The final Great Realignment of College Football?

[jpfalcon09]

MAC Presidents have a call tomorrow to discuss adding both schools.

[Tony4BG]

RIP CUSA

[MarkL]

Good additions if you ask me. They will immediately make the conference a tougher place in both football and basketball.

[fanatic13]

If the MAC expands, it's very likely going to be WKU & Middle Tennessee. But honestly, I don't really see a whole lot of value in adding either one to the conference as a whole. WKU for men's hoops would nice, but what is the MAC really going to gain? And that's not a slight against either school, but my question is, what real value is adding those schools going to bring to the MAC? Don't get me started on "expanding the footprint" of the conference either. That's already shown not to be very effective in much larger markets than these two places. This move would expand the MAC essentially into SEC country, and I just don't really see the logic. And further, what about the MAC's resources, because now instead of dividing things up between 12 schools, now two more would dig into that cut. As for protecting the MAC if it's ever poached upon down the road by another conference, well there are already a number of FCS candidates that are already within the MAC footprint (particularly in Indiana and Illinois) that the MAC could target.

And lastly. and most importantly, how does football divisions get divided up if they come in? Based on geography, someone is going to have to move and I DON'T want that to be BG again. I LOVE being in the East and playing the other Ohio schools. If the expansion happens and the MAC keeps the East/West divisions, then geographically WKU and MTSU would be Western fits, and you'd have to slide Toledo to the East to balance numbers. I would love that because it would put all Ohio schools in the same division. However, if the MAC goes North/South, then BG is going to be sent packing, again, because they aren't going to split up Akron and Kent State.

Here's my projected breakdown (and I hope it's East/West and not North/South)

EAST:
Buffalo
Akron
Kent State
Ohio
Miami
Bowling Green
Toledo

WEST:
Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan
Western Michigan
Northern Illinois
Ball State
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee

OR

NORTH:
Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan
Western Michigan
Northern Illinois
Toledo
Bowling Green
Buffalo

SOUTH:
Akron
Kent State
Ohio
Miami
Ball State
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee

I really, REALLY prefer the East/West idea with adding the newcomers to the West and Toledo to the East and not North/South whatsoever.

In the east west format you have to swap bg/ toledo with mtsu/wku. No point for the last 2 to drive through ohio passing mac schools to play division opponents. Good for bg that emu is also a quick trip

[Schadenfreude]

In the east west format you have to swap bg/ toledo with mtsu/wku. No point for the last 2 to drive through ohio passing mac schools to play division opponents.

That's not our problem. I really don't want Bowling Green in the West.

If the MAC is bound and determined to do this, put one of the new schools in the East and the other in the West. Leave us alone.

[jpfalcon09]

In the east west format you have to swap bg/ toledo with mtsu/wku. No point for the last 2 to drive through ohio passing mac schools to play division opponents.

That's not our problem. I really don't want Bowling Green in the West.

If the MAC is bound and determined to do this, put one of the new schools in the East and the other in the West. Leave us alone.

Posted this before, but this alignment makes the most sense...

East

Bowling Green
Toledo
Akron
Kent
Ohio
Buffalo
Middle

West

EMU
CMU
WMU
NIU
Ball State
Miami
WKU

[Schadenfreude]

In the east west format you have to swap bg/ toledo with mtsu/wku. No point for the last 2 to drive through ohio passing mac schools to play division opponents.

That's not our problem. I really don't want Bowling Green in the West.

If the MAC is bound and determined to do this, put one of the new schools in the East and the other in the West. Leave us alone.

Posted this before, but this alignment makes the most sense...

East

Bowling Green
Toledo
Akron
Kent
Ohio
Buffalo
Middle

West

EMU
CMU
WMU
NIU
Ball State
Miami
WKU

I could live with that. I guess the annual Ohio-Miami football game could be protected.

