MAC has to schedule like Charlie Coles did at Miami. Play a tough non-conference scheduled top to bottom. If that means we play at West Virginia, Pitt, Ohio State, Dayton, Xavier and Cincinnati every year I would do that. That leaves six other games vs teams Marshall, Wright State, Duquesne, Cleveland State, Youngstown State and Robert Morris. Regional games that are low cost but also close enough where the fans can attend despite less home games. These games are all legit teams that prepare a team for the MAC.
Of course, MAC teams also have to WIN games like that in order for the conference to get noticed. MAC schools were 2-21 vs "P" conferences this past season; Kent's home win vs Oregon St and BSU's win at ND.