody, just trying to get a sense of what is going on.”
Let’s compare these schools:
Total Athletic Budget 2011
1. Appalachian State -$15 Million ($21-22 Million Projected in FBS)
2. Idaho – $15 Million
3. New Mexico State – $14 Million
4. Georgia Southern – $12 Million ($16 Million Projected in FBS)
Football Attendance Avg 2011
1. Appalachian State -26,211
2. Georgia Southern – 17,701
3. New Mexico State – 15,138
4. Idaho – 11,980
Football Sagarin Ratings (Current)
1. Georgia Southern – 99
2. Appalachian State -123
3. Idaho – 167
4. New Mexico State – 174
Football Record (Current)
1 (Tie). Appalachian State -8-3
1 (Tie). Georgia Southern – 8-3
3. New Mexico State – 1-10
4. Idaho – 1-11
Men’s Basketball RPI (current)
1. Georgia Southern – 142
2. Idaho – 235
3. New Mexico State – 314
4. Appalachian State -331
Women’s Basketball RPI (current)
1. New Mexico State – 76
2. Appalachian State -88
3. Georgia Southern – 274
4. Idaho – 279
Baseball RPI (2011)
1. Appalachian State -34
2. New Mexico State – 42
3. Georgia Southern – 91
4. Idaho – Doesn’t even have a baseball team
Forbes Magazine Best College Rankings
1. Idaho – 396
2. Appalachian State -413
3. New Mexico State – 422
4. Georgia Southern – 618
Google Map Distance to UL-Monroe (Middle of Sun Belt)
1. Georgia Southern – 706 miles
2. Appalachian State – 768 miles
3. New Mexico State – 966 miles
4. Idaho – 2,301 miles
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I just don’t get it. Basically everything says we should be #1 in line. Sure they are slightly less crappy in basketball but that sure doesn’t make up for everything else.
All I can say is, let’s win this FCS National Championship and show the Sun Belt who the best pick is…then hope for the best.
In reality with our fan base for football should make any mid major with half a brain want us in
That blog post doesn’t say they are the front runners. It says they are among the schools on the list. 90% of the article is about cusa and the guy who posted it has no connection to the SBC at all
Winning the FCS National Championship won’t factor in as much as everyone hopes. It’s about how much money we can bring the conference and the perception of traveling here. Also, Basketball needs to step up.
Your comparison doesn’t show that you guys are clear winners at all. It shows that Idaho is a higher ranked school than the rest. It also doesn’t mention that Idaho’s endowment is much bigger than the rest. You also have to factor in Olympic sports, which Idaho had dominated in for a long time.
Hilarious