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Message: [QUOTE="huskymedic, post: 4687635, member: 549"] [URL unfurl="true"]https://www.inforum.com/sports/bison-media-zone/mens-sports/mcfeely-aac-commissioner-says-ndsu-football-outstanding-but-mum-on-bisons-chances-of-joining-league[/URL] -> FARGO — American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco made clear multiple times that he was not referring to any specific schools during our phone conversation last week, that he was only speaking in generalities. I requested an interview with Aresco to discuss the longshot possibility of North Dakota State joining the AAC in the next round of college conference realignment and the affable Aresco agreed, with the understanding that he wouldn't answer questions specifically about NDSU. "We don't discuss teams that might have an interest in our conference and where the interest might be reciprocated," Aresco said. "That said, I will say this: They have an outstanding program at the FCS level and it's been shown that FCS schools can move up and be successful in FBS. That's been shown by multiple schools. James Madison, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State a few years ago. "You've got a nice football program up there." <- -> That's a lot of "mights" to a moonshot scenario that already includes a ton of "ifs" and "buts," but if NDSU wants to move from the Football Championship Subdivision to the higher level FBS, the AAC is one of only a few leagues that would be a possibility. The Mountain West Conference and Conference USA would be others. Joining the AAC seems the most remote. For what it's worth, Bison head coach Matt Entz is on the record advocating for a spot in the AAC. "Just in terms of football, I think our best fit is the American," Entz told The Athletic web site in January. "From a geographical standpoint, there are (four) in Texas, plus Tulsa. Those are in the Central time zone and (others are) in the East, so it would fit for our fans and TV. From a travel standpoint, flying to Dallas is just as fast as Youngstown or Macomb, Illinois." <- -> On whether the conference would consider adding another football-only member, Aresco responds: “It's not something we would rule out by any means. You don't rule out anything, but right now we are focused on our incoming schools and we really don't have any expansion plans at the moment. But you never know." <- [/QUOTE]

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