then the CAA is the only option for JMU. I have looked at the bylaws and I may have found a loophole. The bylaws currently state that if a school wants to switch from the FCS subdivision to the FBS subdivision, then it either needs to be invited by a FBS conference to join or receive a waiver from the NCAA. Since it is unlikely the NCAA will grant a public school a waiver, FBS conference appears to be the only way to go.

Now what isn't exactly clear or at least open to interpretation is whether a new FBS conference can invite FCS schools to join while it is forming. Since it is unlikely UMass will get to join the AAC, then UMass, Army, and maybe a few other FBS schools look to form a new FBS conference. While doing so they also invite a few FCS schools (i.e. JMU) who are looking to switch subdivisions to join too in order to achieve the minimum number to be recognized as a conference (I think 7 or 8). The reason I mention Army is because the NCAA may be less likely to try to block this move if at least 1 of the academy schools are involved with this project. If Navy happened to also to join the party, then it could turn into an all-sports conference instead of a football-only conference like the Missouri Valley Football Conference or the Pioneer Football League.