(10-21-2020 05:21 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While we’re talking UMass. Is there any conference besides the AAC they would leave the A-10 for to become an all sports member? Most realignment threads involving them always put them down as “football only”. If not, what all sports members in a new league would it take for them to join?

I’m interested to hear the UMass perspective.

Almost seems easier and more cost effective to just drop FB.

(10-21-2020 05:21 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While we’re talking UMass. Is there any conference besides the AAC they would leave the A-10 for to become an all sports member? Most realignment threads involving them always put them down as “football only”. If not, what all sports members in a new league would it take for them to join?

I’m interested to hear the UMass perspective.

The way the MAC has been trending up and the A10 trending down, all it might take is Dayton jumping to the AAC to get UMass to join the MAC.

(10-21-2020 06:55 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:21 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While we’re talking UMass. Is there any conference besides the AAC they would leave the A-10 for to become an all sports member? Most realignment threads involving them always put them down as “football only”. If not, what all sports members in a new league would it take for them to join?

I’m interested to hear the UMass perspective.

The way the MAC has been trending up and the A10 trending down, all it might take is Dayton jumping to the AAC to get UMass to join the MAC.

The MAC is much lower today than they were 20 years ago.

The late 90s were good for the MAC. They got at-large bids in 98 & 99 to the NCAA tournament. Miami went to the Sweet 15 in 99, and Kent State went to the Elite Eight in 2002.

In football, they had teams ranked in 95, 97, and every year from 99-04. Marshall was ranked #10 in the final 1999 poll, Toledo was 23 in the final 2001 poll, Marshall was 24 in the final 2002 poll, and Bowling Green had a great 4-year run under Urban Meyer and his successor. In 2003, Miami and Bowling Green finished 10th and 23rd in the AP poll. NIU also got as high as #12 that year.

(10-21-2020 09:58 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 06:55 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:21 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While we’re talking UMass. Is there any conference besides the AAC they would leave the A-10 for to become an all sports member? Most realignment threads involving them always put them down as “football only”. If not, what all sports members in a new league would it take for them to join?

I’m interested to hear the UMass perspective.

The way the MAC has been trending up and the A10 trending down, all it might take is Dayton jumping to the AAC to get UMass to join the MAC.

The MAC is much lower today than they were 20 years ago.

The late 90s were good for the MAC. They got at-large bids in 98 & 99 to the NCAA tournament. Miami went to the Sweet 15 in 99, and Kent State went to the Elite Eight in 2002.

In football, they had teams ranked in 95, 97, and every year from 99-04. Marshall was ranked #10 in the final 1999 poll, Toledo was 23 in the final 2001 poll, Marshall was 24 in the final 2002 poll, and Bowling Green had a great 4-year run under Urban Meyer and his successor. In 2003, Miami and Bowling Green finished 10th and 23rd in the AP poll. NIU also got as high as #12 that year.

NIU also got as high as top-10 in the BCS. There was a segment on PTI debating whether NIU could make the title game. NIU had beaten top-25 finisher Maryland, Alabama, & Iowa St.

Gameday went to NIU @ BG. Both teams ranked. Only loss between the two was BG’s 7-pointer to defending national champ Ohio St. The two schools had 4 BCS wins, with 3 against top-25 teams.

That was the golden age. What I’d give to relive that.

(10-21-2020 05:47 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:21 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While we’re talking UMass. Is there any conference besides the AAC they would leave the A-10 for to become an all sports member? Most realignment threads involving them always put them down as “football only”. If not, what all sports members in a new league would it take for them to join?

I’m interested to hear the UMass perspective.

Almost seems easier and more cost effective to just drop FB.

Programs don’t upgrade their facilities then drop football. Programs neglect facilities and then drop football.

(10-21-2020 10:06 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 09:58 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 06:55 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:21 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While we’re talking UMass. Is there any conference besides the AAC they would leave the A-10 for to become an all sports member? Most realignment threads involving them always put them down as “football only”. If not, what all sports members in a new league would it take for them to join?

I’m interested to hear the UMass perspective.

