Alarming trend in the 6-game losing streak to UT

[apollo]

We certainly don't want to be in the west....We'd struggle to win that side. The east really hasn't had a contender on our side in a few years and I don't see OU or Miami making a big jump back to relevance anytime soon.

[Firelands-Falcon]

From Wikipedia:

November 17, 2010 Toledo Toledo 33 Bowling Green 14 UT 16–15
October 15, 2011 Bowling Green Toledo 28 Bowling Green 21 UT 17–15
September 15, 2012 Toledo Toledo 27 Bowling Green 15 UT 18–15
October 26, 2013 Bowling Green Toledo 28 Bowling Green 25 UT 19–15
November 19, 2014 Toledo Toledo 27 Bowling Green 20 UT 20–15
November 17, 2015 Bowling Green Toledo 44 Bowling Green 28 UT 21–15

2010 was the last Peace Pipe game and it is now in Toledo permanently since they won it last anyway, we have never won the Battle of I-75 trophy. Hopefully this changes (and it will).

[Falcon137]

The MAC is cyclical. The east will be better than the west....Miami will be back...NIU will fall back some. It's all about coaches, have a run of good ones you get NIU since '09 and BG since '12. Get a few bad ones you get Miami. Get a mediocre one, you get CMU and Ball State.

I agree, I'd rather be in the east with the Ohio schools. Easier travel, more friends, coworkers, associates who went to Miami, OU, Akron, etc. I'm just saying the BG / Toledo rivalry is better and means more when both are in the same division.

Interesting stat....there are 2 schools in the East with all time win percentages over .500 - BG and Miami. There is only 1 in the West that does not - EMU.

[jpfalcon09]

The divisions are fine the way they are. If Bowling Green wanted to be in the West, we would have been, since Massachusetts made that possible the past couple of years. I think most BG fans would rather play the East schools every year than the West schools, just based on name recognition. Plus, we get Toledo guaranteed as a crossover every year. The situation is fine as it is.

I'd re-align the conference this way:

West

Northern Illinois
Ball State
Central Michigan
Western Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Miami OH

East

Bowling Green
Toledo
Ohio
Akron
Kent State
Buffalo

Toledo/NIU is an annual crossover game, as is BG/Miami. Miami would likely have to travel a bit more but geographically speaking they belong in the West division more than Toledo does. I think this would ultimately balance out the divisions and put emphasis on more natural rivalries (BG/Toledo obviously, and NIU/WMU are somewhat geographically close). I'd love to see the MAC do this but doubt they'd ever consider it.

[Flipper]

You'd have to set OU/Miami as an annual crossover game too...not sure if that would work. I think the divisions are fine the way they are...I don't want to go back to the west....not because it's tougher right now...I want to play OU, KSU, Akron and Miami as much as possible. We won the west before...we're going to beat their champ at the MACC. Why be such fraidy cats about it?