FB: Southern Athletic Association

[crufootball]

I get why they are doing it, but from a competition standpoint, I'm pretty bummed about Trinity reverting back to playing football in the SCAC. The level of play in the SAA has risen dramatically in the last five years, to the point it is now a well-respected football conference. Obviously, I'm sure that BSC and others might be somewhat relieved that they won't have to play Trinity anymore from an AQ standpoint. But, obviously the better the conference, the higher the chance that you get a second pool C bid. Hopefully Trinity continues to play some of the SAA schools after 2024, but I'm sure those rivalries will drift away just like Trinity's rivalries against Depauw, etc.

This is one of those times I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the room where these decisions are made. From everything I have heard through fans and social media, Trinity loved the high level of competition in the SAA and saw the travel as a benefit. Well both of those things seem to run against what you would initially expect from the SCAC as I think most would put Trinity as the clear favorites and the travel takes a fairly large step back. Neither of these things are bad and most people are of course going to champion the benefits of wherever they currently are but like I said it would just be interesting to hear the reasoning for bringing the band together somewhat. 

[jknezek]

I get why they are doing it, but from a competition standpoint, I'm pretty bummed about Trinity reverting back to playing football in the SCAC. The level of play in the SAA has risen dramatically in the last five years, to the point it is now a well-respected football conference. Obviously, I'm sure that BSC and others might be somewhat relieved that they won't have to play Trinity anymore from an AQ standpoint. But, obviously the better the conference, the higher the chance that you get a second pool C bid. Hopefully Trinity continues to play some of the SAA schools after 2024, but I'm sure those rivalries will drift away just like Trinity's rivalries against Depauw, etc.

This is one of those times I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the room where these decisions are made. From everything I have heard through fans and social media, Trinity loved the high level of competition in the SAA and saw the travel as a benefit. Well both of those things seem to run against what you would initially expect from the SCAC as I think most would put Trinity as the clear favorites and the travel takes a fairly large step back. Neither of these things are bad and most people are of course going to champion the benefits of wherever they currently are but like I said it would just be interesting to hear the reasoning for bringing the band together somewhat.

It's entirely possible Trinity was just outvoted. They are members of the SCAC for all their other sports. Football is an affiliation. If the rest of the SCAC is willing to have football, Trinity either needs to be in the SCAC for football, or leave the conference altogether. You can't be in a conference but not participate in a single sponsored sport. No one else in that conference is going to like you saying... "we like the convenience here for everything else, but we think we can do better for sport x." That's not how these things work.

The SAA made it clear that they didn't want Trinity for all sports. Pretty much the purpose of the SAA was to cut off the schools that were too far travel-wise. It was a nice marriage of convenience for a while in football, but the SAA no longer needs Trinity, and Trinity will have a new home.

What was Trinity supposed to do? Tell the other SCAC schools NOT to do football? How would that work? And where else could Trinity go for all sports?

[jekelish]

I get why they are doing it, but from a competition standpoint, I'm pretty bummed about Trinity reverting back to playing football in the SCAC. The level of play in the SAA has risen dramatically in the last five years, to the point it is now a well-respected football conference. Obviously, I'm sure that BSC and others might be somewhat relieved that they won't have to play Trinity anymore from an AQ standpoint. But, obviously the better the conference, the higher the chance that you get a second pool C bid. Hopefully Trinity continues to play some of the SAA schools after 2024, but I'm sure those rivalries will drift away just like Trinity's rivalries against Depauw, etc.

This is one of those times I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the room where these decisions are made. From everything I have heard through fans and social media, Trinity loved the high level of competition in the SAA and saw the travel as a benefit. Well both of those things seem to run against what you would initially expect from the SCAC as I think most would put Trinity as the clear favorites and the travel takes a fairly large step back. Neither of these things are bad and most people are of course going to champion the benefits of wherever they currently are but like I said it would just be interesting to hear the reasoning for bringing the band together somewhat.

