[lance99]

When I saw this, I honestly thought that it was another one of those articles, but I this might have some merit.

Link from NPR

[GP1]

I dread the day of a playoff of any type. Why? Look at the second comment in the comment section. There are too many people in the world who subscribe to the idea that more teams in a playoff is better. A four team playoff won't be enough for the lunatics at the ncaa. Next thing there will be an 8 team playoff...then a 16 team playoff...then a 16 team playoff with a play-in week for four teams. Right now, college football rewards excellence throughout the season and every game matters. On some level, we already have a tournament that starts in August and runs through January. Want to turn it into college basketball where the regular season means nothing, have a playoff and enjoy watching reruns on network tv the week between Christmas and New Years when there is no college football on week nights because the bowls will be gone.

[bobbyake]

ESPN has been covering this a lot lately.

Plan would link sites, conferences

FBS conference commissioners have decided to eliminate designating conferences as "AQ" or "non-AQ" leagues, meaning any team in the top 10 of the final BCS standings would be eligible to play in a BCS bowl game, regardless of its conference affiliation.

This is very good news for the MAC and Akron.

[UAzipsMan]

Thats assuming a MAC team could ever get ranked that high. I dont know if i recall a MAC team ever breaking the BCS Top 15... ever... but i could be wrong

[Dave in Green]

Ball State had a perfect 12-0 record during the 2008-2009 regular season and was ranked 12th in the BCS standings -- just two spots out of the top 10. After losing their bowl game, they finished the season 12-1 and had a rank of 22nd in the final BCS standings.

So, yes, with the right schedule and a perfect regular season, a MAC team could indeed earn a BCS bowl invitation if the "AQ/non-AQ" provision is removed. It's at least a small step toward eliminating the football caste system.

[UAzipsMan]

Ball State had a perfect 12-0 record during the 2008-2009 regular season and was ranked 12th in the BCS standings -- just two spots out of the top 10. After losing their bowl game, they finished the season 12-1 and had a rank of 22nd in the final BCS standings.

So, yes, with the right schedule and a perfect regular season, a MAC team could indeed earn a BCS bowl invitation if the "AQ/non-AQ" provision is removed. It's at least a small step toward eliminating the football caste system.

yeah now I remember. For some reason I didn't think they ended up being ranked that high. Im a little more optimistic about this change now if it goes through.

[bobbyake]

Removing the AQ status sorta makes the BCS conference status irrelevant.

[johnnyzip84]

Many suspected the AQ status was on life support, so this is no surprise. This is exactly why I laughed at all of the maneuvering that took place between the Big East/Boise/SDSU etc recently. They were chasing a rabbit that jumped back in some magician's hat.

Regarding Ball State's 2008 season, they actually lost their "Bull" game (MAC championship loss to U@B 42-24 with Hoke coaching) before losing their bowl game (Tulsa thrashed them 45-13 with Parrish coaching) to finish 12-2.

[RootforRoo44]

Ball State had a perfect 12-0 record during the 2008-2009 regular season and was ranked 12th in the BCS standings -- just two spots out of the top 10. After losing their bowl game, they finished the season 12-1 and had a rank of 22nd in the final BCS standings.

So, yes, with the right schedule and a perfect regular season, a MAC team could indeed earn a BCS bowl invitation if the "AQ/non-AQ" provision is removed. It's at least a small step toward eliminating the football caste system.

Good point...this is definitely a big deal for the MAC and Akron....we gotta think big!

[Dave in Green]

..... Regarding Ball State's 2008 season, they actually lost their "Bull" game (MAC championship loss to U@B 42-28 with Hoke coaching) before losing their bowl game (Tulsa thrashed them 45-13 with Parrish coaching) to finish 12-2.

Good catch. My quick research was a little too quick to catch the two post-season losses after the 12-0 regular season. Had Ball State won the MAC championship, they would have been 13-0 and had a real shot at finishing in the top 10 prior to bowl game selection.

[bobbyake]

with the AQ status gone, can we ditch the idea of joining the Big East and focus on making the MAC a better conference?

Adding ODU or James Madison to the MAC would help basketball and soccer.

[Spin]

ESPN has been covering this a lot lately.

Plan would link sites, conferences
This is very good news for the MAC and Akron.

Dang, so that means Boise State will be playing east coast teams for no reason now.

[bobbyake]

Dang, so that means Boise State will be playing east coast teams for no reason now.

it comes down to the TV deal now.

[ZippyRulz]

with the AQ status gone, can we ditch the idea of joining the Big East and focus on making the MAC a better conference?

Adding ODU or James Madison to the MAC would help basketball and soccer.

No. AQ or not, the BE is still a better conference and we should want to move up beyond the MAC, not bring in more FCS teams that we will then have to compete against for recruits, and who may then get to the next level before us. We have already been leapfrogged by the likes of Marshall, UConn, UCF, etc.