The way the MAC has been trending up and the A10 trending down, all it might take is Dayton jumping to the AAC to get UMass to join the MAC.

The MAC is much lower today than they were 20 years ago.

The late 90s were good for the MAC. They got at-large bids in 98 & 99 to the NCAA tournament. Miami went to the Sweet 15 in 99, and Kent State went to the Elite Eight in 2002.

In football, they had teams ranked in 95, 97, and every year from 99-04. Marshall was ranked #10 in the final 1999 poll, Toledo was 23 in the final 2001 poll, Marshall was 24 in the final 2002 poll, and Bowling Green had a great 4-year run under Urban Meyer and his successor. In 2003, Miami and Bowling Green finished 10th and 23rd in the AP poll. NIU also got as high as #12 that year.

NIU also got as high as top-10 in the BCS. There was a segment on PTI debating whether NIU could make the title game. NIU had beaten top-25 finisher Maryland, Alabama, & Iowa St.

Gameday went to NIU @ BG. Both teams ranked. Only loss between the two was BG’s 7-pointer to defending national champ Ohio St. The two schools had 4 BCS wins, with 3 against top-25 teams.

That was the golden age. What I’d give to relive that.

Plus didn’t Western Michigan go to NY6 bowl just a couple of years ago???

(10-21-2020 05:03 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  It’s possible UMass could land some MWC games if New Mexico continues to have issues getting its team on the field.

U. Mass and New Mexico have both been about at the same level the past few years. I wonder if travel between the two is worth the cost. Would the new MWC contract give U. Mass any money for a trip to New Mexico? My guess would be no.

(10-21-2020 09:58 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 06:55 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:21 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While we’re talking UMass. Is there any conference besides the AAC they would leave the A-10 for to become an all sports member? Most realignment threads involving them always put them down as “football only”. If not, what all sports members in a new league would it take for them to join?

I’m interested to hear the UMass perspective.

The way the MAC has been trending up and the A10 trending down, all it might take is Dayton jumping to the AAC to get UMass to join the MAC.

The MAC is much lower today than they were 20 years ago.

The late 90s were good for the MAC. They got at-large bids in 98 & 99 to the NCAA tournament. Miami went to the Sweet 15 in 99, and Kent State went to the Elite Eight in 2002.

In football, they had teams ranked in 95, 97, and every year from 99-04. Marshall was ranked #10 in the final 1999 poll, Toledo was 23 in the final 2001 poll, Marshall was 24 in the final 2002 poll, and Bowling Green had a great 4-year run under Urban Meyer and his successor. In 2003, Miami and Bowling Green finished 10th and 23rd in the AP poll. NIU also got as high as #12 that year.

True, but they have been trending up in basketball the last 3 or 4 years after a slump.

(10-22-2020 08:54 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:47 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:21 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While we’re talking UMass. Is there any conference besides the AAC they would leave the A-10 for to become an all sports member? Most realignment threads involving them always put them down as “football only”. If not, what all sports members in a new league would it take for them to join?

I’m interested to hear the UMass perspective.

Almost seems easier and more cost effective to just drop FB.

Programs don’t upgrade their facilities then drop football. Programs neglect facilities and then drop football.

Pre Covid agree, unsure about future decisions. Everyone is hurting right now. If revenues don't snap back within a couple of years (or at least project as promising), some schools may opt to cut sports or drop divisions regardless of what was spent on facilities.

(10-22-2020 12:24 PM)gulfcoastgal Wrote:  

(10-22-2020 08:54 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:47 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:21 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While we’re talking UMass. Is there any conference besides the AAC they would leave the A-10 for to become an all sports member? Most realignment threads involving them always put them down as “football only”. If not, what all sports members in a new league would it take for them to join?

I’m interested to hear the UMass perspective.

Almost seems easier and more cost effective to just drop FB.

Programs don’t upgrade their facilities then drop football. Programs neglect facilities and then drop football.

Pre Covid agree, unsure about future decisions. Everyone is hurting right now. If revenues don't snap back within a couple of years (or at least project as promising), some schools may opt to cut sports or drop divisions regardless of what was spent on facilities.

