UMass is leaving the MAC

Max11 · Post by **Max11** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:08 pm

njumass08 wrote:I'm really thinking it's going to be Sun Belt for Football Only in 2016.

I don't see us ever getting into the AAC while UConn is still there. They'll block us.

Nobody will ever be able to convince me that Sun Belt is better than being in the old CAA for football.

Louisiana-Lafayette
Arkansas State
Western Kentucky
Louisiana-Monroe
South Alabama
Troy
Texas State
Georgia State

No Thanks.

njumass08 · Post by **njumass08** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:09 pm

Appalachian State is now in the Sun Belt, as well as our old rivals Georgia Southern.

It would be an interesting league to be in.

Puffton395 · Post by **Puffton395** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:11 pm

njumass08 wrote:Appalachian State is now in the Sun Belt, as well as our old rivals Georgia Southern.

It would be an interesting league to be in.

If you played in the south.

njumass08 · Post by **njumass08** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:13 pm

This could be the 2016 Sun Belt

UMass
Arkansas State,
Georgia State,
Louisiana-Lafayette,
Louisiana-Monroe,
South Alabama,
Texas State,
Troy,
Idaho
New Mexico State,
Georgia Southern
Appalachian State

I'll give the Sun Belt one thing. They do have better fan support for football than the MAC.

SJGMoney · Post by **SJGMoney** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:15 pm

It's going to be us and Buffalo added to the AAC. UConn is going nowhere and they are not going to block us, I believe they are on board with us joining no problem. Two divisions, North and South of 7 teams each, bingo.

Max11 · Post by **Max11** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:16 pm

At least the MAC made some sense geographically. Playing Southern Alabama, Texas State, and Idaho every year would be a joke.

njumass08 · Post by **njumass08** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:16 pm

I hope you know something SJG. That would be perfect.

photoman · Post by **photoman** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:16 pm

njumass08 wrote:This could be the 2016 Sun Belt

UMass
Arkansas State,
Georgia State,
Louisiana-Lafayette,
Louisiana-Monroe,
South Alabama,
Texas State,
Western Kentucky
Troy,
Idaho
New Mexico State,
Georgia Southern
Appalachian State

I'll give the Sun Belt one thing. They do have better fan support for football than the MAC.

...and I thought Buffalo was a little out fo the way! Part of developing a rivalry is being located closer than 1500 miles away.

Max11 · Post by **Max11** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:18 pm

SJGMoney wrote:It's going to be us and Buffalo added to the AAC. UConn is going nowhere and they are not going to block us, I believe they are on board with us joining no problem. Two divisions, North and South of 7 teams each, bingo.

Agree that I don't see UConn voting against us. If anything, they need MORE regional rivals now to keep their various programs relevant long-term.

Also could see UB being a candidate. They have a pretty well-funded and well-supported athletic department, and play in a (relatively) large market in Western NY. Sign me up for that plan!

photoman · Post by **photoman** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:18 pm

SJGMoney wrote:It's going to be us and Buffalo added to the AAC. UConn is going nowhere and they are not going to block us, I believe they are on board with us joining no problem. Two divisions, North and South of 7 teams each, bingo.

You said that with "doberman-like" confidence....and I hope you're onto something! What a great move that would be!

dingo38 · Post by **dingo38** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:19 pm

Not to mention a spot in the AAC with teams like SMU and UCF and USF, in my opinion, keeps you in the running for whatever the next evolution of the playoff system comes. I would think those Florida schools with the talent in their backyard and a Dallas connection wouldn't be left out.

I get what UofM is saying about not needing to expand but that doesn't mean they won't. I mean did the Big10 really NEED to add Rutgers and Maryland? I think the conferences, the bigger ones, are just gobbling up any team they think can add, even slightly, to their image or appeal.

Mark W · Post by **Mark W** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:20 pm

UofMTigers wrote:
njumass08 wrote:I'm really thinking it's going to be Sun Belt for Football Only in 2016.

I don't see us ever getting into the AAC while UConn is still there. They'll block us.
One vote cant block you...but at the same time there's no pressing need on our end to add UMass.

Our Memphis friend is correct. What incentive does the AAC have to add UMass. Once Tulsa, Tulane and ECU are in, I believe they have a fairly balanced basketball conference and a very workable football conference with Navy in for football only. Although the TV revenue is better than where we are, it is not so lucrative that the conference will add teams just for the sake of adding them and diluting that pot of money.
If UMass expects an invite from the AAC, we've got 2 years to prove to them that we will be an asset.

UMass2FBS · Post by **UMass2FBS** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:20 pm

I can't see how we would be playing in the Sun Belt for Football only. Why would they want us for football only. The MAC made a little more sense because at the time we joined both Buffalo and Temple were in the MAC. But chances are that the Sun Belt would want to do what the MAC wanted us to do, join for all sports, which clearly we are not doing.

A deal with the AAC must be in the works. My guess is that we can thank the Hoops team's performance this season for that.

photoman · Post by **photoman** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:21 pm

Max11 wrote:
SJGMoney wrote:It's going to be us and Buffalo added to the AAC. UConn is going nowhere and they are not going to block us, I believe they are on board with us joining no problem. Two divisions, North and South of 7 teams each, bingo.
Agree that I don't see UConn voting against us. If anything, they need MORE regional rivals now to keep their various programs relevant long-term.

Also could see UB being a candidate. They have a pretty well-funded and well-supported athletic department, and play in a (relatively) large market in Western NY. Sign me up for that plan!

That would turn UB into one of our furthest geographic competitors rather than our closest as they are now. Could live with that.

njumass08 · Post by **njumass08** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:23 pm

Just FYI.

Sun Belt fans have been hearing rumors that we're heading to their conference for football only.

http://www.csnbbs.com/thread-683847.html