UMass leaving the MAC

[Big12Mustang]

BYU/New Mexico

That could work too..

[East Coast Mustang]

We will never get into the B12 unless Texas, Tech, OU, and OSU leave for Pac 12

[Big12Mustang]

We will never get into the B12 unless Texas, Tech, OU, and OSU leave for Pac 12

You could scratch up a leftover conference and still keep the bowl contract. You would probably replace the UT/OU combo with SMU/UH and then grab UCF and UConn. Still at ten, so add BYU and Boise and you have a power conference in both sports.

[Charleston Pony]

I don't like the idea of "one sport only" members (yes, I'm referring to Navy) and UMass might appeal to UConn & Temple in particular as an eastern member. For those who think UMass football is so far beneath us, have you taken a look in the mirror lately? SMU football is a joke on a national level and there are not many programs that we could associate with that could bring us down any further.

[PoconoPony]

I don't like the idea of "one sport only" members (yes, I'm referring to Navy) and UMass might appeal to UConn & Temple in particular as an eastern member. For those who think UMass football is so far beneath us, have you taken a look in the mirror lately? SMU football is a joke on a national level and there are not many programs that we could associate with that could bring us down any further.

I just hate the truth.

[mustangxc]

I just think that we need to maximize what we are, a power basketball conference that plays FBS football.

Unfortunately, that was the mindset that brought down the Big East in the first place

Actually, the Big East unravelled because there were football schools and basketball only schools. There aren't any football powerhouses to absorb, but there are solid hoops teams like UMASS that have FBS teams. If adding them adds strength to basketball, which is the only other revenue sport then I am in favor. I don't think there is anyone else out there worth grabbing, but I would rather have UMASS than Navy so that we can have 12 all-sports members. Having football only and basketball only schools splinters the group.

[Baylorbears11]

I don't really see what value UMASS would bring to the AAC. They don't really seem to fit the profile for AAC schools imo.

The AAC is compromised of either:

1. Schools that have a rich football history/tradition profile that have been left out of the BCS conferences:
SMU
Houston
Navy
Tulane
Cincinatti
Temple

2. Relative Newcomer Schools with great potential
UConn
UCF
USF
ECU
Memphis
Tulsa

3. Large Metro Area Schools
Houston
SMU
Cincy
Memphis
UCF
USF

Its a bit of a hodgepodge but its a good mix of schools with various storylines and appeals. It makes the conference very fun to follow.

The problem with UMass is that it doesn't seem to fit in any of these profiles. It doesn't really have much history to my knowledge. They just moved up from the FCS in 2012, I don't see how they expect to be up to par by 2015. It isn't really a large metroarea school because it is not only distant but is also below Boston College in the Boston pecking order. There might be an argument for growth potential but it doesn't seem to be sat on the same level as the rest.

If the American wants to expand it should look at completing the Military set with Air Force and Army, or if you want to stay east looking at Southern Miss and Northern Illinois. I think there are some good MWC programs along with BYU that might be interesting, however I doubt most would jump seeing as that conference is pretty well established by now.

[Big12Mustang]

I don't really see what value UMASS would bring to the AAC. They don't really seem to fit the profile for AAC schools imo.

The AAC is compromised of either:

1. Schools that have a rich football history/tradition profile that have been left out of the BCS conferences:
SMU
Houston
Navy
Tulane
Cincinatti
Temple

2. Relative Newcomer Schools with great potential
UConn
UCF
USF
ECU
Memphis
Tulsa

3. Large Metro Area Schools
Houston
SMU
Cincy
Memphis
UCF
USF

Its a bit of a hodgepodge but its a good mix of schools with various storylines and appeals. It makes the conference very fun to follow.

The problem with UMass is that it doesn't seem to fit in any of these profiles. It doesn't really have much history to my knowledge. They just moved up from the FCS in 2012, I don't see how they expect to be up to par by 2015. It isn't really a large metroarea school because it is not only distant but is also below Boston College in the Boston pecking order. There might be an argument for growth potential but it doesn't seem to be sat on the same level as the rest.

If the American wants to expand it should look at completing the Military set with Air Force and Army, or if you want to stay east looking at Southern Miss and Northern Illinois. I think there are some good MWC programs along with BYU that might be interesting, however I doubt most would jump seeing as that conference is pretty well established by now.

Although that does look okay if we do stay in this conference...I am one of the folks that greatly prefers that we abandon ship towards a real conference (Big 12, B1G, ACC). This conference will not last long when Cincy and UConn jump to the ACC, and I am adamantly against adding other schools from CUSA.