CSNbbs

Putting all the animosity between Marshall and the MAC aside, I was wondering if there are any MAC teams that would like to continue playing in an OOC matchup?
I thought Pruett said he would like to continue playing Ohio because of their closeness to Marshall and the "Battle for the Bell" contest. This might happen every year or every other year, I'm not sure.
Personally, I would like to keep playing some MAC teams. I think teams like Miami (Ohio), Toledo, NIU, etc. have proven they can hold there own with anyone. Also, the MAC is a good Divison 1-A conference! Enough with scheduling D-1AA schools. (However, WKU would probably be a good game in Huntington.)
Has CUSA schools scheduled any/many OOC games with a MAC opponent? Hopefully, the two conferences can begin playing each other more once all of this crazy realingment stuff is over. :)

Toledo vs. Southern Miss;
Miami (Ohio) vs. Memphis;
NIU vs. Marshall

I think these are pretty nice matchups and would be excellent games for ESPN to broadcast.

Again, what do you guys think?

Newfie, I think that there is quite a bit of animousity both between fans of Marshall and the rest of the MAC, but also administration (as I hear it). So, other than the natural geographic rivalry of OU, I guess I don't expect there to be any other Marshall-MAC series.

On the Miami board, we've had a spirited discussion about the value of perhaps playing Marshall, and although the board was split I think it's safe to say most do not favor a game (except for when we might meet in a future bowl game). I think is ESPN approached the parties, there might be more likelyhood of seeing this happen someday.

I have no problem with it. Let's do it every year.

But I suspect most BGSU fans wouldn't agree.

My understanding is that no matter what Bob Pruett has reported through his various mouthpieces, Miami will never play Marshall in a football game that is not required by conference affiliations. Outside of our long-standing rivalry with Cincinnati, our coaches prefer to get out and play name schools in big conferences. (And notice, I said PREFER, not ALWAYS...no one is happy that we are playing our first I-AA school this year...)

I am in the minority of Rocket fans, but I would like to see Toledo and Marshall still play. It would be nice to see it because we could be assured of 1 game at home against the Herd and 1 on the road. Toledo and Marshall has become a big rivalry and the winner of that game could still have bragging rights over the other's fans, plus it would be good for media perception.

I know from conversations we have had on the UT forum that most Rocket fans disagree with me though.

I don't. I'd like to see the series continure as well, for the same reasons you listed.

Regarding a question the first poster asked... From what I understood, CUSA had a policy of NEVER scheduling MAC teams in the regular season(the exception being the long-time rivalry between Cinci and Miami). Will that change?

Not sure that there really is a policy for that Karl. I remember Army playing Buffalo a year or two ago.

It may be more of a word of mouth policy then anything definitive