If Sunbelt Lost Wku And Mtsu, How Would You Feel?

[NT80]

Speculation and link to a MAC article from Coach Andy Mac on the WW Tavern board.

Temple is rumored to be taking their football from MAC to Big East. MAC wants to expand and natural geographic targets would be WKU and Muts. Would the SBC be a mess without those two? Should WW be talking to NMSU and La Tech asap? Would UTSA be under expansion consideration should the above one or two bolt to the MAC?

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Posted Today, 02:17 PM

http://www.annarbor.com/news/emu-ad-mac-could-issue-invitations-to-new-members-in-near-future/

According to the above link, the MAC may look to expand within the next two years, and Temple more than likely will be joining a new conference. I said all along that the Big East and Temple would more than likely strike a deal. I beleive the key to that deal is Villanova (since both Temple and Villanova are in the Philly area). Since Villanova has been extended an offer to bring their football up to the FBS Big East level, odds are that Temple and its now solid football and always solid basketball programs will join the Big East. As for MAC additions, I could definitely see offers to either WKU and MTSU, or both. That is, unless Missouri State decides to move up their football to the FBS level. Then I could see them replacing either WKU or MTSU on that list.

Things are getting interesting...is the SBC Office paying attention to all of this?

[Harry]

Yikes! That could be a problem.

[MeanGreen61]

Beleive you'll find that as far as the muts and WKU are concerned the MAC train has already left the station. Neither is interested in going to the MAC.

[Green Mean]

I don't mind them as our conference mates. Would love to continue the WKU/NT basketball matchups. Although I thought that eventually WKU was probably favoring going to the MAC versus staying in the belt.

[PlummMeanGreen]

When all this MAC business first came up on the WKU board a few years ago they seemed to all go ape-$hi& wanting to know "how soon can we get in?" Reading MG61 in his above post I guess they've changed their tune?

GMG!

PS: I just wish the NCAA would not be so harsh on schools who want to start a brand new conference with all the things a new conference are not allowed to do for quite a few years; but, of course, that would tend to keep people from forming new leagues every 2 years, too, I suppose.

GMG!

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Yes, make them go away - WKU and MTSU. Replace them with UTSA and TSU. Then, somehow rope in UTEP and NMSU. Then, nominate Wright Water for POTUS.

Yeah, I know it ain't gonna happen. But, everyone else has their version of the conference dream. So....

[VideoEagle]

When all this MAC business first came up on the WKU board a few years ago they seemed to all go ape-$hi& wanting to know "how soon can we get in?" Reading MG61 in his above post I guess they've changed their tune?

GMG!

PS: I just wish the NCAA would not be so harsh on schools who want to start a brand new conference with all the things a new conference are not allowed to do for quite a few years; but, of course, that would tend to keep people from forming new leagues every 2 years, too, I suppose.

GMG!

Yes, they have changed their minds. There is actually more talk here trying to get NT to join the BigSkyWACLand than talk from WKY or MTSU in favor of the MAC.

[All About UNT]

Tobi Writes

[greenminer]

Do they make regional sense for the MAC?

Hope they stay.

I love playing MTSU.

I love playing @ WKU...

[Hilltopper2k]

When all this MAC business first came up on the WKU board a few years ago they seemed to all go ape-$hi& wanting to know "how soon can we get in?" Reading MG61 in his above post I guess they've changed their tune?

Yeah, there are a few significant developments since then.

#1 WKU was ready to go... the MAC rejected us. A sweet 16 later they are interested? Screw them.

#2 I think WKU fans are waking up to the fact that the MAC is largely in the Rustbelt. "The South" probably begins somewhere between Louisville and Bowling Green. We are culturally aligned with the south and who wants to go to Ohio in November anyway?

#3 WKU has won three NCAA tournament games since then out of the Sunbelt. UNT, FIU even Denver have all stepped up thier recruiting nicely. WKU fans will mostly always favor basketball and will probably favor the conference that gives us the best chance at NCAA appearances and wins. Does the MAC do that? Not sure, but why mess with what appears to be working at the moment.

#4 We went FBS. When we were drooling over the MAC we were excited about the possibility of 1A anyway. Since then we have had out butts handed to us by what is supposed to be the "weakest" conference. And at any rate, with the new bowl game for the Belt, I believe we have a better ratio of teams to bowls in the Belt don't we? 10 to 2 vs. 14 to 3 for the MAC? Is that right?

[greenminer]

Yeah, there are a few significant developments since then.

#1 WKU was ready to go... the MAC rejected us. A sweet 16 later they are interested? Screw them.

#2 I think WKU fans are waking up to the fact that the MAC is largely in the Rustbelt. "The South" probably begins somewhere between Louisville and Bowling Green. We are culturally aligned with the south and who wants to go to Ohio in November anyway?

#3 WKU has won three NCAA tournament games since then out of the Sunbelt. UNT, FIU even Denver have all stepped up thier recruiting nicely. WKU fans will mostly always favor basketball and will probably favor the conference that gives us the best chance at NCAA appearances and wins. Does the MAC do that? Not sure, but why mess with what appears to be working at the moment.

#4 We went FBS. When we were drooling over the MAC we were excited about the possibility of 1A anyway. Since then we have had out butts handed to us by what is supposed to be the "weakest" conference. And at any rate, with the new bowl game for the Belt, I believe we have a better ratio of teams to bowls in the Belt don't we? 10 to 2 vs. 14 to 3 for the MAC? Is that right?

Great insight from your perspective. Thanks for stopping by.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Yeah, there are a few significant developments since then.

#1 WKU was ready to go... the MAC rejected us. A sweet 16 later they are interested? Screw them.

#2 I think WKU fans are waking up to the fact that the MAC is largely in the Rustbelt. "The South" probably begins somewhere between Louisville and Bowling Green. We are culturally aligned with the south and who wants to go to Ohio in November anyway?

#3 WKU has won three NCAA tournament games since then out of the Sunbelt. UNT, FIU even Denver have all stepped up thier recruiting nicely. WKU fans will mostly always favor basketball and will probably favor the conference that gives us the best chance at NCAA appearances and wins. Does the MAC do that? Not sure, but why mess with what appears to be working at the moment.

#4 We went FBS. When we were drooling over the MAC we were excited about the possibility of 1A anyway. Since then we have had out butts handed to us by what is supposed to be the "weakest" conference. And at any rate, with the new bowl game for the Belt, I believe we have a better ratio of teams to bowls in the Belt don't we? 10 to 2 vs. 14 to 3 for the MAC? Is that right?

So it's the Sun Belt over the Rust Belt, eh?

I know everyone in the FBS is looking for new neighbors but lateral moves or even moves downward don't make too much sense or cents; and especially going...............N-O-R-T-H ? ? ?

...Virgil Caine is the name and I rode on the Danville train... (Joan Baez)

GMG!

Edited September 25, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

[shaft]

The same Big East that kicked Temple out?

Then MAC is large enough it could shed members and not effect the rest of the conference.

South Alabama is going to be a good addition to the SBC, and help build the conference Southern personality.