We basically have three years max to win the Big East and prove our worth.....

[Guest]

Jim do you think USF offers enough to be a lock in conference expansion?

is there any chance, in your opinion, that we can get left out?

There is a chance, yes...  Dennis Dodd on CBS.com has USF as the lone Big East team not among his "five 16-member super conferences"... but the new "Big East and Big 12 look a lot like C-USA.

Truthfully, having a Top 15 media market will be a major reason for including USF among the super conferences.  USF may not be a member of AAU, but it does have a better-than-average overall academic reputation (inside the walls of academia) and brings in more research dollars than even FSU.  A large student body provides stability for the athletic programs... and we've had moderate success in sports other than football and the university has already begun to upgrade facilities to be "on par" with other big programs (and better than many).

Oh, and for all the OCS folks out there, Raymond James Stadium will be a VERY BIG positive for USF.  An NFL caliber stadium that seats 65,000 with great amenities and plenty of room for visiting fans?  Win-win-win.

The real issue is where the dominoes fall... if the ACC holds together, USF won't go into the ACC (3 teams from Florida?) even if they expand from 12.  We need FSU and/or Miami to move making room for the Bulls in the ACC.  I can't see USF joining the Big 12, unless it really falls apart - which is what Dennis Dodd predicts - and then only if the Big 12 decides to add some additional Southern teams.

Finally, I will add this, if USF doesn't get invited to the ACC - then we will end up in a conference with UCF.  It may be the "Big East" or some other conference... but Orlando is a top media market and having two Florida teams even for a C-USA/Big East hybrid provides Olympic sports with traveling "pairs."

Just my two cents.  If I were to bet money, right now, I would say FSU will get the SEC invitation and USF will take the Noles place in the ACC.

[BullsFanInTX]

We don't have 3 years we have ONE year.  This year, and that is it.  All the decisions will be made within the next year.  It is absolutely a MUST for USF to have a good year this year if they want to be included in expansion discussions.  If there ever was a year for USF to have a big year, this year is it.  USF must defeat either UF or Miami, and must have a good year in BE play.  Not maybe, MUST.  This is mandatory for consideration into the ACC if it comes to that.

I would be willing to bet the decisions are made before opening day this fall.

For the Big 10 yes, for the ACC no.  That is why it is so important for USF to have a big year this year.  I will even go one step further, it is vitally important that USF have a good opening 2 games (beat Florida or lose on a last second FG, etc).  this must be on the minds of conference decision makers when they make decisions early in the fall.  USF absolutely can NOT lay an egg at FL.

[bulldozier1]

I'm all for the BE to be proactive. But if the Big Ten and/or ACC come calling. It's nothing they can do to remain in the BCS. Getting teams like ECU, UCiF, Memphis in the BE will hurt the conference. We must hope we can get in the ACC. Have anyone heard of the Big 12 and Big East merger rumor?

[BullsFanInTX]

Also, Dodd is way off on his predictions.  He has a boatload of non bcs schools becoming bcs, such as Tulane, SMU, Tulsa, UTEP, New Mexico, Rice, Wyoming, UNLV, AFA, and SDSU and has USF in a conference with FIU and FAU in one of the predictions.  so he is saying all of those teams will become bcs and USF will be left out.

[bulldozier1]

FSU will go to the SEC. FSU have been trying to get in the SEC since the 50's WITH the help of UF. We got to hope that Miami is not included. The ACC needs Miami to stay around. The ACC would be a dud with a USF/UCiF game.

[bulldozier1]

Our dream is to be consided for the SEC. Hell, USF have been better then half of there teams. Plus they need some GREEN & GOLD in there league.

[cmhatter]

Our dream is to be consided for the SEC. Hell, USF have been better then half of there teams. Plus they need some GREEN & GOLD in there league.

not sure if we are better than half their teams... SEC is pretty nice top to bottom.

[bulldozier1]

Cmhatter, the past 2-3 years we could competed with the lower have of yhe SEC. We beat Auburn. And teams like Kentucky, Miss St, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Vandy. We could have held our own.

[The Great 8]

Our dream is to be consided for the SEC. Hell, USF have been better then half of there teams. Plus they need some GREEN & GOLD in there league.

not sure if we are better than half their teams... SEC is pretty nice top to bottom.

Disagree.

It's decent, as in about as good as we are, but teams like UK, Vandy, etc are not world beaters.

The top of the conference would wallop us though.

[callmesuperman]

I very much agree that our performance on the field next year is important. However, success on the football field will be only one of the variables that other conferences such as the ACC or SEC will consider when deciding whether we merit inclusion. Variables like whether our fan support continues to grow, what happens to our attendance figure when we don't have a hot start like in prior years, commitment by administration to spend money on facilities including renovations to the Sundome, performance of the basketball team,...

While whether we are included in the power conferences is somewhat out of our hands there are things that the fans can do (show up to games), and administration can do (hire the right people and spend money on facilities). Very happy with the hiring of Coach Holtz and the new facilities that are being build. Now Coach Heath needs to get an extension!

Something to consider is that Cincy has won the BE for two years running and they seem to be at the bottom of the list when talking about expansion rumors. So just winning is not enough!