Seriously doubt this happens as it makes absolutely no sense for the MAC. They would go after teams like Western Kentucky, James Madison and Delaware before going way south.

WKU actually would fit in well with either the MAC or Sun Belt. If WKU went to the MAC, then CUSA could take Arkansas State. This would allow UAB to stay in the Eastern Division.

I think that tier of conferences is much better served by having a northern league and a southern league. I think the tier above them may collapse. There was a Big East tier and a CUSA tier but one of those I think is destined to collapse.

At the tier where the MAC and Sun Belt exist, regional rivalries are much much more important.

The Big East tried to go bigger than it should have and it didn't even last a year, hell it never even developed...it was just concept.


Having just moved down to Lafayette, I really hope this does not happen. I was looking forward to experiencing something new.

(03-14-2013 08:07 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  I think that tier of conferences is much better served by having a northern league and a southern league. I think the tier above them may collapse. There was a Big East tier and a CUSA tier but one of those I think is destined to collapse.

At the tier where the MAC and Sun Belt exist, regional rivalries are much much more important.

Aresco League is top tier in the East.

Can we all agree on that? Any school from CUSA, MAC or SBC would not hesitate accepting an offer from the Aresco League.

No MAC school is heading to CUSA hence they are on the same tier. The SBC right now is a tier down from the MAC and SBC fading fast.

(03-14-2013 02:22 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Fifth. Scratch any ideas of football only. There is no option out there that would be acceptable as an Olympic home unless it were the Valley and the Valley outside of Missouri State probably has no one voting for Arkansas State.

I would bet that Carbondale and SIU might actually be closer to Jonesboro than Springfield is.

(03-14-2013 08:25 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 08:07 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  I think that tier of conferences is much better served by having a northern league and a southern league. I think the tier above them may collapse. There was a Big East tier and a CUSA tier but one of those I think is destined to collapse.

At the tier where the MAC and Sun Belt exist, regional rivalries are much much more important.

Aresco League is top tier in the East.

Can we all agree on that? Any school from CUSA, MAC or SBC would not hesitate accepting an offer from the Aresco League.

No MAC school is heading to CUSA hence they are on the same tier. The SBC right now is a tier down from the MAC and SBC fading fast.

Yes, Aresco League probably remains. My hope is that they take enough CUSA schools that the Sun Belt schools decide to replace the CUSA with the Sunbelt. Marshall can go join the MAC.

I would hate to see Sun Belt schools leaving in large numbers for CUSA at some point in the future.

(03-14-2013 08:22 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  I could see App State. They're atleast within realm of the footprint. UL Lafayette or Ark St. are getting pretty far south.

I can't see Appy State in the MAC; the MAC is mostly urban schools although some could argue that Ohio isn't in a real urban area since Athens is in the middle of nowhere

I've been to Athens more than once and it's a ***** of a drive

I'm still hoping that Marshall goes back to the MAC. I don't think that the C-USA will last past the next round of expansion and I think that MAC is a much better landing spot than the Sun Belt. Closer teams and a history in the league

Having said that, I doubt that Marshall will be invite to the America 12 or whatever name the new BE is going to be named.

(03-14-2013 08:26 PM)MissouriStateBears Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 02:22 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Fifth. Scratch any ideas of football only. There is no option out there that would be acceptable as an Olympic home unless it were the Valley and the Valley outside of Missouri State probably has no one voting for Arkansas State.

I would bet that Carbondale and SIU might actually be closer to Jonesboro than Springfield is.

SIU is about 25 miles closer but SIU pops up on the schedule in the various sports less often than Missouri State.

Based on a couple conversations this evening I feel more confident that Arkansas State and the MAC are not talking. I'd have posted that on the Sun Belt board but no one other than MTSU and WKU fans and rubberneckers are in that thread any more.

The MAC has divisions for not only football but hoops(men's & women's) as well which means that Arkansas State and Louisiana Lafayette's travel cost would be cut significantly. Only NIU, Ball State and the Michigan schools would be in the west.

(03-14-2013 08:59 AM)Chappy Wrote:  Benson is like the Kevorkian of college football.

That's pretty good description

(03-14-2013 10:33 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  Arkansas State has had a couple of good years, but are they really a great program? Their endowment is only $31 million, which doesn't indicate a lot of support for the school.

If they're looking to expand South, WKU is a much better choice. It fits geographically, too.

3 straight Sunbelt titles with different head coaches is a heck of an acoomplishment

(03-14-2013 02:28 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 01:37 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  Someone needs to start tracking flights involving the MAC Commish!

He rides the bus

That way he can travel incognito, the Grey Dog is the only way you can travel without having to show identification.

(03-14-2013 08:25 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 08:07 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  I think that tier of conferences is much better served by having a northern league and a southern league. I think the tier above them may collapse. There was a Big East tier and a CUSA tier but one of those I think is destined to collapse.

At the tier where the MAC and Sun Belt exist, regional rivalries are much much more important.

Aresco League is top tier in the East.

Can we all agree on that? Any school from CUSA, MAC or SBC would not hesitate accepting an offer from the Aresco League.

No MAC school is heading to CUSA hence they are on the same tier. The SBC right now is a tier down from the MAC and SBC fading fast.

As of 14 there will be very little difference between the GOF conferences, we will all be fighting for that 1 BCS bowl birth. No reason to spend $5M in entrance and exit fees to join the Dirty Dozen.

(03-14-2013 10:51 PM)Theodoresdaddy Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 08:22 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  I could see App State. They're atleast within realm of the footprint. UL Lafayette or Ark St. are getting pretty far south.

