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University of Massachusetts football to join Mid-American Conference, sources say
Published: Tuesday, April 19, 2011, 10:58 AM Updated: Tuesday, April 19, 2011, 11:00 AM
By Elton Alexander, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer
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The University of Massachusetts will join the Mid-American Conference for football starting in the 2012 season, according to sources.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The University of Massachusetts will be joining the Mid-American Conference for football only, according to sources within the league.

This ends months of speculation and MAC and UMass administrators are expected to hold a joint news conference Wednesday to announce the arrival of the Minutemen.

However, while UMass will begin MAC football play in 2012 it will not be eligible for a MAC title or bowl opportunities until 2013.

The Minutemen will give the league two "football only" members with UMass joining Temple, and expanding the league to 14 members in football. This is expected to be an open-ended deal with both teams. While UMass will not be joining the MAC in any other sport, like the Owls it will be obligated to play two home and two road basketball games with MAC men's and women's teams every season.

This move will give the MAC two, seven-team divisions. How those divisions will be divided will be a topic for discussion in the upcoming league meetings in May. The most likely move will be Bowling Green back to the MAC West, where the Falcons would be paired again with their natural rival, Toledo.

But there has also been some discussion of going to North and South Divisions, which could see several MAC teams have different division partners than in the past.

Well, I guess that's the "first" domino to fall. (JSU doesn't have an offer, so we can't count them as gone yet).

Nice kmowing ya, Col

Congrats to the Minutemen, hopefully we can send you out of FCS the same way we did the last time we played UConn.

dbackjon wrote:Nice kmowing ya, Col

You think Griz Nation could buy his fan support now that UMASS will no longer be around?

Sweet, we get to host a transitional MAC team in our first CAA season!

So CAA football in 2013 will be:

Scenario One: Villanova stays
Maine
UNH
Villanova
Delaware
Towson
William & Mary
JMU
ODU
Richmond
GA State

Scenario Two: Villanova Leaves.

Maine
UNH
Delaware
Towson
William & Mary
JMU
ODU
Richmond
GA State

- So if 'Nova stays, does the CAA go to geographic North-South divisions? And if 'Nova leaves, does the CAA look for a replacement? Or just play a round-robin schedule like the SoCon does?

U MASS to FBS.

Appy state next, Montana and NDSU after???

lakesbison wrote:U MASS to FBS.

Appy state next, Montana and NDSU after???

NDSU in the same sentence as APP St. and Montana. You are a riot.

advanced farther than both last year.

Fargo has 180,000 population, incredible amounts of money in the state with oil wells, high income, high attendence, oh it can be done.

NDSU only D1 university to have ALL 3 of its fall programs reach the NCAA national tournaments (football, volleyballl, soccer)

lakesbison wrote:advanced farther than both last year.

Fargo has 180,000 population, incredible amounts of money in the state with oil wells, high income, high attendence, oh it can be done.

NDSU only D1 university to have ALL 3 of its fall programs reach the NCAA national tournaments (football, volleyballl, soccer)

This thread is about UMASS. There are lots of NDSU threads or start one about NDSU's move up.

What's the timeline on Charlotte joining FCS again?

And this could spell bad news for the WAC. No Temple move, and an unlikely Nova move, pretty much just leaving the CUSA teams to expand the Big East.

I wasnt trying to turn it into NDSU... just answering your question grizz!

UMASS isnt really a shocker, they been good in basketball as well obviously.

Congrats to them for having the courage and conviction to get this done.

UMass basketball is staying in the (better) A-10 though

Glad I got my one trip to Amherst knocked out last fall.

'Twas nice knowing ya Dave! Keep in touch.

GA St. MBB Fan wrote:- So if 'Nova stays, does the CAA go to geographic North-South divisions? And if 'Nova leaves, does the CAA look for a replacement? Or just play a round-robin schedule like the SoCon does?

Yes, no, yes.

Any chance if Big East takes Temple that the MAC considers JSU?

I think UMASS will be successful in the MAC.

I'm wondering how much of a step up this is...

Delaware - 20,684
Temple - 20,515
Central Michigan - 20,448
Old Dominion - 19,782
Toledo - 19,333
Ohio - 19,046
Northern Illinois - 17,760
Georgia State - 16,750
James Madison - 16,597
Kent State - 16,152
Eastern Michigan - 15,885
Miami - 15,519
Western Michigan - 14,255
Bowling Green - 13,306
Massachusetts - 13,005
Buffalo - 12,981
William and Mary - 10,782
Akron - 10,185
Ball State - 8,947
Richmond - 8,567

1 PAC-10 (A) = 80.87
2 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 79.84
3 BIG 12 (A) = 75.42
4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 74.32
5 BIG TEN (A) = 74.18
6 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 73.88
7 BIG EAST (A) = 73.27
8 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.19
9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 66.63
10 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 63.09
11 COLONIAL (AA)= 61.81
12 SOUTHERN (AA)= 59.14
13 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 58.25

But hey, at least they'll be able to spend more on scholarships and maybe the state legislature will forget about shutting down the program.

All will be forgotten when they start booking annual non-conference games with UConn and BC.

All in all, this is good for college football in the northeast.

89Hen wrote:I'm wondering how much of a step up this is...

Not really sure, but in the long run, it does give UMass a stronger position for a BCS conference to notice them. But then again, I'm one who thinks that the BCS is not long for this world.

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:All will be forgotten IF they start booking annual non-conference games with UConn and BC.

All in all, this is good for college football in the northeast.

Think I fixed that for you. BCS programs have shown a patern of NOT playing (or not wanting to play till forced to) non-BCS FBS programs in their "local" recruiting zones. UConn and BC can't even agree to play each other so it would be a major coup if UMass can land either.

49RFootballNow wrote:

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:All will be forgotten IF they start booking annual non-conference games with UConn and BC.

All in all, this is good for college football in the northeast.

Think I fixed that for you. BCS programs have shown a patern of NOT playing (or not wanting to play till forced to) non-BCS FBS programs in their "local" recruiting zones. UConn and BC can't even agree to play each other so it would be a major coup if UMass can land either.

I could see both playing them at Gillette, having that option will be a nice advantage for UMass in their transition.

49RFootballNow wrote:

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:All will be forgotten IF they start booking annual non-conference games with UConn and BC.

All in all, this is good for college football in the northeast.

Think I fixed that for you. BCS programs have shown a patern of NOT playing (or not wanting to play till forced to) non-BCS FBS programs in their "local" recruiting zones. UConn and BC can't even agree to play each other so it would be a major coup if UMass can land either.

BC struggles to draw, even when they are good - building on some regional rivals would help them in the non-con season.

BC refuses to play UConn because UConn sued them over leaving the Big East for the ACC.

LastMinuteman wrote:BC refuses to play UConn because UConn sued them over leaving the Big East for the ACC.

Which has probably hurt BC more than UConn.