P5 entry, how would it change USF Athletics?

[Thebullsfan]

4 hours ago, TimBulla said:

USF vs. West Virginia, Sept. 28, 2007 attendance: 67,012     USF Stats Link

How many fans do you think WV brought? And who made up the USF fans?

I guess, for me, I want us in a P5 because I want home games like this -filled with fans.

I love seeing that. Every time I look at it. It just never gets old.

[emrober5]

USF would compete just fine in a P5 conference. Every conference has bottom feeders like Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky. 

But really, we just need the money. If the AAC could get even close to P5 money it would be fine. I like the conference, but the tv money is like we aren't even playing the same sport.

[usfgrad84]

The 2 most important things it brings are money and better bowls.  Except for the New Year's day bowl the bowl schedule for the AAC is absolutely horrible. 

Obviously, there is a lot that can be done with the money (OCS, Indoor Practice Field, ability to retain or replace better assistant coaches, maybe even expand the athletic department, etc.)

There is certainly no downside and I do believe we can be competitive within a couple of years of any jump in conference level.

[Rocky Style]

8 hours ago, 206BULL said:

Oh you didn't know the '07 WVU team was "like the Yankees"

Hot Dog Environment represent

[Ionbull]

It's all about the Benjamins. Just being in a power conference gives you so much more income to build up the program. OCS, IPF, better overall facilities. Imagine what CWT can do on the recruiting trail if he has P5 clout. At the end of the day we can't hold our breath here; even if conference realignment happens tomorrow, we most likely are not invited. We just need to improve on what we did this year and create a winning culture that carries on from class to class and coach to coach. Great programs never have bad years or miss out on bowl games. Time to build he streak fellas and the rest will work itself out!

[Cubanbull]

I would love to be in a P5 conference, for the money, prestige and teams we would play. But let's take a step back and honestly look at where we are.

1. A small and fickle fan base. Yes we packed that game for WV and it was electric, but we still had 35k butts in seats average in our best Big East years. That's not something to brag about.

2. Many put down the AAC as weak. Yet we haven't won the title yet. We still have one of the smallest donor bases in the AAC, never mind a P5

there is a lot to grow and act as a fan base before we think and act like we are too good for the AAC and belong in a P5 conference.

[smazza]

it means broadway,primetime,the big show

[WoolyBully]

2 hours ago, Cubanbull said:

I would love to be in a P5 conference, for the money, prestige and teams we would play. But let's take a step back and honestly look at where we are.

1. A small and fickle fan base. Yes we packed that game for WV and it was electric, but we still had 35k butts in seats average in our best Big East years. That's not something to brag about.

2. Many put down the AAC as weak. Yet we haven't won the title yet. We still have one of the smallest donor bases in the AAC, never mind a P5

there is a lot to grow and act as a fan base before we think and act like we are too good for the AAC and belong in a P5 conference.

I think the euphoria over not-another-losing-season may cloud the vision a wee bit. Defeating the shorter midgets doesn't necessarily constitute overly competitive status . And let's remember, even in the Big East we never set the world afire. We had a 55% winning (which is better than 49.9%) record during those years. Perhaps we romanticize the 'good ole days' a bit. Would we prefer to be a bottom feeder in the P5 as opposed to being a perennial (assuming we actually get there) 'powerhouse' in G5land? Personally, and it's just for entertainment purposes, I'd prefer USF be in the ACC - vice Big [whatever numerals]. 

This...right here...is on the money, honey! 

"...there is a lot to grow and act as a fan base before we think and act like we are too good for the AAC and belong in a P5 conference."

 

 

[bullsfan1983]

20 hours ago, Sellular1 said:

TCU wandered around G5 conferences for 10+ years (WAC, CUSA, MWC) then jumped right into the B12 and was ranked one of the top 3 teams in the country and won the Big12 conf within 3 years.  They also had a winning record and a bowl game their 1st season in the B12

USF is nowhere near comparable to TCU, but it is worth noting that in the 2 years after joining the Big 12 TCU was 5-2 out of conference with losses to LSU and Michigan State and 6-12 in conference games. TCU had a 47-5 record over a span of 4 years prior to stepping up conferences with 8 wins over ranked team and 5 top 10 wins (3 top 10 losses). They went 30-1 in the MWC with their only loss on the road to a top 10 Utah by 3 points. They finished ranked in the top 13 each of the 4 years prior to entering the Big 12 and 3 of the 4 years were top 7. So yes they did struggle initially after joining the Big 12. The past couple years they have had good highly ranked seasons but they haven't jumped due to jumping conferences as they had this kind of success in the MWC. TCU would have made a playoff if it existed in 2009 and 2010. The 2010 team was arguably deserving of a title shot.

[usfgrad84]

Competitively, I think the comparison can be made to how Rutgers has fared in the B10 or even more so, how WVU has competed so far in B12. 

I see us as perennially a mid-tier B12 program. Going to a bowl game most years. Every once in a while maybe competing at a higher level. 

I think attendance would be steadily in the 40k to 45k range. The money would allow us to put up an OCS. 

The good thing is we would have access to better bowl games all around. 

Unless there is a huge jump, I don't seeing us getting to the top of the B12 within 10 years. Stranger things have happened, but a lot of things would need to happen.