Would any school from the Missouri Valley plausibly move up to the MAC?

No

The MAC's not going to want a 18k stadium team to join that would 'expand' and only max out at 23k or something. The MAC would have to be stripped by another conference to look toward MVC. And said MVC team would have to be looking to expand and take a step down a bit in basketball, and a leg up in football with AIMS to go FBS.

There's nothing shaking that tree. It'd only start if/when MAC teams go to another conference... which isn't a trend. The MAC's the least-changing conference (for better or for worse) in the country. So no, nothing's indicating that's going to be happening any time soon.

I'm going to guess that with Missouri State, EKU, and James Madison floating out there, the answer is "no."

I don't know the desired hierarchy with the MAC. They have a good pokerface, and aren't an easy read, but it seems like they don't love all of these system or regional institutions. I'd like to think UNI could have a shot, assuming UNI would actually want to step up to FBS, but that's obviously a stretch, and especially more now if Missouri State can't get action.

I've wondered if, before all this alignment chaos, when so many FCS schools conducted FBS viability studies (because many did), that many of these schools looked past MAC and into CUSA and above, and when CUSA and the Belt were stunted by movement, you saw changing tunes from these potential upgraders. The MAC wouldn't have any of it. Could you blame the MAC?

I suspect, if the MAC grows, it's from VA (ODU and JMU), UMass, or Stony Brook (because the talk from there is very intriguing). But, honestly, with the MAC, who knows?

Any move-up would probably be football only and only for the 2 year transition to FBS.

Maybe NDSU and Missouri St move up and join the MAC football only for 2 years. Then they go indy. They could play each other, plus NMSU, UMASS each year.

(02-03-2016 06:50 AM)goofus Wrote:  Any move-up would probably be football only and only for the 2 year transition to FBS.

Maybe NDSU and Missouri St move up and join the MAC football only for 2 years. Then they go indy. They could play each other, plus NMSU, UMASS each year.

I really doubt the MAC would agree to this. A permanent, all-sports relationship might be a different story.

As a MAC fan, I'm personally intrigued with North Dakota State, but it's a bit far outside the footprint.

Illinois St. has been talking about it for years. They haven't had the money.

(02-03-2016 10:14 AM)bullet Wrote:  Illinois St. has been talking about it for years. They haven't had the money.

This is the only school I could see, but with illinois in trouble of funding their universities I doubt it. I think NDSU and UNI know they couldn't compete if they jumped to FBS.

(02-03-2016 01:55 AM)_C2_ Wrote:  

^This

UNI, SIU or the Sycamores were who I thought of.

(02-03-2016 12:50 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  UNI, SIU or the Sycamores were who I thought of.

I've seen SIU's president say they had no interest. Didn't have the money or the population base. They are in a lightly populated part of the state.

I have seen the MVFC teams as a whole get much better fan support than 2 of the MAC schools last year. Any of them could help boast the MAC football attendance up.

(02-03-2016 03:37 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I have seen the MVFC teams as a whole get much better fan support than 2 of the MAC schools last year. Any of them could help boast the MAC football attendance up.

Stop talking. You are ******* clueless about the MAC.

(02-03-2016 03:48 PM)utpotts Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 03:37 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I have seen the MVFC teams as a whole get much better fan support than 2 of the MAC schools last year. Any of them could help boast the MAC football attendance up.

Stop talking. You are ******* clueless about the MAC.

EMU = less than 5000 fans showing up at home games. That is not clueless. That is a fact.

(02-03-2016 03:51 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 03:48 PM)utpotts Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 03:37 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I have seen the MVFC teams as a whole get much better fan support than 2 of the MAC schools last year. Any of them could help boast the MAC football attendance up.

Stop talking. You are ******* clueless about the MAC.

EMU = less than 5000 fans showing up at home games. That is not clueless. That is a fact.

The reality is that several of the MVFC teams have a better product on and off the field for football that the many of the teams currently in the MAC.

(02-03-2016 03:57 PM)NDSUguy Wrote:  The reality is that several of the MVFC teams have a better product on and off the field for football that the many of the teams currently in the MAC.

North Dakota State has had quite a bit of success, but several? Many?

Let's not get carried away here.

(02-03-2016 04:22 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 03:57 PM)NDSUguy Wrote:  The reality is that several of the MVFC teams have a better product on and off the field for football that the many of the teams currently in the MAC.

North Dakota State has had quite a bit of success, but several? Many?

Let's not get carried away here.

Off the top of my head I can think of 4 MVFC teams that would absolutely compete well on the field in the MAC. Those teams are NDSU, SDSU, UNI and Ill. State. No doubt in my mind that they all would finish at or above .500 with the same conference schedule.

Regarding attendance, those schools would EASILY fit in with at least 7 schools so in reality attendance is a non-issue.

NDSU 18,497 (plans to expand to 20-21k)
Miami 15,707
Central Michigan 15,672
Northern Illinois 13,631
SDSU 12,899 (current construction to bring stadium up to 18k)
Kent State 12,561
Northern Iowa 11,549
UMass 11,124
Ill. State 9,194
Ball State 7,974
Eastern Michigan 4,897

(02-03-2016 04:39 PM)NDSUguy Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 04:22 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 03:57 PM)NDSUguy Wrote:  The reality is that several of the MVFC teams have a better product on and off the field for football that the many of the teams currently in the MAC.

North Dakota State has had quite a bit of success, but several? Many?

Let's not get carried away here.

Off the top of my head I can think of 4 MVFC teams that would absolutely compete well on the field in the MAC. Those teams are NDSU, SDSU, UNI and Ill. State. No doubt in my mind that they all would finish at or above .500 with the same conference schedule.

Regarding attendance, those schools would EASILY fit in with at least 7 schools so in reality attendance is a non-issue.

NDSU 18,497 (plans to expand to 20-21k)
Miami 15,707
Central Michigan 15,672
Northern Illinois 13,631
SDSU 12,899 (current construction to bring stadium up to 18k)
Kent State 12,561
Northern Iowa 11,549
UMass 11,124
Ill. State 9,194
Ball State 7,974
Eastern Michigan 4,897

I think Northern Iowa mentioned about expanding their stadium to add more seatings.

Youngstown State could compete in the MAC as well. They sure upset Pitt a few years ago.

(02-03-2016 05:41 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Youngstown State could compete in the MAC as well. They sure upset Pitt a few years ago.

Excellent example. Yes, Youngstown State potentially could be at least as competitive as Kent State or Akron on the football field given 22 more scholarships. Perhaps. But is that a reason for Youngstown State to seek admission to the MAC or for the MAC to admit them?

No. The MAC already has six Ohio schools. All are more comprehensive academically than Youngstown State. The conference would have nothing to gain.

If the MAC were ever going to add a Missouri Valley school, it seems to me it would have to be a school in a new state that would expand the footprint a bit and add value without driving up travel costs.

I have no doubt North Dakota State could come in and compete for championships right away. They have built a fine football program. The only issues there are the distance and whether or not North Dakota State would be a good long term fit.

Northern Iowa makes more sense geographically, but is it a good fit? UNI would be the smallest member of the MAC in terms of enrollment. I'm not sure the academics are quite up to other schools. So, I'm not sure how much UNI adds.

And remember, for every school above 12, the MAC has to split money more ways. It would take some real value to get the MAC to expand.

I see some Missouri Valley schools the MAC could add if it needed to backfill. But I doubt the MAC will need to backfill any time in the near future. I also don't see an obvious, no-matter-what-must-add Missouri Valley school.

(North Dakota State comes closest. It's intriguing.)