rlh04d wrote:jwa123 wrote:I am picking up chatter in various places that Illinois State is getting more serious in discussions with at least one if not two conferences about a FBS move. Obviously I have no idea if it is true but I've heard this in more than one place. If true, then the WSU fans will be pleased to see us gone.
What FBS conference wouldn't want
a team that's averaged about 6 wins a year for the last five years and has a stadium capacity of 7,700, and managed to sell that out twice last year?
You would have THE smallest football stadium in all of the FBS. By more than 8000 seats from the second smallest. Nearly 15,000 seats smaller than the third smallest. You would also have the second smallest average attendance of any FBS program. Even giving you Bloomington and Peoria, I believe you're still the 116th biggest TV market in the country. What exactly do you think you would bring to an FBS conference?
I would take no joy in IlSt leaving as a basketball program.
Without going back and checking your point about 6 wins I have no reason to doubt you. However, what is missing is not the average but the trend. Illinois State has continued to improve each year since Coach Brock arrived. Last year Illinois State went to the FCS playoffs and had some success. Now I know you will knock FCS football but so will many Illinois State fans but it is the base we are building on. This year's recruiting class for football is arguably the best Illinois State has ever had. Momentum is building at the FCS level and if it continues as is, Illinois State will be able to build a case for the next level at some point.
As for the 6,000 seat arena, as been shown, that has changed. Also, if you look at the pictures, the south end zone is not being done at this time but the design allows this to be done allowing a horseshoe stadium with even further capacity.
I'm not saying ISU is going FBS this year, next year or ever. What I am saying is I have heard more chatter about this than I have in previous years. Perhaps it is idle chatter from those who don't know what they are talking about. I am also saying Illinois State football is not the same as it was 5 years ago - much progress has been made in the last 5 years. Illinois State may not go FBS but I would not dismiss it as out of hand. Then you will have to find someone else to hate.