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EMU Regents say: We're not eliminating football, we're not leaving the MAC
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Schadenfreude Offline
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RE: EMU Regents say: We're not eliminating football, we're not leaving the MAC
(04-30-2016 11:27 PM)bullet Wrote:  
(04-30-2016 02:07 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  
(04-30-2016 01:47 PM)bullet Wrote:  And the big decline in the MAC was when they expanded from 6 to 10 teams with 4 new members in the same footprint during the mid-70s. Maybe Illinois St. or Missouri St. could work if they were interested and able to move up to FBS, but not the rest of the MVC.

Neither Ball State nor Northern Illinois were within the MAC's footprint. Both grew the footprint, and both were good additions. (Ball State is not a major football power, but they have had their moments, and they have a good basketball following.)

Central Michigan was also a good addition. The Chippewas won several football championships soon after joining the conference, and they have remained competitive.

They all recruit the same territory and were moved up from Division II.

The MAC was regularly ranked until expansion-Ohio #20 '68, Toledo 12-'70 and 14-'71, Miami 15-'73, 10-'74 and 12-'75. Then they went 20 years before they were ranked again.

I know the history. But correlation does not mean causality. Expansion isn't the reason Miami went 3-8 in 1976. I don't know why MAC football seemed to take a step back in the late 1970s, but it could have been any number of reasons. Heck, the league didn't even have a bowl tie in during that era.

Ball State and Northern Illinois brought two new states to the conference. I can't see that as a bad thing.

As far as Michigan: You could argue against expansion there, but Central Michigan came in and competed right away, finishing second in 1977 and 1978 before finally winning the league title with a 10-0 record in 1979. Central Michigan was an asset, especially when you consider that Western Michigan had never done much in football.

In retrospect, it's fair to question whether the MAC should have added Eastern Michigan. Proponents would point to the limited basketball success and all the Olympic sport successes. Opponents would point to the football: One league title in 40 years and limited prospects for future success.
05-01-2016 10:40 AM
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RE: EMU Regents say: We're not eliminating football, we're not leaving the MAC - Schadenfreude - 05-01-2016 10:40 AM



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