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Topic: Conference USA Adding Delaware
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M.D.W.S.T
11/27/2023 11:02 AM
Delaware is expected to join Conference USA 2025-26.

The addition of Delaware will give CUSA 11 full members, with Kennesaw State set to join next year as the tenth. It’ll also increase the size of FBS to 135.

The MAC has been pretty stable, but I think we should really enter discussions with North Dakota State and South Dakota State.

I think they're the next most likely to jump - probably to the Mountain West / Pac 2.

https://theathletic.com/5088995/2023/11/27/delaware-confe... /
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GoCats105
11/27/2023 11:08 AM
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
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BillyTheCat
11/27/2023 11:10 AM
M.D.W.S.T wrote:expand_more
Delaware is expected to join Conference USA 2025-26.

The addition of Delaware will give CUSA 11 full members, with Kennesaw State set to join next year as the tenth. It’ll also increase the size of FBS to 135.

The MAC has been pretty stable, but I think we should really enter discussions with North Dakota State and South Dakota State.

I think they're the next most likely to jump - probably to the Mountain West / Pac 2.

https://theathletic.com/5088995/2023/11/27/delaware-confe... /
You have to be invited to move up. Been lots of talk last couple of years about that and the fact that North Dakota and South Dakota are not actually convenient to get to. That alone is not very attractive to conferences. Some talk and probably the better fit is the Mountain West.
Last Edited: 11/27/2023 11:24:04 AM by BillyTheCat
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greencat
11/27/2023 11:36 AM
GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
WKU was ready to move to the MAC. Mitsu sure screwed that one up.

Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.
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M.D.W.S.T
11/27/2023 11:53 AM
greencat wrote:expand_more
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
WKU was ready to move to the MAC. Mitsu sure screwed that one up.

Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.
Have to think a lot of this is still on the table, in light of the the absolutely wild amount of moves in the last 1-2 years.

Always assumed location was the reason for NDSU/SDSU not being invited sooner, especially for Olympic sports. Fargo isn't as far as you think it is though, it's right on the border of Minnesota.

We could add them as football only, I imagine.

Have to start thinking outside the box of what is considered normal and convenient. The Big 10 is now playing games 1,500 miles further to the west than the next closest team. The entire Pac 12 collapsed on itself because they didn't want to add any more teams.

If I've learned anything over the last few years, you don't want to be the team or the conference who decided to stand firm and do nothing.
Last Edited: 11/27/2023 11:54:40 AM by M.D.W.S.T
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L.C.
11/27/2023 12:17 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
...
Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.

Idk. North Dakota can be really, really cool, especially in the winter.

;)
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colobobcat66
11/27/2023 12:34 PM
M.D.W.S.T wrote:expand_more
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
WKU was ready to move to the MAC. Mitsu sure screwed that one up.

Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.
Have to think a lot of this is still on the table, in light of the the absolutely wild amount of moves in the last 1-2 years.

Always assumed location was the reason for NDSU/SDSU not being invited sooner, especially for Olympic sports. Fargo isn't as far as you think it is though, it's right on the border of Minnesota.

We could add them as football only, I imagine.

Have to start thinking outside the box of what is considered normal and convenient. The Big 10 is now playing games 1,500 miles further to the west than the next closest team. The entire Pac 12 collapsed on itself because they didn't want to add any more teams.

If I've learned anything over the last few years, you don't want to be the team or the conference who decided to stand firm and do nothing.
I’ve wondered what would the MAC do if it lost 1 or 2 teams. Our footprint is relatively small and that keeps down travel costs, but we’ve tried to expand and it hasn’t worked out. I’m not sure that additional travel costs would be a deal killer for the MAC, but it has to hurt for a low revenue league like the MAC
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GoCats105
11/27/2023 1:26 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
WKU was ready to move to the MAC. Mitsu sure screwed that one up.

Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.
MTSU's whole argument of not wanting to travel that far made no sense considering that current members of C-USA and the travel required there. They're almost a full day's drive (I'm aware they would fly anyway) from UTEP.

