"ACC's Little Sisters of the Poor." (8/28/08)

This weekend marks the start of college football, FINALLY! It also marks the first weekend of our weekly blog entry, Meet the "ACC's Little Sister's of the Poor."

While we know that most schools schedule programs from the FCS, Division I-AA, ranks the Almost College football Conference takes the cupcake to a new level this year with a collective 14 on the schedule. (This count doesn't include the mighty Hill Toppers of Western Kentucky that still are in a transition between divisions). The next most is the SEC and Big 12 with 10, from there it is the Big Ten with 9, Big East with 7 and the Pac Ten with 2.

It might not be soo bad if it wasn't for the fact that the "leaders" in the conference, Clemson, Florida State, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech are playing 2 a piece (if we count WKU). Compounding the issue is the fact that the conference coaches and AD's said no to playing a 9th conference game.

So in order to help drive some sort of TV ratings and interest the ACC's way allow us to introduce to you this week's "ACC's Little Sister's of the Poor."

Delaware

Location: Newark, DE
Founded: 1743
Mascot: Fightin' Blue Hens
Conference: Colonial Athletic Association
Size: 16,000 undergrads
Most well known alumni: Rich Gannon - NFL Quarterback, George "Bad to the Bone" Thorogood
Why you might know them: Not only do they share nearly the same colors as Michigan, they also have the same helmet look as the Wolverines. Something else they have in common with the boys in Ann Arbor, they couldn't beat App. State last year either.

McNeese St

Location: Lake Charles, LA
Founded: 1939
Mascot: Cowboys
Conference: Southland
Size: About 7000 undergrads
Most well known alumni: Besides TCFG's co-host Ethan Bush, Joe Dumars - guard for the Detroit Pistons.
Interesting facts: The Cowboys played in the inaugural Independence Bowl in 1976. In the early part of this decade the University of Wyoming sued McNeese for having similar looking logos. You can see that the school from Lake Chuck lost that match up.

Charleston Southern

Location: Charleston, SC
Founded: 1969
Mascot: Bucky the Buccaneer
Conference: Big South
Size: 3,300
Most well known alumnus: Terry Mooney - You don't know who he is? Well he is one heck of a golfer because he won a "spiffy pre-owned Saturn sports coupe" at the 15th Annual Buccaneer Club Corporate Cup Golf Tournament.
Interesting fact: CSU's enrollment is just about 1000 undergrads smaller than ACC member Wake Forest. At 4,300 the Demon Deacons have Division I-A's (FBS) smallest student body.

Jacksonville State

Location: Jacksonville, AL
Founded: 1883
Mascot: Gamecocks
Conference: Ohio Valley
Enrollment: 9,000
Most well known alumni: Randy Owen - lead singer for the country group Alabama. Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey - Co-hosts of the "Rick and Bubba: Morning Show"
Why you might know them: On August 30, 2001, Ashley Martin became the first female football player to score a point in a Division I kicking 3 extra points in a 72-10 drubbing of Cumberland University. School set in the Appalachians of Alabama also happens to be the new school of former LSU QB, Ryan Perrilloux.

James Madison

Location: Harrisonburg, VA
Founded: 1908
Mascot: The Dukes, Duke Dog
Conference: Colonial Athletic Association
Size: 16,000 undergrads
Most well known alumni: Charles Haley - LB/DE won 5 Super Bowls for Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. Scott "wide-right" Norwood - K, Buffalo Bills. Elliott Sadler, NASCAR driver.
Why you might know them: Became a co-ed school in 1966 only 19 years after ACC member Florida State. In the fall of 2006 the JMU Board of Visitors received much attention and criticism for cutting 10 sports to comply with Title IX. Even a letter from the US Olympic Committee. Objectors felt it was unfair that football wasn't touched. Maybe they shouldn't have invited the boys to school in the first place?