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Topic: MAC-OVC merger?
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Pataskala
9/18/2021 12:47 AM
If the MAC is raided and loses a few schools in the upcoming realignment, maybe it should consider having members of the Ohio Valley Conference move up to 1A and join the MAC. Austin Peay is following in the footsteps of Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State in moving to the Atlantic Sun Conference. That leaves the OVC with just six members for football, the minimum for having a conference: Eastern Illinois, Murray State, Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin. Their stadiums are a little small -- Murray State and Tenn Tech are at 16,500, Tenn State at 15,000, the rest are 10,000 and under -- but maybe we could get some of them to add 10,000 or so seats. Most have good football programs and we should be able to beat some of them.
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greencat
9/18/2021 7:43 AM
Pataskala wrote:expand_more
If the MAC is raided and loses a few schools in the upcoming realignment, maybe it should consider having members of the Ohio Valley Conference move up to 1A and join the MAC. Austin Peay is following in the footsteps of Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State in moving to the Atlantic Sun Conference. That leaves the OVC with just six members for football, the minimum for having a conference: Eastern Illinois, Murray State, Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin. Their stadiums are a little small -- Murray State and Tenn Tech are at 16,500, Tenn State at 15,000, the rest are 10,000 and under -- but maybe we could get some of them to add 10,000 or so seats. Most have good football programs and we should be able to beat some of them.
I've seen the stadiums at Murray and TSU up close. TSU's is a dump and Murray doesn't even have a visitor side. I just looked at the Real Time RPI and TSU is #204 in the nation and TnTech is #208. Eastern Illinois is #201. Those are all winless. Murray has a win over #218 Miss.Valley. In what universe are those football programs "good" - ?? Hell would freeze over before any of those move up to full d-1 status. Plus, the OVC had a chance to add some teams that were in their geographical area that moved up from d-2 to FCS (University of North Alabama in particular) and snubbed them. OOPS!!

The teams the MAC could have added in that area were MTSU and WKU. It never happened. (something to do with the weak academics at WKU?) Those two would have put the MAC into the fast growing Nashville area and it's sports-crazy media market. Maybe that could be re-visited.
Last Edited: 9/18/2021 7:48:08 AM by greencat
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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
9/18/2021 10:03 AM
Given how likely major college football realignment is -- and that said realignment may well result in formalizing the different tiers that clearly exist in FBS, any strategy that involves promoting a bunch of middling FCS schools seems like a death knell.

If that's the best we can do, we've already lost, and should be considering much more drastic options.
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greencat
9/18/2021 11:48 AM
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:expand_more
Given how likely major college football realignment is -- and that said realignment may well result in formalizing the different tiers that clearly exist in FBS, any strategy that involves promoting a bunch of middling FCS schools seems like a death knell.

If that's the best we can do, we've already lost, and should be considering much more drastic options.
TSU and ut-martin are not "middling" options. They strive to be mediocre. One is near the ghetto and the other is in the middle of nowhere. That's why FCS conferences like the ASUN and the SoCon don't want to absorb what's left of the OVC. Eastern Illinois should be in the MVC (football FCS) with Southern Illinois and Western Illinois and Illinois State.

The OVC should beg UNA to join at this point and if UNA gives them the middle finger over being snubbed a few years ago, you can't really blame them.
Last Edited: 9/18/2021 11:53:04 AM by greencat
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greencat
9/18/2021 3:52 PM
UPDATE: TSU blown out today by an obscure D-2 team.

(Forget TSU to the MAC or anywhere else D-1 or even decent FCS)
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Pataskala
9/18/2021 4:05 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
UPDATE: TSU blown out today by an obscure D-2 team.

(Forget TSU to the MAC or anywhere else D-1 or even decent FCS)
Maybe you're thinking of somebody else. ESPN says Tenn St leads KY St 17-0 in the 2nd quarter.

Tenn Tech was blown out by an obscure SEC team, 56-0.
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Good cat Good cat
9/18/2021 10:03 PM
Tennessee State and TennesseeTech….could happen, although likely after 2024.
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greencat
9/19/2021 12:26 AM
Good cat Good cat wrote:expand_more
Tennessee State and TennesseeTech….could happen, although likely after 2024.
TSU move up to D-1 by 2024????

