Conference realignment benefitting us

[Globetrotter]

So I was looking at ways the MAC could benefit from all of this, or atleast start being proactive. I think that those of you who post on here likely know a great deal more than me about this stuff but here goes, and I really want your input.

There are about 14 teams with regional ties to the areas in the MAC

1 Iowa St Big 12 to MAC unlikely
2 Uconn Big EAST down unlikely
3 Cincinnati Big EAST down unlikely
4 Syracuse Big EAST down unlikely
5 Pittsburgh Big EAST down unlikely
6 Louisville Big EAST down unlikely
7 WV Big EAST down unlikely
8 Rutgers Big EAST down unlikely
9 Army waiting for big east
10 Navy Unlikely-turned down con usa
11 Memphis Could be an option for Big East, Big 12 etc.
12 Marshall ? I know that they were already here and probably have higher hopes
13 W Kentucky Sun Belt-likely
14 M Tenn State Sun Belt-likely

So the most likely scenario would probably be the bottom 2 with an outside chance at Marshall. But what about the scenario of adding teams that might be moving up in a few years for other sports, such as Umass, Appalachian St, Richmond and even Youngstown. Adding the very good teams from the playoff series might be the best way to expand and improve the conference in general. For them we do have some leverage.

So a new conference could be.

East/West

East
Richmond
Appalachian St
Buffalo
Ohio
Akron
Kent State
BG
Toledo
Temple

West
M Tenn St
W Kentucky
N Illinois
Ball St
Miami
E Michigan
W Michigan
Central Michigan

North/South
North
E Michigan
W Michigan
Central Michigan
Ball St
N Illinois
Buffalo
Akron
Kent State
Temple

South
Miami
M Tenn St
W Kentucky
Richmond
Appalachian St
Ohio
BG
Toledo

[FalconTurf]

These are interesting times in the world of college athletics. We may want to be proactive but I still see us being left to wait and see. If any team in the MAC gets an offer from a bigger conference they may jump for fear of being left out when a rival school jumps from the conference. To me nobody is guarateed to stay.

[Warthog]

Here are my thoughts... (keep in mind this is BIG picture stuff and not specifics )

I'm thinking the 'BCS' conferences go down to four power conference: Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Pac 10. Big 12 is dissolving with Colorado's announcement of moving to the Pac 10 and Nebraska heading to the Big 10 at any moment. There are 65 schools in BCS conferences + Notre Dame. Some how these are going to end up in just 4 conferences. I see most of the Big East joining up with the ACC, maybe some to the Big Ten. TX, TX A&M, TX Tech are going together, probably the Pac 10. Oklahoma, Oklahoma St could go Pac 10 or SEC. Kansas, Kansas St, Iowa St, Missiouri could get left holding the bag, so to speak.

What's this mean for us? If something like the above happens, the 'other' FBS schools almost have to form some kind of further sub-division of their own. That way these schools could actually have a playoff of their own and award a champion. The WAC and MW could merge. C-USA, Sunbelt and MAC could form some kind of allegiance as well.

It could be also possible that if Kansas and the Big 12 scraps get left behind, they try to start a new conference with the likes of Cincy, Louisville, BYU, Utah,TCU, Boise State and some others, yet try to maintain the status of a 'BCS' conference.

[NWLB]

They way I've been reading it, we are looking a series of moves.

Prior to today, it was said that Texas was pushing Nebraska to fish or cut bait. That the PAC-10 was ready to ask Texas, Texas Tech, Colorado, Ok, Ok St, and Texas A&M. Gordon Gee had been talking to his counterpart at Texas about the Big Ten. The Big Ten was talking to Nebraska. Boise was talking to MWC.

Now we have Colorado on the way to the PAC-10. This sends the signal to all parties that no matter what happens, teams are moving. This sets the stage for Nebraska to announce they'll leave for the Big Ten. That sets the stage for the PAC-10 to move on more of the Big 12, and it leaves Texas courting suitors willing to make it worth their while to pick a given conference.

Kansas, Kansas State, and MizzoU presently seem out on their own.

I don't see Texas schools going to the PAC-10. Not all of them anyway.

Somebody floated the idea of the Big East and ACC merging. That isn't unappealing for football, but raises issues for basketball.

