The MAC peaked in the late 90s.....they went back-to-back years with two teams

1999 - Kent, Miami
1998 - EMU, WMU

Other than that, there have only been three other MAC at-large teams:
1995 - Miami (beat Arizona in 1st Rd.....4-3 in OCC....16-2 in MAC...lost MAC Semis)
1986 - Miami (16-2 in MAC....5-3 OCC....lost MAC finals)*
1985 - Miami (3-4 in OOC....13-5 in MAC....lost in MAC Finals to Ohio)*
* had Ron Harper

1999 Miami (at-large) was 22-7. 5-3 in OOC
Ws (at Notre Dame, vs. Tennessee, vs. Dayton, San Diego (N), Boston U)
Ls (at Xavier, at UW-Green Bay, Fresno St (N))
15-3 in MAC & lost MAC title game
Had superstar in Wally
Advanced to Sweet 16

1998 WMU (at-large) was 20-7, 6-2 in OOC
Ws (at Michigan, vs. Indiana St, at Milwaukee, vs. Chicago St, Wright St, Charlotte (N))
Ls (at Detroit, Indiana (N))
14-4 in MAC & lost in 1st Rd MAC tourney
Beat Clemson in 1st Rd Tourney

All this shows me is that CBB is a much, much different game now. Way more teams and way more balance in the Power leagues. You now see B1G and Big East and ACC getting 7 or 8 teams in....that didn't used to be the case.

Those MAC at-large teams didn't have great OOC wins or even records.

If anyone in MAC put up exactly same numbers as WMU did in 1998 they wouldn't even be on the radar for an at-large bid. They beat an unranked Michigan team on the road in the season opener....that was their best win?!?

The reality is the MAC is a one-bid league unless they catch lightning in a bottle with a team. Someone would have to not only load up their schedule....they would have to get 2-3 marquee wins......at least 1 or 2 of them on the road (or worst case neutral site)......crack the Top 25.....stay there almost all season.....probably go no worse than 16-2 in the MAC.....and then lost in MAC title game. That's asking a lot!

Ohio had an opportunity to do that following the Sweet 16 season.....but loss at Oklahoma, at Memphis, at Belmont and at UMass derailed any shot. They were 14-2 in MAC and lost in MAC title game and were NOWHERE near at-large conversation even coming off the Sweet 16 of a year ago.

They had the right kind of schedule....just didn't get the results.

I'd love to see the league get to the point where they have a serious shot at an at-large berth....but it's going to take a special, special season for that to happen in today's CBB