Connecticut will probably have to go independent. The MAC and Sun Belt probably don't want affiliate members considering it didn't really work for Temple, Massachusetts, New Mexico State, and Idaho.
The American conference doesn't really have any really good options, either, which is why I am actually slightly surprised they didn't at least consider keeping Connecticut for football. Army is probably staying independent given their failures in CUSA compared to their success now (though there are other reasons for that), they have a lot of future games already scheduled, and I don't see how the Army - Navy game could remain the last game of the season if both are in the same conference unless the league ditched its conference championship game..... I actually it's more likely that Navy returns to being independent, since I think last year goes to show they're going to struggle to compete in the AAC long-term, and they'd probably like more scheduling flexibility since they use 3 of their 4 non-con games on their annual rivalries..... BYU probably isn't giving up independence except for the Big 12.... None of the CUSA or MAC schools really make sense to add, so they may just stay at 11, since they can still have a CCG now without divisions, as the Big 12 does..... One move they could make, though is adding VCU for all other sports, as they did with Wichita.
What's more interesting right now is in college hockey, the Midwestern WCHA schools are all leaving the Alaska and Alabama schools behind. Alaska has big budget troubles, so their programs could be going away, regardless. The upside of the move is that it would make it easier for them to add new programs that are more likely to be successful. I know Oakland has been considering going D1 for instance. The last USCHO podcast also confirmed that Illinois is still likely to add hockey as is Navy, apparently, and there are others that they know about but can't publicize.
