NCAA denies United Athletic Conference's waiver request to be single-sport conference (PAID SITE)

https://theathletic.com/4460388/2023/04/27/united-athletic-conference-ncaa-waiver-request-denied/

"The NCAA has denied the United Athletic Conference's (WAC + ASUN) waiver request to be recognized as a single-sport FCS conference, The Athletic's Vannini reports, noting the denial was not unexpected and the group will move forward with the UAC name and branding.

The NCAA's moratorium on adding single-sport conferences is set to expire on June 1, and Vannini notes it's "possible the Board of Directors denied the UAC waiver simply because such a move will be allowed again in a few months. If the moratorium does extend, the UAC expects to continue to get its annual playoff waiver for the WAC-ASUN partnership."

Coaches weigh whether Sam Houston’s decision to transition to FBS and join Conference USA could cause the other Texas teams in the UAC to consider a similar path.https://t.co/UWuogKiCVl

— Cory Hogue (@CoryHogueSports) May 2, 2023

Sure hope Not

With the ASUN-WAC merging football conferences to form the United Athletic Conf. the league is believed to be vetting two of DII's strongest programs UWF & Valdosta St. for possible membership. They would replace outgoing members as well as allow the conf to split into 6 team… pic.twitter.com/ZF1X2y289M

— Sidelines Sports Network™ (@Sidelines_SN) May 12, 2023

SFAJack_76 said:

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With the ASUN-WAC merging football conferences to form the United Athletic Conf. the league is believed to be vetting two of DII's strongest programs UWF & Valdosta St. for possible membership. They would replace outgoing members as well as allow the conf to split into 6 team… pic.twitter.com/ZF1X2y289M

— Sidelines Sports Network™ (@Sidelines_SN) May 12, 2023

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Very interesting.

Western Illinois is moving football (currently Missouri Valley Football Conference) to Ohio Valley Conference in 2024

All other sports (Summit League) will be transitioning to the OVC next season. Looks to me like the wheels are beginning to turn. ORU, will be in an island with their closest trip (Kansas City) about a 6 hour drive. By contrast the WAC would put 3 schools within 5.5 hours (UTA, Tarleton and SFA). Solid MBB program. Good baseball and WBB programs. I'd like to see the add from a athletics standpoint.

North Alabama to get new on campus football stadium.

Will be used for other sports as well.

Looking at 2026 opening.

https://www.una.edu/bistadium/index.html

SFAXE93 said:

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North Alabama to get new on campus football stadium.

Will be used for other sports as well.

Looking at 2026 opening.

https://www.una.edu/bistadium/index.html

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Good for UNA.

BLUEBLOODS 2023 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS

UAC PLAYERS THAT MADE THE LIST

DL: DAVID WALKER (UCA) 1ST TEAM DEFENSE
DB: TAMAURION WILSON (UCA) 1ST TEAM DEFENSE
LB: TYLER LONG (AUSTIN PEAY) 3RD TEAM DEFENSE
DB: FRANKY WEST (EKU) 3RD TEAM DEFENSE

RB: SHUNDERRICK POWELL (UCA) 2ND TEAM OFFENSE
QB: PARKER MCKINNEY (EKU) 3RD TEAM OFFENSE
WR: DARIUS COOPER (TARLETON) 3RD TEAM OFFENSE

PR: JARROD BARNES (UCA) 1ST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
AP: BRAEDON SLOAN (EKU) 3RD TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

SFAXE93 said:

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BLUEBLOODS 2023 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS

UAC PLAYERS THAT MADE THE LIST

DL: DAVID WALKER (UCA) 1ST TEAM DEFENSE
DB: TAMAURION WILSON (UCA) 1ST TEAM DEFENSE
LB: TYLER LONG (AUSTIN PEAY) 3RD TEAM DEFENSE
DB: FRANKY WEST (EKU) 3RD TEAM DEFENSE

RB: SHUNDERRICK POWELL (UCA) 2ND TEAM OFFENSE
QB: PARKER MCKINNEY (EKU) 3RD TEAM OFFENSE
WR: DARIUS COOPER (TARLETON) 3RD TEAM OFFENSE

PR: JARROD BARNES (UCA) 1ST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
AP: BRAEDON SLOAN (EKU) 3RD TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

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Nobody from SFA.

