Conference USA

[jmillerbg]

From CFN.com this morning discussing the top storylines for CUSA this year.

2. Then what are the likely next changes?
It's being established that Conference USA is a staging area for a Big East that will be looking for new teams for expansion. East Carolina has been talked about, but the team needs to be better first. Southern Miss and Tulane don't make much geographic sense, but neither does South Florida. Expect some more MAC programs, like Miami, Toledo, Northern Illinois and Bowling Green, to be in the mix for future Conference USA consideration if top teams make the jump. Once again, don't think the 2005 C-USA configuration will last for all that long.


If we leave the MAC (which right now, in my opinion would be a mistake) I certainly hope we don't move to CUSA. They have about as many terrible teams as the MAC does. CFN also harped on the fact that hardly anyone in CUSA is playing anyone good out of conference (Marshall was listed as an exception.)

[Warthog]

I understand your concerns with moving to C-USA. But if the MAC schools mentioned would move together, I think it would be a step up. Of course if even two of those four left the MAC, the MAC would start to look pretty pathetic. Don't want to be left holding the bag, so to speak.

[orangeandbrown]

I can certainly see where under certain circumstances we would have no choice but to move, but I believe we would never look back and think it was a good move. The best future for Bowling Green is a consistently stronger MAC that keeps together.

[jmillerbg]

I do see your point, andI readily admit that if we lost even one of those four school the MAC would take a serious hit. If it loses two or three of the current "Big 4" Football schools then the MAC slips towards Sun Belt Status in a hurry. I think if we could move with either Miami OR Toledo we would have to seriously consider whatever offer is on the table.

[Warthog]

Agreed. I think a MAC--CUSA consolidation could be good. North division of BG, UT, NIU, Miami, OU, Marshall, Kent, Akron. South division of Tulane, Memphis, Southern Miss, UCF, ECU, UAB, South Florida. The directional MIs, Buffalo, Temple, Ball State can get together and ask YSU, Cleve. St, SIU, WKU, MTSU to move to I-A and form a new conference.

[1987alum]

This whole thread makes me ill. I realize all decisions like this need to be made pragmatically, but I hope the MAC can continue to gain strength so that it can withstand these types of scenarios.

[NWLB]

You get to a point where going to CUSA isn’t a good move no matter how you spin it. You could make arguments in favor of a move if you were a Marshall in the past. However it is already diminished because of the instability and inconsistent quality of its programs. It has a bulls-eye squarely on it for other conferences to poach teams. Getting picked apart the next time, it will be impossible to hold together any semblance of quality or consistency. What is already a joke in terms of depth, history, tradition, and such, becomes a total farce. These are not signs of a college sports power conference.

This is why making the jump was a mistake, but stupid is as Marshall does.

What the real talk should be, is of a super-merger between the MAC and CUSA. I have no idea how such a move could work, nor of the wisdom of it. I still think CUSA splinters in four directions and leaves four to six teams stuck with no home, including possibly Marshall. Getting into CUSA, the Herd could get away with having no men’s basketball team worthy of the title. That won’t fly with the Big East, not that they are even in the loop for consideration.

I think the MAC has to focus on securing its core identity and members, and size the initiative in the coming changes. The best way to do that is getting an WKU, MTSU, and maybe gear-up to snipe away a Memphis or somebody else akin to them. The MAC looks like a better deal with each year. The advantage of avoiding a Temple in favor of a WKU, is that the latter will like a stable conference like the MAC. Developing a solid relationship with such a school, keeping our core members in the league, lets us outflank CUSA by allowing it to self-destruct, and not be able to fall-back on our league for new blood.

[jmillerbg]

I certainly hope (and believe) the MAC will retain its current members for the foreseeable future. Could something happen in the next two years to change that outlook? Certainly, but I am not overly concerned about it. I don't think any singular MAC school would consider a jump to CUSA (or even the Big east until they determine its BCS status during the next contract negotiation) unless they were moving with another MAC school (and therefore drastically changing the MAC landscape).

[Schadenfreude]

I can certainly see where under certain circumstances we would have no choice but to move, but I believe we would never look back and think it was a good move. The best future for Bowling Green is a consistently stronger MAC that keeps together.

