(02-26-2024 08:57 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  BUT if not WKU or Delaware--WHO? The choices are almost non-existent.

NDSU-FB only? geography, cost, leave SDSU?

Illinois State--everybody always says Illinois is broke. Have they even shown a desire for FBS?

Albany, Stony Brook, Missouri State?

I can say one thing for sure--IT will NOT be MTSU.

MAC can have its pick of CUSA if it wanted aside from MT with this UMass addition.

MVC-FB schools too since they know the basketball is going to be better now in the MAC than previously.

What about 16 with NDSU, SDSU and Illinois St? Move Ball St to the Michigan pod. I know NDSU/SDSU want the MWC but that is probably not happening.

(02-26-2024 08:36 PM)astr083 Wrote:  

(02-26-2024 04:06 PM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  WKU coming!

No thanks....WKU doesn't bring a market, and their academics are probably the worst in the conference if they were added. They are also in the South and the MAC is northern league. They are just not a good fit. The MAC could and should do better,

Agreed. Give me Illinois State.

I just can't see ANY G5 going to Sixteen. Just not enough money.

(02-26-2024 08:36 PM)astr083 Wrote:  

(02-26-2024 04:06 PM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  WKU coming!

No thanks....WKU doesn't bring a market, and their academics are probably the worst in the conference if they were added. They are also in the South and the MAC is northern league. They are just not a good fit. The MAC could and should do better,

Worse than Akron's academic profile?

Having a little market presence in the South is not a bad thing. And, technically, Kentucky is not in the South. It was a bordered state in the late Rebellion and stayed loyal to the Union.

Like UMass they have a storied basketball history.

I would welcome WKU with open arms.

Bonus: MTSU would be left to rot in the new-CUSA!

Sports Illustrated says keep an eye on WKU
.

https://www.si.com/college/group-five/ma...ment-umass

Toledo beat writer had this at 2:30 this afternoon..

Sources: There continues to be mutual interest between the MAC and Western Kentucky.

.

https://twitter.com/KyleRowland/status/1...2789816574

(02-26-2024 08:57 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  BUT if not WKU or Delaware--WHO? The choices are almost non-existent.

NDSU-FB only? geography, cost, leave SDSU?

Illinois State--everybody always says Illinois is broke. Have they even shown a desire for FBS?

Albany, Stony Brook, Missouri State?

I can say one thing for sure--IT will NOT be MTSU.

I'm down with WKU all sports.

I'm fine with NDSU football-only.

I doubt Ill St moves up. They don't have the football prowess and MVC is a far better fit for them since there are so many other Illinois schools in the conference.

Congratulations on the addition!

If I’m someone within the MAC brass, I’m all in on WKU. All the way around solid athletic program.

Toledo non con in fb gets WKU and UMass... you gotta be kidding me.

Goodbye home game in a couple years. Maybe Liberty or MTSU will come to town instead.

(02-26-2024 11:53 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Toledo non con in fb gets WKU and UMass... you gotta be kidding me.

Goodbye home game in a couple years. Maybe Liberty or MTSU will come to town instead.

We have some games to give you. Perhaps Temple and Troy.
We'd probably want to keep BC, Missouri, Iowa and UConn. Buffalo and Bowling Green become conference games. Army and Liberty go away.
Our we might want to keep Temple and move out one of the P5 teams for 2 home OOC games.

08/30 - Temple
09/06 - at Boston College
09/13 - Buffalo
09/27 - Troy
10/04 - Bowling Green
10/18 - at Missouri
11/01 - at Liberty
11/15 - at Iowa
11/22 - at Army
11/29 - at UConn

(02-26-2024 10:54 PM)inductchuck16 Wrote:  Toledo beat writer had this at 2:30 this afternoon..

Sources: There continues to be mutual interest between the MAC and Western Kentucky.

.

https://twitter.com/KyleRowland/status/1...2789816574

This is the cleanest add.

Pod East: UMass, Buffalo, Kent State, Akron
Pod North: EMU, CMU, WMU
Pod West: Bowling Green, Toledo, Northern Illinois
Pod South: Ohio, Miami, WKU, Ball State

They can do Division 1, Division 2 MBB scheduling with the Divisions playing each other twice, playing one cross division school twice and the other six once, that is 20 games. The "one cross division school twice" lets the main rival can be scheduled twice, but among the schools with the main rival is in the same division it can be done highest finish to highest finish.

Congrats UMass. Seems like this could be a great long-term fit.

The MAC did well, here. We just added a top-75 university and the flagship public university for the nation's eighth-largest media market. Great move.

Welcome UMass! It's good to have you back!

(02-27-2024 08:39 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  The MAC did well, here. We just added a top-75 university and the flagship public university for the nation's eighth-largest media market. Great move.

Welcome UMass! It's good to have you back!

Lots of tweets showing NDSU that would be my pipe dream.

Add one Delaware or UConn (don't ask me how that happens)

Add 3 Delaware, NDSU and South Dakota

(02-27-2024 09:12 AM)thanksjim Wrote:  Add one Delaware or UConn (don't ask me how that happens) ...

Delaware isn't an actual travel partner for UMass. Don't just look at the map, look at the fact that they are on opposite sides of the NYC and Philadelphia metro areas, which is going to slow down any bus driving between the two.

UConn would be a travel partner, but UConn would only be available FB-only (and even that is not short odds), and travel partners don't matter for FB-only adds.

Since there aren't any travel partners with UMass available, that means look at the travel impact of the #14 add in isolation, and WKU is closer on average than Delaware.

(02-26-2024 08:30 PM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  Umass makes no sense. I liked MTSU/WKU but I think they really needed to move as a package to make it work. Umass/WKU would be a weird package. I don’t think Umass brings anything. WKU would, but only if they brought MTSU.

How would MTSU add anything? Medicore football for years and basketball sucks now with a lame duck coach? Their admin. cares not thing about sports like WKU does. Also WKU bringing a top 15 volleyball program.

(02-27-2024 09:17 AM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  

(02-26-2024 08:30 PM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  Umass makes no sense. I liked MTSU/WKU but I think they really needed to move as a package to make it work. Umass/WKU would be a weird package. I don’t think Umass brings anything. WKU would, but only if they brought MTSU.

How would MTSU add anything? Medicore football for years and basketball sucks now with a lame duck coach? Their admin. cares not thing about sports like WKU does. Also WKU bringing a top 15 volleyball program.

Yes I don't think we need to pair WKU and MTSU anymore

(02-27-2024 09:17 AM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  

(02-26-2024 08:30 PM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  Umass makes no sense. I liked MTSU/WKU but I think they really needed to move as a package to make it work. Umass/WKU would be a weird package. I don’t think Umass brings anything. WKU would, but only if they brought MTSU.

How would MTSU add anything? Medicore football for years and basketball sucks now with a lame duck coach? Their admin. cares not thing about sports like WKU does. Also WKU bringing a top 15 volleyball program.

Good point about the volleyball.

The MAC is big in that sport.

(02-27-2024 08:49 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(02-27-2024 08:39 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  The MAC did well, here. We just added a top-75 university and the flagship public university for the nation's eighth-largest media market. Great move.

Welcome UMass! It's good to have you back!

Lots of tweets showing NDSU that would be my pipe dream.

North Dakota State would be amazing.

My hunch: The MAC is going to see if anything can be put together out East, such as a UConn football affiliation or another SUNY (I doubt Stony Brook or Albany are ready, but the geography would be great.)

If not, then maybe Western Kentucky becomes No. 14 in all sports.