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An eight-game schedule in winter/spring?

Here are bullet points from a story by a Toledo Blade sports writer who probably covers the MAC as well as anyone.

• The Mid-American Conference is considering a February resumption for its football season, according to league sources.
• Under the proposal — which has not yet been recommended to the league nor received approval from the 12 presidents of full-member MAC schools — football teams would play an eight-game schedule beginning Feb. 20.
• Further, the league could continue to play some of its games on weeknights to avoid conflicting with the NCAA men's basketball tournament, which is scheduled to begin its first round March 18.

(Sure would be cold.)

Link to the full story (behind a paywall)

https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/colle...0200915131

This would have to be one of the dumber ideas by this conference. No bowl eligibility. Any kid even thinking NFL would opt out to get ready for the draft. No big money games. No one in attendance because we dont go in Sept or Oct so why go in February? BUT, I am sure Joey is talking to Diacon about the need for Spring football.

(09-16-2020 07:28 AM)KSUforever Wrote:  This would have to be one of the dumber ideas by this conference. No bowl eligibility. Any kid even thinking NFL would opt out to get ready for the draft. No big money games. No one in attendance because we dont go in Sept or Oct so why go in February? BUT, I am sure Joey is talking to Diacon about the need for Spring football.

In my opinion I think football in February is a good idea based on the present environment. Games are a made for TV event which translates to TV money. Dome stadiums in Indy, Detroit and Syracuse in the MAC football. Today's world football fan world contains on line bettors who want a game. MAC would be offering real time football games to the networks.
For the NFL agree some players might opt out to pursue the professional dream. Last year not one MAC player was invited to the NFL combine we are not talking Power 5 issues with draft ability

B10 announced 8 game schedule beginning Oct 23-24. MAC should work on 6 game schedule (division only games+MACC) to crown MAC champ and also hopefully create a couple of bowl eligible teams. this would create 2 potential rewards for players- MACC and/or bowl game. I agree with proud pilot that NFL is not reality for most of MAC players, but the chance to compete for the MAC championship or a bowl game should be a reality. Potential Oct 31 or Nov 7th start dates for MAC football are only 90 days earlier than Feb 1 - I don't think the "science" will have a widely available vaccine by Feb time frame or make it safer for athletes by then. Empty campuses starting in third week of Novemebr for thanksgiving break/final weeks remotley- will create safer environment for athletes.

Just a guess, but if we got with Feb start date it's because we think it will give us exposure being the only football available. I wonder if a player like Crum would think about redshirting this season? He's getting some draft hype but playing the season right before the draft with no potential for non-mac opponents would not be good for him. At the same time he needs to play to elevate his draft stock because he's not a sure thing. So would it be better for him to just sit the season out and play his senior season in 2021?

With the Big Ten playing fall ball any chance the MAC will follow?

I highly doubt it

Actually MAC presidents are meeting this weekend to discuss a 6 or 8 game schedule starting in October.

Apparently they met today, made no decision and will meet again next week.

Well I was wrong they seemed to have flip flopped after the pressure.

Probably have the most reason for excitement going into a season that we've had in my lifetime. Have a Sr QB that's getting some NFL draft hype... And we get a 6 game season. Cool.

Yeah, given that Portage County just went to the highest level of COVID warning in Ohio and football teams being superspreaders, I don’t think this is a good thing at all.

(09-25-2020 07:37 PM)bopol Wrote:  Yeah, given that Portage County just went to the highest level of COVID warning in Ohio and football teams being superspreaders, I don’t think this is a good thing at all.

County just went back down yesterday.

But I bet at least one game will be canceled due to COVID.

Anyone know if the redshirt rule will still be 4 games? Funny to think you could play 2/3rds of the season and redshirt.

This is why I get so aggravated when government officials, companies etc advertise they want to keep us safe. That is until a few Big 10 (and others) parents complain. Then all of a sudden a new quick test, etc makes everything wonderful. It’s amazing how the MAC, Big 10, PAC 12 and Mtn West all read from the same playbook when they announced they would play. I can see arguments to play and not to play but what I can’t see is not sticking to your original decision. The fact that football is a go but volleyball, field hockey, etc are not says a lot to me.

That has been my complaint so far as well. That along with the multiple cancellations/postponements each week. I honestly don't see the benefit of playing 6 games at empty stadiums in the winter versus playing 8 games potentially with fans in the spring.

Pro sports has gone pretty well (once the Marlins stopped going to strip clubs and the Cardinals stayed out of casinos). I can’t see college sports doing that.

(09-26-2020 06:25 PM)burden Wrote:  This is why I get so aggravated when government officials, companies etc advertise they want to keep us safe. That is until a few Big 10 (and others) parents complain. Then all of a sudden a new quick test, etc makes everything wonderful. It’s amazing how the MAC, Big 10, PAC 12 and Mtn West all read from the same playbook when they announced they would play. I can see arguments to play and not to play but what I can’t see is not sticking to your original decision. The fact that football is a go but volleyball, field hockey, etc are not says a lot to me.

Yes - and saying what you didn't want to say, TV money is a big factor.

But anyway, if the social distancing rules say we can't have more than 2,000 fans in a 23,000 seat stadium...maybe we can give out free tickets so we can get up to 2,000 for that December game.

Yeah but think about poor Akron! They're going to have to give away more tickets than we will. And who's going to pay for those tickets to be printed?!

Hopefully the Zippers combine it with a charitable cause and invite the homeless from around campus to the game....then again they might have to turn quite a few away to keep the crowd under 2000.