Apologies if this was already posted...

This information was included in the local JMU to American story on Sunday.

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Along with JMU, Miami (Ohio) was linked to the American in reporting from On3.com only weeks before the Dukes' move became official.

One of the American's Newest Corporate Partners, however, is Riley Decker Workforce Solutions, which announced an agreement with the [American] conference in August.

Riley Decker CEO Kyle Decker is a former MIAMI (OH) quarterback who also founded Red Brick Legacy, an NIL collective associated with the school.

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[More background, etc. about corporate sponsorship from the same article]

"The corporate sponsorships could provide another longer-term benefit.

Rather than simply collecting an entrance fee from JMU, the American gains relationships with companies that could continue doing business with the conference after the Dukes' initial $23 million obligation has been fulfilled.

JMU president Jim Schmidt believes that potential was an important part of making the arrangement attractive to both sides.

“I think that says a lot about the conference, that they realize they can develop long term relationships with the corporate partners we brought to the table,” Schmidt said. “That goes way beyond the potential of covering our fees to join the conference.”

[Sounds like Miami may be using a similar strategy]


https://www.dnronline.com/sports/level/c...93239.html


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IMHO it looks Probable that Miami will go to the American.

According to this guy (take it for what it's worth), most schools in the Sun Belt East, including Marshall, are looking to hit the institutional transfer portal.

https://x.com/Its_Coach_Steve/status/211...1392000348

(10-20-2026 11:57 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  According to this guy (take it for what it's worth), most schools in the Sun Belt East, including Marshall, are looking to hit the institutional transfer portal.

https://x.com/Its_Coach_Steve/status/211...1392000348

I thought the belt was the perfect fit for marshall according to their fans. AAC is watered down already all we are doing is just shuffling teams around anymore. Its so ridiculous

(10-20-2026 02:22 PM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 11:57 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  According to this guy (take it for what it's worth), most schools in the Sun Belt East, including Marshall, are looking to hit the institutional transfer portal.

https://x.com/Its_Coach_Steve/status/211...1392000348

I thought the belt was the perfect fit for marshall according to their fans. AAC is watered down already all we are doing is just shuffling teams around anymore. Its so ridiculous

I agree, there is no reason for any MAC teams to look at the AAC, or SBC at this point. The AAC is nothing special, and the SBC is not either. Funny to hear Marshall is trying to get out of the SBC, but where the hell do they think they are going to go? The MAC is fine with or without them, and the AAC certainly is not looking their way.

(10-20-2026 02:37 PM)astr083 Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 02:22 PM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 11:57 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  According to this guy (take it for what it's worth), most schools in the Sun Belt East, including Marshall, are looking to hit the institutional transfer portal.

https://x.com/Its_Coach_Steve/status/211...1392000348

I thought the belt was the perfect fit for marshall according to their fans. AAC is watered down already all we are doing is just shuffling teams around anymore. Its so ridiculous

I agree, there is no reason for any MAC teams to look at the AAC, or SBC at this point. The AAC is nothing special, and the SBC is not either. Funny to hear Marshall is trying to get out of the SBC, but where the hell do they think they are going to go? The MAC is fine with or without them, and the AAC certainly is not looking their way.

Come on now. If Marshall wanted back in the MAC, I'd let them into my bed.

I don't get the Marshall love. They are a typical FCS move up, in that once the initial excitement from moving to the FBS ends then they become another also-ran.

Miami going to the American (watered down or not)--too many signs all pointing in the same direction.

Ohio may think twice about going to the SBC with Marshall in shopping mode.

Toledo more likely to stay--if Ohio does.

MAC still fine with 12 for FB at that point.

11 for other sports--works well.

Example-- Basketball; 20 games, round-robin.

Also--less mouths to feed means larger revenue portion for each.

NO need at all to go back to fourteen.

JMHO.

(10-20-2026 03:46 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Miami going to the American (watered down or not)--too many signs all pointing in the same direction.