It's entirely possible Trinity was just outvoted. They are members of the SCAC for all their other sports. Football is an affiliation. If the rest of the SCAC is willing to have football, Trinity either needs to be in the SCAC for football, or leave the conference altogether. You can't be in a conference but not participate in a single sponsored sport. No one else in that conference is going to like you saying... "we like the convenience here for everything else, but we think we can do better for sport x." That's not how these things work.

The SAA made it clear that they didn't want Trinity for all sports. Pretty much the purpose of the SAA was to cut off the schools that were too far travel-wise. It was a nice marriage of convenience for a while in football, but the SAA no longer needs Trinity, and Trinity will have a new home.

What was Trinity supposed to do? Tell the other SCAC schools NOT to do football? How would that work? And where else could Trinity go for all sports?

And speaking of other sports, I wouldn't blame the other SAA schools for not wanting to have Trinity across the board. You're adding a juggernaut in multiple sports, like WBB, WS, MS, VB, BSB, swimming, tennis... and it goes on. I can absolutely see why they might not have been able to find a home in the SAA full-time.

[Riley Zayas]

I get why they are doing it, but from a competition standpoint, I'm pretty bummed about Trinity reverting back to playing football in the SCAC. The level of play in the SAA has risen dramatically in the last five years, to the point it is now a well-respected football conference. Obviously, I'm sure that BSC and others might be somewhat relieved that they won't have to play Trinity anymore from an AQ standpoint. But, obviously the better the conference, the higher the chance that you get a second pool C bid. Hopefully Trinity continues to play some of the SAA schools after 2024, but I'm sure those rivalries will drift away just like Trinity's rivalries against Depauw, etc.

This is one of those times I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the room where these decisions are made. From everything I have heard through fans and social media, Trinity loved the high level of competition in the SAA and saw the travel as a benefit. Well both of those things seem to run against what you would initially expect from the SCAC as I think most would put Trinity as the clear favorites and the travel takes a fairly large step back. Neither of these things are bad and most people are of course going to champion the benefits of wherever they currently are but like I said it would just be interesting to hear the reasoning for bringing the band together somewhat.

It's entirely possible Trinity was just outvoted. They are members of the SCAC for all their other sports. Football is an affiliation. If the rest of the SCAC is willing to have football, Trinity either needs to be in the SCAC for football, or leave the conference altogether. You can't be in a conference but not participate in a single sponsored sport. No one else in that conference is going to like you saying... "we like the convenience here for everything else, but we think we can do better for sport x." That's not how these things work.

The SAA made it clear that they didn't want Trinity for all sports. Pretty much the purpose of the SAA was to cut off the schools that were too far travel-wise. It was a nice marriage of convenience for a while in football, but the SAA no longer needs Trinity, and Trinity will have a new home.

What was Trinity supposed to do? Tell the other SCAC schools NOT to do football? How would that work? And where else could Trinity go for all sports?

Seems the ASC might be looking for another program...haha. In all seriousness, it is disappointing to see Trinity leave the SAA. Echoing what others have mentioned already, the SAA is on the rise as a really solid football conference. Had 2 playoff teams last year. This will only create more conferences dominated by one or two teams, rather than the parity we see in conferences like the Liberty League. Unless another school really steps up, Trinity will dominate in the SCAC. They'll need to put together a really strong non-conference schedule, but even with that, it will be a while before the SCAC gets a Pool C bid in my opinion.

[jknezek]

I get why they are doing it, but from a competition standpoint, I'm pretty bummed about Trinity reverting back to playing football in the SCAC. The level of play in the SAA has risen dramatically in the last five years, to the point it is now a well-respected football conference. Obviously, I'm sure that BSC and others might be somewhat relieved that they won't have to play Trinity anymore from an AQ standpoint. But, obviously the better the conference, the higher the chance that you get a second pool C bid. Hopefully Trinity continues to play some of the SAA schools after 2024, but I'm sure those rivalries will drift away just like Trinity's rivalries against Depauw, etc.

