The final Great Realignment of College Football?

[BGSU33]

Pete Thamel says WKU still has strong interest in joining the MAC so it's essentially up to the conference now.

There are several potential FCS schools the MAC could target that are already within the MAC's current footprint, which is a pretty vast reach right now and is important to note. Also, the MAC currently has 3 schools without an in-state running mate in Northern Illinois, Ball State and Buffalo. Schools such as Illinois State, Southern Illinois and Indiana State all come to mind for me right away. Either Illinois State, Southern Illinois or possibly even Eastern Illinois would give Northern Illinois an in-state running mate, and Indiana State would do the same for Ball State. Now, if WKU was added to the MAC, then Eastern Kentucky (who several years ago was looked at by the Sun Belt and passed over) becomes a new target and could be the 2nd in-state running mate to WKU. I also wouldn't be completely opposed to UMass or UConn being a football-only addition to make things work to give Buffalo a northeastern running mate. But it would have to come with a lot of backing as we've already been there and done that with teams before and I wasn't a fan of it.

[BGSU33]

Serious question. If WKU is all sports in, how does everyone feel about going back to unbalanced divisions? It's not desirable, but we had a 6 team west division and 7 team east for 9 years and we made it. Put WKU in the west, then the MAC is 13 full members. For now, keeping the door open for someone else dedicated to join full time.

Honestly, the most important thing to me personally is I don't want to see BG go back to the West for a million reasons. That's my biggest hangup with any kind of expansion. I could care less if the MAC stays at 12 or goes to 13 or 14. I just don't want to see BG uprooted again. As for 13 teams, it's not ideal IMO. I'd much rather stay at 12 or go to 14.

[Tony4BG]

Someone may have brought this up before, does adding WKU benefit the MAC at all? I am sure WVU wanted to join the ACC after OU & UT left but just adding them alone, doesn't make sense. I feel the same about WKU to MAC alone or with a FCS school.

[jpfalcon09]

Someone may have brought this up before, does adding WKU benefit the MAC at all? I am sure WVU wanted to join the ACC after OU & UT left but just adding them alone, doesn't make sense. I feel the same about WKU to MAC alone or with a FCS school.

WKU has stability in football and basketball that make them attractive. I think they're a good fit. I went to the 2014 game at WKU and they have a very dedicated fan base and alumni foundation. Plus, there would be an instant BG connection as Jack Harbaugh coached there for a long time.

You could do 13 schools but the Michigan directional schools and maybe even NIU are going to throw a huge fit if they're in the West.

[BGSU33]

Someone may have brought this up before, does adding WKU benefit the MAC at all? I am sure WVU wanted to join the ACC after OU & UT left but just adding them alone, doesn't make sense. I feel the same about WKU to MAC alone or with a FCS school.

I raised that question and would love to know exactly what the MAC is eyeballing here. If the MAC knows all 12 current members are 100% firm and committed for the long haul, then I'd be happy to stay where we are at 12. I know that is a boring take in this new age of conference change, but the MAC has been one of the most stable conferences and there's a lot to be said for that. For every one thing I see as a positive by adding a team or two, I also see a negative to offset it. It's a fine line for sure. The main issue here is if you expand, it needs to be done so to improve and strengthen your league. If you expand and it just puts added stress on its members, then it could backfire. I have some ideas about what they're assessing, but I also like that they're doing this from the standpoint of being able to be a little selective in what they're extending and offering. The MAC isn't doing this out of desperation and that speaks volumes.

[MarkL]

WKU's closest MAC member is Miami. 260 miles.

Meanwhile BG's furthest drives are to NIU ( 315 miles) or Buffalo (310 miles). Geography is not nice but athletics, fanbase, university, and alumni base are all a great fit. And the mascot of course.

[Critical Thinker]

Serious question. If WKU is all sports in, how does everyone feel about going back to unbalanced divisions? It's not desirable, but we had a 6 team west division and 7 team east for 9 years and we made it. Put WKU in the west, then the MAC is 13 full members. For now, keeping the door open for someone else dedicated to join full time.

Depends to me how the divisions are split up. If they made the east the Ohios and Buffalo we'd get to play our all of our in-state rivals in football every year and get a home and home in basketball. It wouldn't bother me if the football team only gets to play in Mount Pleasant every 10 years or so, which is basically happening now anyway.

I'm against expanding past 12 teams, but not for the conference imbalance problems.

[jpfalcon09]

WKU travel:

Akron - 442 miles
Ball State - 267 miles
BG - 391 miles
Buffalo - 698 miles
CMU - 545 miles
EMU - 458 miles
Kent - 454 miles
Miami - 249 miles
NIU - 471 miles
Ohio - 360 miles
Toledo - 416 miles
WMU - 436 miles

The data here suggests that perhaps the MAC would have to re-arrange its divisional members to accommodate travel. Miami and Ohio are closer to WKU than everyone in the West but Ball State.

[jpfalcon09]

MAC ADs are meeting this afternoon to discuss WKU.

[BillyLP]

Serious question. If WKU is all sports in, how does everyone feel about going back to unbalanced divisions? It's not desirable, but we had a 6 team west division and 7 team east for 9 years and we made it. Put WKU in the west, then the MAC is 13 full members. For now, keeping the door open for someone else dedicated to join full time.

I think if WKU is a good fit (which I think they are) it would be dumb to pass over them to wait on a second school. I think there are still several options to get up to 14 in the next season or two.

[Tony4BG]

BG Daily News reporter saying if WKU offered invite to MAC, they would accept.

[MarkL]

BG Daily News reporter saying if WKU offered invite to MAC, they would accept.

Get used to this question: which BG?

[Tony4BG]

If WKU joins, does 13 team conference need divisions?

[Tony4BG]

BG Daily News reporter saying if WKU offered invite to MAC, they would accept.

Get used to this question: which BG?

KY lol is there a Daily News in OH?

[Schadenfreude]

Serious question. If WKU is all sports in, how does everyone feel about going back to unbalanced divisions? It's not desirable, but we had a 6 team west division and 7 team east for 9 years and we made it. Put WKU in the west, then the MAC is 13 full members. For now, keeping the door open for someone else dedicated to join full time.

Conferences need a round-robin schedule within each division to hold a football championship game. The MAC got around this by asking for a waiver. Perhaps we could get one again.

Or perhaps we could bring UMass back as a football affiliate to enable round-robin scheduling. I'd be fine with that. If an opportunity for a better 14th-all-sports member comes along, we could wish UMass the best and sign up the 14th school.