There could be a nice little southern division of the MAC if WKU would get a little more lenient and let EKU into the fold too - they really want to transition up.
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M.D.W.S.T
11/27/2023 1:59 PM
colobobcat66 wrote:expand_more
If I've learned anything over the last few years, you don't want to be the team or the conference who decided to stand firm and do nothing.
I’ve wondered what would the MAC do if it lost 1 or 2 teams. Our footprint is relatively small and that keeps down travel costs, but we’ve tried to expand and it hasn’t worked out. I’m not sure that additional travel costs would be a deal killer for the MAC, but it has to hurt for a low revenue league like the MAC
This is what I keep coming back to again and again.

If Toledo leaves the MAC... would anyone be shocked?

Then what? What is Ohio's plan? I think we'd be in some trouble.

What if Buffalo is lured in by the American or even the ACC with that NE footprint of Pitt, Syracuse, and BC?

Not that there are a ton of options on the table, but there is a lot of bad football in the conference and I'm nervous the MAC isn't doing much about it. Low to no revenue league that has minimal at best plans for growth. Because everyone hates streaming, or they hate barstool, or they hate the idea of expanding, bc traveling takes an extra 45 minutes by plane. Everyone is happy just to get their 2-3 MACtion games on ESPN.

And on that note, ESPN has already started positioning other conferences and other games mid-week. It won't be long before Eastern Michigan at Ball State is removed entirely and replaced with something someone wants to watch.
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mf279801
11/27/2023 2:13 PM
We need to schedule like a 10-yr home-and-home series with Delaware ASAP. My argument definitely, totally, 100% consists of more than “i live 5 miles from their stadium”, but i won’t be elaborating at this time.

Really is a shame that we couldn’t have added them + Western Kentucky to the MAC
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Andrew Ruck
11/27/2023 2:20 PM
M.D.W.S.T wrote:expand_more
If I've learned anything over the last few years, you don't want to be the team or the conference who decided to stand firm and do nothing.
I see what you're saying, but I am not willing to blindly accept this. Regional rivalries, deep history with each other, small footprints, etc. are all things I want in my conference. The only expansion I would prefer to see are within our footprint. I hate the Dakotas idea. Teams like Youngstown St, Duquesne, Robert Morris, etc interest me far more as they slot into our regional identity.
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greencat
11/27/2023 2:47 PM
GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
WKU was ready to move to the MAC. Mitsu sure screwed that one up.

Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.
MTSU's whole argument of not wanting to travel that far made no sense considering that current members of C-USA and the travel required there. They're almost a full day's drive (I'm aware they would fly anyway) from UTEP.

There could be a nice little southern division of the MAC if WKU would get a little more lenient and let EKU into the fold too - they really want to transition up.
Middle just fired their football coach of 18 years. They are delusional. He took them to TEN bowl games. A regional school. Their last two bowl wins were over Toledo and San Diego State... and they fire the guy after one down year? He's a two-time Sun Belt and once C-USA coach of the year. His son (Brent, an assistant coach) will be in demand as a smart former QB should be.
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BillyTheCat
11/27/2023 3:17 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
WKU was ready to move to the MAC. Mitsu sure screwed that one up.

Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.
MTSU's whole argument of not wanting to travel that far made no sense considering that current members of C-USA and the travel required there. They're almost a full day's drive (I'm aware they would fly anyway) from UTEP.

There could be a nice little southern division of the MAC if WKU would get a little more lenient and let EKU into the fold too - they really want to transition up.
Middle just fired their football coach of 18 years. They are delusional. He took them to TEN bowl games. A regional school. Their last two bowl wins were over Toledo and San Diego State... and they fire the guy after one down year? He's a two-time Sun Belt and once C-USA coach of the year. His son (Brent, an assistant coach) will be in demand as a smart former QB should be.
Why does that shock you? We have some that want to fire a coach who has the schools only back to back 9 win seasons.
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bobcatsquared
11/27/2023 3:32 PM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
Why does that shock you? We have some that want to fire a coach who has the schools only back to back 9 win seasons.
C'mon BTC. A couple of fans on a low-traffic fan message board wanting a head coach fired isn't the same as administrators actually firing a head coach.