This is a TSU football game. That stadium is not D-1 qualified at all.
https://www.semoball.com/photos/29/72/36/2972362-B.jpg

This is the "crowd" at a Tennessee Tech game.
https://stadiumjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/TTU...

There is a bigger chance TSU and TnTech move down to D-2 than move up to D-1.
Goes double for ut-Martin...
https://fastly.4sqi.net/img/general/width960/55750512_dM9...

Seriously, there is one mid-major (MTSU) in Tennessee qualified to go to the MAC. (Memphis would be a pipe dream) If the MAC went after those TSU, Tech, Martin level schools, they would be immediately be a laughingstock of d-1 sports. Chattanooga at least has a big 10,000 seat basketball arena but if they were leaving the SoCon, they would have done it by now. With all the emphasis MTSU has put into trying to convince people the current C-USA is the "same" as the old C-USA, doubt they would leave.
Last Edited: 9/19/2021 12:52:21 AM by greencat
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ou79
9/19/2021 4:17 AM
Uh some may want to put down the crack bowl and back away from the liquor cabinet before posting an idea on this Board, just sayin.
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Hooligan
9/19/2021 10:38 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
Tennessee State and TennesseeTech….could happen, although likely after 2024.
TSU move up to D-1 by 2024????

This is a TSU football game. That stadium is not D-1 qualified at all.
https://www.semoball.com/photos/29/72/36/2972362-B.jpg

This is the "crowd" at a Tennessee Tech game.
https://stadiumjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/TTU...

There is a bigger chance TSU and TnTech move down to D-2 than move up to D-1.
Goes double for ut-Martin...
https://fastly.4sqi.net/img/general/width960/55750512_dM9...

Seriously, there is one mid-major (MTSU) in Tennessee qualified to go to the MAC. (Memphis would be a pipe dream) If the MAC went after those TSU, Tech, Martin level schools, they would be immediately be a laughingstock of d-1 sports. Chattanooga at least has a big 10,000 seat basketball arena but if they were leaving the SoCon, they would have done it by now. With all the emphasis MTSU has put into trying to convince people the current C-USA is the "same" as the old C-USA, doubt they would leave.
These pictures are how Peden's going to look by the end of next season.
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El Gato Roberto
9/19/2021 10:45 PM
Hooligan wrote:expand_more
Tennessee State and TennesseeTech….could happen, although likely after 2024.
TSU move up to D-1 by 2024????

This is a TSU football game. That stadium is not D-1 qualified at all.
https://www.semoball.com/photos/29/72/36/2972362-B.jpg

This is the "crowd" at a Tennessee Tech game.
https://stadiumjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/TTU...

There is a bigger chance TSU and TnTech move down to D-2 than move up to D-1.
Goes double for ut-Martin...
https://fastly.4sqi.net/img/general/width960/55750512_dM9...

Seriously, there is one mid-major (MTSU) in Tennessee qualified to go to the MAC. (Memphis would be a pipe dream) If the MAC went after those TSU, Tech, Martin level schools, they would be immediately be a laughingstock of d-1 sports. Chattanooga at least has a big 10,000 seat basketball arena but if they were leaving the SoCon, they would have done it by now. With all the emphasis MTSU has put into trying to convince people the current C-USA is the "same" as the old C-USA, doubt they would leave.
These pictures are how Peden's going to look by the end of next season.
Naw…the students will show up for the 110 until halftime…some traditions will remain.
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OUcats82
9/20/2021 8:53 AM
Hooligan wrote:expand_more
Tennessee State and TennesseeTech….could happen, although likely after 2024.
TSU move up to D-1 by 2024????

This is a TSU football game. That stadium is not D-1 qualified at all.
https://www.semoball.com/photos/29/72/36/2972362-B.jpg

This is the "crowd" at a Tennessee Tech game.
https://stadiumjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/TTU...

There is a bigger chance TSU and TnTech move down to D-2 than move up to D-1.
Goes double for ut-Martin...
https://fastly.4sqi.net/img/general/width960/55750512_dM9...