Ohio may think twice about going to the SBC with Marshall in shopping mode.

Toledo more likely to stay--if Ohio does.

MAC still fine with 12 for FB at that point.

11 for other sports--works well.

Also--less mouths to feed means larger revenue portion for each.

Example-- Basketball; 20 games, round robin.

NO need at all to go back to fourteen.

JMHO.

Don't believe a basically regional Conference is that marketable or sustainable as a FBS FB Conference anymore.

The MAC is better with Marshall. I'm not holding my breath, but it would be great to have them back.

(10-20-2026 04:32 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  The MAC is better with Marshall. I'm not holding my breath, but it would be great to have them back.

I would welcome it as well!

(10-20-2026 04:43 PM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 04:32 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  The MAC is better with Marshall. I'm not holding my breath, but it would be great to have them back.

I would welcome it as well!

I’ve been speculating about this often recently, but doesn’t some incarnation of MVC (MVFC) and the MAC seem inevitable??

Let the wannabe P4 hot boys seek C-list status, while a Great Lakes/Midwest traditional super conference emerges that pleases fanbases?

(10-20-2026 11:57 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  According to this guy (take it for what it's worth), most schools in the Sun Belt East, including Marshall, are looking to hit the institutional transfer portal.

https://x.com/Its_Coach_Steve/status/211...1392000348

I'm fine with investing up to 15M the Sac State money to pay up to 3 Sun Belt universities exit fees for a stronger MAC.

Adding a map of eastern US.

(10-20-2026 06:51 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 11:57 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  According to this guy (take it for what it's worth), most schools in the Sun Belt East, including Marshall, are looking to hit the institutional transfer portal.

https://x.com/Its_Coach_Steve/status/211...1392000348

I'm fine with investing up to 15M the Sac State money to pay up to 3 Sun Belt universities exit fees for a stronger MAC.

Absolutely

(10-20-2026 03:46 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Ohio may think twice about going to the SBC with Marshall in shopping mode.

We are shopping around just as much as what they are. This includes having a better FB program than Marshall now which is their #1 asset.

Do not doubt the quiet ones..

I don't think Marshall's coming back to the MAC, unless they've had a tiff with the SunBelt for some time -- and want to leave for the purpose of leaving said conference (ie not to move up; but would like that), and the MAC expressed wanting them and making it an easy transfer for them.

The MW is a very solid step lower, especially since UNLV is pretty much staying in the MW to sustain their more recent past good-team level, and to get a better transition/deal to join P12 -- so ya gotta bank that's going to be done in the somewhat near future... because it's UNLV+NDState + Air Force and their occasional good years (many times not so good; but those will seem/look better in said conference a solid step down) + New Mexico (as the extremely new high-G6; we'll see how that goes if it can continue in said range for years; undetermined at this point). But Marshall isn't on the far-west side of the midwest (like NIU) -- as they're just-east of Ohio. MW down a very solid notch will teams not so-liking them joining, unless MW really needs someone at the time.

14 teams is too much, and solidly so if we do not have CCGs which we very well may not have in near future. And 16, IMO, is unquestionably too much -- notably in the G6 conferences. Dunno why Marshall wants to leave SunBelt. It's not like they joined a year or so after James Madison, and they determined they were a set power-G5 team - lol. They originally wanted it strongly, with James Madison not in said conference.

(10-20-2026 07:33 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 03:46 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Ohio may think twice about going to the SBC with Marshall in shopping mode.

We are shopping around just as much as what they are. This includes having a better FB program than Marshall now which is their #1 asset.

Do not doubt the quiet ones..

Nice to see the MAC community bong is alive and well!!

If Marshall comes back, I predict NIU comes back eventually after another failed 'we're too good for the MAC' try fails

I don't see why Marshall would come to the MAC tho. To me the MAC is even w/ the SunBelt so it'd be a lateral move. I'd like to see it tho.

