If Villanova football head coach Andy Talley had his way, he wouldn’t name it Division I-AA.

He thinks the name gives off an unpleasant ring, suggesting the teams who compete in the division are inferior to Division I-A. With less publicity and less competition, they certainly are. But the differences point more so to the amount of scholarships available and facility and salary costs.

Over the years, programs like Connecticut, South Florida, Central Florida and Florida Atlantic were able to increase their scholarships and funds, making the jump from Division I-AA to I-A. UConn, in particular, has received extra attention due to immediate Big East success.

‘Playing at the Division I-A level is very difficult,’ Connecticut head coach Randy Edsall said. ‘It takes a commitment from the university to want to do it the right way, so the coaches and the players have a chance to be competitive and have the opportunity to go in and win. There has to be a commitment to facilities and the infrastructure, and then you have to go out and recruit the right student-athletes.’

Edsall secured enough support from the university to build Rentschler Field, which resulted in an increase of 21,252 fans a game in 2003, the nation’s largest increase. Riding the success of the Huskies’ 2003 national championships in both women’s and men’s basketball, Edsall has also brought football up to make UConn an athletic powerhouse.

With South Florida having a strong shot at a bowl bid this year, the Bulls have proven to be another success story. But some other high-profile universities haven’t been as fortunate in making the switch from D-I-AA to D-I-A alone. Teams like Villanova, Massachusetts, Georgetown and Dayton have all established themselves as basketball institutions. But that hasn’t translated to well-known gridiron status.

Villanova athletic director Vince Nacastro and UMass athletic director John McCutcheon said both respective schools commissioned a study to look into where their programs would best fit in a particular conference. The NCAA bylaws say Division I-A teams have to meet one of the following attendance figures: 17,000 fans a home game, a 20,000 attendance average of all football games in the last four years or have a 30,000 capacity stadium with an average of 17,000 fans a home game.

The NCAA also requires schools to increase their athletic scholarships to 85. Scholarship schools in D-I-AA offer 63, and if a school decided to transfer to D-I-A, it would have to fund more women’s athletic programs due to Title IX regulations. Salaries for the personnel would increase as well.

‘It felt like (with) that type of investment, the university wasn’t capable at that point in time to make that commitment,’ Nacastro said. ‘There wasn’t any one specific element in looking over the material in its totality. It takes a serious commitment to play Division I-A football.’

‘If (Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia) were available,’ Talley said, ‘I think there would be more of a chance to make the decision to do it. It’s such a great facility. I think it would help the situation. We had (Veterans’ Stadium) there (earlier) but it wouldn’t have a great place to play. (But) I don’t think the Linc would propel us to be Division I-A.’

While Temple has an exclusive contract with the Philadelphia Eagles to play at Lincoln Financial Field, the Wildcats play in a 12,000-capacity stadium. There’s very little room in downtown Philadelphia to build a bigger one.

Schools like Dayton have opted to stay in D-I-AA under different circumstances. The Pioneer League doesn’t offer any scholarships, like the MEAC or Northeastern Leagues. The Ivy and Patriot Leagues, meanwhile, offer need-based aid, which can be based on athletic and academic ability. This disparity in Division I-AA stems from the NCAA’s decision in 1992 to disallow schools from exempting one of its sports in a different numbered classification. The Flyers, for example, played in Division III in football while playing in Division I in basketball, but now must play in at least Division I-AA in every sport.

‘Their argument would go that Dayton is Division I in everything else except football,’ Dayton athletic director Ted Kissell said. ‘We have a Division I medical staff and trainer. They felt that Dayton and other programs who were Division I other than football put the true Division III programs at a disadvantage. The NCAA ruled that if you’re Division I in one thing, you have to be Division I in everything.’

Kissel notes football benefits from the basketball team’s success and has equal access to its trainers and facilities. In his mind, he sees the jump to Division I-A unnecessary and ultimately a waste of money. He argues the majority of schools do not end up being successful and it is only done to enhance the institution’s name.

While Kissel, Nacastro and McCutcheon note the danger of making the jump, McCutcheon said the competitive climate will continue to change. Although Nacastro and McCutcheon said Division I-AA best suits their programs presently and in the near future, they plan to continue to keep options on the table and make whatever moves necessary in the best interest of the school.

‘There are different models that work differently for different schools,’ McCutcheon said. ‘There aren’t any that’s right or wrong.’

Syracuse (+34.5) at No. 6 Notre Dame

Saturday, 2:30 p.m., NBC

The only thing Syracuse gains out of this game is it’s actually on television. SU gains national exposure on NBC this week, but with the way the Orange has played this year, it may not want the whole nation to realize just how bad it is. But as the old saying goes, bad publicity is still publicity.

Pick: Notre Dame 45, Syracuse 3

No. 9 Ohio State (-3) at No. 17 Michigan

Saturday, 1 p.m., ABC

This game has often determined the winner of the Big Ten. This year, Penn State ultimately dictates the Big Ten title outcome. But if PSU loses, Ohio State and Michigan have the chance to determine their own fate. The game could go either way, but the Wolverines are 57-28-1 against the Buckeyes, suggesting Michigan will hold this one down.

Pick: Michigan 24, Ohio State 21

Georgia Tech (+17) at No. 3 Miami

Saturday, 7:45 p.m., No TV

With an eight-game winning streak, including a 27-7 win against then-undefeated Virginia Tech on Nov. 5, the Hurricanes have come a long way since their season-opening debacle against Florida State. Miami head coach Larry Coker has kept his team on an even keel, stressing the importance of preparing well against weaker teams. With that mindset, Miami will avoid any possibility of a letdown against Georgia Tech.

Pick: Miami 30, Georgia Tech 10

No. 8 Alabama (+6.5) at No. 11 Auburn

Saturday, 3:30 p.m., CBS

Each team comes off one of the most exciting games to watch last week. But this week’s showdown may be a tad anticlimactic. With its 16-13, overtime loss to Louisiana State, Alabama lost the possibility of heading to the Southeastern Conference championship game. This match-up could’ve decided who would show up for the title tilt, but now it’s different. Motivation will make the difference as the Tigers still have a theoretical shot at the SEC West title.

Pick: Auburn 21, Alabama 10

No. 16 Fresno State (+24) at No. 1 USC

Saturday, 10:15 p.m., FSN

The one knock on Southern California is the Trojans have a weak defense and give up too many points. Well, Pete Carroll and USC debunked that Nov. 5 against Stanford, recovering two fumbles and making two interceptions. Against California, USC had two fumble recoveries and four picks. So even if Matt Leinart doesn’t propel the Trojans to victory, USC’s tendency to successfully strip the ball will.

Pick: USC 38, Fresno State 24

Published on November 14, 2005 at 12:00 pm