Miami of Ohio facing financial challenges which could affect MAC membership

[Go...gate]

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20100827/NEWS0102/8280313/0/SPT/Report-calls-for-broad-changes-at-MU

I bet they are not the only MAC program so troubled.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

This certaintly could relate to FCS so i'm not sure where they want it placed. If nothing else we covered both bases.

[Sader87]

They might actually be a good fit for the PL....interesting to think about.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

They might actually be a good fit for the PL....interesting to think about.

If Miami was located in Eastern OH then i would say it's at least worth a thought. But, since it's not i can't see it ever being considered.

[Go...gate]

They might actually be a good fit for the PL....interesting to think about.

Talk about a fine athletic/academic mix - the "Cradle of Coaches" would be a great addition to the PL.

Colgate's new President was previously at Miami of Ohio.

[DFW HOYA]

The Patriot paradox: it wants schools that are not interested, but does not want the schools that are interested.

[darell1976]

I could see Kent or Eastern Michigan following Miami. The MAC is a joke of a conference especially in football. Attendance is horrible and now with budget problems popping up a realignment could be in order.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

I could see Kent or Eastern Michigan following Miami. The MAC is a joke of a conference especially in football. Attendance is horrible and now with budget problems popping up a realignment could be in order.

Which is why Temple needs to get out. Temple as an institution is thriving right now while it's "peers" in the MAC are dwindling. Thankfully we still have our roots in the A10 with schools like Richmond, GWU, Xavier etc. I wish we could pair up with Buffalo and try to force our away in to the BE again.

[leatherneck177]

Good find, interesting article. I guarantee several schools in the MAC are looking over their options. Several of them would be much better suited for FCS.

[LakesBison]

NDSU to the MAC, we recruit vs all MAC schools in wisc/illinois/minneapolis

[darell1976]

NDSU to the MAC, we recruit vs all MAC schools in wisc/illinois/minneapolis

So if Duke leaves you think NDSU should go to the ACC? First Big 12, then WAC, now MAC...I think there are far more qualified teams in the FCS to take Miami's place than NDSU.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

So if Duke leaves you think NDSU should go to the ACC? First Big 12, then WAC, now MAC...I think there are far more qualified teams in the FCS to take Miami's place than NDSU.

Note the downward trend? xlolx

[JBB]

NDSU would be a good fit in the MAC. We would be a top 5 program and our stadium size is fairly typical. Miami of Ohio to the MVFC and maybe, just maybe NDSU to the MAC?

Even it NDSU never got the MAC invite, which is by definition a long shot, Miami of Ohio would look very nice in the MVFC. I would expand the league for them. Good fit geographically for the core members of the conference and a great high profile team in the league.

[darell1976]

NDSU would be a good fit in the MAC. We would be a top 5 program and our stadium size is fairly typical. Miami of Ohio to the MVFC and maybe, just maybe NDSU to the MAC?

Even it NDSU never got the MAC invite, which is by definition a long shot, Miami of Ohio would look very nice in the MVFC. I would expand the league for them. Good fit geographically for the core members of the conference and a great high profile team in the league.

A nice partner for Youngstown and Indiana St.

[Western_101]

NDSU would be a good fit in the MAC. We would be a top 5 program and our stadium size is fairly typical. Miami of Ohio to the MVFC and maybe, just maybe NDSU to the MAC?

Even it NDSU never got the MAC invite, which is by definition a long shot, Miami of Ohio would look very nice in the MVFC. I would expand the league for them. Good fit geographically for the core members of the conference and a great high profile team in the league.

I really have a hard time seeing the attraction of wanting membership in the MAC? Seems like a lateral move into FBS obscurity. no playoffs no championships,

[darell1976]

I really have a hard time seeing the attraction of wanting membership in the MAC? Seems like a lateral move into FBS obscurity. no playoffs no championships,

A MAC title and a not so popular Bowl Game.

