Reports: UAC/ASUN to add West Florida

RamblinRedWolf

Announcement could be coming as early as next week.

https://ricksblog.biz/university-of-west-florida-rumors-d1-sports-office-of-president-changes/

NewBearFan

Been in the rumor mill for years. Find it odd to do it the year of the UAC.

MountainBear

Good pickup, they have a solid football program and is in the footprint of the conference.

Mulerider

Good pickup for sure. Why are they only moving up in football and not other sports?

Gready

Mulerider Looks like they will be ASUN in all other sports. Recall, back in June that the UAC released it’ll be an all everything conference come July of this year. And that they’re basically partnering with the ASUN across the board. Two distinct conferences but basically a partnership. So it may have made more sense financially for West Florida to be in the ASUN for all other sports in knowing there will be some crossover with other UAC teams.

https://www.footballscoop.com/2026/03/30/west-florida-moving-division-ii-fcs-united-athletic-conference

MountainBear

They’re moving up in all sports. For football they will be in the UAC. For all the other sports they’re joining the ASUN, since ASUN doesn’t offer football and there are 3 other Florida schools already in the ASUN.

Gready

So if the move is going to be effective this coming 2026 football season, looks like UCA and the entire UAC will have to change it’s schedule. Hell, we just put UTRGV on the schedule to get to our 12 games (6 home/6 away). If we have to drop an already scheduled non-conference game to make room for West Florida on the schedule, I hope we get drop D2 Central Oklahoma. That way we have an all D1 schedule and keep the schedule balanced at 6 home/6 away games.

Charlie76

We should have went FBS a few years ago. FCS is a dumpster fire. We change conferences every 2-3 years. UAC won’t last and we will be looking for another one.

JoshUCA

Charlie76 I see where you are coming from, and I agree with you. However, I think the intent is for the UAC to eventually become an FBS conference, but who knows these days.

Mulerider

Charlie76

We don’t have the financial means bud.

JoshUCA

Mulerider and still have a long way to go!

Breakdown of frequently-rumored schools to FBS ranked based on total budget expenses as reported to the Department of Education for FY 2023-2024 (the most recent available data from the DOEd) - Total athletics budget.

Gready

The other D1 FCS school instate is UAPB. UAPB is at 8.9M. And for additional reference, recently moved up to D1 FBS NDSU is 30.3M. While the Razorbacks are at 170M and ASU at 32.8M. And D2 SAU at 6.6M and D2 Harding 8.2M.

Mulerider

No way UAPB goes FBS. They are in a financial struggle right now like I’m sure many HBCU’s are.

Gready

Mulerider Who said anything about UAPB going FBS? I only referenced them for comparison along with other FCS and D2 instate schools. And comparing UCA to ASU, NDSU, and Arkansas. Are you hearing that UABP is going FBS? That indeed would be nuts.

JoshUCA

Gready

JoshUCA WOW!!! This puts UCA at 13 games and no bye week if my eyes don’t deceive me if looking at their new schedule correctly.

Edited to include source of schedule: https://fbschedules.com/2026-central-arkansas-football-schedule/

joshgoff

That’s not going to be the actual schedule – you’re only allowed to play 12 regular season games (unless you play in Hawaii, then you get an exemption where you get a 13th game).

One of those other non-conference games is coming off. Don’t think that Lindenwood game is happening, but would be nice if we dropped Central Oklahoma.

Gready

joshgoff Didn’t figure 13 was allowed given that we aren’t playing Hawaii. I too hope the D2 Central Oklahoma game is dropped.