re: May be premature, but the gators had better ...

UGA fans talking smack? Right after another last minute loss in a big game? No surprise.

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You seem like a dawgranter. Am I correct?

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The only dawgrant I am familiar with or have posted on is the one attached to this site. And that's only been for a couple of months as I didnt really discover it until I'd been on here for a month or so.

DANG IT cornhat! Now you've done it. And durned if I am too ignorant to know how to post a gif.

So you'll have to use your imagination for this one.

Here goes:

Imagine Florida is playing Georgia Southern and losing. Now, if you can imagine that, imagine two gator offensive players ignoring Georgia Southern to block each other. Now, cue ballroom dance music.

There. That's all i got.

The problem most of those on your list have is that a large proportion of their enrollment are commuters. Their growth has happened so fast they haven't been keeping up with housing. So, when you go to UCF (I did some graduate school work there) it doesn't feel like a traditional school. Of course, that can change over time but it's going to take a long darn time to do that.

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Several of those Florida schools have sleeping giant potential if they were not mired in mediocre conferences.

Just look at enrollment:

Central Florida - 60,181
South Florida - 47,646
Florida International - 50,394
Florida Atlantic - 30,758

Compare that to:
Florida State - 31,851
Florida - 49,913
Miami - 15,657 (Private)

The point is that if one of these schools can establish itself now and then if there is another round of expansion in the big conferences can get themselves bumped up, there is some fuel there to grow in prestige.

It is a very long shot, but possible.

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I agree it's a long shot. But outside of California and Texas, Florida is the one state that could probably pull off a Big 3. I somehow doubt UCF will be able to sustain it, but they've got a good coach and sit in the middle of prime recruiting territory.

FWIW the students at those schools are fans of UF, FSU or Miami anyways.

USF was good a few years ago and then disappeared.

You seem like a good dog. I'm going to throw the ball for you and perhaps let you sleep inside.

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FWIW the students at those schools are fans of UF, FSU or Miami anyways.

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This. And I know it use to be where about of the 50k enrollment, about 40-45k live at home with mom & dad and drive to school the other 10k hold down part/full time jobs in a non traditional student way.

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I agree it's a long shot. But outside of California and Texas, Florida is the one state that could probably pull off a Big 3. I somehow doubt UCF will be able to sustain it, but they've got a good coach and sit in the middle of prime recruiting territory.

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Sustaining the status quo is not the issue. They can easily do that. Between their size and location they should be able to be a perennial contender in the AAC. That's not the issue here. Can they grow beyond that and really become a contender.

If and only if:

(a) The expansion to 16 team major conferences happens
(b) They are invited in.

The SEC and ACC are probably not possibilities...Florida and Florida State/Miami respectively would try to block such a move. They only possible destination would be an expanded Big XII. If they conferences go to 16, that may be a possibility, for the first place the majors would go to would be the AAC.

a serious question... what admissions standards does UCF have regarding GPA and SAT scores? I always heard it was pretty low at South Florida. Is central florida any different?

State of Florida is full of talented kids. Some of which are football smart and academically weak.