Conference USA reloading by adding 6 schools
Conference USA, which has four schools departing to the Big East next season, is reloading by adding six schools in 2013, industry sources told CBSSports.com.
Florida International, Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Texas San Antonio, Charlotte and Old Dominion will join C-USA giving the league 14 members. However, it's not clear how soon after 2013 Charlotte, which is beginning its football program in 2013, and ODU, currently in the FCS, would be able to compete as a C-USA football member.
An official announcement could come as early as Friday, sources said.
C-USA and the Mountain West originally were going to merge into one league, but there were too many legal obstacles and that will no longer happen, sources said. Instead, C-USA will increase to 14 members and the Mountain West will be at 10 members by adding Utah State and San Jose State in 2013, CBSSports.com reported last week.
Even though C-USA and the MWC will remain separate leagues, they continue to work together on a plan to share scheduling, television and marketing resources.
C-USA was forced to seek new members after Houston, SMU, UCF and Memphis announced they were leaving for the Big East in 2013. By maintaining at least 12 football members, C-USA will continue to hold its football championship game.
C-USA's new members will come from the Sun Belt (FIU, North Texas), WAC (Louisiana Tech, UTSA), Atlantic 10 (Charlotte) and Colonial Athletic Association (ODU).
With Louisiana Tech and UTSA leaving the WAC, along with Utah State and San Jose State to the Mountain West and Texas State to the Sun Belt, the WAC could be down to only two football members in 2013.
Another league that will be greatly impacted is the CAA, which already has lost Georgia State to the Sun Belt. Two months ago CBSSports.com also reported that CAA members VCU and George Mason were in discussions to join the Atlantic 10 along with Butler of the Horizon League. Those moves are expected to happen in 2013 as well.
When completed, Conference USA's new 14-team league is expected to be split into two divisions: East - East Carolina, FIU, Marshall, Southern Miss, UAB, Charlotte and ODU; West - Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Rice, Texas San Antonio, Tulane, Tulsa and UTEP.
Florida International, Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Texas San Antonio, Charlotte and Old Dominion will join C-USA giving the league 14 members. However, it's not clear how soon after 2013 Charlotte, which is beginning its football program in 2013, and ODU, currently in the FCS, would be able to compete as a C-USA football member.
An official announcement could come as early as Friday, sources said.
C-USA and the Mountain West originally were going to merge into one league, but there were too many legal obstacles and that will no longer happen, sources said. Instead, C-USA will increase to 14 members and the Mountain West will be at 10 members by adding Utah State and San Jose State in 2013, CBSSports.com reported last week.
Even though C-USA and the MWC will remain separate leagues, they continue to work together on a plan to share scheduling, television and marketing resources.
C-USA was forced to seek new members after Houston, SMU, UCF and Memphis announced they were leaving for the Big East in 2013. By maintaining at least 12 football members, C-USA will continue to hold its football championship game.
C-USA's new members will come from the Sun Belt (FIU, North Texas), WAC (Louisiana Tech, UTSA), Atlantic 10 (Charlotte) and Colonial Athletic Association (ODU).
With Louisiana Tech and UTSA leaving the WAC, along with Utah State and San Jose State to the Mountain West and Texas State to the Sun Belt, the WAC could be down to only two football members in 2013.
Another league that will be greatly impacted is the CAA, which already has lost Georgia State to the Sun Belt. Two months ago CBSSports.com also reported that CAA members VCU and George Mason were in discussions to join the Atlantic 10 along with Butler of the Horizon League. Those moves are expected to happen in 2013 as well.
When completed, Conference USA's new 14-team league is expected to be split into two divisions: East - East Carolina, FIU, Marshall, Southern Miss, UAB, Charlotte and ODU; West - Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Rice, Texas San Antonio, Tulane, Tulsa and UTEP.
