If the MAC felt the need to add teams (NOT saying they would or should), what FCS schools in/near the footprint would have mutual interest?

JMU, Delaware

(07-26-2021 02:37 AM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  JMU, Delaware

For certain values of “near”

I don't see Youngstown State leaving FCS, Erictelevision, if that's what you're hinting at. YSU doesn't get along well with Akron & Kent State and vice versa.

Not sure about Delaware, but JMU was reputed to be the school lined up if UMass had chosen the "all-in" option when the contractual "all-in / all-out" choice was given to them.

EKU

I just don’t see an urge to grow on the MAC’s part. They seem pretty content where they are.

The question should be asked what MAC programs are going to move to FCS.

(07-26-2021 04:27 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  JMU was reputed to be the school lined up if UMass had chosen the "all-in" option when the contractual "all-in / all-out" choice was given to them.

I think this is right.

MAC may move west with next expansion. Illinois State, Northern Iowa are possibilities.

(07-26-2021 07:26 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 04:27 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  JMU was reputed to be the school lined up if UMass had chosen the "all-in" option when the contractual "all-in / all-out" choice was given to them.

I think this is right.

That was true about JMU.

I don't think the MAC will go east again unless Temple wants to do an all sport and from the looks of it that isn't happening.

I can't think of any FCS teams that would add any value to the MAC.
I'd rather see the MAC drop Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, Kent, and Akron. Then replace them with Western Kentucky, Marshall, Old Dominion, Liberty, Army, and U Mass to make a 14 team conference that looks like this:

Northern Illinois
Ball State
Western Michigan
Central Michigan
Toledo
Ohio
Miami OH
Western Kentucky
Marshall
Old Dominion
Liberty
Buffalo
Army
U Mass

(07-26-2021 02:58 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  I don't see Youngstown State leaving FCS, Erictelevision, if that's what you're hinting at. YSU doesn't get along well with Akron & Kent State and vice versa.

YSU would ditch MVFC/Horizon for MAC in a millisecond. They're in FCS because they're never getting a MAC invite.

(07-26-2021 07:58 AM)andy98 Wrote:  I can't think of any FCS teams that would add any value to the MAC.
I'd rather see the MAC drop Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, Kent, and Akron. Then replace them with Western Kentucky, Marshall, Old Dominion, Liberty, Army, and U Mass to make a 14 team conference that looks like this:

Northern Illinois
Ball State
Western Michigan
Central Michigan
Toledo
Ohio
Miami OH
Western Kentucky
Marshall
Old Dominion
Liberty
Buffalo
Army
U Mass

Army, Liberty, & ODU would never join the MAC. 1% chance might be generous for WKU - these aren't the days when the Hilltoppers were moving up from D1-AA. Marshall isn't impossible, but is a long shot.

(07-26-2021 07:45 AM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 07:26 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 04:27 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  JMU was reputed to be the school lined up if UMass had chosen the "all-in" option when the contractual "all-in / all-out" choice was given to them.

I think this is right.

That was true about JMU.

I don't think the MAC will go east again unless Temple wants to do an all sport and from the looks of it that isn't happening.

Our admin was supposedly producing MAC intro materials to distribute in concert with the announcement.

(07-26-2021 08:42 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 07:45 AM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 07:26 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 04:27 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  JMU was reputed to be the school lined up if UMass had chosen the "all-in" option when the contractual "all-in / all-out" choice was given to them.

I think this is right.

That was true about JMU.

I don't think the MAC will go east again unless Temple wants to do an all sport and from the looks of it that isn't happening.

Our admin was supposedly producing MAC intro materials to distribute in concert with the announcement.

But if you read some of the fairytale CAAF posters on AGS, JMU was never going FBS at any point in time and wants to be FCS forever.

The JMU board still has some of those folks who continue to dig in. But the majority are now either fed up with the CAA and want out immediately or at least are now willing to consider a conference below the AAC. They would generally all be in on a new Eastern FBS league. But dominoes need to fall pretty far.

(07-26-2021 07:58 AM)andy98 Wrote:  I can't think of any FCS teams that would add any value to the MAC.
I'd rather see the MAC drop Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, Kent, and Akron. Then replace them with Western Kentucky, Marshall, Old Dominion, Liberty, Army, and U Mass to make a 14 team conference that looks like this:

What would be the basis for dropping? Attendance? Attendance is poor everywhere we are in a pandemic.

The four you mentioned have stepped it up with facility improvements and in the core of the conference to keep travel costs low.

What would help the MAC the most is if the XII-AAC merger happened. That would drop the number of FBS conferences to 9 and the MAC would also have to only fight three other conferences for that playoff spot. The MAC would have more leverage with TV and bowls as well.

That seems like quite a hypothetical stretch at this stage. The shell of conference left behind in a merger likely would be fodder for a reconstituted league that would in all likelihood still be above the MAC. But I see you working.

(07-26-2021 09:24 AM)SlyFox Wrote:  That seems like quite a hypothetical stretch at this stage. The shell of conference left behind in a merger likely would be fodder for a reconstituted league that would in all likelihood still be above the MAC. But I see you working.

Unless its a 2-3 NCAA bid conference I'm not seeing how it would grade out above the MAC.