Conference USA in negotiations to add three universities
from Adam Stites, with YardBarker.com/www.yardbarker.com
Connecticut, New Mexico State and Liberty are all in negotiations to join Conference USA, according to Chris Vannini of The Athletic.
Conference USA was recently plundered by other conferences adding to their ranks. The American Athletic Conference replaced its upcoming losses by announcing that six Conference USA schools — UAB, Florida Atlantic, Charlotte, North Texas, Rice and UTSA — would all be joining its ranks. Conference USA also lost Southern Mississippi and Old Dominion to the Sun Belt Conference.
Liberty and New Mexico State are set to join Conference USA in all athletics, while UConn is negotiating to enter in football only. The addition of three new schools will bring Conference USA’s number of members back to nine, but Marshall is reportedly on the verge of joining Southern Miss and Old Dominion in the Sun Belt.
The changes come amid a flurry of realignment news with changes on the way for all but a handful of conferences. The most significant moves on the horizon are Texas and Oklahoma both leaving the Big 12 to join the SEC.
Liberty finished the 2020 season ranked No. 17 in the AP Poll, but hasn’t made an appearance in the rankings in 2021, despite a 6-2 record. The additions of UConn and New Mexico State are much less exciting for Conference USA. The schools — which both compete as independents — are a combined 2-15 so far in the 2021 season.