A prediction I saw on a MAC team board

I’ve said for years that the MAC should drop to FCS. If the NCAA had any interest in enforcing their classification rules, half the conference would have already been relegated. Maybe coronavirus will be the final nail in the coffin in that regard.

Even if the MAC does get killed, though, I’m confident that the AAC and MWC will remain FBS for the immediate future. C-USA and the Sun Belt are probably safe, too, though less clearly so.

MAC probably does not survive, most teams in CUSA, Sun Belt would be toast. They make less that the AAC teams, smaller bowl payouts, only one team to the Dance, travel costs, less gate/concession revenue, less attendance. This will begin thew thinning of the herd from 130 teams to much less.

That said, there is some good talent in those leagues, which means there will be an opportunity for schools like us to get additional quality talent as there are fewer D1 schools, but still plenty of D1 talent.

This kind of thing spells doom for teams like New Mexico State and UMASS, as they are both independents

not to mention UConn

As a cougar fan I am tired of being left out of the chance to win it all. I want equality!

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Yes, as a Cougar fan, I too would like a chance to win it all. In theory, we had that chance when were in the SWC, and in 1976 we did finish #4. But, more than that, and what is better (or at least more dependable and predictable) is getting a ticket to ride on the big P5 gravy train. The resulting ma$$ive annual infusion of cash for basically existing in P5 ( a la Vanderbilt ) would do wonders for the UH Cougars.

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Money would help no doubt but we’d spend it so the main thing I want P5 is for prestige of being at the top vs being looked down at. UH would then be a destination school.

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Both of those programs have been dead for half a decade now. When your conference kicks you out and no other conference will take you, that’s basically what a dead program looks like.

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North Dakota state should move up to Division 1, they already beat D1 schools now and fill up their stadium.

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I would not rule out Tulane, they are up and coming and have the academics and location,
better than Vanderbilt or Purdue.

App State to P5? Who do they have pictures on?

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The MAC does a good job of keeping control out of its expenses. Travel expenses are naturally pretty low. They pay their head coaches less than SBC and some less than we pay our coordinators. Most of them have no aspirations of getting invited to a bigger conference. I think their highest athletics budget is about half of ours, and their median is below some FCS programs. They basically opted out of the arms race.

As such, I don’t think they gain much by dropping down. Their payout games pay less, they lose $800k a year of TV money, and CFP money. Most FCS programs lose money on playoff games.

So I don’t think the MAC is going anywhere until or unless they’re forced to.

Definitely not going to happen.

Not going to happen.

Definitely not going to happen.

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Stadium holds 20k btw. I know they can get more in if Fargo Dome was larger but around 20k is capacity.