This is one of those times I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the room where these decisions are made. From everything I have heard through fans and social media, Trinity loved the high level of competition in the SAA and saw the travel as a benefit. Well both of those things seem to run against what you would initially expect from the SCAC as I think most would put Trinity as the clear favorites and the travel takes a fairly large step back. Neither of these things are bad and most people are of course going to champion the benefits of wherever they currently are but like I said it would just be interesting to hear the reasoning for bringing the band together somewhat.

It's entirely possible Trinity was just outvoted. They are members of the SCAC for all their other sports. Football is an affiliation. If the rest of the SCAC is willing to have football, Trinity either needs to be in the SCAC for football, or leave the conference altogether. You can't be in a conference but not participate in a single sponsored sport. No one else in that conference is going to like you saying... "we like the convenience here for everything else, but we think we can do better for sport x." That's not how these things work.

The SAA made it clear that they didn't want Trinity for all sports. Pretty much the purpose of the SAA was to cut off the schools that were too far travel-wise. It was a nice marriage of convenience for a while in football, but the SAA no longer needs Trinity, and Trinity will have a new home.

What was Trinity supposed to do? Tell the other SCAC schools NOT to do football? How would that work? And where else could Trinity go for all sports?

And speaking of other sports, I wouldn't blame the other SAA schools for not wanting to have Trinity across the board. You're adding a juggernaut in multiple sports, like WBB, WS, MS, VB, BSB, swimming, tennis... and it goes on. I can absolutely see why they might not have been able to find a home in the SAA full-time.

The SAA broke off from the SCAC years ago. Trinity was left behind then as were the other geographic outliers. I don't think it's a competitive thing, so much as a "we didn't want you then, it worked for both of us to do just for football now, but hey... I'm glad you can do something else in the future" from the SAA's point of view.

[crufootball]

I get why they are doing it, but from a competition standpoint, I'm pretty bummed about Trinity reverting back to playing football in the SCAC. The level of play in the SAA has risen dramatically in the last five years, to the point it is now a well-respected football conference. Obviously, I'm sure that BSC and others might be somewhat relieved that they won't have to play Trinity anymore from an AQ standpoint. But, obviously the better the conference, the higher the chance that you get a second pool C bid. Hopefully Trinity continues to play some of the SAA schools after 2024, but I'm sure those rivalries will drift away just like Trinity's rivalries against Depauw, etc.

This is one of those times I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the room where these decisions are made. From everything I have heard through fans and social media, Trinity loved the high level of competition in the SAA and saw the travel as a benefit. Well both of those things seem to run against what you would initially expect from the SCAC as I think most would put Trinity as the clear favorites and the travel takes a fairly large step back. Neither of these things are bad and most people are of course going to champion the benefits of wherever they currently are but like I said it would just be interesting to hear the reasoning for bringing the band together somewhat.

It's entirely possible Trinity was just outvoted. They are members of the SCAC for all their other sports. Football is an affiliation. If the rest of the SCAC is willing to have football, Trinity either needs to be in the SCAC for football, or leave the conference altogether. You can't be in a conference but not participate in a single sponsored sport. No one else in that conference is going to like you saying... "we like the convenience here for everything else, but we think we can do better for sport x." That's not how these things work.

The SAA made it clear that they didn't want Trinity for all sports. Pretty much the purpose of the SAA was to cut off the schools that were too far travel-wise. It was a nice marriage of convenience for a while in football, but the SAA no longer needs Trinity, and Trinity will have a new home.

What was Trinity supposed to do? Tell the other SCAC schools NOT to do football? How would that work? And where else could Trinity go for all sports?

No doubt that could be it but I find myself very intrigued by the logistics of situations, how did this ball get rolling and did it roll over Trinity or did Trinity help in the pushing?

