The More Things Change . . .

After a day with no news, we're back . . . .

A StatsPerform story headlined What Are the FCS Conference Realignment Changes in 2026? included these subheds (LINK):

Villanova and William & Mary to Join Patriot League

Sacred Heart to Join CAA Football

NEC to Lose Saint Francis, Gain Chicago State

Tennessee Tech to Move Into Southern Conference

Two to Join, One to Depart Big Sky Conference

North Dakota State Departing FCS

Shortly after reading that, I stumbled across this graphic that contrasts with all that movement.

The graphic is labeled an "animated gif" (meaning it automatically changes), but whether you just look at it or click it, nothing changes for obvious reasons. The Ivy League membership has not changed one iota since its first year of competition in 1956.

Compare that to the Patriot League, which has had these changes in a history that is 30 years shorter:

1986

First season features six schools: Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Bucknell, Colgate, Davidson

1989

Fordham replaces Davidson.

1997

Towson expands conference to seven teams.

2001

Georgetown expands to eight teams.

2004 Towson leaves conference.

2025

Richmond expands conference back to eight teams.

2026 

Villanova and William & Mary expand conference to 10 teams.

If you think that's a lot of change, here's the CAA Football membership in 2007, and its membership in 2026:

2007	2026
Maine	Maine
New Hampshire	New Hampshire
Rhode Island	Rhode Island
Elon	Elon
Towson	Towson
Stony Brook	Stony Brook
Richmond	Albany
James Madison	Bryant
Delaware	Campbell
Villanova	Hampton
William & Mary	Monmouth
UMass	NC A&T
Hofstra	Sacred Heart
Northeastern
Richmond

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EXTRA POINT
For Christmas in 2024 we received a bird feeder that sends video of each visitor to a phone or tablet, and uses AI to identify the type of bird. The AI can be a little funky, but it's fun to check in and see who is stopping by. Yesterday we had no fewer than 138 birds visit by noon. Given that it's sunny and bright this morning, I wouldn't be surprised if we top 200 by midday today. Gonna have to lay in some more birdseed before long. ;-)