So, yes, I can see how a fan who follows MTSU might be shocked by the coach being fired.
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colobobcat66
11/27/2023 3:37 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
WKU was ready to move to the MAC. Mitsu sure screwed that one up.

Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.
MTSU's whole argument of not wanting to travel that far made no sense considering that current members of C-USA and the travel required there. They're almost a full day's drive (I'm aware they would fly anyway) from UTEP.

There could be a nice little southern division of the MAC if WKU would get a little more lenient and let EKU into the fold too - they really want to transition up.
Middle just fired their football coach of 18 years. They are delusional. He took them to TEN bowl games. A regional school. Their last two bowl wins were over Toledo and San Diego State... and they fire the guy after one down year? He's a two-time Sun Belt and once C-USA coach of the year. His son (Brent, an assistant coach) will be in demand as a smart former QB should be.


And they owe him a 5 million buyout, so maybe that’s a retirement gift
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M.D.W.S.T
11/27/2023 3:39 PM
Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more
If I've learned anything over the last few years, you don't want to be the team or the conference who decided to stand firm and do nothing.
I see what you're saying, but I am not willing to blindly accept this. Regional rivalries, deep history with each other, small footprints, etc. are all things I want in my conference. The only expansion I would prefer to see are within our footprint. I hate the Dakotas idea. Teams like Youngstown St, Duquesne, Robert Morris, etc interest me far more as they slot into our regional identity.
RIVALRIES don't matter in the Big 10?! You think deep history doesn't matter to the Big 10?



South Dakota State will win the FCS again. North Dakota State will probably be in the title game again. It would be a GIFT if they agreed to come here. Meanwhile, Robert Morris will go on being nothing more than a team other FCS teams schedule to embarrass on Homecoming. Duquesne is 7-5, their stadium holds 2,200 people. Not a typo. 2K.

Expanding the conference should be about more than just who is close geographically. This conference has some of the worst football teams in the country and adding one of the worst teams in FCS, I can assure you will not improve the product.
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BillyTheCat
11/27/2023 4:23 PM
bobcatsquared wrote:expand_more
Why does that shock you? We have some that want to fire a coach who has the schools only back to back 9 win seasons.
C'mon BTC. A couple of fans on a low-traffic fan message board wanting a head coach fired isn't the same as administrators actually firing a head coach.

So, yes, I can see how a fan who follows MTSU might be shocked by the coach being fired.
I can think of several on FB that was quite comical Saturday. And, for fairness, I stated some, which is true.
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GoCats105
11/27/2023 4:44 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
WKU was ready to move to the MAC. Mitsu sure screwed that one up.

Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.
MTSU's whole argument of not wanting to travel that far made no sense considering that current members of C-USA and the travel required there. They're almost a full day's drive (I'm aware they would fly anyway) from UTEP.

There could be a nice little southern division of the MAC if WKU would get a little more lenient and let EKU into the fold too - they really want to transition up.
Middle just fired their football coach of 18 years. They are delusional. He took them to TEN bowl games. A regional school. Their last two bowl wins were over Toledo and San Diego State... and they fire the guy after one down year? He's a two-time Sun Belt and once C-USA coach of the year. His son (Brent, an assistant coach) will be in demand as a smart former QB should be.
I'm actually more shocked it took this long. There's a lot of potential there with a growing Nashville close by. They've been pretty mediocre since he won 10 in 2009. I guess I'm just more concerned/interested who they think they should get from here on out. Especially in the changing landscape of C-USA.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/rick-stockst...
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Andrew Ruck
11/27/2023 4:57 PM
M.D.W.S.T wrote:expand_more
If I've learned anything over the last few years, you don't want to be the team or the conference who decided to stand firm and do nothing.
I see what you're saying, but I am not willing to blindly accept this. Regional rivalries, deep history with each other, small footprints, etc. are all things I want in my conference. The only expansion I would prefer to see are within our footprint. I hate the Dakotas idea. Teams like Youngstown St, Duquesne, Robert Morris, etc interest me far more as they slot into our regional identity.
RIVALRIES don't matter in the Big 10?! You think deep history doesn't matter to the Big 10?