[jpfalcon09]

In the east west format you have to swap bg/ toledo with mtsu/wku. No point for the last 2 to drive through ohio passing mac schools to play division opponents.

That's not our problem. I really don't want Bowling Green in the West.

If the MAC is bound and determined to do this, put one of the new schools in the East and the other in the West. Leave us alone.

Posted this before, but this alignment makes the most sense...

East

Bowling Green
Toledo
Akron
Kent
Ohio
Buffalo
Middle

West

EMU
CMU
WMU
NIU
Ball State
Miami
WKU

I could live with that. I guess the annual Ohio-Miami football game could be protected.

Yeah, at least two protected games - Miami/OU and Toledo/NIU. Would make sense for BG and WMU to play every year and tie it into a weekend hockey series. Then figure out the rest.

[Schadenfreude]

MAC Presidents have a call tomorrow to discuss adding both schools.

A knowledgeable Marshall fan is suggesting Middle Tennessee may not be a lock as the 14th team, that several schools have inquired about membership, and the MAC is going review its options at this call.

I hope that's correct. I think we can do better than Middle Tennessee

[MarkL]

JMU plans on moving to FBS and likely the Sun Belt. But if they're interested in the MAC I'm all ears.

[jpfalcon09]

MAC Presidents have a call tomorrow to discuss adding both schools.

A knowledgeable Marshall fan is suggesting Middle Tennessee may not be a lock as the 14th team, that several schools have inquired about membership, and the MAC is going review its options at this call.

I hope that's correct. I think we can do better than Middle Tennessee

Some exposure into the Nashville market would be nice. They're also investing a ton of money into their athletic facilities, something like $55 million. I don't see them as entirely doom and gloom.

[Schadenfreude]

MAC Presidents have a call tomorrow to discuss adding both schools.

A knowledgeable Marshall fan is suggesting Middle Tennessee may not be a lock as the 14th team, that several schools have inquired about membership, and the MAC is going review its options at this call.

I hope that's correct. I think we can do better than Middle Tennessee

Some exposure into the Nashville market would be nice. They're also investing a ton of money into their athletic facilities, something like $55 million. I don't see them as entirely doom and gloom.

UMass is a better school academically. North Dakota State is a flagship-type school that would probably move the needle more in football. Plus North Dakota State would be *thrilled* to be in this conference.

I'm not saying Middle Tennessee is a hideous choice. But it feels a bit like an addition for the sake of an addition, just because they happen to be around. Kind of like when the MAC added Akron.

[MarkL]

BG is more or less the geographic middle of the MAC. For what it is worth, it is basically double the distance to NDSU as it is to MTSU. Not saying that alone should disinterest you in NDSU but it's a thing.

Hell, its 40 miles closer from NIU to get to MTSU than NDSU.

[jpfalcon09]

MAC Presidents have a call tomorrow to discuss adding both schools.

A knowledgeable Marshall fan is suggesting Middle Tennessee may not be a lock as the 14th team, that several schools have inquired about membership, and the MAC is going review its options at this call.

I hope that's correct. I think we can do better than Middle Tennessee

Some exposure into the Nashville market would be nice. They're also investing a ton of money into their athletic facilities, something like $55 million. I don't see them as entirely doom and gloom.

UMass is a better school academically. North Dakota State is a flagship-type school that would probably move the needle more in football. Plus North Dakota State would be *thrilled* to be in this conference.

I'm not saying Middle Tennessee is a hideous choice. But it feels a bit like an addition for the sake of an addition, just because they happen to be around. Kind of like when the MAC added Akron.

NDSU belongs in the Mountain West if they move up. Geographically, they're nowhere close to the MAC footprint so I wouldn't even think the current schools would think they're a viable option. UMass had their chance and they refused to commit all their sports to the conference, so I would be surprised if that ever happens again. Again, just my opinion.

[jpfalcon09]

Brett McMurphy tweeted that the MAC is likely to approve both schools and the decision may come as soon as the end of the week.