Wednesday, August 22, 2012

FBS members: Their requirements and restrictions

With New Mexico State football set for independence in 2013, we take a look at some of the vital requirements in place to remain an FBS member (Football Bowl Subdivision). Bylaws were obtained from the NCAA Rules Manual:

• Bylaw 20.9.4.3 states that the minimum contests required for football sponsorship is nine games.
What we know: The 2013 schedule currently has the Aggies playing New Mexico and UTEP, UCLA and Texas, and a home-and-home with Idaho. With that being said, a nine-game schedule doesn’t seem optimal, it’s just the minimum requirement.

• Bylaw 20.9.7.1 states that an institution shall sponsor a minimum of 16 varsity intercollegiate sports, including a minimum of six sports involving all-male teams and a minimum of eight women’s teams.
What we know: NMSU sponsors six men’s sports (football, basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, tennis) and 11 women’s sports (volleyball, basketball, cross country, equestrian, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball).

• Bylaw 20.9.7.2 states that an institution shall schedule and play 60 percent of its football games against members of the FBS.
What we know: One look at the Aggies schedule as if for 2013 and this shouldn’t be an issue.

• Bylaw 20.9.7.2 also states that an institution must play a minimum of five home football games against FBS opponents, and one neutral-site game may count as a home game. Bylaw 20.9.7.2.1 states that an institution may count one contest against a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponent to satisfy one of the required five home games in a given season.
What we know: NMSU has Idaho at home in 2013 as well as UTEP (if the Miners cooperate and come to town). Surely an FCS game will be on the home docket as well. That means the Aggies will need two more teams coming to Las Cruces.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I have a feeling that utep will try to back out of a game in Las Cruces next year.

They would love to really put us in a bigger bind.
They tried doing this back in 2000 when, they wanted the I-10 rivalry games played at the Sun Bowl.

Unlike now, we had an AD with the HUEVOS to say "no" and not game was played that year.

Brian Faison's stance forced the I-10 home & home two years later.

The only way utep doesn't back out is, if we beat them this year. They will want to come for revenge.