May 30, 2008

Conference expansion... in the MAC?

The latest rumors coming out of the MAC spring meetings are that the conference may be interested in adding two more teams to the mix: Western Kentucky (from the Sun Belt) and Temple (MAC/Atlantic 10).

The MAC meetings are going on in Chicago, and according to a coach in attendance, there was more talk about expanding the league to 14 teams with adding Temple (Atlantic 10 for all sports but football) and Western Kentucky (Sun Belt) as full members. Temple plays a MAC schedule in football and has added MAC nonconference games for basketball. This kind of decision would be made for football, but if they did ever join the league in hoops, it would make this league even tougher and potentially put it in position to earn multiple bids (which hasn't happened since 1999).

If it comes to fruition, the move would bring the MAC to 14 member schools. Both the Hilltoppers and Owls would join as full-fledged members of the conference, competing in all sports.

I still think this is a long shot, although it would make a lot more sense for WKU, whose fans are just chomping at the bit for the North Texas rivalry to get fired up... any day now... rivals, rivals, rivals. ((ahem))

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