[jekelish]

I get why they are doing it, but from a competition standpoint, I'm pretty bummed about Trinity reverting back to playing football in the SCAC. The level of play in the SAA has risen dramatically in the last five years, to the point it is now a well-respected football conference. Obviously, I'm sure that BSC and others might be somewhat relieved that they won't have to play Trinity anymore from an AQ standpoint. But, obviously the better the conference, the higher the chance that you get a second pool C bid. Hopefully Trinity continues to play some of the SAA schools after 2024, but I'm sure those rivalries will drift away just like Trinity's rivalries against Depauw, etc.

This is one of those times I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the room where these decisions are made. From everything I have heard through fans and social media, Trinity loved the high level of competition in the SAA and saw the travel as a benefit. Well both of those things seem to run against what you would initially expect from the SCAC as I think most would put Trinity as the clear favorites and the travel takes a fairly large step back. Neither of these things are bad and most people are of course going to champion the benefits of wherever they currently are but like I said it would just be interesting to hear the reasoning for bringing the band together somewhat.

It's entirely possible Trinity was just outvoted. They are members of the SCAC for all their other sports. Football is an affiliation. If the rest of the SCAC is willing to have football, Trinity either needs to be in the SCAC for football, or leave the conference altogether. You can't be in a conference but not participate in a single sponsored sport. No one else in that conference is going to like you saying... "we like the convenience here for everything else, but we think we can do better for sport x." That's not how these things work.

The SAA made it clear that they didn't want Trinity for all sports. Pretty much the purpose of the SAA was to cut off the schools that were too far travel-wise. It was a nice marriage of convenience for a while in football, but the SAA no longer needs Trinity, and Trinity will have a new home.

What was Trinity supposed to do? Tell the other SCAC schools NOT to do football? How would that work? And where else could Trinity go for all sports?

And speaking of other sports, I wouldn't blame the other SAA schools for not wanting to have Trinity across the board. You're adding a juggernaut in multiple sports, like WBB, WS, MS, VB, BSB, swimming, tennis... and it goes on. I can absolutely see why they might not have been able to find a home in the SAA full-time.

The SAA broke off from the SCAC years ago. Trinity was left behind then as were the other geographic outliers. I don't think it's a competitive thing, so much as a "we didn't want you then, it worked for both of us to do just for football now, but hey... I'm glad you can do something else in the future" from the SAA's point of view.

Oh, trust me, I know - I'm an Austin College guy so I witnessed that whole breakup. And you very well come be right. But it also wouldn't surprise me, based on some of the things I've heard (from people with some connections), if it was at least partially influenced by those schools realizing they'd excised a behemoth, and were glad to have done so and weren't exactly excited by the prospect of welcoming them back in across the board.

[Ron Boerger]

We actually don't KNOW the SAA wouldn't accept Trinity if they applied for full membership, though with travel costs it seems unlikely on both ends.  If you look at the latest USN&WR rankings they slot right in with most of the SAA membership (Centre is higher, most of the others are very similar, and yes I realize there's more to compatibility than those rankings).   What we do know is they didn't want to associate with what was then the SCAC-W as a whole.  Colorado College's academics are better than Trinity's, but most of the others are not and that's what the SAA hangs their collective hat on.

[wally_wabash]

I get why they are doing it, but from a competition standpoint, I'm pretty bummed about Trinity reverting back to playing football in the SCAC. The level of play in the SAA has risen dramatically in the last five years, to the point it is now a well-respected football conference. Obviously, I'm sure that BSC and others might be somewhat relieved that they won't have to play Trinity anymore from an AQ standpoint. But, obviously the better the conference, the higher the chance that you get a second pool C bid. Hopefully Trinity continues to play some of the SAA schools after 2024, but I'm sure those rivalries will drift away just like Trinity's rivalries against Depauw, etc.