I can't see Appy State in the MAC; the MAC is mostly urban schools although some could argue that Ohio isn't in a real urban area since Athens is in the middle of nowhere

I've been to Athens more than once and it's a ***** of a drive

I'm still hoping that Marshall goes back to the MAC. I don't think that the C-USA will last past the next round of expansion and I think that MAC is a much better landing spot than the Sun Belt. Closer teams and a history in the league

Having said that, I doubt that Marshall will be invite to the America 12 or whatever name the new BE is going to be named.

NIU is not really an urban school, neither is BSU or CMU or Miami for that matter. Buffalo, UMASS, Toledo, EMU & WMU yes.

(03-14-2013 11:02 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Based on a couple conversations this evening I feel more confident that Arkansas State and the MAC are not talking. I'd have posted that on the Sun Belt board but no one other than MTSU and WKU fans and rubberneckers are in that thread any more.

Yes probably not right now are the MAC and ASU talking.

Its not clear yet who the SBC is going to lose and that conversation won't be had possibly for another year. It is more clear that Missouri State and James Madison prefer a MAC invite over the SBC and perhaps that is where the MAC will expand first.

If UMass goes out the door for the MAC and MSU/JMU get on board, then the MAC could make a splash with Arkansas State and Delaware to make a 16 team power conference by 2015 if CUSA doesn't call.

CUSA loses say Tulsa and Rice to Aresco12 and reloads with WKU and Louisiana I'm sure Arkansas State would be very happy to take a ticket to the MAC.....the right dominos must fall to happen.

(03-14-2013 11:02 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Based on a couple conversations this evening I feel more confident that Arkansas State and the MAC are not talking. I'd have posted that on the Sun Belt board but no one other than MTSU and WKU fans and rubberneckers are in that thread any more.

I can report the very same thing from Ragin Cajun country....no talks between MAC and Louisiana

(03-14-2013 10:51 PM)Theodoresdaddy Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 08:22 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  I could see App State. They're atleast within realm of the footprint. UL Lafayette or Ark St. are getting pretty far south.

I can't see Appy State in the MAC; the MAC is mostly urban schools although some could argue that Ohio isn't in a real urban area since Athens is in the middle of nowhere

I've been to Athens more than once and it's a ***** of a drive

I'm still hoping that Marshall goes back to the MAC. I don't think that the C-USA will last past the next round of expansion and I think that MAC is a much better landing spot than the Sun Belt. Closer teams and a history in the league

Having said that, I doubt that Marshall will be invite to the America 12 or whatever name the new BE is going to be named.

Either the Aresco League folds or it loads up heavily with CUSA teams. The question then comes as to whether or not CUSA reloads with Sun Belt and some MAC schools or if those two conferences are able to keep their line ups intact and CUSA folds. If that is the case then I do think Marshall would end up in the MAC.

MAC might be better off going after Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Missouri State and Illinois State if UMass leaves.

MAC East
Buffalo
Akron
Kent State
Ohio
Toledo
Bowling Green State
Miami
Ball State

MAC West
Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan
Western Michigan
Northern Illinois
Illinois State
Southern Illinois
Northern Iowa
Missouri State

(03-15-2013 06:22 AM)He1nousOne Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 10:51 PM)Theodoresdaddy Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 08:22 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  I could see App State. They're atleast within realm of the footprint. UL Lafayette or Ark St. are getting pretty far south.

I can't see Appy State in the MAC; the MAC is mostly urban schools although some could argue that Ohio isn't in a real urban area since Athens is in the middle of nowhere

I've been to Athens more than once and it's a ***** of a drive

I'm still hoping that Marshall goes back to the MAC. I don't think that the C-USA will last past the next round of expansion and I think that MAC is a much better landing spot than the Sun Belt. Closer teams and a history in the league

Having said that, I doubt that Marshall will be invite to the America 12 or whatever name the new BE is going to be named.

Either the Aresco League folds or it loads up heavily with CUSA teams. The question then comes as to whether or not CUSA reloads with Sun Belt and some MAC schools or if those two conferences are able to keep their line ups intact and CUSA folds. If that is the case then I do think Marshall would end up in the MAC.

Again. Nobody in the MAC is leaving for CUSA at this point or else it would have happened already.

(03-15-2013 07:46 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 06:22 AM)He1nousOne Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 10:51 PM)Theodoresdaddy Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 08:22 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  I could see App State. They're atleast within realm of the footprint. UL Lafayette or Ark St. are getting pretty far south.

I can't see Appy State in the MAC; the MAC is mostly urban schools although some could argue that Ohio isn't in a real urban area since Athens is in the middle of nowhere

I've been to Athens more than once and it's a ***** of a drive

I'm still hoping that Marshall goes back to the MAC. I don't think that the C-USA will last past the next round of expansion and I think that MAC is a much better landing spot than the Sun Belt. Closer teams and a history in the league

Having said that, I doubt that Marshall will be invite to the America 12 or whatever name the new BE is going to be named.

Either the Aresco League folds or it loads up heavily with CUSA teams. The question then comes as to whether or not CUSA reloads with Sun Belt and some MAC schools or if those two conferences are able to keep their line ups intact and CUSA folds. If that is the case then I do think Marshall would end up in the MAC.

Again. Nobody in the MAC is leaving for CUSA at this point or else it would have happened already.

I'm pretty sure that's because CUSA doesn't want those teams. Banowsky doesn't go for established-but-mediocre rust belt schools. (Who does?) He goes for schools he perceives as up-and-coming, mostly in the south. Those MAC schools are too tight with a dollar to ever condone CUSA's sky-high administrative expenses, not the least of which is Banowsky's own salary.