[LakesBison]

think small be small, thats your motto, not ours.

[JBB]

I really have a hard time seeing the attraction of wanting membership in the MAC? Seems like a lateral move into FBS obscurity. no playoffs no championships,

I think, for NDSU, it is the chance to have all of the regional Land Grants and Universities that started up about the time we did come to Fargo. Fargo is a ripe market for FBS football. NDSU was at the formation meetings of the BIG 10 but we were just too small to fit in. The NCC was born with schools of similar size. Now we are big enough, even if just barely. We struck our first blow against the invincible reputation when we beat Minnesota. FBS football would hit Fargo like the NFL.

Saragin has the MAC at #13 and the MVFC at #15. Its a step we could make.

The MVFC is doing very well in Fargo too.

[WestCoastAggie]

A nice partner for Youngstown and Indiana St.

And brings the Cinci Metro into the MVFC Footprint which could mean increased TV Revenue.

[darell1976]

NDSU would be a good fit in the MAC. We would be a top 5 program and our stadium size is fairly typical. Miami of Ohio to the MVFC and maybe, just maybe NDSU to the MAC?

Even it NDSU never got the MAC invite, which is by definition a long shot, Miami of Ohio would look very nice in the MVFC. I would expand the league for them. Good fit geographically for the core members of the conference and a great high profile team in the league.

Would this be just for football or could NDSU get in for all sports. The MAC would be a step up from the Summit.

[JBB]

I think Miami of Ohio makes a much better fit in todays MVFC than NDSU makes in the MAC. I hope they do take up the FCS option. It would add a lot to our league. That of course would only take care of their football but they could shop the MVC, Summit and well whomever?

[SO ILLmatic]

The Redhawks would play in the MVFC for football and probably the Horizon, with YSU, for all other sports.

But this is just a ploy to get the boosters and donors to pump some more cash into the program. There are programs in the MAC which are facing more hardships than Miami U - I'm looking at the E Michigans & the Ball States of the conference.

I also read somewhere that this is Temple's last year of their football only agreement with the MAC. So they are definitely looking at their options for next year. A solid year in the MAC this year will open the eyes of a conference like C-USA - but a less than stellar outcome will more than likely keep them in a 13 team MAC for 2011 and the foreseeable future.

[Sycamore51]

I think if one or two schools leave the MAC then the MVC/MVFC would be a good fit, depending on how far east they are. I'd take a Ball State, NIU, Miami, or the Michigan schools in the MVC/MVFC. I'd like to see 12 teams in the MVC full time and would much rather have those schools than some of the other names brought up. Plus a couple of those schools would make ISU more centralized and not on the eastern edge of the conference.

[Big Al]

I think, for NDSU, it is the chance to have all of the regional Land Grants and Universities that started up about the time we did come to Fargo. Fargo is a ripe market for FBS football. NDSU was at the formation meetings of the BIG 10 but we were just too small to fit in. The NCC was born with schools of similar size.

So the puffery goes back that far?! :p;):p


Now we are big enough, even if just barely. We struck our first blow against the invincible reputation when we beat Minnesota. FBS football would hit Fargo like the NFL.

While I grant you Fargo would go apes#!t for FBS (and especially BCS football), I question that you're even barely big enough -- remember, Iowa is at the small end of the scale for Big Ten conference and Iowa State is barely holding on in the Big XII. The MAC may be more realistic, but I don't see where NDSU has any sort of advantage over other teams in the conference.

Also, I doubt NDSU can consistently beat Minnesota -- UNI hasn't beaten Iowa in over 100 years and Iowa State (who is Minnesota-grade awful) still holds a winning record over UNI. You remember Iowa State, don't you? They gave you a 35-17 shellacking to start last year. That will be the norm, not the exception when dealing with FBS teams.

