(12-10-2013 09:28 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  

(12-10-2013 09:15 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(12-10-2013 09:01 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  

(12-10-2013 08:39 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(12-10-2013 10:48 AM)bigredmachine Wrote:  

To compare some of these MAC schools to existing members of the AAC.

-Buffalo (Tulane): A good academic school in an interesting TV market for the AAC. Buffalo in of itself isn't that large like New Orleans but as a regional market Western NY and South LA are pretty big markets.

-Ohio (Tulsa): A good academic school near good recruiting grounds. Ohio is 1 hour from Columbus and 2 hours from Cincinnati, the best recruiting grounds in Ohio. Tulsa is in a state of Oklahoma that has relatively good football recruiting overall.

-NIU (North Texas): A regional state school on the edge of a major media market. NIU doesn't draw without a huge amount of winning and isn't up to par with the academics found in the AAC.

If Army wants to join, Ohio with 8 bowl appearances and 13 NCAA tourney showings is the best draft pick left on the board for a 14th, IMO. They would also be nice to have in case Cincinnati leaves for the B12 or ACC to continue a presence in that state.

Buffalo has only been to 2 bowls and has zero NCAA appearances. The potential and academics are clearly there but they have to capitalize on it.

When did North Texas join the AAC?

No and that is why NIU isn't a good fit because the school is like North Texas from an institutional profile perspective.

The MAC is a good fit for NIU institutionally. You are right there as the MAC would be better with 1 less Ohio and Michigan in it but that is only going to happen if someone leaves.

Why does the AAC need Ohio, or any other Ohio team when Cincinnati is already in the league? It seems if the intent is to create a best of the rest league, then Ohio is already covered with the clear cut #2 in the state. The upside seems minimal with the state already covered and especially since Cincinnati is superior to Ohio in both hoops and football.

True that UC is superior to Ohio in FB/BB. I can't argue with that.

Both Ohio and NIU stack up as #3 in their respective states in football attendance.

1) Illinois
2) Northwestern
3) Northern Illinois

1) Ohio State
2) Cincinnati
3) Ohio

Then you're comparing the #3 school in Illinois against #3 in Ohio. Which state is a better football recruiting state? By a large margin its Ohio.

Ohio is the 4th best football recruiting state in the country. The AAC has two schools both in Texas and Florida, the #1 and #2 states so I could see why a second school in Ohio would be desirable more so than taking a comparable school in an average recruiting state that is located further away from UC, Temple and UConn and disconnected from where Ohio has some tradition with those schools?

P.S. I do have some new info, I'll send you a PM.