Illinois State to the MAC?

crazzymark

crazzymark

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MadBird said:
I don't doubt the MAC is looking to expand. I'm not sure I see the three mentioned as the most likely.

Youngstown State seems much more logical to me as a first add. Right there in MAC-land, good rivalries, etc. But they prolly coulda joined MAC many times over the years, and never have. Must be something there.

Hard for me to see NDSU leaving its Dakota brothers behind. Maybe I don't understand it that well. Those 4 have been together a long timeup:, thru thick and thin. Geography and rivalries make it seem to me unlikely anyone breaks out of it. Maybe I'm way off - maybe one or more are looking to carve their own way athletically.

Hard for me to think W.KY thinks MAC is better than what they have now. CUSA may be a good fit for them.

ISU, hard to say. Seems to me, overall, the current situation is a good fit. I don't see or feel the pressure to "move up" to FBS/MAC. Maybe I'm wrong, out of touch. But overall, the MAC would be a good fit, as far as the overall picture is concerned - midwest public universities, we've got a history with a few of them (CMU, Ball State, NIU), similar sizes and academc programs.

I don't know how it would work financially. Not just where to get the dough to pay to the NCAA for their extortion, but the extra schollies. I'd hate to see our other programs "suffer" for the sake of moving up. I think the basketball would be pretty competitive for us, maybe a chance to "move up" there, but Toledo is always good, CMU and WMU are pretty good, Miami and Ohio U and Buffalo have been pretty decent. Our natural rivals in DeKalb.

I'd support it I guess, even tho over the years I've been happy with FCS/MVFC and MVC for the rest.
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like I said before they went to Chicago area Market team Illinois state is the best option. besides already have three teams from Ohio already in the MAC
 
S

ScoreboardDotRace

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I can already sense the buzz on campus for a Tuesday night game at Hancock against Western Michigan.

Going from the 9th rated basketball conference to the 22nd also is a pretty significant drop too.

A layout of pros and cons would be interesting, since honestly I don’t see much beyond the surface.
 
I

ISUBird

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ScoreboardDotRace said:
I can already sense the buzz on campus for a Tuesday night game at Hancock against Western Michigan.

Going from the 9th rated basketball conference to the 22nd also is a pretty significant drop too.

A layout of pros and cons would be interesting, since honestly I don’t see much beyond the surface.
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24th

Conference NET Ranking - 2024 Men's College Basketball | WarrenNolan.com

2024 Men's College Basketball Conference NET - a ranking of conference based on the average NET Ranking of the teams in the conference.
www.warrennolan.com www.warrennolan.com
 
StLRedbird

StLRedbird

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ISUBird said:
Let's say that everyone agreed we needed to move up. Does it make sense to move in the next few years when they could make another split like 1978 or if our plans are to move up should we do it ASAP because of that?
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I think of it this way. There are three constituencies involved (FCS,G5,P5), with FCS being just interested bystanders. So I would prefer to go into this whatever-its-going-to-be as a part of the G5 than FCS. But make no mistake, it's all about the P5 or BCS or the semi pro level or whatever. Since G5 is an acknowledged feed ramp into the BCS, I think we're part of a group with a seat at the table, however small.
 
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Seven

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isuquinndog said:
That's our secret to returning to the NCAA tournament. Just drop down 15 spots or so in conference strength.
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Yeah, I have no interest leaving the #9 conference for the #24 conference for the glory of 30-degree weeknight games in front of 3k people.

If the P2 want to split, it's naive to think they want to bring the MAC with. The lower end FBS conferences are exactly who they want to split from.
 
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Baltimore Bird

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We are without a permanent President and AD. I don't see anything happening very quickly.
From a rivalry standpoint, I would be against it. But, if a move to the MAC would enhance our University, I am for it.
The logic and arguments I saw above don't convince me it would be a good move, but I will keep an open mind.
 
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topiarydan

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If MVC is again a one team league in hoops then F the Valley - I'd much rather go see us play NIU or Miami Ohio than go see us play Evansville or even UIC or Valpo.
 
fourthandshort

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Baltimore Bird said:
We are without a permanent President and AD. I don't see anything happening very quickly.
From a rivalry standpoint, I would be against it. But, if a move to the MAC would enhance our University, I am for it.
The logic and arguments I saw above don't convince me it would be a good move, but I will keep an open mind.
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For me, the best argument is what happens if MVFC starts to break up because of all the other changes to D-I landscape and economics .. programs start thinking, what's next ?

We don't want to be first out the door ... but that would still be way better than being last out the door or even latter half out the door. if it starts to look like MVFC is losing Dakotas, or maybe a few others like UNI or SIU, that would be a strong signal to find our best option. Not so much if it is a YSU or MoST or even ISUb. But we need to be ahead of curve as to the MVFC tipping point .. if it is going to happen at some point. And we know it won't last forever .. it never does.
 
StLRedbird

StLRedbird

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Seven said:
This is a nobody. A random twitter user is not a source.
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Yeah, but is that really important? If he's right about the MAC being open to new members, that is not always the case. In fact, I don't think that window has been open for a while. The real question is do we throw our hats into the ring if there is slot to slide into?
 
B

BirdGrad2011

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I think there’s something to it. Do I think we are jumping? Hell if I know. We would align really well with MAC schools academically and it’d probably be a very solid move in that regard. It’d help football. Basketball would be the only negative. Idk if anything can happen while we don’t have a president or AD. 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
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