Seriously, there is one mid-major (MTSU) in Tennessee qualified to go to the MAC. (Memphis would be a pipe dream) If the MAC went after those TSU, Tech, Martin level schools, they would be immediately be a laughingstock of d-1 sports. Chattanooga at least has a big 10,000 seat basketball arena but if they were leaving the SoCon, they would have done it by now. With all the emphasis MTSU has put into trying to convince people the current C-USA is the "same" as the old C-USA, doubt they would leave.
These pictures are how Peden's going to look by the end of next season.
Had I not known the top pic was for TSU, at a passing glance it looks like a good sized high school.
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greencat
10/13/2021 5:24 AM
OVC to (sort of) merge with the Southland Conf. for football.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2021/10/11/ohio-v... /


"A focus on reasonable travel" - ???

EIU to UIW is over a thousand miles. Driving time = 16+ hours
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OhioCatFan
10/13/2021 10:41 AM
Murray State leaving its options open:

https://www.kfvs12.com/2021/09/24/murray-state-athletic-d... /
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MedinaCat
10/13/2021 12:28 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
UPDATE: TSU blown out today by an obscure D-2 team.

(Forget TSU to the MAC or anywhere else D-1 or even decent FCS)
It wasn't Duquesne I assume?
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BillyTheCat
10/13/2021 1:11 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
UPDATE: TSU blown out today by an obscure D-2 team.

(Forget TSU to the MAC or anywhere else D-1 or even decent FCS)

Do you care to let me in on what obscure D-2 team blew out Tennessee State on 9/18?
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greencat
10/13/2021 2:55 PM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
UPDATE: TSU blown out today by an obscure D-2 team.

(Forget TSU to the MAC or anywhere else D-1 or even decent FCS)

Do you care to let me in on what obscure D-2 team blew out Tennessee State on 9/18?
ESPN showed the score reversed during the game vs Kentucky State.

TSU proceeded to get blown out 47-14 the next week by SEMO who is so bad that they actually managed to lose to TnTech in football.

Would you approve of TSU joining the MAC? They are FCS, not even full D-1. And not even good on the FCS level.
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greencat
10/13/2021 2:58 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
Murray State leaving its options open:

https://www.kfvs12.com/2021/09/24/murray-state-athletic-d... /
That doesn't sound much like they will be in the OVC/Southland a year or two from now.
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OhioCatFan
10/13/2021 3:10 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
Murray State leaving its options open:

https://www.kfvs12.com/2021/09/24/murray-state-athletic-d... /
That doesn't sound much like they will be in the OVC/Southland a year or two from now.
Nope.

One option, of course, is to go FBS in football. If they did, they could be a potential MAC or Sunbelt member, as their basketball is quite competitive.
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Victory
10/13/2021 3:20 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
Murray State leaving its options open:

https://www.kfvs12.com/2021/09/24/murray-state-athletic-d... /
That doesn't sound much like they will be in the OVC/Southland a year or two from now.
These moves to the ASUN probably took the rest of the OVC by surprise. Just a few years ago that would have been considered an inferior conference. With Belmont and Austin Peay gone I am sure that they don't want to stay. They are in a small market. I doubt that the MVC wants them or it would have already happened. The Southern doesn't currently go that far North or the Colonial that far West but I have to believe that is the two that they are trying to work out. The other option would be to look West and try to get into the Summit.
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giacomo
10/13/2021 4:30 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
Tennessee State and TennesseeTech….could happen, although likely after 2024.
TSU move up to D-1 by 2024????

This is a TSU football game. That stadium is not D-1 qualified at all.
https://www.semoball.com/photos/29/72/36/2972362-B.jpg

This is the "crowd" at a Tennessee Tech game.
https://stadiumjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/TTU...

There is a bigger chance TSU and TnTech move down to D-2 than move up to D-1.
Goes double for ut-Martin...
https://fastly.4sqi.net/img/general/width960/55750512_dM9...

