(02-26-2012 09:19 AM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  Villanova couldn't join the MAC for football unless they A) Joined the MAC for all sports or B) left the Big East for basketball and joined the A-10. I really don't see either of those things happening.

If you're saying they're not allowed by NCAA rules to play football in a different conference than the Big East, I don't think that's the case. Isn't Boise State going to play most of its sports in the WAC but move football to the Big East?

If you're just saying that it's extremely unlikely that Villanova would move football to FBS without joining Big East Football, that I agree with.

For a UD/MAC marriage to work, it would require existing rivalries to be carried over.

(02-27-2012 06:32 AM)hens05alum Wrote:  For a UD/MAC marriage to work, it would require existing rivalries to be carried over.

Pls. explain.

(02-27-2012 06:59 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(02-27-2012 06:32 AM)hens05alum Wrote:  For a UD/MAC marriage to work, it would require existing rivalries to be carried over.

Pls. explain.

Rivalries and tradition matter. Lots of you MAC fans can understand that, with the histories you have playing each other. If UD would ever be an appropriate fit for the MAC it would require programs we have a history with to be joining us. I love to hate JMU, and ODU is growing on me as well. We've played UMass for years, though the series is tremendously lopsided. It could never really work long term without traditional and perhaps regional rivalries.

I think the pot would have been a whole lot sweeter if this conversation was happening with Temple still in the league. I would've liked the opportunity to revitalize a rivalry the old UD fans love to talk about. They've been dodging UD football for years if you ask the older generation.

I'm still intrigued, I just have my doubts any of this ever gets off the ground. Truthfully, my college football nirvana would be to see the BCS conferences split off and leave a playoff system to the CUSAs, MACs, MWC, WAC, CAA, Sun Belt and so on. I think it's unrealistic and unsustainable for schools like ours to try and compete financially with the Alabamas, Oklahomas and USC's of the world.

Even though Temple is leaving, Delaware has a better chance of really restoring their rivalry with them if they were an FBS school. And bringing JMU and ODU with them makes it a lot easier than making the jump alone.

(02-27-2012 06:16 PM)hens05alum Wrote:  

(02-27-2012 06:59 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(02-27-2012 06:32 AM)hens05alum Wrote:  For a UD/MAC marriage to work, it would require existing rivalries to be carried over.

Pls. explain.

Rivalries and tradition matter. Lots of you MAC fans can understand that, with the histories you have playing each other. If UD would ever be an appropriate fit for the MAC it would require programs we have a history with to be joining us. I love to hate JMU, and ODU is growing on me as well. We've played UMass for years, though the series is tremendously lopsided. It could never really work long term without traditional and perhaps regional rivalries.

I think the pot would have been a whole lot sweeter if this conversation was happening with Temple still in the league. I would've liked the opportunity to revitalize a rivalry the old UD fans love to talk about. They've been dodging UD football for years if you ask the older generation.

I'm still intrigued, I just have my doubts any of this ever gets off the ground. Truthfully, my college football nirvana would be to see the BCS conferences split off and leave a playoff system to the CUSAs, MACs, MWC, WAC, CAA, Sun Belt and so on. I think it's unrealistic and unsustainable for schools like ours to try and compete financially with the Alabamas, Oklahomas and USC's of the world.

Although it isn't just teams from non-AQ conferences. It doesn't seem possible for teams like Indiana, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Kansas, etc. to compete with those top schools either.

If you were to invite JMU, ODU, UD, and maintain UMASS, you'd be at 16 teams. The WAC-16 shows why that doesn't work on a regional level. You would literally be cutting the MAC in half. All of the sudden one of the oldest conferences in America has schools never playing each other unless they make it into the championship game. I know the Ohio schools would never allow this for one.

The MAC just needs to sit back and relax. We have no need real need to expand right this second. If somebody interesting approaches the MAC, than listen, otherwise, just let this play out. Lots will change over the next year or two. For instance, the CAA only has 10 football schools and even if they act not interested now, I think they will soon. JMU and ODU are both talking to the CUSA and Georgia State is talking to CUSA and the Sun-Belt. If a couple of the schools jump, not only will the CAA be weakened and down to 8 schools, but those regional "blocks" will be broken up that the UD, JMU, and ODU schools keep talking about. The Alliance doesn't have room for all of them, so whomever is left out in an 8 team CAA will come to us on their own. New Hampshire talks about dropping their football program due to budget problems.

On the basketball side, St. Louis is talking to the Missouri Valley and Xavier and Dayton are getting antsy. This changes things for UMass too. Alternatively, the A-10 is talking about stealing ODU, VCU, from the CAA. The CAA could get carved up and A-10 too.

Another possibility for the MAC is Appalacian and Charlotte. Again, these two schools are probably wanting in the CUSA, but come on, the alliance doesn't have room for Delaware, ODU, JMU, App State, Charlotte, and UMass. So whomever gets lost in the shuffle with a picked over CAA will come knocking on the MAC's door eventually or get left out. Maybe our resident UMass fans can help me out, but that's the way I see it.

MAC needs to sit back and wait a year or so and be patient and we have no need to not be patient. There will be no more football-only deals. UMass gets a 2-year pass.