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UMass > MAC for all sports in 2025-2026

Is it possible for UConn to survive in FBS as the only true independent (not named Notre Dame)? It seems we will find out in 2025. I think we can. I don't see the MAC as a great fit for UMass at all, but who knows.
 
so we will soon be the only FBS independent! ND is an exception. Crazy.
 
UMass basketball fans will hate this. There is not 1 "basketball school" in the MAC with any kind of history. It's an OH and MI league that no one will care about. I know several fans/boosters and one of them is pretty significant who may pull his donations. Mid major league a step below the A10 for hoops. And no one goes to their football games anyway
 
Vuce said:
UMass basketball fans will hate this. There is not 1 "basketball school" in the MAC with any kind of history. It's an OH and MI league that no one will care about. I know several fans/boosters and one of them is pretty significant who may pull his donations. Mid major league a step below the A10 for hoops. And no one goes to their football games anyway
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I agree 100% with this view. Regarding MAC football, it's a fun league to watch on a tuesday night in late october, but if you watch enough of the broadcasts you start to notice that the crowd sizes are quite small unless you are looking at the few regional rivalry games (directional michigan schools, ohio schools). To me the real problem with it is you give up two or three saturday games on your home schedule for the mid-week games with opponents that will not draw.
 
This might get marketed as a pro-football move, but it's really just an admission that the basketball program has no remaining value. I know there's some optimism there now with Frank Martin, but the A-10 is a shell of its former self and they must know it's only going to get worse as the power leagues gain more power.

This seems like one last Hail Mary to get the football engine going, with the intent to drop or downgrade the program if and when it doesn't work. They can always go back to the A-10.
 
CashewCrew said:
I feel like they don’t need to add, I think they have 15 full members so dropping to 14 isn’t a huge deal
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There were rumors that VCU was looking to leave. That would make things pretty interesting. URI has a built in home in America East if they wanted out if the momentum starts going the wrong way
 
UMass football going back to the MAC! The MAC kicked them out before with an ultimatum --- join in all sports or nothing at all. Looks like they finally decided to join in all sports.

UMass - Buffalo will be a nice regional rivalry and likely travel partner for Olympic sports.

Will the MAC add another to stay at even numbers? Western Kentucky has wanted in the MAC for years. It almost happened about 2 years ago, to join with MTSU, but MTSU decided not to, so the MAC didn't offer WKU either.

Or will the MAC stay on their East coast swing and add an East Coast school? An FCS move up perhaps? Delaware would have been perfect instead of joining the randomly spread out across America Conference USA.
 
XStorrsion said:
Surprised they didn't originally grab Delaware as a UMass partner if this was in the works
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Think the issue is that Delaware has eyes on the AAC and in the footprint. Secondly, Delaware is nothing special for basketball and outside the MAC footprint.
 
Rufus said:
UMass football going back to the MAC! The MAC kicked them out before with an ultimatum --- join in all sports or nothing at all. Looks like they finally decided to join in all sports.

UMass - Buffalo will be a nice regional rivalry and likely travel partner for Olympic sports.

Will the MAC add another to stay at even numbers? Western Kentucky has wanted in the MAC for years. It almost happened about 2 years ago, to join with MTSU, but MTSU decided not to, so the MAC didn't offer WKU either.

Or will the MAC stay on their East coast swing and add an East Coast school? An FCS move up perhaps? Delaware would have been perfect instead of joining the randomly spread out across America Conference USA.
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The answer to these questions of course is best answered with another question - who cares? The UMass fan base doesnt care about football at all. They don't draw and they will draw less in the MAC. The A10 isn't what it once was in the 90's but it is still a top 8 league power ratings wise - the MAC is much, much worse - rated the 24th league at last glance below America East, the Big Sky and Colonial (among many others). They've shown some life this year under Frank Martin and even had 7K fans at their last game. That's gone - no one is going to see games versus East, West and Central Michigan. You win the MAC postseason conference to get a 13 seed in the NCAAT.
 
It's not easy for programs in the Northeast.

UMass & Delaware to the MAC
UConn & Temple to the MAC football only
Temple back to the A-10 for basketball

This is good news for UMass Football but just awful for its basketball program.
 
Kolumbo said:
It's not easy for programs in the Northeast.

UMass & Delaware to the MAC
UConn & Temple to the MAC football only
Temple back to the A-10 for basketball

This is good news for UMass Football but just awful for its basketball program.
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I don’t think anyone is happy about anything up there. Most UMass people, even football people, are seething.
 
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