We have 21 sports so could cut some, but none are planned. There is a 8M or 20% reduction in the UMass Athletic department and 57 positions have been furloughed. Head coaches in Football and basketball along with the AD took a 10% pay cut and all others a 2% cut, 10 day furlough. Donations have been up and we are OK.

No to MMW or another conference, but noting the travel budget was 100k less while in the MAC. The A10 will have to be a 1 bid conference for the politically charged fan wardome on whether to leave the A10 as are one of the few founding members left. We'd hear that the MAC is mid-west or Great Lakes, but wtf. Every other G5 conference around is southern based, including the AAC with UConn gone.

Personally like the idea, which would never fly and not sure why UConn and Army would want it. But have UMass go Football only to the MAC with a 60% share of media revenue and have to play every team in the east in BB and an additional cross-over game. Have BG go to the west and the national aspiring UConn and Army each put in 4 games to combine for the 8 game in conference schedule. A scheduling alliance for them and an affiliation for UMass.

IMHO, Marshall is the best choice if a MAC team needs to drop out. UMass of course would jump for an affiliation and almost every other team that would join the MAC, would be a flight risk to the AAC given the opportunity to develop in the MAC.

The boldest thing for the MAC if two teams drop and ESPN insists on 12 teams, is Marshall and bait UMass by raiding the A10 with Dayton. It's not very hard to go with an odd number of teams in BB. Dayton is within the footprint. UMass has a very nice young roster and with Marshall and Dayton with other very good MAC teams could become a multi bid conference.

(10-22-2020 01:46 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  

(10-22-2020 12:24 PM)gulfcoastgal Wrote:  

(10-22-2020 08:54 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:47 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:21 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While we’re talking UMass. Is there any conference besides the AAC they would leave the A-10 for to become an all sports member? Most realignment threads involving them always put them down as “football only”. If not, what all sports members in a new league would it take for them to join?

I’m interested to hear the UMass perspective.

Almost seems easier and more cost effective to just drop FB.

Programs don’t upgrade their facilities then drop football. Programs neglect facilities and then drop football.

Pre Covid agree, unsure about future decisions. Everyone is hurting right now. If revenues don't snap back within a couple of years (or at least project as promising), some schools may opt to cut sports or drop divisions regardless of what was spent on facilities.

We have 21 sports so could cut some, but none are planned. There is a 8M or 20% reduction in the UMass Athletic department and 57 positions have been furloughed. Head coaches in Football and basketball along with the AD took a 10% pay cut and all others a 2% cut, 10 day furlough. Donations have been up and we are OK.

No to MMW or another conference, but noting the travel budget was 100k less while in the MAC. The A10 will have to be a 1 bid conference for the politically charged fan wardome on whether to leave the A10 as are one of the few founding members left. We'd hear that the MAC is mid-west or Great Lakes, but wtf. Every other G5 conference around is southern based, including the AAC with UConn gone.

Personally like the idea, which would never fly and not sure why UConn and Army would want it. But have UMass go Football only to the MAC with a 60% share of media revenue and have to play every team in the east in BB and an additional cross-over game. Have BG go to the west and the national aspiring UConn and Army each put in 4 games to combine for the 8 game in conference schedule. A scheduling alliance for them and an affiliation for UMass.

IMHO, Marshall is the best choice if a MAC team needs to drop out. UMass of course would jump for an affiliation and almost every other team that would join the MAC, would be a flight risk to the AAC given the opportunity to develop in the MAC.

The boldest thing for the MAC if two teams drop and ESPN insists on 12 teams, is Marshall and bait UMass by raiding the A10 with Dayton. It's not very hard to go with an odd number of teams in BB. Dayton is within the footprint. UMass has a very nice young roster and with Marshall and Dayton with other very good MAC teams could become a multi bid conference.

Dayton will join the Great Northern Conference before they go to the MAC. Their eyes are firmly on the Big East. Maybe the AAC if they offer. But they're not leaving a strong basketball conference for a one-bid conference unless they plan on a massive, DavidSt-approved upgrade to its football program.

