The Georgia State Panthers are a candidate to receive an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference, CBSSports.com has reported.
GSU could be invited and added to the Sun Belt as early as the 2013 season. The Panthers are set to join the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) for football this Fall.
Led by former Alabama and Kentucky head coach Bill Curry, Georgia State started their football program in 2010. The Panthers have played two seasons as an FCS Independent, finishing 6-5 in 2010 and 3-8 in 2011.
Georgia State, which is located in Atlanta, does not have an on-campus stadium. They play their home games at the Georgia Dome.
The Sun Belt, which is currently at 10 teams, has also had discussions with Charlotte and UTSA. Charlotte doesn’t play their first football season until 2013 while UTSA officially becomes a member of the WAC on July 1.
Any word on what is happening with Appalachian State? I know their Board of Governors authorized them to explore a move to the FBS level.
That is great
Wonder if it’s a short matter of time (next 5-10 years) until a significant number of FCS teams (maybe 20 or so) jump to the FBS . I know that, local to me, schools like Illinois State are trying to position themselves to move up…
Georgia State would be a good add for the Sunbelt.
Jmu would be good
University of Richmond would be a better choice, I think!
Richmond has zero aspirations to move up to 1-A. Hell, they just built a 8,700 seat stadium (they were playing in a 21,600 seat facility up town).
Ga. State should wait until at least 2016 to move up. They need, I feel, 4 good years of CAA competition to get ready.
you don’t know what you are talking about. GSU needs to go to the FBS in order to get the recruits it needs for the program.
Jmu made their stadium big enough to play D1 football
JMU already is D-1……….1-AA.
You mean D-1………….. F.C.S.
Waiting around the FCS level hurts the program and recruiting.
GSU must go to the SunBelt asap of the program will collapse.
Its going to happen. The timing is right. And the Ga Dome is prectically on campus at only 2 blocks away. Gonna be a great April.
Can’t wait for the big GSU-UGA rivalry to kick off!
The GSU-Troy rivalry is more realistic
We already have the start of a rivalry with USA they beat us at there house & we beat them at theres, best complete game the panthers had last year. Sunbelt, cant wait to join you! GO PANTHERS!!
10 teams now… 11 with GA STATE. Add Georgia Southern, App State, and LIberty…. you got a good 14 team conference. With UA-Little Rock as non-football, add College of Charleston. 16 full members
UTSA and Charlotte would not be bad choices