South Dakota State will win the FCS again. North Dakota State will probably be in the title game again. It would be a GIFT if they agreed to come here. Meanwhile, Robert Morris will go on being nothing more than a team other FCS teams schedule to embarrass on Homecoming. Duquesne is 7-5, their stadium holds 2,200 people. Not a typo. 2K.

Expanding the conference should be about more than just who is close geographically. This conference has some of the worst football teams in the country and adding one of the worst teams in FCS, I can assure you will not improve the product.
I recognize I am in the minority, but competitiveness is just one consideration for me. To your question, their recent actions suggest exactly that. If I am the Big Ten, I go hard after Notre Dame and consider programs like West Virginia before I go out to the Pacific Ocean. I just refuse to abandon any traditional logic for conferences in the name of competitiveness.

I also, more than most, think of conferences far beyond football.
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Pataskala
11/27/2023 5:23 PM
Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more
If I've learned anything over the last few years, you don't want to be the team or the conference who decided to stand firm and do nothing.
I see what you're saying, but I am not willing to blindly accept this. Regional rivalries, deep history with each other, small footprints, etc. are all things I want in my conference. The only expansion I would prefer to see are within our footprint. I hate the Dakotas idea. Teams like Youngstown St, Duquesne, Robert Morris, etc interest me far more as they slot into our regional identity.
RIVALRIES don't matter in the Big 10?! You think deep history doesn't matter to the Big 10?

South Dakota State will win the FCS again. North Dakota State will probably be in the title game again. It would be a GIFT if they agreed to come here. Meanwhile, Robert Morris will go on being nothing more than a team other FCS teams schedule to embarrass on Homecoming. Duquesne is 7-5, their stadium holds 2,200 people. Not a typo. 2K.

Expanding the conference should be about more than just who is close geographically. This conference has some of the worst football teams in the country and adding one of the worst teams in FCS, I can assure you will not improve the product.
I recognize I am in the minority, but competitiveness is just one consideration for me. To your question, their recent actions suggest exactly that. If I am the Big Ten, I go hard after Notre Dame and consider programs like West Virginia before I go out to the Pacific Ocean. I just refuse to abandon any traditional logic for conferences in the name of competitiveness.

I also, more than most, think of conferences far beyond football.
In the recent past the MAC has tried at various times to add schools outside the current footprint as football-only members -- UCF, Temple and UMass. UCF made no sense because they were so far outside the footprint and had no natural rivals in teh MAC. Temps was just biding its time until it got a better offer. UMass was barely competitive in the MAC. There was also T'erd, which was a nice fit geographically but had delusions of grandeur (which they still have) and moved on. Any addition to the MAC should be for all sports, so solidify them not only among the athletes but also among fans. When we had football-only additions, hardly any fans knew they were MAC opponents. That means convincing schools to move to a league that has become a perennial one-bid basketball league.
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greencat
11/27/2023 5:43 PM
GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
WKU was ready to move to the MAC. Mitsu sure screwed that one up.

Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.
MTSU's whole argument of not wanting to travel that far made no sense considering that current members of C-USA and the travel required there. They're almost a full day's drive (I'm aware they would fly anyway) from UTEP.

