NCAA eliminates divisions for FBS

[Tony4BG]

Mountain West eliminates divisions starting 2023

[Bgsu2016]

Fun fact, the Big 10 West has never won a conference championship

[BGSU33]

While I fully agreed on getting rid of the divisions in basketball (it made complete sense) - and I think it will likely happen in football for the MAC too - as a fan of a school in the MAC East (BG), I'd be lying if I said I didn't have some concerns based on how much tougher overall the West has been in MAC football for years. The same could have been argued in reverse in basketball as the East schools were better overall. But the big difference is, the MAC basketball postseason (bracket play) is a completely different set up compared to football (division winners), so the divisions were a wash in hoops, which is essentially why they were done away with. IMO, BG's path to getting to the MACC in football is more favorable being in the East than it would be in the West, or than it would be in open division. I think the same argument could be made for the rest of the MAC East as well, not just BG. I bet if you asked any of the East coaches that question and they had to answer honestly, they'd likely agree. The East division has been the easier division to win for football. Once you get to the MACC, you play one game where anything can happen. But the getting there part is and has been easier for an East team over the West teams in most every year. If the divisions are eliminated, it wouldn't surprise me to see a lot of former West vs West teams in the MACC down the road.

[jpfalcon09]

While I fully agreed on getting rid of the divisions in basketball (it made complete sense) - and I think it will likely happen in football for the MAC too - as a fan of a school in the MAC East (BG), I'd be lying if I said I didn't have some concerns based on how much tougher overall the West has been in MAC football for years. The same could have been argued in reverse in basketball as the East schools were better overall. But the big difference is, the MAC basketball postseason (bracket play) is a completely different set up compared to football (division winners), so the divisions were a wash in hoops, which is essentially why they were done away with. IMO, BG's path to getting to the MACC in football is more favorable being in the East than it would be in the West, or than it would be in open division. I think the same argument could be made for the rest of the MAC East as well, not just BG. I bet if you asked any of the East coaches that question and they had to answer honestly, they'd likely agree. The East division has been the easier division to win for football. Once you get to the MACC, you play one game where anything can happen. But the getting there part is and has been easier for an East team over the West teams in most every year. If the divisions are eliminated, it wouldn't surprise me to see a lot of former West vs West teams in the MACC down the road.

The onus would be on the "East" teams to get better under this scenario then. which I'm all about for the overall health of the conference.

[Schadenfreude]

The Athletic has reported that the MAC is not interested in getting rid of divisions.