Conference Realignment

[ZooMass84]

Looking back at this whole FBS "big boy" football thing: McCutcheon didn't give a shit (he was retiring anyway) and hired Molnar. If he only hired Neal Brown instead, things could have been a lot better. I won't even get into the Coach Bell Gomer Pyle thing...........still pisses me off that on the other board I called him Coach Gomer etc. after the SIU loss and got a lot of shit about it. turns out I called it right. Bell was without a doubt the WORST coach even worse than Molnar. I'll give Molnar this: we went 1-11 & 1-11 and were competitive in a couple more of those games with basically 1AA players.

Unless Doc Brown gave you the keys to the Delorian it's time to move on Zoo. We're in 2024 and as SteveMaz says we're onward and upward.

I picture Zoomass just working Umass football discussions into everyday conversation. He’s out there telling random people if Puma doesn’t get hurt against an SEC team Umass would have gone to a bowl last year. Pretty sure he’s made that point hundreds of times here.

ok lets move on. we need to replace Army in the fall. sorry to tell you guys the actual truth. I've gone/watched/listened to almost every game since 2012 whether it was on NESN, WCRN etc. Last season was great we were on ESPN/Big 10 network or SEC network alot of games. Do they even still make a DeLorean???

[ZooMass84]

The remainder of the Army deal will be cancelled but Army is going to honor two trips to Amherst between now and 2028 in order to even out the games played for the two sides. That could include next season, we don't yet know.

UMass, so long as they are an FBS Indy, are not letting Liberty out of the remainder of that contract. If it were up to Liberty they would have broken the contract already. The fact that the games are still being played indicates that UMass is the one continuing the series. Liberty isn't going anywhere in 2024 from UMass schedule

Don't understand: both Army and Liberty are in conferences now and we're still an Indy. why is Liberty any different from Army scheduling? New chancellor and AD better work some magic getting us into a conference MAC or C-USA

[stevemaz]

looks to me that both army and liberty are keeping umass game. Army has 5 non conf games listed and two are Air force and Navy. they need to drop us, at unlv or Lehigh. I bet they drop at UNLV or Lehigh

[rsox1221]

The remainder of the Army deal will be cancelled but Army is going to honor two trips to Amherst between now and 2028 in order to even out the games played for the two sides. That could include next season, we don't yet know.

UMass, so long as they are an FBS Indy, are not letting Liberty out of the remainder of that contract. If it were up to Liberty they would have broken the contract already. The fact that the games are still being played indicates that UMass is the one continuing the series. Liberty isn't going anywhere in 2024 from UMass schedule

Don't understand: both Army and Liberty are in conferences now and we're still an Indy. why is Liberty any different from Army scheduling? New chancellor and AD better work some magic getting us into a conference MAC or C-USA

The games between the schools are subject to a contract. Liberty moved to CUSA this year but they still played UMass.

In the case of UMass/Army, the schools clearly came to an agreement to amend said contract and let Army out of the upcoming games. Howard Herman had that for the Berkshire Eagle first the other day.

In the case of UMass/Liberty, that has not happened and the contract remains in effect. Believe me, if Liberty had gotten out of those games we'd have already heard about it by now.

Liberty could, especially in the wake of making the Fiesta Bowl, pay the buyout on the remaining games but again, I think they'd have done it already.

Same could be said of Mizzou winning the Cotton Bowl. Anything is possible so we'll see.

[stevemaz]

fbs future schedule site has now taken out the army game for next year. im surprised they kept Lehigh..pussies..

[InnervisionsUMASS]

I picture Zoomass just working Umass football discussions into everyday conversation. He’s out there telling random people if Puma doesn’t get hurt against an SEC team Umass would have gone to a bowl last year. Pretty sure he’s made that point hundreds of times here.

Nah, when not posting here he's sitting at home watching The Andy Griffith show on repeat. No way he talks to other people live and in person.

[stevemaz]

it is slim pickins to find a replacement for next year.. my guess is a second FCS game

[umiejoe]

Delorean is a defunct brand. Its creator was convicted of some sort of drug-smuggling deal years ago.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Delorean is a defunct brand. Its creator was convicted of some sort of drug-smuggling deal years ago.