This is one of those times I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the room where these decisions are made. From everything I have heard through fans and social media, Trinity loved the high level of competition in the SAA and saw the travel as a benefit. Well both of those things seem to run against what you would initially expect from the SCAC as I think most would put Trinity as the clear favorites and the travel takes a fairly large step back. Neither of these things are bad and most people are of course going to champion the benefits of wherever they currently are but like I said it would just be interesting to hear the reasoning for bringing the band together somewhat.

This is consistent with the vibe I got from an interview I did with Coach Urban for the ATN piece I did on Trinity about a year ago.  But I would really expect nothing less.  Almost every coach I talk to will take whatever situation they're given and figure out to make it a positive.  And they kind of have to.  There's just no room for negativity in these kinds of competitive spaces.  I'm sure Trinity (and everybody else in the reborn SCAC football conference) will accentuate the positives of the new arrangement as well. 

[Cowboy2]

Who knows what happened. I'm sure there will be excitement and remorse....the future has its bright spots with endless possibilities, but in know the SAA matchups were old SCAC rivalries. The new conference looks like a reboot but also welcomes a lot of new faces.

Maybe the SAA can steal a member from the 9 team USASouth. They have a lot of good programs. Berry-BSC-Centre...Hendrix is two year removed from being the runner up. Millsaps was a juggernaut in football back in the 2000s. Rhodes has steadily improved as has UoS this year. They'll need a new member but not for a couple of years.

As for the new SCAC outlook, I'm curious to see whom of the teams will be a challenger come 2020 whatever they kickoff. TLU took over before the break up. Southwestern seems to be pouring in dining for sports. Austin should be more competitive moving away from the ASC. Maybe McM becomes the dark horse.

Kind of out of no where!

[awadelewis]

Maybe the SAA can steal a member from the 9 team USASouth. They have a lot of good programs. Berry-BSC-Centre...Hendrix is two year removed from being the runner up. Millsaps was a juggernaut in football back in the 2000s. Rhodes has steadily improved as has UoS this year. They'll need a new member but not for a couple of years.

Stranger things have happened but I'd put this into plausible but not probable category.    As mentioned up-thread, the SAA hangs it's hat as much on academics as it does athletics.   And of the USASouth and CCS schools, only Berea comes gets talked about that often in the "National Small Liberal Arts Colleges" category in the USN&WR.  Maryville and Huntingdon have history with the schools in our league but you don't hear them talked about as much in that category.     

And you have to factor in the push that Maryville and (to an extent) Huntingdon have made to launch the CCS.   But both of those schools would be a fit with the SAA and it would be fun to watch B-SC and Huntingdon go after each other as conference mates.   And the Maryville fans hate Sewanee almost as much as the Rhodes people hate us. 

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity up 14-0 early Q2.  Millsaps doesn't have their starting QB and hasn't moved the ball much.   New QB in for the Majors this series. 

Good news for TU fans is that Casey Hampton made his first catch since early this season.

[Ron Boerger]

All Trinity first half (despite a sloppy bit at the end) as the Tigers take a 26-0 lead into the locker room.  Millsaps had a golden opportunity late after a tip drill interception after Trinity received the ball after the safety, but three straight incomplete passes from the seven resulted in a field goal attempt (why?), and a high snap resulted in the holder being tackled for loss and no points.   Total yardage 279-58 in favor of Trinity. 

[tigerguy]

All Trinity first half (despite a sloppy bit at the end) as the Tigers take a 26-0 lead into the locker room.  Millsaps had a golden opportunity late after a tip drill interception after Trinity received the ball after the safety, but three straight incomplete passes from the seven resulted in a field goal attempt (why?), and a high snap resulted in the holder being tackled for loss and no points.   Total yardage 279-58 in favor of Trinity.

Did Horn get injured or have they already put in the backups? Seems a little early with 8 mins left in 3rd. The backup Ryan Back looks like he has a pretty good arm. Haven't seen him much this year in situations where he gets to throw.

[Cowboy2]

I'm having trouble even getting signal. A lot of lag, but have been tuning into the HPU UMHb game!