When the Big East raids the A10 again, will it be St. Louis or Dayton? My guess is Xavier blocks Dayton and it's St. Louis.

(10-22-2020 02:43 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  When the Big East raids the A10 again, will it be St. Louis or Dayton? My guess is Xavier blocks Dayton and it's St. Louis.

From a market perspective, I'd prefer St. Louis.

No one is switching conferences while this pandemic is going on so UMASS will be FB independent for a while. Army is not giving up FB independence either and if it did some time down the road the academy would join the AAC with Navy. UConn might just as well have stayed in the AAC if anyone thinks they are joining the MAC. Army, UConn, and UMASS might schedule a couple of MAC schools a year but there is no incentive to join the MAC, and the MAC has no incentive to give those schools scheduling perks either beyond a few schools scheduling those independents OOC.

(10-21-2020 11:51 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 10:17 PM)CarlSmithCenter Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 10:05 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 09:54 PM)Nittany_Bearcat Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 09:41 PM)CarlSmithCenter Wrote:  They only got $60,000 for playing at Georgia Southern, Article here, and while it looks like they’ll get in a couple more games I’m curious why they uncancelled the season, unlike UConn or ODU, when they buy game payouts are so small. Is this a prelude to a “we did our best” retreat to the FCS, presumably as FB-only member of the CAA along with UConn? An FBS Indy scheduling alliance with Army, NMSU, Liberty, UConn and BYU would still leave them with 7 games to fill out a future schedule and I don’t see any P5 teams agreeing to visit any time soon; indeed, I don’t even see BYU on the current Future Schedules period.

I think UMass's short term plan for 2020 is as simple as "playing a few games, even if we lose $$$ doing so, is the right thing to do on behalf of our student-athletes who have worked hard for the opportunity."

I commend UMass for their decision to try to play football in 2020. Admittedly, they'll probably only play a handful of games. They are in a tough spot, being outside an actual conference.

As for 2021 and beyond, they do have full schedules for each of 2021 & 2022. 11 games scheduled for each of 2023 & 2024 (including a home game with Missouri in 2024). It won't be easy, but I think they will find a way to stay the course in FBS.

Its a huge advantage over ODU and UConn.

Did either UConn or ODU try to reverse course (to the extent we know)?

Neither will be playing football at all this year. That will kill them in recruiting.

I doubt it. Everyone is eligible to return next year and I don’t think they have any nfl talent on their roster.

(10-22-2020 01:46 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  

(10-22-2020 12:24 PM)gulfcoastgal Wrote:  

(10-22-2020 08:54 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:47 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(10-21-2020 05:21 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While we’re talking UMass. Is there any conference besides the AAC they would leave the A-10 for to become an all sports member? Most realignment threads involving them always put them down as “football only”. If not, what all sports members in a new league would it take for them to join?

I’m interested to hear the UMass perspective.

Almost seems easier and more cost effective to just drop FB.

Programs don’t upgrade their facilities then drop football. Programs neglect facilities and then drop football.

Pre Covid agree, unsure about future decisions. Everyone is hurting right now. If revenues don't snap back within a couple of years (or at least project as promising), some schools may opt to cut sports or drop divisions regardless of what was spent on facilities.

We have 21 sports so could cut some, but none are planned. There is a 8M or 20% reduction in the UMass Athletic department and 57 positions have been furloughed. Head coaches in Football and basketball along with the AD took a 10% pay cut and all others a 2% cut, 10 day furlough. Donations have been up and we are OK.

No to MMW or another conference, but noting the travel budget was 100k less while in the MAC. The A10 will have to be a 1 bid conference for the politically charged fan wardome on whether to leave the A10 as are one of the few founding members left. We'd hear that the MAC is mid-west or Great Lakes, but wtf. Every other G5 conference around is southern based, including the AAC with UConn gone.

Personally like the idea, which would never fly and not sure why UConn and Army would want it. But have UMass go Football only to the MAC with a 60% share of media revenue and have to play every team in the east in BB and an additional cross-over game. Have BG go to the west and the national aspiring UConn and Army each put in 4 games to combine for the 8 game in conference schedule. A scheduling alliance for them and an affiliation for UMass.