[gmartin]

Welcome to DIV 2 football or whatever it is called now. I think the winners of each Power Conference will now setup a 4 team National Championship scenerio and the remaining teams in the Super Conferences will go to bowl games. All other teams I believe will drop down a division. I guess we won't need to worry about meeting attendance requirements anymore.

[NWLB]

Who knows. We may all be in a merged super conference of unwanted D1 teams by 2012.

I'm more curious how we may lose a Big Ten game here and there, if that league expands enough.

[Warthog]

Somebody floated the idea of the Big East and ACC merging. That isn't unappealing for football, but raises issues for basketball.

DePaul, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova will have to hook up with the Atlantic 10 and form a confernce. Aren't some of them already in the same conference for football?

[gmartin]

We still play Michigan this year!! Better enjoy it. May be our last time.

[Warthog]

I'm more curious how we may lose a Big Ten game here and there, if that league expands enough.

Do you mean we could lose a paycheck game against a Big Ten opponent? I absolutely agree with that. When these mega-conferences have 16-18 members, they are going to be playing more league games and fewer out-of-conference opponents.

For example, a 16 team league is easily divided into two 8 team divisions. Each team plays the other seven in their division and then two crossover games. That's 9 league games instead of the current standard of 8. And it gets a matchup with each opponent at least once every four years. If it's an 18-team conference, then you go up to 11 league games; 8 in your division, and three crossover so you play each conference opponent once every three years.

But then again, if they need to make more money, the NCAA will just expand the season to twenty games so each BCS school can schedule 8 more home games against FCS schools.

[NWLB]

But then again, if they need to make more money, the NCAA will just expand the season to twenty games so each BCS school can schedule 8 more home games against FCS schools.

COOL! I'm there!

[Globetrotter]

These are interesting times in the world of college athletics. We may want to be proactive but I still see us being left to wait and see. If any team in the MAC gets an offer from a bigger conference they may jump for fear of being left out when a rival school jumps from the conference. To me nobody is guarateed to stay.

Before i read the other posts I want to say I completely agree. We don't have the resources of many other schools even in the MAC and my biggest fear is when the music stops we are left out to dry. Akron, Buffalo and Toledo are all from larger cities, even Kent is right by Cleveland. Any or all of those schools could be interesting for a new CUSA looking for teams or even a Big East dependent on how the shoe falls.

[Globetrotter]

Nice website for info on this!

http://collegesportsinfo.com/forum/

[FalconTurf]

We still play Michigan this year!! Better enjoy it. May be our last time.

Michigan and all the other BCS schools need the "cupcake" game (even though it can bite them really hard when they lose). Even if BG were to drop to DI-AA the Big 10 (or 11 or more) schools still want some non-BCS games in their schedule. With all the powers condensed into 4 conferences many traditional powers are not going to fair well every year. We may not fit into the Mega-Conference / Automatic BCS qualifier category but well-paid coaches need W's and the big schools need proud alums. They want to keep some of us around for that purpose.

How sweet it is when we don't cooperate and beat them in their own stadiums.

[1987alum]

The consolidation of power among the BCS schools will, in the end, widen the gap between the haves (them) and the have nots (us). I don't really see this as a benefit to us or most of the other "mid major" schools. Instead, I see the BCS conference schools hoarding even more of the money and freezing out the rest of us.

While I find this really interesting and even fascinating in some ways, I can't help but think this is the beginning of a some very hard times for non-BCS schools.

[Falconfreak90]

We still play Michigan this year!! Better enjoy it. May be our last time.

Michigan and all the other BCS schools need the "cupcake" game (even though it can bite them really hard when they lose). Even if BG were to drop to DI-AA the Big 10 (or 11 or more) schools still want some non-BCS games in their schedule. With all the powers condensed into 4 conferences many traditional powers are not going to fair well every year. We may not fit into the Mega-Conference / Automatic BCS qualifier category but well-paid coaches need W's and the big schools need proud alums. They want to keep some of us around for that purpose.

How sweet it is when we don't cooperate and beat them in their own stadiums.

This seems, to me, the scenario that plays out. I hate to think of BG and the MAC not being 1-A but with all that's happening, it may be time for the "Have nots" to tell the "Haves" to go pound salt and start our own division. It would be great to play for the National Championship decided on the field.

'87 makes a very valid point. The BCS will continue to grab as much jack as they can.