I think that over the last 2-3 years it is pretty clear that there is a top tier in MAC football--Toledo, Miami, BG, and NIU. When you look at recruiting, coaching, new facilities, etc., I see no reason why any of these teams will drop out of the top tier any time soon.
I do think, though, that over the next 2-3 years, one or two additional teams will move into the MAC's top tier. I'll say two.
Which MAC teams do you think have the best chance, looking at their situation today, of joining the top tier?
I believe there are 3 leading candidates:
1-WMU--because they have been there recently and have the facilities to attract good recruits. A lot will depend upon their new head coach.
2-Akron--because they have a very impressive new practice, training, etc. facility, they improved nicely last year, and they have a new gung ho coach with impressive credentials. I've noticed in looking at recruiting sites that Akron is all over the place.
3-Ohio--because they have improved their stadium, hired a new high profile head coach, and seem to have generated a lot of new enthusiasm about their program. Also, they lost some games last year that actually were pretty competitive.
So, these are my three top candidates to move into the MAC's top tier over the next 2-3 years. I'm going to go finally with WMU and Akron.
If the MAC does end up with 6 top tier teams, I think it will take a lot of steam out of criticisms by MAC detractors.
I think Buffalo will be the team to beat in the MAC in 2025!
Santa Fe Falcon Wrote:I think that over the last 2-3 years it is pretty clear that there is a top tier in MAC football--Toledo, Miami, BG, and NIU. When you look at recruiting, coaching, new facilities, etc., I see no reason why any of these teams will drop out of the top tier any time soon.
I do think, though, that over the next 2-3 years, one or two additional teams will move into the MAC's top tier. I'll say two.
Which MAC teams do you think have the best chance, looking at their situation today, of joining the top tier?
I believe there are 3 leading candidates:
1-WMU--because they have been there recently and have the facilities to attract good recruits. A lot will depend upon their new head coach.
2-Akron--because they have a very impressive new practice, training, etc. facility, they improved nicely last year, and they have a new gung ho coach with impressive credentials. I've noticed in looking at recruiting sites that Akron is all over the place.
3-Ohio--because they have improved their stadium, hired a new high profile head coach, and seem to have generated a lot of new enthusiasm about their program. Also, they lost some games last year that actually were pretty competitive.
So, these are my three top candidates to move into the MAC's top tier over the next 2-3 years. I'm going to go finally with WMU and Akron.
If the MAC does end up with 6 top tier teams, I think it will take a lot of steam out of criticisms by MAC detractors.
The Zips appear to be a year away from joining the upper-tier. I'd say we'll be there in 2006.
The Zips.They are doing a very good and aggressive job of recruiting.
Akron is doing a great job of upgrading their facilities.The University of Akron is located in one of the alltime great football regions of the country.
Captain Kangaroo Wrote:Santa Fe Falcon Wrote:I think that over the last 2-3 years it is pretty clear that there is a top tier in MAC football--Toledo, Miami, BG, and NIU. When you look at recruiting, coaching, new facilities, etc., I see no reason why any of these teams will drop out of the top tier any time soon.
I do think, though, that over the next 2-3 years, one or two additional teams will move into the MAC's top tier. I'll say two.
Which MAC teams do you think have the best chance, looking at their situation today, of joining the top tier?
I believe there are 3 leading candidates:
1-WMU--because they have been there recently and have the facilities to attract good recruits. A lot will depend upon their new head coach.
2-Akron--because they have a very impressive new practice, training, etc. facility, they improved nicely last year, and they have a new gung ho coach with impressive credentials. I've noticed in looking at recruiting sites that Akron is all over the place.
3-Ohio--because they have improved their stadium, hired a new high profile head coach, and seem to have generated a lot of new enthusiasm about their program. Also, they lost some games last year that actually were pretty competitive.
So, these are my three top candidates to move into the MAC's top tier over the next 2-3 years. I'm going to go finally with WMU and Akron.
If the MAC does end up with 6 top tier teams, I think it will take a lot of steam out of criticisms by MAC detractors.
The Zips appear to be a year away from joining the upper-tier. I'd say we'll be there in 2006.
As a incoming Zip student next year I am very excited about this program. Everything is growing at UA especially the athletic department. I hope the Zips have the same success as my Rockets are having.
SantaFe,
Would have to agree on your two finalists. Akron is close, this is a big year for them after last years success. The HC may have his head out of the window as success prospers, looking at other opportunities.
If I recall WMU's coach is the OC from the glory years. Their offense was unstoppable back then, although Toledo gave them problems. They have a much bogger gap to fill now, than Akron, but long term looks like a much more stable program.
connerito Wrote:Akron is close, this is a big year for them after last years success. The HC may have his head out of the window as success prospers, looking at other opportunities.
The Zips were 6-5 last season with Frye. It will be a monumental accomplishment to duplicate that minus Frye and four starting OL's. Brookhart will need to do better than 6-5 @ Akron to draw interest from bigger-$$ programs. It could happen, but not for a couple years. Win a championship, beat a BCS team or two, then he'll be marketable.