Seriously, there is one mid-major (MTSU) in Tennessee qualified to go to the MAC. (Memphis would be a pipe dream) If the MAC went after those TSU, Tech, Martin level schools, they would be immediately be a laughingstock of d-1 sports. Chattanooga at least has a big 10,000 seat basketball arena but if they were leaving the SoCon, they would have done it by now. With all the emphasis MTSU has put into trying to convince people the current C-USA is the "same" as the old C-USA, doubt they would leave.
Looks like some late season Thursday night MACtion crowds!
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greencat
10/13/2021 4:36 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
Murray State leaving its options open:

https://www.kfvs12.com/2021/09/24/murray-state-athletic-d... /
That doesn't sound much like they will be in the OVC/Southland a year or two from now.
Nope.

One option, of course, is to go FBS in football. If they did, they could be a potential MAC or Sunbelt member, as their basketball is quite competitive.
Murray would need to add a visitor side to the football stadium. Never had one.

https://athleticademix.se/custom/uploads/2020/06/murray-2...

It is rather in the middle of nowhere. They would have to get WKU to make a move with them to a league like the MAC to get valuable Nashville media market attention. Like a package deal. Longshot at best.
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OhioCatFan
10/13/2021 4:58 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
Murray State leaving its options open:

https://www.kfvs12.com/2021/09/24/murray-state-athletic-d... /
That doesn't sound much like they will be in the OVC/Southland a year or two from now.
Nope.

One option, of course, is to go FBS in football. If they did, they could be a potential MAC or Sunbelt member, as their basketball is quite competitive.
Murray would need to add a visitor side to the football stadium. Never had one.

https://athleticademix.se/custom/uploads/2020/06/murray-2...

It is rather in the middle of nowhere. They would have to get WKU to make a move with them to a league like the MAC to get valuable Nashville media market attention. Like a package deal. Longshot at best.
Yes, Murray, where I lived for three years, does make Athens look urban and cosmopolitan. You are discounting the Paducah-Cape Girard-Harsbg market? I'm kind of joking there. You make a good point about a package deal with WKU as a long-shot possibility.
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BillyTheCat
10/13/2021 9:43 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
UPDATE: TSU blown out today by an obscure D-2 team.

(Forget TSU to the MAC or anywhere else D-1 or even decent FCS)

Do you care to let me in on what obscure D-2 team blew out Tennessee State on 9/18?
ESPN showed the score reversed during the game vs Kentucky State.

TSU proceeded to get blown out 47-14 the next week by SEMO who is so bad that they actually managed to lose to TnTech in football.

Would you approve of TSU joining the MAC? They are FCS, not even full D-1. And not even good on the FCS level.
We got beat by The Dukes who are not even full FCS. You act like we are better than others when we haven’t done anything. And to my original point, your statement was false. They did not lose to a D2 school.
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BillyTheCat
10/13/2021 9:45 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
If the MAC is raided and loses a few schools in the upcoming realignment, maybe it should consider having members of the Ohio Valley Conference move up to 1A and join the MAC. Austin Peay is following in the footsteps of Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State in moving to the Atlantic Sun Conference. That leaves the OVC with just six members for football, the minimum for having a conference: Eastern Illinois, Murray State, Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin. Their stadiums are a little small -- Murray State and Tenn Tech are at 16,500, Tenn State at 15,000, the rest are 10,000 and under -- but maybe we could get some of them to add 10,000 or so seats. Most have good football programs and we should be able to beat some of them.
I've seen the stadiums at Murray and TSU up close. TSU's is a dump and Murray doesn't even have a visitor side. I just looked at the Real Time RPI and TSU is #204 in the nation and TnTech is #208. Eastern Illinois is #201. Those are all winless. Murray has a win over #218 Miss.Valley. In what universe are those football programs "good" - ?? Hell would freeze over before any of those move up to full d-1 status. Plus, the OVC had a chance to add some teams that were in their geographical area that moved up from d-2 to FCS (University of North Alabama in particular) and snubbed them. OOPS!!

The teams the MAC could have added in that area were MTSU and WKU. It never happened. (something to do with the weak academics at WKU?) Those two would have put the MAC into the fast growing Nashville area and it's sports-crazy media market. Maybe that could be re-visited.
Our stadium is almost 100 years old and it takes an hour to get a hotdog, an amazing pretzel and a water. I’m not sure if I’d call Peden “state of the Art”.
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