Stonehill
St Francis
Long Island
Wagner
Central Connecticut

Duquesne- not a full member
Merrimack- leaving as full members
Sacred Heart- leaving as full members

I can’t remember, but since the MAAC doesn’t sponsor football, I believe the 2 departing members will continue NEC football. Merrimack should be booted out though, after they bolted from the NEC at the first opportunity after the NEC sponsored them to join D1. Just my opinion.

Assuming Chicago State is successful in adding football soon, I still don’t know what route they will take. They could join the Pioneer League, or play in the NEC. If the NEC needed numbers (which it very well may) I believe Chicago State would go regular FCS scholarship to be a part of the conference. It’s likely already been decided by the NEC and Chicago State.

What is interesting, Duquesne and St Francis are both bus trips, which is a nice perk considering CSU is so far outside the main footprint of the league.

Pioneer League does offer even more, and shorter bus trips, but also longer flights.

It will be fun to watch the program take shape and learn all the details of what CSU football will look like.

I completely forgot, Robert Morris will be in the NEC for football moving forward as well.

https://northeastconference.org/news/202...er_23.aspx

That makes 3 Western Pennsylvania football schools, all bus trips from Chicago.

Assuming Chicago State football plays in the NEC, they will be the 8th member. Looking at scheduling, that will be either 3 or 4 conference home games per season. In addition, I’m confident Chicago can host at least one HBCU classic game per year and one HBCU non conference game. One may be D1 and one D2, however it works out.

Another feature of Chicago State football scheduling will almost certainly be another Illinois FCS school. Likely home and home opponent would include Eastern and Western. They are both close by, would like to play in Chicago, and have been good about scheduling Chicago in many sports over the years. SIU and ISU or possible as well.

Another almost certain opponent would be Valpo since it’s just a few miles away. But I’d also include other Midwest Pioneer League schools like Butler and Dayton on a secondary level after Valpo.

Making up a schedule, this is what it could look like with some made up teams outside of NEC teams-

Week 1- Central State (or local NAIA or D3 team) Home
2- Valpo Away
3- Western Illinois Home
4- Stonehill Away
5- CCSU Home
6- Robert Morris Away
7- Wagner Home
8- SWAC or MEAC opponent Home
9- Duquesne Away
10- St Francis Home
11- Long Island Away

In this hypothetical schedule, there would only be 2 flights. In alternate years, there may also only be 2 flights. Stonehill and LIU in the first year. Wagner and Central Connecticut in alternate years.

Another note- I would think that joining the NEC and having a football home available would hasten the fund raising and support for the football program. Those are several big question marks now filled in. The first question mark was “can Chicago State find a conference” while the second was “will football be required to find a home,” which is now mostly negated anyway.

A slightly different question is- Did Chicago State adding football contribute to NEC membership? And is establishing football a prerequisite for full NEC membership. I don’t know if they are full, permanent members, but I’m inclined to say no from the verbiage used.

I am inclined to believe that CSU is now planning for NEC football, while previously Pioneer seemed like a viable option as well. I also believe Chicago will gain full membership with the establishment of football. Reason being, the NEC is committed to being a FCS football conference, they have few potential football members in the Northeast that are potential members.