Liberty University moving to BCS

[belcherboy]

So how long until they latch on with the Sun Belt or Conf-USA?

They've tried for well over a decade to break into lower end FBS conferences. No one wants them. Their facilities are immaculate, they have proven a commitment to spend a TON of money on their athletic facilities and programs (especially football), and still no one wants to touch them. IMO (I graduated from Liberty), they are just too polarizing politically for anyone to want to deal with them. (I mean they were among the first to openly welcome candidate Donald Trump on campus)

I think this may be a bad thing for Liberty. Unless they can get someone to bring them into their conference in the near future, or get a group of schools to create a new conference with them, I see them having a TOUGH time scheduling games, especially home games. I mean, what decent FBS program will travel to Lynchburg, VA? They don't have the national reputation of ND or BYU, and don't have the historic prestige of Army. It's going to be rough playing 7-8 road games a year, and 3-4 home games against very low FBS teams or FCS teams, and building a nationally recognized program. Hopefully I'm wrong.

With the way universities seem to have protests these days, I could see bigger programs not wanting the headache of the potential of protest from the students and faculty of their school because Liberty is coming to town. It hasn't happened yet with their scheduling, so maybe it won't be a big deal in future scheduling for Liberty.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I think this may be a bad thing for Liberty. Unless they can get someone to bring them into their conference in the near future, or get a group of schools to create a new conference with them, I see them having a TOUGH time scheduling games, especially home games.

I'm guessing they're smart enough to have seen this, too, and maybe they still think it's worth the effort. G/L to 'em.

Maybe they ought to try to have some type of rivalry with ODU? In-state, similar program? I may be way off about that last part.

 

[belcherboy]

I'm guessing they're smart enough to have seen this, too, and maybe they still think it's worth the effort. G/L to 'em.

Maybe they ought to try to have some type of rivalry with ODU? In-state, similar program? I may be way off about that last part.

They really didn't have a choice. Either be buried in FCS, hoping a FBS conference will bring you in, or you kick down the door after more than a decade of begging people to take you in. The biggest issue I see with Liberty is that they weren't even close to dominating FCS (winning a national title, or at least making the playoffs for several consecutive years, and winning a few playoff games). If they could have done that, I think they could have probably had an easier time getting a conference invite...but again, I'm not sure a conference would want the potential headache that bringing in such a politically motivated school like Liberty could create for the conference.

 

[BamaDude]

No FBS schools are going to leave their current conferences to build a new one around Liberty, and there are not enough independents to form a new league, either. They could end up in the MAC if that league decides to expand again. Or, if they don't do anything too controversial in the next few years, they might find a home in the SBC.

I wonder if they are going to keep the rest of their sports in the Big South?

 

[Cobrabit]

Yes, their other sports are staying in the Big South.

 

[Olyduck]

No FBS schools are going to leave their current conferences to build a new one around Liberty, and there are not enough independents to form a new league, either. They could end up in the MAC if that league decides to expand again. Or, if they don't do anything too controversial in the next few years, they might find a home in the SBC.

I wonder if they are going to keep the rest of their sports in the Big South?

who said build a conference around Liberty? why coulndt it be build one with Liberty with a different competition pool they might see their chances to win the conference as better or they may be tired of winning their current or have issues with their current conference.

 

[tabascojet]

Idaho likes this move......