Team-by-Team Strength of Schedule Heading Into the 2023 FCS Season

"To get a stronger feel for the upcoming season, the list below provides the combined winning percentage of each FCS team's Division I opponents last season (opponents from sub-FCS levels are not included in the percentages)." Opta Analyst


TOP 25

1. Harvard (Ivy) .648 (68-37), 10 of 10 opponents were Division I members in 2022
2. Nicholls (Southland) .610 (83-53), 11 of 113. Elon (CAA) .606 (80-52), 11 of 11
4. Cal Poly (Big Sky) .585 (69-49), 10 of 11
5. Campbell (CAA) .583 (77-55), 11 of 11
6. North Alabama (UAC) .573 (71-53), 11 of 11
7. Yale (Ivy) .571 (60-45), 10 of 10
8. ETSU (SoCon) .570 (65-49), 10 of 11
9. Central Arkansas (UAC) .568 (67-51), 10 of 11
10. Northern Arizona (Big Sky) .561 (74-58), 11 of 11
11. South Dakota State (MVFC) .559 (66-52), 10 of 11
12. Delaware (CAA) .559 (71-56), 11 of 11
T13. Eastern Washington (Big Sky) .559 (76-60), 11 of 11
T13. Mississippi Valley State (SWAC) .559 (57-45), 9 of 11
15. North Carolina A&T (CAA) .558 (72-57), 11 of 11
16. Brown (Ivy) .553 (57-46), 10 of 10
17. Dartmouth (Ivy) .552 (58-47), 10 of 10
18. Northern Colorado (Big Sky) .549 (73-60), 11 of 11
19. VMI (SoCon) .547 (70-58), 11 of 11
20. Idaho State (Big Sky) .545 (72-60), 11 of 11
T21. Towson (CAA) .543 (70-59), 11 of 11
T21. Wofford (SoCon) .543 (70-59), 11 of 11
23. Montana State (Big Sky) .542 (71-60), 11 of 11
24. Morehead State (Pioneer) .541 (60-51), 10 of 11
25. Stephen F. Austin (UAC) .536 (67-58), 11 of 11

‘Jacks on the mic 🎤@LloydTKai and @Clint_Lapic10 will be at the inaugural @uacfootball Media Day at @tx_live this Friday! #AxeEm x #RaiseTheAxe pic.twitter.com/SzJticnazc

— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) July 12, 2023

United Athletic Conference Inaugural Football Media Day

🗓️ : Friday, July 14th, 2023
📍 : Texas Live in Arlington, Texas
Purple Lights Fund Social: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM@SFA_Football on stage: 1:50 PM#AxeEm x #RaiseTheAxe pic.twitter.com/l8mtiIFmzj

— SFA Athletics (@SFA_Athletics) July 13, 2023

TUNE IN 👀

The @uacfootball era is here!
⏰ : 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
🎥 : ESPN+
🪓 : ‘Jacks on stage x 1:50 PM#AxeEm x #RaiseTheAxe pic.twitter.com/hS2erqFiq4

— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) July 14, 2023

The new UNITED ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (UAC) Logo

This is #UACFootball🏈‼️

Here's a 👀at our Conference Logo unveiled today to kickoff our inaugural Media Day‼️ pic.twitter.com/dmfjC5ewLH

— uacfootball (@uacfootball) July 14, 2023

"To give the student-athletes the best opportunity, to have the best experience they can."

Executive Director Oliver Luck on the vision of the UAC#UACFootball🏈 pic.twitter.com/CN2gqxMMWZ

— uacfootball (@uacfootball) July 14, 2023

Mentioned more than once during SFA's interview: "Prayer-led meetings and practices." I love it!

FCS media days kick off on Friday with the United Athletic Conference.

According to @CraigHaley, the ASUN and WAC partnership will not release a preseason poll and team until early August in the buildup to its inaugural UAC campaign, although the third together as an FCS league.

— FCS Football (@FCS_STATS) July 11, 2023

The WAC has totally removed football from their website.

Now an even greater spread for Grand Canyon and the Cup.

SFAXE93 said:

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The WAC has totally removed football from their website.

Now an even greater spread for Grand Canyon and the Cup.

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Ugh.

It does seem hard to explain how this football conference fits well into the total sports rubric. I'm sure there's long term goals, but how they fit into what the WAC is doing or what the ultimate benefit to each individual school (besides one playoff bid) is unclear.

If anyone has any elucidation about it, feel free to share.

nacluth said:

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It does seem hard to explain how this football conference fits well into the total sports rubric. I'm sure there's long term goals, but how they fit into what the WAC is doing or what the ultimate benefit to each individual school (besides one playoff bid) is unclear.

If anyone has any elucidation about it, feel free to share.

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From the outside looking in, I speculate it does two things.

First and foremost, it stabilizes both conferences from an expansion standpoint, and lets them focus on their other sports. For example, WAC leadership can focus on two bid basketball without having to take an all sports bottom dweller like UIW to try to get numbers.

