2024-25 NCAA conference realignment thread

[GeorgiaModerate]

Missouri State will move up to FBS and join Conference USA for 2025.

Missouri State will become the 12th full member of CUSA and the third school -- along with Kennesaw State this season and Delaware in 2025 -- to move up from the FCS to the FBS and join the league over the next two seasons.

A longtime member of the Missouri Valley Conference, Missouri State has been competing in FCS/I-AA since 1981. The Bears have reached the NCAA playoffs four times, most recently in 2020 and 2021 under then-coach Bobby Petrino.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/40119561/missouri-state-heads-fbs-joining-conference-usa-2025

[7,052,770]

[JGibson]

Who will the MVC take to replace Missouri State? SEMO?

[7,052,770]

What's the draw for a school like SEMO to the MVC anymore? It used to be that the MVC was one of the top mid-major conferences and had a bit of clout, but they'd had their best programs leave and replaced by programs of lesser quality, and now with the portal, every single good player in the league is going to leave for a power conference school every offseason. I saw a chart that every single all-MVC first, second, or third team either graduated or transferred in the last few months.

The mid-majors should just do a large-scale realignment to make themselves as compact as possible to save travel costs. If SEMO to the MVC makes sense through that lens, then add them, otherwise why bother?

[JGibson]

What's the draw for a school like SEMO to the MVC anymore? It used to be that the MVC was one of the top mid-major conferences and had a bit of clout, but they'd had their best programs leave and replaced by programs of lesser quality, and now with the portal, every single good player in the league is going to leave for a power conference school every offseason. I saw a chart that every single all-MVC first, second, or third team either graduated or transferred in the last few months.

The mid-majors should just do a large-scale realignment to make themselves as compact as possible to save travel costs. If SEMO to the MVC makes sense through that lens, then add them, otherwise why bother?

SEMO would have Murray State and SIUC as nearby opponents if they joined the MVC.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Is there any conference that's had more turnover in its history than the MVC?  This list is impressive: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Valley_Conference#Former_full_members_(25)

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

What's the draw for a school like SEMO to the MVC anymore? It used to be that the MVC was one of the top mid-major conferences and had a bit of clout, but they'd had their best programs leave and replaced by programs of lesser quality, and now with the portal, every single good player in the league is going to leave for a power conference school every offseason. I saw a chart that every single all-MVC first, second, or third team either graduated or transferred in the last few months.

The mid-majors should just do a large-scale realignment to make themselves as compact as possible to save travel costs. If SEMO to the MVC makes sense through that lens, then add them, otherwise why bother?

SEMO would have Murray State and SIUC as nearby opponents if they joined the MVC.

The MVFC is down to 10 members already having lost Western Illinois due to competitiveness issues. I don't think you need another OVC laggard and SEMO probably likes where they are with a chance to win football conference titles.

There have long been rumors that Youngstown State might look east if there is a breakaway conference as they have trouble recruiting linemen to be real contenders (and despite recent improvements in basketball, still lack the pedigree to incentive expanding the travel for all sports). Might be addition by subtraction to get to a 9 member round robin. The other members seem rather content, although the Dakota State fans wish they weren't.

The Big East has proved that 11 members is a great size for basketball so there is no rush to expand. Oakland and Morehead are the strongest basketball only programs, but they shouldn't force anything because those are pretty weak candidates - Oakland seems like a potential Valpo that the top of half of the conference may regret. St. Thomas could be better than both in a couple years, and they may not want to upset the Summit League football companions just yet for a lottery ticket.

Most likely stand pat and get some good mid major OOC scheduling in place.

[JGibson]

Another appetizing prospect for the Valley to replace Missouri State: SIUE. I don't see it as likely, but oh my word, a battle of the SIUs in the Valley-- SIUC v. SIUE. It would put a team in the St. Louis DMA.


My Substack on who should replace Missouri State:

My recommendation would be SEMO, since it is a Missouri school that has a football program. I’d love for SIUE to be in it, but since they don’t have a football program, they would be at a disadvantage.