UMass > MAC for all sports in 2025-2026 | Page 2 | The Boneyard

UMass > MAC for all sports in 2025-2026

champs99and04 said:
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.
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A-10, just isn't what it used to be. Hanging on to something that isn't there anymore is not smart. The Big East is a power league in hoops. The only one of its kind. For them, this move makes sense.
 
This move makes no sense. It burns to the ground any program any alumni care about and doesn’t help football at all. Is a schedule full of rust belt schools on the wrong side of history going to help UMass in any way?
 
noeynox said:
A-10, just isn't what it used to be. Hanging on to something that isn't there anymore is not smart. The Big East is a power league in hoops. The only one of its kind. For them, this move makes sense.
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They only draw fans in hockey and hoops. Even that is limited. They don’t draw fans in football. This move will not add fans in football and they will lose the limited fans they have in hoops. The A10 def isn’t what it was but it is still way way better than the MAC in basketball
 
Vuce said:
They only draw fans in hockey and hoops. Even that is limited. They don’t draw fans in football. This move will not add fans in football and they will lose the limited fans they have in hoops. The A10 def isn’t what it was but it is still way way better than the MAC in basketball
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This is like if UConn went back to the AAC and tried justifying itself.

IMG_2508.jpeg
 
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CTBasketball said:
The point is UMass Football’s ceiling is lower than UConn Puppet School’s ceiling. They are making financial decisions based on hitting a grand slam.
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I would say UMass has just as much opportunity to win the MAC in the not too distant future as any other football program, given its athletic budget. It's a G5 conference just the same as CUSA. You said most UMass fans are seething and that may be the case, but I see a lot of happy posters celebrating this move. Especially the football fans. And don't sell short the UConn Puppetry School.
 
Kolumbo said:
I would say UMass has just as much opportunity to win the MAC in the not too distant future as any other football program, given its athletic budget. It's a G5 conference just the same as CUSA. You said most UMass fans are seething and that may be the case, but I see a lot of happy posters celebrating this move. Especially the football fans. And don't sell short the UConn Puppetry School.
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UMass was in the MAC previously and never went better than 4-8.
 
shizzle787 said:
UMass was in the MAC previously and never went better than 4-8.
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True, UMass was in the MAC its first 4 years at the FBS level. Moving up can be a tough road. UMass would be insane to turn down an FBS conference invitation.
 
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Kolumbo said:
I would say UMass has just as much opportunity to win the MAC in the not too distant future as any other football program, given its athletic budget. It's a G5 conference just the same as CUSA. You said most UMass fans are seething and that may be the case, but I see a lot of happy posters celebrating this move. Especially the football fans. And don't sell short the UConn Puppetry School.
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They don’t have football fans. UMass doesn’t draw crowds to their games and MAC opponents won’t bring in crowds even if they win. Their stadium is like our old on campus football field and it’s half full or less. And basketball is done - no one is going to watch UMass play opponents from the 24th rated league where if you win the conference tournament played in front of 1,000 fans you get rewarded with a 13
seed at best
 
Would a UConn FB only move to the MAC be the right decision if there's an opportunity? I can't imagine scheduling will be easy as an independent
 
Vuce said:
They don’t have football fans. UMass doesn’t draw crowds to their games and MAC opponents won’t bring in crowds even if they win. Their stadium is like our old on campus football field and it’s half full or less. And basketball is done - no one is going to watch UMass play opponents from the 24th rated league where if you win the conference tournament played in front of 1,000 fans you get rewarded with a 13
seed at best
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I wouldn't apply for a job in the UMass athletic department if I were you! Pull the plug!!
 
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Kolumbo said:
I would say UMass has just as much opportunity to win the MAC in the not too distant future as any other football program, given its athletic budget. It's a G5 conference just the same as CUSA. You said most UMass fans are seething and that may be the case, but I see a lot of happy posters celebrating this move. Especially the football fans. And don't sell short the UConn Puppetry School.
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Those 6 guys are on methamphetamines, and they buy their booze from an Amtrak employee who makes it out of a still in his backyard just north of Springfield MA.
 
We still get to keep our games with them...I guess?
 
I see this as good for UMass. Hockey, their only real sport, will stay in HE. Basketball will hurt a bit, but it has never been a consistent winner. In football, this is definitely better than independence. They actually have a shot at the playoff (even if small). We don’t even have that. And while I’d never move all our sports to the MAC, I miss being in a football conference and having rivalries. Independence isn’t a long term solution for us.
 
It’s not big news.

I imagine that they can leave at anytime if something better comes along.
 
huskymedic said:
… obviously hockey stays in Hockey East
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UMess men’s lax to apply to remain with A10 as affiliate member.
So says a Pete Thamel tweet citing an unnamed UMess source
 
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JohnFSilver said:
MAC makes sense competition wise. but the schedule is so unattractive, it doesn’t make sense from a marketing standpoint.

That isn’t what UConn aspires to be.
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If Delaware had gone to the MAC as well, it would be a maybe but with just UMass and Buffalo it is definitely not enticing. We are lucky to be in a spot where we are not desperate to get into a fb conference and can wait out to 2026+ to see what happens with the ACC and the CFP. For now our best move is to stay calm and work the back channels.
 
I know women's sports don't matter to conference realignment, but the MAC is a big downgrade for many of UMass' women's sports.
 
Tyler2Rings said:
Would a UConn FB only move to the MAC be the right decision if there's an opportunity? I can't imagine scheduling will be easy as an independent
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Best case scenario I could see our football temporarily parking in the MAC.

I think first choice would be lining up with some old rivals (plus some others like Duke, GT, etc) from the ACC when it collapses. Maybe combine with BE.

The other option I wouldn’t mind would be if PAC and Mountain West merge and we could join as a football only - offering 4 hoops games per year as incentive.
 
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