Is there any real truth to the rumor that UCO is going division 1 in football

[AFCM]

UCO's enrollment is still waaay down. In 2012, it was in the 17,000 range, so that would be outstanding for the school.

It wouldn’t be outstanding for on-campus parking. Yikes!

[scottk]

UCO's enrollment is still waaay down. In 2012, it was in the 17,000 range, so that would be outstanding for the school. Athletics in Oklahoma are a big deal and can really help forge a school's distinct identity. I also think Todd Lamb is going to want to make his mark there. They spent some money and hired a coach who has experience coaching division 2 championships.

But comparing UCO football to OU football and suggesting UCO going to FCS would guage their succsess as compared to one of the historic top 5 college football programs in the country is pretty absurd. UCO would be doing very, very well to even be in the same league as Tulsa, which is usually a pretty decent mid-major program.

With OU and OSU having very successful programs for the past 20 or so years in football, as well as other sports winning National Championships (wrestling for OSU, softball for OU, etc), and UCO being literally located between the two, if D1 athletics were important to you as an incoming student, wouldn't you just go to OSU or OU? I'll agree that the program would be on the same level as some of their former Lone Star Conference Texas teams that went D1.

Also, how much of a factor does the legislature play in shaping the future of UCO athletics? Essentially, could lawmakers influence UCO's state appointed regents and block something like this from happening, as to not take away any publicity and revenue dollars from OU or OSU?

[Midtowner]

It wouldn’t be outstanding for on-campus parking. Yikes!

That's kind of funny. We complained about it then, and you complain about it now, but I can tell you that even when enrollment was at the 17,000 mark, we just parked in BFE, got there early enough and made it to class on time.

[Midtowner]

With OU and OSU having very successful programs for the past 20 or so years in football, as well as other sports winning National Championships (wrestling for OSU, softball for OU, etc), and UCO being literally located between the two, if D1 athletics were important to you as an incoming student, wouldn't you just go to OSU or OU? I'll agree that the program would be on the same level as some of their former Lone Star Conference Texas teams that went D1.

Also, how much of a factor does the legislature play in shaping the future of UCO athletics? Essentially, could lawmakers influence UCO's state appointed regents and block something like this from happening, as to not take away any publicity and revenue dollars from OU or OSU?

Todd Lamb I think is uniquely positioned re his connections to make this happen. I think for UCO, it may be now or never, or at least not for a long time that such a move would be possible. Lamb needs to bring the big donors like Richardson back into the fold though.

[Midtowner]

UCO moves to 4-0.

[Zuplar]

My family and I are planning to go to their last home game of the year, would be very cool if they were undefeated at that point.

[Midtowner]

5-0 now. I don't think they have a tough game left on their schedule until Pitt State, and Pitt isn't undefeated. UCO should be a top 10 team at this point.

[PM1]

5-0 now. I don't think they have a tough game left on their schedule until Pitt State, and Pitt isn't undefeated. UCO should be a top 10 team at this point.

Northwest Missouri State this weekend will likely be a tough game.

[Midtowner]

I'd say it's one of the tougher ones thus far, and they've demolished some of the leagues best programs already.

If things continue as they have, they're at least 3 TD favorite.

Pitt State is the biggest game left on the schedule, and they close out against Emporia where Gunner Gundy is QB now.

[Midtowner]

6-0 and now ranked #8 in the country. Should be a huge beat down of NSU this weekend and an easy move to 7-0.

[Hollywood]

At this point, I don’t think OSU would survive a trip to Edmond lol.

[Midtowner]

At this point, I don’t think OSU would survive a trip to Edmond lol.

Well in a few weeks, UCO does play Emporia State where Gunner Gundy is playing as QB1, so sort of.

[PhiAlpha]

Well if they really do want to move up to FCS, they are certainly laying a solid foundation for it.

[AFCM]

Here is the most recent poll for FCS. It gives me some hope that UCO might be able to compete at the DI level if it were to make a move. For example, despite being in its first year of FCS play, Texas newcomer Tarleton State is ranked at 8 while many others, like North Dakota, South Dakota, Central Arkansas, Mercer, Incarnate Word, and Abilene Christian, etc. joined in the 2010s—although, to be fair, several of them were pretty rocking programs prior to moving to FCS.

https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/a...fcs-top-25?amp

[Midtowner]

Here is the most recent poll for FCS. It gives me some hope that UCO might be able to compete at the DI level if it were to make a move. For example, despite being in its first year of FCS play, Texas newcomer Tarleton State is ranked at 8 while many others, like North Dakota, South Dakota, Central Arkansas, Mercer, Incarnate Word, and Abilene Christian, etc. joined in the 2010s—although, to be fair, several of them were pretty rocking programs prior to moving to FCS.

https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/a...fcs-top-25?amp

I don't think any of those played in as good a conference as the MIAA--arguably the best and deepest conference in D2, and at least to date, UCO has blown almost everyone out.

Of course the win at NSU was a basketball score. 64-57. Crazy.

I think they could compete.

UCO is much larger already than most FCS schools.