There could be a nice little southern division of the MAC if WKU would get a little more lenient and let EKU into the fold too - they really want to transition up.
Middle just fired their football coach of 18 years. They are delusional. He took them to TEN bowl games. A regional school. Their last two bowl wins were over Toledo and San Diego State... and they fire the guy after one down year? He's a two-time Sun Belt and once C-USA coach of the year. His son (Brent, an assistant coach) will be in demand as a smart former QB should be.
I'm actually more shocked it took this long. There's a lot of potential there with a growing Nashville close by. They've been pretty mediocre since he won 10 in 2009. I guess I'm just more concerned/interested who they think they should get from here on out. Especially in the changing landscape of C-USA.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/rick-stockst...
People in Nashville don't give a flying rat's a55 about MTSU sports. That includes my daughter and her husband who are both MTSU grads but have season tickets for the Titans and Preds. (And had Vandy basketball season tickets at one point in time) Pro soccer, Vandy Baseball, Belmont Basketball, etc etc - all get more attention than MTSU sports in the Nashville sports media. Austin Peay making the FCS playoffs probably got more coverage locally than Stockstill's pink slip will get at Middle.
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OhioCatFan
11/27/2023 5:55 PM
I always thought that Delaware would have made a nice addition to the MAC. Too bad that they couldn’t have been made a partner with WKU. Also, with WKU, MAC basketball would have a slightly better chance at that second NCAA tournament bid in some years. That would be a real plus.
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GoCats105
11/27/2023 5:57 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
WKU was ready to move to the MAC. Mitsu sure screwed that one up.

Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.
MTSU's whole argument of not wanting to travel that far made no sense considering that current members of C-USA and the travel required there. They're almost a full day's drive (I'm aware they would fly anyway) from UTEP.

There could be a nice little southern division of the MAC if WKU would get a little more lenient and let EKU into the fold too - they really want to transition up.
Middle just fired their football coach of 18 years. They are delusional. He took them to TEN bowl games. A regional school. Their last two bowl wins were over Toledo and San Diego State... and they fire the guy after one down year? He's a two-time Sun Belt and once C-USA coach of the year. His son (Brent, an assistant coach) will be in demand as a smart former QB should be.
I'm actually more shocked it took this long. There's a lot of potential there with a growing Nashville close by. They've been pretty mediocre since he won 10 in 2009. I guess I'm just more concerned/interested who they think they should get from here on out. Especially in the changing landscape of C-USA.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/rick-stockst...
That includes my daughter and her husband who are both MTSU grads but have season tickets for the Titans and Preds. (And had Vandy basketball season tickets at one point in time)
MTSU is not unique to this problem. It's a G5 issue.
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GoCats105
11/27/2023 6:00 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
I always thought that Delaware would have made a nice addition to the MAC. Too bad that they couldn’t have been made a partner with WKU. Also, with WKU, MAC basketball would have a slightly better chance at that second NCAA tournament bid in some years. That would be a real plus.
I'd be more interested in bringing back UMass if that also meant Delaware. I'm wondering what the reaction in Amherst is today and if they're thinking of making any changes to their football only rule.
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Bobcat1996
11/27/2023 6:56 PM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
I hope MTSU enjoys that.
WKU was ready to move to the MAC. Mitsu sure screwed that one up.

Would love to see the Chattanooga Mocs go full D-1 in football and jump with WKU to the MAC. It's a really cool town if you haven't been there recently.
MTSU's whole argument of not wanting to travel that far made no sense considering that current members of C-USA and the travel required there. They're almost a full day's drive (I'm aware they would fly anyway) from UTEP.

There could be a nice little southern division of the MAC if WKU would get a little more lenient and let EKU into the fold too - they really want to transition up.
Middle just fired their football coach of 18 years. They are delusional. He took them to TEN bowl games. A regional school. Their last two bowl wins were over Toledo and San Diego State... and they fire the guy after one down year? He's a two-time Sun Belt and once C-USA coach of the year. His son (Brent, an assistant coach) will be in demand as a smart former QB should be.
Why does that shock you? We have some that want to fire a coach who has the schools only back to back 9 win seasons.
BTC- How true. Some of these people are ready to get rid of Coach Albin after winning 19 games in two years. I continue to shake my head at a few of these so called fans. Were these same "so called fans" ready to dismiss Boals after six losses in January last season?
Last Edited: 11/27/2023 7:01:40 PM by Bobcat1996
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