Mountain West looking to add NIU/Toledo

[ColoradoEagle]

 

 

[wardly]

Seems like a reach.

[Billy Clyde]

Both very good football programs.

[NM Green]

This would be very good for the Mountain West to actually expand its footprint. And nobody’s been able to disrupt the Mac. Interesting development.

Mountain West might look very different soon.

Beat Tulsa 

GMG

[ColoradoEagle]

If those two are in play, I hope the AAC is also on the phone. NIU has produced some good football upsets for years now, and Toledo has been generally higher end in basketball. Full member in AAC maybe vs. football only in MWC?

[wardly]

I would be surprised if the MAC schools joins the MWC for football only ,but hey, who knows. However their inclusion in football only, identical to Hawaii, does not get the MWC to 8 all sports programs which is required by the NCAA to have a conference. In business you start out doing what what you want to do but sometimes end up doing what you have to do.UTEP and NMSU may be ugly but I bet they might look better at closing time.

[rws69]

I find it somewhat ironic that both PAC and MWC currently have seven commitments each for 2026. Both need to find team eight somewhere else.

[wardly]

Toledo not interested as per recent podcast. NIU thinking about it for football only moving all other sports to the MVC. However the recent post listing athletic budgets only showed theirs at $21 million so I don't know if they can afford the travel expenses. Having said that they probably are not getting much media money from the MAC and the increase to $4 or $5 million might look good to them. Who knows?

[MCMLXXX]

 

[untbowler]

For FB only would be a good move by NIU, then either join Summit, Horizon League for other sports, save $$$

[MCMLXXX]

 

[UNTLifer]

Because nothing creates images of the "mountains" and the "west" more than Toledo, OH or DeKalb, IL.

[MCMLXXX]

Joining early next week?

Here's what I'm hearing about NIU, the MWC, and Mid-Major Realignment

[Mean Green 93-98]

Honestly, it just sounds like a terrible idea for NIU.  They're going to torpedo all their others sports...to do what exactly for their football program?

[NT80]

3 hours ago, Mean Green 93-98 said:

Honestly, it just sounds like a terrible idea for NIU.  They're going to torpedo all their others sports...to do what exactly for their football program?

Exactly.  Their fans could easily drive to most MAC away games if they wanted to.   Not in the MWC.

[UNTLifer]

Probably tired of playing everyday of the week except Saturday. 

[Coffee and TV]

Officially NIU going in football, all other sports TBD

 

 

[El Paso Eagle]

1 hour ago, Coffee and TV said:

Officially NIU going in football, all other sports TBD

 

 

I wonder if any of the CUSA teams tried to make a move to the MAC?

[Salsa_Verde]

3 hours ago, El Paso Eagle said:

I wonder if any of the CUSA teams tried to make a move to the MAC?

WKU and MTSU would make sense. Way more sense than Northern Illinois traveling to Hawaii to play a football game that would be watched by hundreds of people. 

[NT80]

2 hours ago, Salsa_Verde said:

Way more sense than Northern Illinois traveling to Hawaii to play a football game that would be watched by hundreds of people. 

Yes, crazy.  But NIU has been out West in a conference before...

Northern Illinois has played 39 seasons in the MAC over two stints from 1975 to 1985 and since 1997. It was in the Big West Conference in football from 1993 to 1995 and operated as an independent from 1986 to 1992, as well as in 1996.

[wardly]

On 1/7/2025 at 7:26 PM, Salsa_Verde said:

WKU and MTSU would make sense. Way more sense than Northern Illinois traveling to Hawaii to play a football game that would be watched by hundreds of people. 

When CUSA last imploded both schools were invited to join the MAC as a package. WKU was all in, MTSU was not so they were both stuck in CUSA. N. Illinois , certainly much to my surprise, is moving to the MWC , who might be in the market for another football only school. The MAC bylaws require their members to place all their sports in the conference so unless they are changed N.Illinois must find a new home for their 'others." U.Mass is rejoining the MAC so they probably will stand pat. I think the N.Illinois victory over the Fighting Irish may have gone to their head plus their fans are tired of weeknight games that make it hard to attend for those who live out of town.

[Salsa_Verde]

On 1/10/2025 at 12:23 PM, wardly said:

When CUSA last imploded both schools were invited to join the MAC as a package. WKU was all in, MTSU was not so they were both stuck in CUSA. N. Illinois , certainly much to my surprise, is moving to the MWC , who might be in the market for another football only school. The MAC bylaws require their members to place all their sports in the conference so unless they are changed N.Illinois must find a new home for their 'others." U.Mass is rejoining the MAC so they probably will stand pat. I think the N.Illinois victory over the Fighting Irish may have gone to their head plus their fans are tired of weeknight games that make it hard to attend for those who live out of town.

Funny thing about CFB right now is that almost every school is either looking for a better conference or upset and who they are letting in to the conference. 😂