If it weren't for several heavy-hitter, multi-million dollar donors, I don't think Iowa would have the resources to compete like they do in the Big Ten. NDSU would simply be dwarfed at that level. Does NDSU have a group of donors lined up who can give multi-million dollar support on an annual basis? If not, you'd be hard-pressed to make a name for yourselves in the MAC, much less anywhere else.

[darell1976]

So the puffery goes back that far?! :p;):p



While I grant you Fargo would go apes#!t for FBS (and especially BCS football), I question that you're even barely big enough -- remember, Iowa is at the small end of the scale for Big Ten conference and Iowa State is barely holding on in the Big XII. The MAC may be more realistic, but I don't see where NDSU has any sort of advantage over other teams in the conference.

Also, I doubt NDSU can consistently beat Minnesota -- UNI hasn't beaten Iowa in over 100 years and Iowa State (who is Minnesota-grade awful) still holds a winning record over UNI. You remember Iowa State, don't you? They gave you a 35-17 shellacking to start last year. That will be the norm, not the exception when dealing with FBS teams.

If it weren't for several heavy-hitter, multi-million dollar donors, I don't think Iowa would have the resources to compete like they do in the Big Ten. NDSU would simply be dwarfed at that level. Does NDSU have a group of donors lined up who can give multi-million dollar support on an annual basis? If not, you'd be hard-pressed to make a name for yourselves in the MAC, much less anywhere else.

Just a side note on that comment...Minnesota went 1-11 the year NDSU won, and that was one of the best teams NDSU had in a long time.

[leatherneck177]

NDSU to the MAC, we recruit vs all MAC schools in wisc/illinois/minneapolis

Everyone in the MVFC recruits against MAC schools.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Odd that nobody has thought of the most obvious solution: the MAC downgrades to an FCS conference, and *perhaps* the biggest fish in that conference (Temple, Buffalo, maybe Ohio U.) look C-USA or Big East. More likely, though, they all go down as one (with the exception of Temple, who would probably beg and plead to get back into the Big East).

But this seems more like a scare tactic than anything else. Miami (OH) is actually one of the healthier schools in the MAC, and if they feel like FCS football would threaten their status as a basketball mid-major, they will never downgrade.

[Sycamore51]

I don't see how it would downgrade their basketball. The MVC is a better basketball league than the MAC is as is the A-10, and all of their football playing schools, except Temple, are FCS. Several of those schools are even non scholarship. The MAC is a terrible basketball league!

[Sader87]

It will probably never, ever happen...but my guess is that there would be a fair contingent at Miami (OH) who would rather go to a scholarship football Patriot League than the MVFC. It would give the school both a bigger foot-print in the Northeast and a boost to its academic prestige.

[JBB]

NDSU is 3-3 vs FBS. Thats a 22 scholarship difference and UND quit playing NDSU because of an 18 scholarship difference. The Iowa State game was plagued by the NDSU fumble at the goal line (truly a game changer), but Iowa State owned NDSU all the way. It was a good warm-up game for them and us. We had 210 yds rushing against them but they got about 450 total on the BISON holding NDSU to 3-14 third down conversions.

If things break well for NDSU and the defense is better we can give some good competition to Kansas. Winning is unlikely. We just don't have the depth. This is nothing like a game against a 1-11 Minnesota or a weak Idaho team. If NDSU had the same number of scholarships I would feel better. I think they are the best team NDSU has ever played.

I like the idea of the MAC moving most of its schools down. They fit the FCS profile with regards to attendance and they could cut their athletic budgets and still be right in the hunt in the smaller division.

[bkrownd]

Odd that nobody has thought of the most obvious solution: the MAC downgrades to an FCS conference

These schools would drop football before they'd move to FCS. The MAC is their tradition which keeps them going for whatever it's worth, and if it collapses most of the programs would fold or limp off to other conferences. Either they play with the big boys in the bowl league for what pride it does give them in the odd successful year, or they don't play at all.

[LakesBison]

Montana and NDSU travel partners to the MAC?