you just explained perfectly why Ou needs to get out of the mac and into a conference like big east or american or even conference Usa.
The AAC and CUSA are a step down. The Big East doesn’t play football.
The only real option would be to get like minded schools together and form a new conference, oh wait, we already have the MAC.
The real problems in the MAC:
The three directional Michigan schools, and NIU. And maybe Akron if they ever lose Coach Groce. EMU and NIU draw no one into their arenas/stadiums, despite being close to decent TV markets and larger cities. Central is probably the best basketball program among those and they never schedule anyone, so losing at CMU is a killer for any team in the MAC. Western hasn't been good for several years....And Akron, they're obviously in trouble financially.
The best thing for the MAC would be to add two schools that have their athletic department in order, like they were trying to do in the last year or so. I still think the opportunity is there because of where C-USA stands. MTSU and WKU would be good additions, and the MAC is a far more stable place to be than C-USA is right now, and probably into the foreseeable future.
The time to do it is now, before options that are geographically sensible end up in other leagues.
I'm all well and good with WKU, but the sentiment from MTSU that I get is that they could care less about improving athletics in general, hence why they've stuck with Stockstill as the football coach for so long. Which is a shame because with their proximity to Nashville, you'd think they'd take full advantage of the growth in the area.
The other issue is if not both of them, who else is even readily available that is attractive at this point?
Youngstown State - Both Akron and Kent would probably say no, and I'm not sure the rest of the MAC is super psyched about yet another Ohio team.
Army - An interesting prospect that could give Buffalo a buddy up in New York, but after seeing what Navy has gone through with the AAC, I'm not sure they'd even been remotely interested in losing their Independence. And their basketball program stinks.
Eastern Kentucky - You'd have to do some heavy, heavy convincing because WKU doesn't want to be paired with them. EKU has the desire to be in a bigger conference though and really wants to move up to FBS in football. They're slated to join the new WAC in 2025, but it's not going to be a bus league by any stretch of the imagination.
North Dakota State - Everyone brings this up, but they're too damn far. We'd have to add three other schools out that way to make it worth while for the entire conference. If we're talking a 16-team Midwest mega conference I'm all ears, but that's never gonna happen.
Southern Illinois - Just like NDSU, SIU is a little remote for the MAC unless other schools were added over that way. NIU would be their closest rival, a mere 5.5 hours away.
Or the MAC goes a completely different route and does a 14-team basketball league, but stays at 12 for football. Which wouldn't be ideal.