The original company is, but there's a new one now. I fully expect UMass to announce that we'll be doing the DMC Conference soon.

[Steve81]

Was surprised that we were CUSA top pick, but UMass better move soon. There is a lot of completion from FCS universities wanting to move up. As Tarleton State is a lot like Buffalo, finished their transition to Div 1 from Div II and wanting to be FBS. From one of their posters and things that jumped out for me is they are R1 and growing.

We have heard similar rumors about Tarleton receiving a CUSA invite within the next month or two, so we shall see what happens.

But I have read a lot of CUSA posters who don’t want us invited for numerous reasons, so I thought I would provide some facts about Tarleton for your consideration.

We received and accepted our WAC invite in October of 19. So here is what we have accomplished, what we are constructing and what we have officially announced in the four years and three months since accepting the WAC bid.

Accomplished
Increased enrollment by 3,500, including 2,100 in the past two years for a total of 16,200.
Achieved Carnegie R1 status and became a Land Grant Institution.
Added 20+ new areas of study.
Surpassed our $125 million capital campaign.
Completed new construction and remodeled football stadium increasing capacity to 24,000 and removing track.
Averaged 18,000+ attendance for football in 23.
Added space and remodeled football field house twice.
Built new world class track facility.
Built new soccer facility.
Completed new aquatic center which has the requirements for housing swimming and diving programs.
Remolded old swimming and diving facility into indoor practice facility.
Total remodel of baseball and softball stadiums including doubling seating capacity for both as well as added comings for seating.
Completed new engineering building and created the Mayfield College of Engineering.
Remodeled former hydrology building into Athletic Success Center.
Remodeled former dorm into Child Development Center.
Added three sports, women’s beach volleyball, women’s soccer and men’s golf.

Current
Building 8,000 seat $110 million basketball arena.
Building first parking garage
Building second building on Fort Worth campus
Constructing new Research Administrative Building.
Creating first D1 wrestling programs in Texas.

Announced
Breaking ground Wednesday for new health science building which will house three new doctoral programs, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physician’s Assistant.
New 1,000 bed living center.
20,000 sf addition to library for 24/7 student study areas.

When we accepted the WAC bid, I posted we bring potential to the conference. I believe now, we bring accomplishments and even more potential. Where will we be in the next 4 years and 3 months?

[ZooMass84]

I picture Zoomass just working Umass football discussions into everyday conversation. He’s out there telling random people if Puma doesn’t get hurt against an SEC team Umass would have gone to a bowl last year. Pretty sure he’s made that point hundreds of times here.

Nah, when not posting here he's sitting at home watching The Andy Griffith show on repeat. No way he talks to other people live and in person.

If only that was true.........I get to bore the shit of the wife & kids............ P.S. I do watch MeTV and Grit TV and all the other old people channels with J.J. Walker pitching Medicare

[ZooMass84]

it is slim pickins to find a replacement for next year.. my guess is a second FCS game

think I said that too. gonna have a real problem in 2025 and beyond........please God we need a conference BAD

[Quann]

I picture Zoomass just working Umass football discussions into everyday conversation. He’s out there telling random people if Puma doesn’t get hurt against an SEC team Umass would have gone to a bowl last year. Pretty sure he’s made that point hundreds of times here.

Nah, when not posting here he's sitting at home watching The Andy Griffith show on repeat. No way he talks to other people live and in person.

If only that was true.........I get to bore the shit of the wife & kids............ P.S. I do watch MeTV and Grit TV and all the other old people channels with J.J. Walker pitching Medicare

Those reverse mortgage commercials with Tom Selleck crack me up. What a crock of shit that financial product is

[kdogg8173]

If you don’t think there is a gap the size of the Atlantic between P5(or I guess 4 now) and G5, look what happened at Bama this week. Hired two head coaches as assistants. The Buffalo head coach is a co-coordinator

[Quann]

^^^^
NIL seems to be leveling the playing field a bit between the big and small guys, which is good. Still would like to see the transfer portal tightened but that doesn't seem to be happening very soon.