MW interested in Toledo & NIU

[mbenecke]

NIU is heading to the Mountain West as a footballl-only member, per Brett McMurphy.

[tiznow]

NIU is heading to the Mountain West as a footballl-only member, per Brett McMurphy.

The MAC should tell NIU to go pound sand in all of the other sports. They did not offer the MAC much in anything else.

[mbenecke]

NIU is heading to the Mountain West as a footballl-only member, per Brett McMurphy.

The MAC should tell NIU to go pound sand in all of the other sports. They did not offer the MAC much in anything else.

That is indeed happening.

[bghkyfan74]

NIU is heading to the Mountain West as a footballl-only member, per Brett McMurphy.

The MAC should tell NIU to go pound sand in all of the other sports. They did not offer the MAC much in anything else.

As Benecke said, it is happening. It is league protocol that all members must have a football team in the conference. Possible destinations:

Missouri Valley Conferece: Already 12 teams so would either have to deal with an odd number of teams or add in addition to NIU. Probably makes the most sense geographically. Their men's soccer team is already a part of the conference.

Ohio Valley Conference: Odd number of teams currently so would even it out. More travel and NIU would probably dominate in most sports.

Horizon League: Odd number of teams currently so would even it out. Would be competitive for many of their sports. Not the best travel situation but probably better than the OVC.

[hammb]

NIU is heading to the Mountain West as a footballl-only member, per Brett McMurphy.

The MAC should tell NIU to go pound sand in all of the other sports. They did not offer the MAC much in anything else.

As Benecke said, it is happening. It is league protocol that all members must have a football team in the conference. Possible destinations:

Missouri Valley Conferece: Already 12 teams so would either have to deal with an odd number of teams or add in addition to NIU. Probably makes the most sense geographically. Their men's soccer team is already a part of the conference.

Ohio Valley Conference: Odd number of teams currently so would even it out. More travel and NIU would probably dominate in most sports.

Horizon League: Odd number of teams currently so would even it out. Would be competitive for many of their sports. Not the best travel situation but probably better than the OVC.

If they find a way to not only get into the MWC for football but somehow land in the MVC for hoops I'll be pissed. That's where I wish BG was...MAC hoops has become a hot garbage dumpster fire almost on par with MAC football.

[guest44]

The remainder of the sports will end up in the Horizon or the OVC where they belong. In MAC basketball, no school accelerated the nose dive of the conference more than Northern Illinois. A horrendous program with the worst looking court.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

If they find a way to not only get into the MWC for football but somehow land in the MVC for hoops I'll be pissed. That's where I wish BG was...MAC hoops has become a hot garbage dumpster fire almost on par with MAC football.

I don't think there is any chance the MVC adds Northern Illinois. Look at who they have added recently, Belmont and Murray State. Established basketball programs that have made noise at the mid-major level, something NIU has never done. I think they'll join the Horizon

[BGFalconfromCincy]

NIU is heading to the Mountain West as a footballl-only member, per Brett McMurphy.

The MAC should tell NIU to go pound sand in all of the other sports. They did not offer the MAC much in anything else.

As Benecke said, it is happening. It is league protocol that all members must have a football team in the conference. Possible destinations:

Missouri Valley Conferece: Already 12 teams so would either have to deal with an odd number of teams or add in addition to NIU. Probably makes the most sense geographically. Their men's soccer team is already a part of the conference.

Ohio Valley Conference: Odd number of teams currently so would even it out. More travel and NIU would probably dominate in most sports.

Horizon League: Odd number of teams currently so would even it out. Would be competitive for many of their sports. Not the best travel situation but probably better than the OVC.

It's not just MAC protocol, you can't have one sport in an FBS level conference and the rest of your sports in another FBS level conference.

Don't think there is any chance the Missouri Valley adds NIU, but the MVC loses Missouri State after this season so they will have an odd number of teams like the Horizon and Ohio Valley

[jpfalcon09]

Official announcement coming today. Feels like decent odds this blows up in NIU's face in a few years. Money grab for a lateral move in what the MW is going to become.

[mbenecke]

Official announcement coming today. Feels like decent odds this blows up in NIU's face in a few years. Money grab for a lateral move in what the MW is going to become.

I absolutely expect it to go poorly. I also hope we don't let them back in in a few years.

[jpfalcon09]

Official announcement coming today. Feels like decent odds this blows up in NIU's face in a few years. Money grab for a lateral move in what the MW is going to become.

I absolutely expect it to go poorly. I also hope we don't let them back in in a few years.

I would imagine this being the end of any relationship the MAC has with them.

Be curious how the conference handles football scheduling. Maintain the pod structure? It would be unbalanced if so. The lazy move is to replace NIU with UMass so I expect the MAC to do exactly that.

[mbenecke]

Official announcement coming today. Feels like decent odds this blows up in NIU's face in a few years. Money grab for a lateral move in what the MW is going to become.

I absolutely expect it to go poorly. I also hope we don't let them back in in a few years.

I would imagine this being the end of any relationship the MAC has with them.

Be curious how the conference handles football scheduling. Maintain the pod structure? It would be unbalanced if so. The lazy move is to replace NIU with UMass so I expect the MAC to do exactly that.

There's also going to be an annoying single year (this fall) with 13 teams in the fold.

[jpfalcon09]

Official announcement coming today. Feels like decent odds this blows up in NIU's face in a few years. Money grab for a lateral move in what the MW is going to become.

I absolutely expect it to go poorly. I also hope we don't let them back in in a few years.

I would imagine this being the end of any relationship the MAC has with them.

Be curious how the conference handles football scheduling. Maintain the pod structure? It would be unbalanced if so. The lazy move is to replace NIU with UMass so I expect the MAC to do exactly that.

There's also going to be an annoying single year (this fall) with 13 teams in the fold.

Maybe the MAC can do what the CCHA did with Augustana and make them a sorta member for this coming year, lol.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

Be curious how the conference handles football scheduling. Maintain the pod structure? It would be unbalanced if so. The lazy move is to replace NIU with UMass so I expect the MAC to do exactly that.

While lazy, I'm not sure what else they could do to keep the four pods of three that makes complete sense. The only other thought I had was putting Ball State with BG and Toledo and sticking OU and Miami with UMass. They aren't breaking up the Michigans, BG/UT, Miami/OU, or Akron/Kent. If Ball State did end up with BG and UT you could also do Buffalo with Miami and OU and UMass with Akron and Kent (what a pod of awful football that would be)

Three pods of four could work: BG/UT/Miami/OU, EMU/CMU/WMU/BSU, and Akron/Kent/Buffalo/UMass. Just would have to figure out the process of who you miss from the other two pods

[BGFalconfromCincy]

Reminder of NIU's sports (except wrestling and gymnastics) headed to the Horizon League

https://x.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1894092429453853049