The University of Miami is not the only college in South Florida with decisions to make concerning their athletic conference.

FAU is currently in the Atlantic Sun conference for all sports except football. The reason is that FAU has a Division I-AA football team and the A-Sun is not a football conference.

The A-Sun is currently made up of 11 teams: Belmont, Campbell, FAU, Gardner-Webb, Georgia St., Jacksonville, Lipscomb, Mercer, Stetson, Troy St., and UCF.

That number will change to 10 in the fall of 2004 as Troy St leaves to join the Sun-Belt conference so they can have all of their sports in one conference.

This year Jacksonville St and Samford both have left to join the Ohio Valley conference.

Anticipating these moves the A-Sun added three schools since 2000; Belmont, Gardner-Webb and Lipscomb. All three of these schools have a student population of fewer than 3,500.

A-Sun commissioner Ted Gumbart stated, “The conference is very strong and we are satisfied with the membership moves we have made over the past few years.”

Although the A-Sun is comfortable with the moves I need to wonder if FAU should be.

All the schools added are private small schools and only one has a football team. Football is the main concern with this issue as it is arguable the highest revenue sport at universities.

Of the 11 schools in the A-Sun 5 have football teams. Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville and FAU are the only three that are Division I-AA. Troy St and UCF are Division I-A.

As stated before Troy St. is leaving for football. Otherwise UCF is in Conference USA for football, and is considering joining a conference for all sports to compete in.

Ted Gumbart has confirmed that UCF if considering these options for the near future.

Gardner-Webb and Jacksonville play football in the Big South and Pioneer conferences respectively.

Turning to where FAU comes into the picture, the A-Sun does not seem like a match if Troy St. and UCF both leave. It would leave the A-Sun with one large school in Georgia St. and the idea of adding more private institutions.

Currently FAU is not the ideal candidate for a conference to add since their football team is still Division I-AA. Conferences are trying to add football depth, as the Bowl Championship Series requires teams to play a minimum number of I-a teams to be eligible.

With Miami leaving the Big East to join the ACC, FAU has plenty of options to join other conferences.

First FAU can join the Big East, as they need to add schools to stay afloat. With Rutgers, Temple and Connecticut already in this conference, FAU will be able to build their programs with these schools.

The downside is that FAU will fall into the same financial burden Miami had as all the Big East teams are in the northeast and travel will be a concern.

Second there is an opening in the ACC for a twelfth team so they can have a conference championship game. Being that FAU is not ready for the jump to I-AA this option does not seem that likely.

Lastly FAU could try and join a number of smaller conferences.

Conference USA would be a good fit if UCF stays in it. Also the Sun Belt would be nice with Troy ST. and FIU also a member. Other conferences like the MAC and SEC sound good but probably are not likely.

FAU will need to change their situation, but all the speculation relies on the development of the football team. Howard Schnellenberger has his team playing I-A teams regularly but they need to improve on their I-AA games before making the jump.

Expect FAU to make a move this year, with their new AD with a planned departure for 2005 or 2006.

Changing conferences can be difficult in Miami’s case or expected as FAU and the A-Sun are concerned.