| OT A bit of trivia. One school can claim, "we're first." They went from D3, to DII, to I-AA, to 1-A....and continues climbing up the ranks this season.
- Thread starter TerryP
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TerryP
Staff
The answer will hit a little closer home than either of you think ...
TerryP
Staff
I have to head to the opthamologist so I'll let this continue until I get back.
So far there's a key part of the question being missed.
BamaFan334
Member
Doubting it's Georgia Southern or South Alabama, but maybe?
I don't think South Alabama went through the full range of classifications, playing a hodgepodge of teams at the outset. GA Southern was 1-AA from its re-start. James Madison skipped DII.
Jax State was NAIA before the heyday of Alabama DII teams in the 70's and 80's (Jax St, North AL, Livingston, Troy). I don't think they were ever DIII.
You have to go back a ways to find programs starting as DIII's, and DII's still being a viable stepping stone if you truly want to get to DI.
I'm going to go with Central Florida.
Jax State was NAIA before the heyday of Alabama DII teams in the 70's and 80's (Jax St, North AL, Livingston, Troy). I don't think they were ever DIII.
You have to go back a ways to find programs starting as DIII's, and DII's still being a viable stepping stone if you truly want to get to DI.
I'm going to go with Central Florida.
TerryP
Staff
There it is.
Close to home: Gus.
"Continues to climb the ranks this season:" Moving to P5, Big 12.
Program began as DIII in 1979.
Moved to DII in 1982.
Moved to 1-AA in 1990.
FBS in 1996.
NC in 2017...