Bingo.

[Metz]

Either half the MAC will have to leave D-I because of attendance issues and we are forced into C-USA when the MAC folds, or the MAC moves to the same division and we head to C-USA. We will most likely move there eventually...how we get there no one really knows. By that time though, a lot of the garbage teams could be moved into the MAC or to other conferences as well. I really think it'd be a step up for our program, not a step down.

[Schadenfreude]

Either half the MAC will have to leave D-I because of attendance issues and we are forced into C-USA when the MAC folds, or the MAC moves to the same division and we head to C-USA. We will most likely move there eventually...how we get there no one really knows. By that time though, a lot of the garbage teams could be moved into the MAC or to other conferences as well. I really think it'd be a step up for our program, not a step down.

I disagree on at least two levels:

-- There is nothing inevitable about Bowling Green -- or any other current MAC team -- joining Conference USA.

-- Conference USA is a lateral move. It is not a step up.

[1987alum]

Either half the MAC will have to leave D-I because of attendance issues and we are forced into C-USA when the MAC folds, or the MAC moves to the same division and we head to C-USA. We will most likely move there eventually...how we get there no one really knows. By that time though, a lot of the garbage teams could be moved into the MAC or to other conferences as well. I really think it'd be a step up for our program, not a step down.

I disagree on at least two levels:

-- There is nothing inevitable about Bowling Green -- or any other current MAC team -- joining Conference USA.

-- Conference USA is a lateral move. It is not a step up.

SF: Spot on.

Let's not read too much in to the comment in the original post. This is one little piece of speculation from one writer with no substantial backing information (Roger Brown anyone?). And it's CFN.com.

When you think about momentum, you have to wonder if Convict-DOA can get it moving forward at a reasonable clip. IMO, right now they're spinning their wheels. I think we'll see their football profile start to sink in the next 15 months or so.

As for the MAC, I'm feeling good about how things are shaping up. In football, we have solid programs at Toledo, Miami, NIU & BG. We're seeing a lot of positive things at Eastern, Western (assuming their new coach gets things back on track), Central, Kent, Akron and Ohio. Ball State seems serious about major facility upgrades and Buffalo, well, hope springs eternal. The expansion discussion, while questioned by some, shows a conference being proactive about maintaining that momentum.

I don't see a major shakeup in the MAC in the near future.

[NWLB]

We also have to factor into this the possibility that the NCAA is going to do away with the 15,000 attendance rule.

The MAC isn't going to fold, and in truth, trying to force or lure more than two league members into another conference is actually harder, not easier than picking off a couple. The top of the MAC are far too interlinked with rivalries, long histories, and common interests. If you tried to get 6 MAC teams to jump-ship, they'd look at where the MAC stands, and what kind of mess CUSA would have to be in for the invitation to be given, and stay where they are.

Now if CUSA wants to take Temple and UB, well, we might have to take our lumps and let it have them.

[FalconKing]

When you think about momentum, you have to wonder if Convict-DOA can get it moving forward at a reasonable clip. IMO, right now they're spinning their wheels. I think we'll see their football profile start to sink in the next 15 months or so.

Their football profile is already sunk. Louisville was their best team last year and we beat their number two team, Memphis, in the GMAC bowl. Sure Cincinnatti had a down year, but they were consistantly a decent team. TCU leaving for the MWC is also a big hit. So that pretty much leaves Memphis,Southern Miss, and Marshal vying for CUSA dominance. w00t.

[1987alum]

When you think about momentum, you have to wonder if Convict-DOA can get it moving forward at a reasonable clip. IMO, right now they're spinning their wheels. I think we'll see their football profile start to sink in the next 15 months or so.

Their football profile is already sunk. Louisville was their best team last year and we beat their number two team, Memphis, in the GMAC bowl. Sure Cincinnatti had a down year, but they were consistantly a decent team. TCU leaving for the MWC is also a big hit. So that pretty much leaves Memphis,Southern Miss, and Marshal vying for CUSA dominance. w00t.

FalconKing: Agreed. I believe that the next bowl shakeout will see Convict-DOA take another hit, prestige-wise.