Yeah, I should've said "almost" always at the MAC home stadiums. If I've got it right Youngstown State played six games against MAC teams 1997-2004 and the MAC teams were at home in five of them. I wouldn't be surprised if no other Gateway teams got MAC teams to go play them at Gateway stadiums during the period.

The main point is that the Gateway and MAC are of comparable strength but the Big 10 and MAC are not. People tend to notice the relatively rare instances in which MAC teams get upsets against the Big 10 but if you look at the whole record it's mostly Big 10 blowouts. Last year Sagarin had the Gateway rated at 51.30, the MAC at 55.69, and the Big 10 at 75.63. See what I mean? If you're looking at it from a Big 10 perspective where your conference on average is 20 to 25 points better than either of them there's not a whole lot of difference between them from your perspective. Not in real, on the field terms.

As for the rule on no I-AAs on the road...there was a time when I'd have said what I REALLY think about that but I'm trying to be a kinder, gentler John nowdays.