Ohio U was there less than a decade ago, and they have a new coach.
WMU has a great location, and they could turn it around soon.
CMU also has a great tradition and a good coach. I expect them to make a move up quickly.
All signs from Akron are good. But, Pitt and Penn St will be ramping up again soon, and that puts a crunch on the area.
Santa Fe Falcon Wrote:I think that over the last 2-3 years it is pretty clear that there is a top tier in MAC football--Toledo, Miami, BG, and NIU. When you look at recruiting, coaching, new facilities, etc., I see no reason why any of these teams will drop out of the top tier any time soon.
I do think, though, that over the next 2-3 years, one or two additional teams will move into the MAC's top tier. I'll say two.
Which MAC teams do you think have the best chance, looking at their situation today, of joining the top tier?
I believe there are 3 leading candidates:
1-WMU--because they have been there recently and have the facilities to attract good recruits. A lot will depend upon their new head coach.
2-Akron--because they have a very impressive new practice, training, etc. facility, they improved nicely last year, and they have a new gung ho coach with impressive credentials. I've noticed in looking at recruiting sites that Akron is all over the place.
3-Ohio--because they have improved their stadium, hired a new high profile head coach, and seem to have generated a lot of new enthusiasm about their program. Also, they lost some games last year that actually were pretty competitive.
So, these are my three top candidates to move into the MAC's top tier over the next 2-3 years. I'm going to go finally with WMU and Akron.
If the MAC does end up with 6 top tier teams, I think it will take a lot of steam out of criticisms by MAC detractors.
None.
A league cannot sustain six "top tier" teams, and I don't see NIU, BG or Toledo falling off. Miami could, but I doubt it.
If a team is going to join that elite fraternity, it will be Akron.
Actually NIU and WMU have reversed positions from just 4-7 years ago. History can repeat. I don't disagree that you can't have 6 top tier teams though. If Akron is to be the team you must have an eastern team fall, Western a western team. The odds actually favor Akron, although I like Western, better to succeed..
connerito Wrote:Actually NIU and WMU have reversed positions from just 4-7 years ago. History can repeat. I don't disagree that you can't have 6 top tier teams though. If Akron is to be the team you must have an eastern team fall, Western a western team. The odds actually favor Akron, although I like Western, better to succeed..
WMU should be embarrassed to not still be at that level. They have everything going for them.
connerito Wrote:Actually NIU and WMU have reversed positions from just 4-7 years ago. History can repeat. I don't disagree that you can't have 6 top tier teams though. If Akron is to be the team you must have an eastern team fall, Western a western team. The odds actually favor Akron, although I like Western, better to succeed..
Any MAC school regularly winning its nonconference games, including a few of the tough ones, is a top tier team to me.
As they say in Washington, we can make the pie higher.
I think that it IS possible for there to be 6 top tier teams in the MAC.
By top tier, I chiefly mean top tier teams within the MAC, but also teams that can play competitive games against good teams from other conferences. I don't mean you have 6 teams ranked in the Top 25.
Let's say the MAC expands to 14 members. I believe there could be 6 top tier teams, 4 middle of the pack teams, and four not very good teams.
I agree that this doesn't happen very often for most conferences. But I believe it has happened frequently in the Big Ten, the Big 12, and the SEC. A team can finish 6th in one of these conferences and still be perceived as a good football team.
I think it would be great if this happened in the MAC. It would increase enthusiasm throughout the conference and build national respect.
If I were asked which is more important for the MAC, adding a couple of top tier teams so that there would be six, or striving to eliminate teams that are not very good, I would say the former.
The pieces are now in place for CMU to return to its place at the top of the MAC.
FIRE UP CHIPS! :)
West I say CMU before WMU rises again.
East OU and Akron will contend and win more OOC games.
In four years Buffalo and Temple will win 2 of 3 ooc games and make MAC games more competitive.
Temple Owls will become a top Tier MAC team in 4 years.
HuskieDan Wrote:connerito Wrote:Actually NIU and WMU have reversed positions from just 4-7 years ago. History can repeat. I don't disagree that you can't have 6 top tier teams though. If Akron is to be the team you must have an eastern team fall, Western a western team. The odds actually favor Akron, although I like Western, better to succeed..
WMU should be embarrassed to not still be at that level. They have everything going for them.
Disappointed, yes. Embarrassed, no. Plenty of teams have erratic schizophrenic decades.
It would've helped if we had that extra bowl available during our good years. Barely missing a bowl in heartbreaking fashion in back-to-back MACCs was a major downer.
Gang Green Wrote:Temple Owls will become a top Tier MAC team in 4 years.
work on having a winning season first.
Gang Green Wrote:Temple Owls will become a top Tier MAC team in 4 years.
If by "top tier" you mean "poor man's Kent State," then yeah they will.
One of the amazing things I noticed in the recruiting rankings is Western did a bang up job in 2 months. They also seem to answer some needs on D side of the ball and got 2 QB's w/big numbers. Like also they got the Miami/Dade player of the year (over Kansas,Penn State and Ohio State), in less than 2 months. Pretty good stuff. We'll see.