Someone would have to get screwed (geographically) to be permanently paired with Umass & Buffalo. You almost have to get another atlantic type program to make it work. Duquesne has a pretty good FCS program don't they? How about a 6 pod 18 team conference?

Western - NIU, Ill St, NDSU
North - EMU, CMU, WMU
Midwest - Toledo, BG, Ball St
South - Miami, Ohio, WKU
Mideast - Akron, Kent, Youngstown St
East - Buffalo, Umass, Duquesne?

I don't think Duquesne fits the profile. They'd be the only private school, and the smallest by a lot.

Illinois State makes a lot of sense. In the Northeast, URI or Albany moving up might make sense. But Temple also seems pretty logical.

If Temple came back, would we have to endure that poster OwlPoop (or whatever it was) again? That'd be enough for me to vote against Temple, if I had vote, which I don't.

There are so many factors at play to see who would be the best fit.

UConn - would be football only. If we told UMass no to that, I can't imagine the Huskies being a yes. This, to me, is the worst option.

Delaware - they're already planning to transition up to FBS via C-USA. If somehow, someway you could entice them to leave and join the MAC along with UMass to give them a travel partner, I wouldn't hate it. That one could get pretty costly though depending on what the lawyers decide.

Western Kentucky - Mutual interest between the two parties, fits the profile in both basketball and football and at a comparable level. Close enough for bus travel for a handful of schools. Immediate MACtion rivalry with Bowling Green. This one paired with UMass probably gives the MAC their best product to present to the networks, IMO.

North Dakota State - they'd be a top player in the MAC in football on Day 1, but that's a long way to travel for both parties. Combine the travel cost with transitioning up to FBS and factor in the MAC's current revenue, I'm not sure it's financially responsible or possible without adding other schools from that area (North Dakota, South Dakota, South Dakota State, or Northern Iowa).

Illinois State and Southern Illinois - Both have expressed interest in transitioning up and having Northern Illinois already in the league gives them a natural rival. Not sure how much either of these move the needle financially and like NDSU, you'd probably have to add more than just them and UMass.

Eastern Kentucky - I say if WKU balks and the MAC still has an opening that EKU should be the next immediate call. They fit the profile and have the desire to move up. That probably kills any future chances you have at getting WKU, but you can spin that and turn it into some sort of rivalry if and when the time comes. The transition period up to FBS would be difficult, but the ease of travel and inroads into the South for the league would be a no-brainer.

Temple - would they leave the AAC? I doubt it, but that league continues to morph into the former C-USA seemingly every minute. With the addition of Army West Point, I find it hard to believe that the Owls would come back to the MAC. The league still has a better overall football product than the MAC, but signing UMass does make it much more enticing to add two former A-10 basketball rivals.

If an FCS school wants to move up to FBS, the good news is that the old 15,000 rolling attendance requirement was done away with last fall.

https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2023/10/31/the-ncaa... .

Morehead State I think would only work in proximity, they're pioneer league, so they don't offer scholarships (like the ivys). I think that jump for them to fbs would be too much for a program like that.

Where's The Insider to tell us if the MAC is going to add an additional school or schools and who they will be? Bobcat Nation awaits the answer more eagerly than even solving the IJ enigma. I know that last statements stretches my credibility.

I think we'll add one more school to get to 14 and then announce a super conference with the Sun Belt -- 28 teams, and the super conference championship will be between the MAC winner and the Sun Belt winner -- giving the super conference the best chance to place a team in the playoffs

Morehead doesn’t even give football scholarships. You think they are even thinking about moving up? 🤦🏽‍♂️

Schollies at Morehead can't cost all that much. But to comply with title 9 they would have to add lady sports every which way.

As the dufus that brought up Duquesne, I retract it and realize it is dumb. I was just looking at it purely from competitive level of their sports and geographic region.

1. I would bet our ticket prices are the cheapest in the MAC.
2. Our commitment to 6 home games leaves fewer chances for buyout games.
3. Lack of corporate sponsorship in the smallest and poorest market in the conference.