IMHO, Marshall is the best choice if a MAC team needs to drop out. UMass of course would jump for an affiliation and almost every other team that would join the MAC, would be a flight risk to the AAC given the opportunity to develop in the MAC.

The boldest thing for the MAC if two teams drop and ESPN insists on 12 teams, is Marshall and bait UMass by raiding the A10 with Dayton. It's not very hard to go with an odd number of teams in BB. Dayton is within the footprint. UMass has a very nice young roster and with Marshall and Dayton with other very good MAC teams could become a multi bid conference.

Is AAC men’s basketball better than the A-10? I feel like Dayton could’ve won the 2020 tournament and irrevocably changed the narrative.

(10-22-2020 02:43 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  When the Big East raids the A10 again, will it be St. Louis or Dayton? My guess is Xavier blocks Dayton and it's St. Louis.

I don't see the Big East expanding. Why get rid of the perfect set up of a double round robin?

Ya, everything is on hold and will have to wait the next cycle of media contracts. It would be the media pushing the Big East to expand to 12, not the Big East teams. Just planting a seed how in the next phase of conference realignment, it's possible that the A10 would lose the mulit-bid reputation and the MAC could be aggressive/bold.

The A10 was down last year and could have been a single bid conference. Another raid and Dayton will have to see, what is best.

So if CUSA does not make it to multi-bid status by the next realignment, it could be a package that the MAC could make it and Marshall jumps back to the MAC. Marshall is a very worthy university with basketball and football.

Guess was thinking what would it take for UMass to jump to the MAC. Weaken A10, strengthen MAC. Would Marshall along be enough. Then thought of the extremely unlikely of another team from the A10 and Dayton is very strong and in the MAC footprint.

Doubtful anything would happen with UConn and Army. However, UMass has eyes on conference realignment. All the scenario mentioned are doubtful, but one never knows.

UMass is in a real tough spot. They desperately want to be something in football, but they are only willing to go so far to be that. The original MAC affiliation was about Temple who fled for a better conference as soon as Umass signed up for MAC. That was unfortunate timing. UMass and Temple had a decent rivalry in Hoops and they were hoping to stoke the football thing with this.

IMO the AAC is the only viable all sport conference UMass is willing to move to - the P5 will not touch them because football is an anvil on any conference. All the other conferences are a huge increase in travel expense for non revenue sports. If any P5 asked Umass would jump on that in a heartbeat of course.

The A-10 (for now) is still their best option for all sports except football. Basketball is still a solid league and the geographic footprint is affordable for everything else.

I think UConn will be the barometer for what Umass does down the road. If both schools can get to some level of respectability, they can bring a natural rivalry (as football only) to a conference - like the AAC or MAC. I doubt the AAC wants UConn back, but you never know with a package deal?


UConn looks down on the AAC in basketball, but if they can't get solid footing in the next 3 or 4 years in the BE, they may be willing to look around again? It is kind of insulting to the AAC that UConn jumped for hoops when they weren't even that good in that conference. Until UConn truly comes to terms with the fact that they are NOT P5, this dance will continue and Umass is sort of collateral damage. These two schools - like it or not - need each other more than they realize.





What they really need is a couple more large schools to move their football up.

VCU, Rhody, Maine, Villanova, ODU, UConn, Umass - that is a decent start to a regional football conference. I am sure I am missing a couple obvious schools that would fit in there too. Hell, Maybe Army would be interested in FB only in that group - pipe dream, but it is a landing spot leaves them 3 or 4 slots for Navy and a few other high profile OOCs?

UMASS has made the NCAA tournament ONCE this century and they haven’t had a winning season since 2014. They’re won one regular season championship since 1997, when Bill Clinton was sworn in for his second term.

Their football program has gone 19-75 since joining FBS, easily among the worst winning percentages in FBS since their 2013 move up.


Why exactly would the MAC or any FBS conference want to add them?