If Temple bolts (as I suspect they will) I would like to see invitations extended to Army and/or Navy.  They would be excellent additions to the conference.

I wouldn't be shocked if this doesn't turn out to be Marshall. I don't have any insight or special information, but my gut says that Marshall's move to CUSA has been less than great (travel expenses alone have to be terrible). I don't know how I feel about this. I mean, Marshall is good for a laugh or two; but I'm not so eager about being Marshall's "safety conference" every time they make a mistake.

Beyond Marshall, I don't know if there is anything out there that 1. wants to join the MAC and 2. will improve us tremendously. Indiana State is interesting, but why leave the Valley for basketball in the ridiculous attempt to become a FBS school? What? They see the other MAC teams bleeding money to be moderately successful and think it would be fun? 

If Temple can secure a move to the Big East, they're as good as gone. I would figure the Big East will try to add some schools for football. However, at this point they are ridiculously deep at basketball. The Big East's depth hurts them come tournament time. Good teams that fought out a tough schedule end up with poor seeds in March. As positive as the Big East is for a school wanting an opportunity in the BCS, it's college basketball's version of a crap shoot.

I think Army and Navy would be great additions for the MAC. Neither is in our current footprint so we'll gain some East Coast coverage.  The conference will generate tons of coverage from their rivalry game.

I'm biased because it's my hometown school, but I'd love to see YSU make the jump to FBS and join the MAC.  Bring back the old Steel Tire rivalry game between them and Akron and add another mid-sized Ohio city with its own local television stations for some added coverage.

Marshall = No way in hell

Army/Navy = No way in hell

Western and MTSU, very likely

Watch out 69, I got blasted by some in a previous message for mentioning those two.  Still, I would take either before Indiana State U.  And, Temple really upsets me.  It should have been all or none with a big buy out (see Nebraska and Colrado giving up $16 Mil to leave).  As for EMU, 2who cares?

As for Marshall and the safety net Conference...they are only one ahead of or behind NIU who left once and returned.  Bottom line is the MAC should pick up somebody that IMPROVES the Conference.  It is going down hill fast with no change in direction seen.

Take Marshall back and you might as well just turn in your Conference equivalanet of a Man Card...

I think I'm starting to agree with this idea. It's a scary thought, being on the outside, but if the MWC/CUSA superconference happens (whatever its form), we're already going to be on the outside by virtue of being in the MAC. It's a crazy idea, but I think I might be up for going completely independent, playing 4 or 5 money games a season, taking our lumps for 5 or 6 years, and putting the money towards building a really special program. It seems like conference money now happens via TV deals, and it seems like the MAC might as well not have any TV deal. If we go independent, at least we control our own TV rights.

I don't know the numbers as well as many of you, so I'm perfectly willing to concede that this a totally uneducated opinion and might be the dumbest proposal ever. But the status quo ain't gonna work, and this is something different.

Yes

Always fun when this subject pops up three or four times a year.  I once thought expanding eastward would be best, but we need to see what the Big East will do.  It might be better to look westward at Illinois State, Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa, one of the fast-growing Wisconsin schools.  Build up the media base around Chicago,  Most state schools in the Bible Belt (and I live here) don't quite measure up academically to most in the MAC (of course neither does Eastern Michigan),    I still would like to see Ohio go to some new conference where there aren't so many other Ohio schools, but at this point unless Conference USA breaks up over traveling costs or westward expansion  I don't see that possible.  But there is always hope and lots of time to speculate. 

Honestly that would be a killer add IMO!  Nice stadium...Rich tradition...Already outdrawing probably 2/3 of the existing MAC...

Not to mention that's a road trip I'd love to make every other year in the Fall!

OK.  Answered my own question.

The MAC should give the University of Charlotte an open invitiation to join at any time the choose.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_49ers_football

Crazy or crazy like a fox?

They consistently are the top draw in the Philly metro area and last year were fourth in FCS with an average of 20,750. Also, there are plans in place to expand the stadium to 30,000 and add new practice facilities for basketball. The new administration is very much into expanding the university's blue print academically and athletically and I'm sure a jump to FBS has been or is being considered. I would love to get a chance to beat redhawk twice in one season.

Of course whenever there would be an OHIO vs. UD matchup I'd still be wearing my green and rooting for a win for the Cats!