(02-07-2020 02:04 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(02-06-2020 06:44 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(02-06-2020 05:50 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  With G5 incentivized not to expand to prevent further splitting up CFP payouts, I anticipate that number will be much lower.

I'm predicting 3:
James Madison
Missouri State
North Dakota ST (FB-only)

FBS is football only.

Seems like the prediction is JMU and Missouri State joining an FBS conference as full members, NDSU joining an FBS conference as a FB-only member.

If the Big Ten AD's had stood firm on their "no FCS games" agreement, I might see Northern Iowa and NDSU into the MAC FB-only, putting Toledo in the Eastern division. Not likely, but possible.

IOW, so Northern Iowa can continue to play Iowa and Iowa State in alternation.

But with the rule set at one FCS school in the year your division has four Big Ten home games, that hypothetical incentive for Northern Iowa to move has disappeared.

I don't think adding one East and one West school works for getting enough votes in the MAC for expansion ... it leaves Toledo and Bowling Green divided so the MAC would still have to have the locked cross division schedules, except the impact gets worse with only two cross division games per year. Between hosting Toledo more often, and adding JMU, I figure the majority of the MAC East votes to host Toledo more often, which is a "No" vote on adding JMU.

I went to the JMU board to get fans' opinions (yes, I know fans are not the decision makers), and they think JMU is holding out for a reshuffle between C-USA and the Sun Belt. They said they would like to be in a league with, namely, ODU, Marshall, and App State, along with other regional opponents. The MAC doesn't seem to be on their radar.

Take it FWIW.