(10-20-2026 06:51 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 11:57 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  According to this guy (take it for what it's worth), most schools in the Sun Belt East, including Marshall, are looking to hit the institutional transfer portal.

https://x.com/Its_Coach_Steve/status/211...1392000348

I'm fine with investing up to 15M the Sac State money to pay up to 3 Sun Belt universities exit fees for a stronger MAC.

Adding a map of eastern US.

Scheduling pods in FB could be interesting.

I: CMU, EMU, WMU
II: BSU, Toledo, BG
III: Ohio, Marshall, App St, ODU
IV: Kent, Akron, Buffalo, UMass

However I don't think the SBC 3 would want to pay a 10-15 million exit fee though for it. Then be stuck in the MAC under a new 10 million exit fee.

(10-20-2026 04:32 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  The MAC is better with Marshall. I'm not holding my breath, but it would be great to have them back.

Marshall has been in the MAC, CUSA and SBC.

If they do have an offer it might actually be to the MWC as they are still looking for 2 more FB teams. The latest word on UC-Davis is they won't be able to upgrade for another 5 years, probably to replace UNLV when they depart.

But they might be waiting on the right travel partner for the MWC. This is another one Ohio could consider if Marshall is also part of the arrangement. Marshall's academics are less of a factor for the MWC as they'd be a negative for the AC or PAC, IMO.

Quote:If Marshall comes back, I predict NIU comes back eventually after another failed 'we're too good for the MAC' try fails

Thing is tho, it's not like NIU is new to the MAC (been here since before this century), and it's not like they have a lot of $$. They don't. They had those two top-G5 years (one went to NY bowls of course; other was undefeated but then whipped in CCG by BGSU + another top-G5 in bowl after; to be fair QB Lynch was semi-partially-injured late season). But how much you're better than your conference outside of having High G5 $$ is being an Ohio State/Oregon/prev-Mich within your conference comparatively. So let's look at their years since COVID, also within the MAC itself as a key.

(2018) 8-6 [6-2]: Tough OOC Schedule, beat Buffalo in MCCG game by 1pt. Whipped by 10-3 UAB in bowl but earlier in season beat 7-6 G5 @BYU
(2019) 5-7 [4-4]: Lost to @Vandy by less than losing to BallState, but Vandy was Horrible P4/P5 until 2024, when paying players got leverage
(2021) 9-5 [6-2]: Lost close bowl game to Coastal Carolina, upper SunBelt team, who was 10-2 going in; although CoastCarolina only beat @Buff by 3 early in season
(2022) 3-9 [2-6]: Only lost to @Kentucky by 8 and @Vanderbilt by 10; but only beat Eastern Illinois by 7
(2023) 7-6 [5-3]: Was 6-6 beating @BostColl in OT but losing to FCS; lost to Tulsa by only 8; beat fellow 6-6 team ArkState by 2pts in bowl
(2024) 8-5 [4-4]: Upset ND! But .500 in the MAC, and lost to Buffalo in OT week after. Close games all around; beat Fresno in bowl in 2OTs
(2025) 3-9 [2-6]: Had some close games, but one was they only beat FCS Holy Cross by 2pts.

I don't see how they could say "we're better than the MAC". Toledo has and has had a better position to say that these days. Best NIU could do is ride off their 2 awesome years and talk said smack for a limited time -- which started in 2012, stayed good tho after 2013 until 2015; then when the 2016 year set in it'd be no-talk (under .500). It was a stretch of time, as if 2012-2015 would be how they'd be for another 10 years. :)

Quote:I don't see why Marshall would come to the MAC tho. To me the MAC is even w/ the SunBelt so it'd be a lateral move.

I don't think they'd Want to out of vision and quality-of-conference. Because, yeah, it's lateral. The only thing I can think they hypothetically kinda wanting to and open for it, would be if they have issues with SunBelt, and it also on-the-side being greater travel costs for thier Athletic Dept VS being the MAC since it's mostly closer, and felt comfortable here before.