Second, and less important, it's a conference that could become an all sports conference in the future, I'd speculate that might be 5% of the reason.

But it's a nicer geography than current. It's football schools who want to grow their entire athletics profile alongside their universities, so it can't be ruled out that it's not some sort of backup plan in case of further raids.

But 95% of the reason is stability in an unstable ecosystem.

It's TIME⏰

Excited and thankful to @SIDEARMSports for creating the 🆕 home for #UACFootball🏈‼️

🔗 | https://t.co/GJqj6bhBXf pic.twitter.com/7cwSahYkeW

— uacfootball (@uacfootball) July 26, 2023

SFAJack_76 said:

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It's TIME⏰

Excited and thankful to @SIDEARMSports for creating the 🆕 home for #UACFootball🏈‼️

🔗 | https://t.co/GJqj6bhBXf pic.twitter.com/7cwSahYkeW

— uacfootball (@uacfootball) July 26, 2023

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I like. Needs more information but that will come.

The @FCS_STATSWalter Payton Award preseason Watch List👀 was announced today and featured ✌️#UACFootball athletes‼️

Congrats👏
QB Parker McKinney | @EKUFootball
RB ShunDerrick Powell | @UCA_Football

🔗 | https://t.co/jMEMQmLFqQ pic.twitter.com/PSu2JskaaP

— uacfootball (@uacfootball) August 2, 2023

Honors📈
3⃣ #UACFootball make the @FCS_STATS Preseason Buck Buchanan Award Watch List‼️

📰 | https://t.co/1NfKOWatdw
🔗 | https://t.co/rNrrewpESj@UCA_Football | @UtahTechFB pic.twitter.com/UNB26EQrNj

— uacfootball (@uacfootball) August 3, 2023

Keeper's FCS Returning Starters and Stats

I'm skeptical that Oliver Luck is going to have the bandwidth to reorganize the PAC12 AND work to advance the UAC (SFA's) agenda.

Fully cognizant that Oliver Luck doesn't work for SFA. Just a little concerned that the UAC will be an afterthought.

On the flip side is it possible that Luck's influence will benefit the UAC and SFA in the short-term.

2023 PRESEASON UAC COACHES POLL

1. Eastern Kentucky (2 first-place votes) -- 71 points
2. Central Arkansas (5 first-place votes) -- 69 points
3. Austin Peay (1 first-place vote) -- 57 points
4. Stephen F. Austin -- 54 points
5. Abilene Christian -- 52 points
6. Tarleton State -- 37 points
T7. Utah Tech (1 first-place vote) -- 25 points
T7. Southern Utah -- 25 points
9. North Alabama -- 15 points

2023 UAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Parker McKinney (EKU)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Syrus Webster (Utah Tech)

OFFENSE
QB - Parker McKinney (EKU)*
RB - Darius Hale (Central Arkansas)
RB - ShunDerrick Powell (Central Arkansas)
RB - Derrel Kelley III (Tarleton State)
WR - Takairee Kenebrew (North Alabama)
WR - Darius Cooper (Tarleton State)
WR - Rickie Johnson (Utah Tech)
TE - Noah Caldwell (Abilene Christian)
TE - Jordon Goco (Austin Peay)
TE - Chad Aune (Stephen F. Austin)
OL - Reese Moore (Abilene Christian)
OL - Chandler Kirton (Austin Peay)
OL - Payton Collins (EKU)
OL - Josiah Ezirim (EKU)
OL - Keegan Holm (Stephen F. Austin)
C - Lyle Santos (Southern Utah)

DEFENSE
DL - David Walker (Central Arkansas)
DL - Logan Jessup (Central Arkansas)
DL - Ryan Jackson (EKU)
DL - Syrus Webster (Utah Tech)
LB - Tyler Long (Austin Peay)
LB - Qua'Shawn Washington (Tarleton State)
LB - Will Leota (Utah Tech)
DB - Kory Chapman (Austin Peay)
DB - TaMuarion Wilson (Central Arkansas)
DB - Franky West, Jr. (EKU)
DB - Jeremiah Walker (Stephen F. Austin)

SPECIAL TEAMS
K - Chris Campos (Stephen F. Austin)
P - Chandler Caughron (Central Arkansas)
RS - Jarrod Barnes (Central Arkansas)
LS - Dustin Inness (Abilene Christian)

* - Denotes unanimous selection

The UAC for the most part has all looked really good today. Tarleton is currently driving mcneese fans out of the stadium and the rest held their own. Could be a very competitive season.