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The Mid-American Conference (MAC) and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) jointly announced today that the 2015 football season will be the final year for UMass as a football-only member of the MAC.



“UMass has been a valued partner during its brief time within our Conference, however the 2014 and 2015 seasons will be the final two football seasons for UMass as a football-only member in the MAC,” said MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon Steinbrecher.



The MAC announced the addition of UMass as a football-only member on April 20, 2011, which brought MAC football membership to 14 universities. At the time of the addition of UMass to the MAC, the Minutemen joined Temple as the two football-only MAC members and evened MAC football membership to 14 universities and brought balance to the East and West Divisions in football.



However, less than one year later, Temple unexpectedly departed for the Big East Conference in all sports in March of 2012. Temple and the MAC reached an agreement for Temple to depart the MAC immediately on March 7, 2012. Temple’s departure left the MAC with 13 football members.



The agreement between the MAC and UMass contained a contractual clause that offered UMass a choice of becoming a full member for all sports or to remain a football-only member for two more years. The MAC Council of Presidents exercised this clause on February 17, 2014 and UMass was offered full membership. UMass elected to use the 2014 and 2015 seasons to conclude its football-only membership with the MAC.


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No mention of where they are headed??

I'm going to guess Sunbelt.

AZGrizFan wrote:I'm going to guess Sunbelt.

Big step down from A10 other sports and sideways in football. Would be surprised if that were it.

AAC?

UMass had to leave the MAC because taking our Basketball team to the MAC would be a major step down from the A-10...

Associate CAA membership?

SuperHornet wrote:Associate CAA membership?

CAA doesn't have football and would be a step down for basketball

UMass says they'll will stay FBS. Seems the only two options are Indy or SBC. I could see Sun Belt for football as an excuse to add NMSU oly sports. Dark days for UMass football. They are now like Idaho.

slycat wrote:UMass says they'll will stay FBS. Seems the only two options are Indy or SBC. I could see Sun Belt for football as an excuse to add NMSU oly sports. Dark days for UMass football. They are now like Idaho.

they wish they were Idaho right now

clenz wrote:

slycat wrote:UMass says they'll will stay FBS. Seems the only two options are Indy or SBC. I could see Sun Belt for football as an excuse to add NMSU oly sports. Dark days for UMass football. They are now like Idaho.

they wish they were Idaho right now

I really do feel sorry for the fanbases of schools that made the jump into non-relevance.

Col Hogan wrote:

SuperHornet wrote:Associate CAA membership?

CAA doesn't have football and would be a step down for basketball

Say what?

SuperHornet wrote:

Col Hogan wrote:CAA doesn't have football and would be a step down for basketball

Say what?

FBS football,,,I forgot FBS...there is no turning back, at least not this soon...

Still don't understand why the loose group of Temple, UMass, Buffalo, maybe Villanova, Delaware, JMU, etc don't make a lower-tier FBS football conference. Maybe you could pilfer some marquee names like Army or Navy and make it even more legit. And no riff-raff like ODU. JMU is probably as far down in the barrel you'd want to scrape. Gotta keep standards up and whatnot. Just thinking out loud. I'm sure the dream is easily squashed by reality.

93henfan wrote:Still don't understand why the loose group of Temple, UMass, Buffalo, maybe Villanova, Delaware, JMU, etc don't make a lower-tier FBS football conference. Maybe you could pilfer some marquee names like Army or Navy and make it even more legit. And no riff-raff like ODU. JMU is probably as far down in the barrel you'd want to scrape. Gotta keep standards up and whatnot. Just thinking out loud. I'm sure the dream is easily squashed by reality.

Yeah. You wouldn't want schools in that conference that actually draw a crowd.

AZGrizFan wrote:

93henfan wrote:Still don't understand why the loose group of Temple, UMass, Buffalo, maybe Villanova, Delaware, JMU, etc don't make a lower-tier FBS football conference. Maybe you could pilfer some marquee names like Army or Navy and make it even more legit. And no riff-raff like ODU. JMU is probably as far down in the barrel you'd want to scrape. Gotta keep standards up and whatnot. Just thinking out loud. I'm sure the dream is easily squashed by reality.

Yeah. You wouldn't want schools in that conference that actually draw a crowd.

Army, Navy, UD, JMU draw MAC+ sized crowds.

Col Hogan wrote:

SuperHornet wrote:
Say what?

FBS football,,,I forgot FBS...there is no turning back, at least not this soon...

Why not, UMass did it once before, didn't they? Or am I thinking of DelSt?

89Hen wrote:

Col Hogan wrote:
FBS football,,,I forgot FBS...there is no turning back, at least not this soon...

Why not, UMass did it once before, didn't they? Or am I thinking of DelSt?

Nova?

kalm wrote:

89Hen wrote: Why not, UMass did it once before, didn't they? Or am I thinking of DelSt?

Nova?

No, more recently. Somebody declared they were going I-A and then changed their minds.

Liberty?

93henfan wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:

Yeah. You wouldn't want schools in that conference that actually draw a crowd.

Army, Navy, UD, JMU draw MAC+ sized crowds.

Well, you made it sound like taking JMU was just sliiiiiiiiiiiiiightly above "riff raff"....Putting JMU and ODU into a new lower-tier FBS football conference would immediately make those two the highest attended games in the conference (outside of Navy).

AZGrizFan wrote:

93henfan wrote:

Army, Navy, UD, JMU draw MAC+ sized crowds.

Well, you made it sound like taking JMU was just sliiiiiiiiiiiiiightly above "riff raff"....Putting JMU and ODU into a new lower-tier FBS football conference would immediately make those two the highest attended games in the conference (outside of Navy).

Delaware as well. Don't forget that up until the last couple of years, UD had the longest running streak of 20,000+ average attendance in FCS. Hens fans are just waiting for something to be hopeful for. JMU fans had hope but their attendance sagged last year. ODU has a smaller stadium, so I'm not sure if they average 20k or not. I think they're close.

89Hen wrote:

kalm wrote:
Nova?

No, more recently. Somebody declared they were going I-A and then changed their minds.

FAMU

dbackjon wrote:

89Hen wrote: No, more recently. Somebody declared they were going I-A and then changed their minds.

FAMU

That might have been it. I'm getting senile.

FAMU declared I-A then relented.
DSU said they were looking at I-A but when the laughter stopped they relented.
UMass said they were dropping football and then relented.

Maybe that's it.

93henfan wrote:Still don't understand why the loose group of Temple, UMass, Buffalo, maybe Villanova, Delaware, JMU, etc don't make a lower-tier FBS football conference. Maybe you could pilfer some marquee names like Army or Navy and make it even more legit. And no riff-raff like ODU. JMU is probably as far down in the barrel you'd want to scrape. Gotta keep standards up and whatnot. Just thinking out loud. I'm sure the dream is easily squashed by reality.

I saw that.