Conference chaos in Division II? Gulf South schools exploring options amid travel concerns

Realignment not just a Division I issue

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — There’s another potential shake-up looming in college athletics, this one at the Division II level.

The Gulf South Conference — home of some of Division II’s top football programs — could lose all six of its Arkansas schools, which are exploring the possibility of forming a new league with some colleges in Oklahoma currently in the Lone Star Conference.

GSC commissioner Nate Salant says travel costs have become an obstacle for schools in his 14-team league, which stretches from Georgia to western Arkansas. No final decision has been made.

With colleges trying to control costs in a down economy, leagues may not be able to afford travel-heavy schedules.