I totally agree... a consistent winner in the MAC only gets the program to minimum attendance requirements I think (an average of 15K per home game). I don't think it goes much beyond that with any consistency while still in the MAC.
Interesting to look back at the last 20 years of Zips schedules-- we were playing, and beating, Cincy with regularity. Wish we could be in a league with Cincy, Pitt, Syracuse, Louisville, Memphis (and maybe Toledo). Universities within driving distance in mid-size media markets.