kreed5120

I was going to make a snarky comment, but I see 3 MAC teams today are playing non-division 1 schools so I suppose it could be worse.

The fact many teams have begun conference play while we are still in cupcake mode has accelerated our descent in the rankings.

Xavier is #7. We won't be jumping them.

Akron might receive 35-65k if they are playing an A10 or MW, but if it was a power conference team it would be well more. USA today posted an article in 2012 that stated OSU paid 6 teams 90k+ each. The teams were Valparaiso, VMI, Texas-Pan American, USC Upstate, Lamar, and Miami (OH). That same article stated that CMU made $260k or about 87k each from 3 games vs. Minnesota, Nebraska, and Iowa State.

We would only pay for guarantee games, games in which we face someone at home but don't agree to play them at their house in a future year. A team like OSU from what I read will pay between 80-110k to get a decent mid major to come to their place. A conference like the MWC conference reportedly pays 3k-10k for a division 1 cupcake, which is what I'd imagine Akron pays. Reportedly a team like Hiram gets 1k-2k to take a beating by a mid major. Edit: Personally IDK why Akron doesn't accept the paycheck to play 1 road game vs. a big name B1G per year in a guarantee game. It would provide a nice influx of cash that can be re-invested in the program, but more importantly it would expose them to a team of a similar caliber that they could expect to play in round 1 or round 2 of the NCAA tournament so perhaps they won't be so overwhelmed when tourney time comes. A loss wouldn't really hurt them, but an upset or playing a tight game would provide credibility to their bubble hopes.

The Zips will be losing in the neighborhood of 14-15 starters; including pretty much the entire o-line, their top 2 backs, and the majority of their defensive front 7. Woodson will need to shoulder the load early on until the team gels. The fact he is returning his #1 playmaking receiver should help. There are going to be some pretty big shoes that will need to be filled. Akron success will heavily depend on how well the new guys fill them. The schedule you propose is pretty brutal considering the turnover we have to overcome. I'm going to hold off making a prediction until an official schedule is released.

Figured I'd get the discussion started for our next game. It appears to be another typical home OOC cupcake matchup...shocker SDSU lost by 15 to the same Bethune-Cookman team that we beat quite handedly earlier this season. Akron should no have no trouble winning the next 2 and will head into conference play a respectable 11-2.

Perhaps the MWC teams choose to play one another? There was already a MWC team in the Cure Bowl, the Foster Farms Bowl is mehh, and spending a week in Phoenix in December sounds much better than Detroit. I get what you're saying, but those low paying bowls have contracts with conferences. The MAC and MWC are contractually required to provide teams to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl assuming they have a team bowl eligible to play. They can't just skip out and leave the FIPB with a 5-7 team. I don't think we should be discussing how 5-7 teams making bowls should work. I feel we should be discussing how to mitigate the chances of a 5-7 team making a bowl game period. This is going to become a growing problem as fewer and fewer schools schedule FCS teams that give them a guarantee win. The long term solution I suppose is allow no additional bowl games and wait for more FCS to make the FBS jump, however, there doesn't seem to be many FCS teams looking nor many conferences looking to expand...for now.

If I'm not mistaken there were 3 5-7 teams that made bowl games (Minnesota, Nebraska, & SDSU). The only one that got into a bowl game with a decent payout (>1 Million) was Minnesota (1.2 Million) and there was already an at-large team (CMU) selected to play in it as the ACC couldn't fill their slot. I'm not certain besides the MAC, who had +1 bowl team, what other conferences had enough teams to meet their bowl requirements plus fill the void of another conference who didn't. I feel it was a bit of a coincidence that you saw B1G teams fill BIG bowls. It just happened to be the schools with the highest APR were from the conference that failed to make enough teams bowl eligible.

ZippyRulz, Green Bay actually doesn't sponsor a football team so there is no chance that they make the jump to the MAC. The team to consider would be JMU. They have an FBS caliber stadium, a decent football program (by fcs standards), and a basketball program that can contend in the MAC from day 1. They are also most importantly looking to make the jump to FBS. They turned down an offer from the sun belt, but rumor has it that they would accept a C-USA or MAC invitation if offered.

I'm not saying the MAC is destined for eternity to be a 1 bid conference. I just don't see anything changing this year. That Miami team beat Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Dayton in OOC play (ironically it lost to Green Bay). I just don't see any team in the MAC this season with that kind of OOC resume.Perhaps Akron runs off 28-29 wins to enter bubble consideration and finds itself getting in as an at-large. If that happens, I'll be the 1st to admit that I was wrong. That doesn't mean that I won't enjoy the regular season.

I feel it's been a general consensus that a 30-3 record really isn't a realistic expectation. Akron's only good chance of getting into the tournament is winning the MAC tournament. All the other games just matter for MAC tournament and potential March Madness seeding. The MAC hasn't had an at large bid since 1999 and I don't see that changing this season.

A 30-3 record is more impressive than a 26-7 record. Also, the Zips OOC schedule this season, despite not being all that great, was superior to that 06-07 OOC schedule.

A 30-3 record would be hard for the selection committee to pass up. I however don't feel that record is realistic. The Zips are too dependent on the 3 and there are plenty of MAC teams that are good enough to capitalize when Akron has a cold shooting night.

I just don't feel it's that big of a story. In 1995 there were 18 bowl games, this season there were 40, excluding the national championship. There have been plenty of other seasons when 7 MAC schools were bowl eligible. There just weren't enough bowl games for them all to get bowl slots.

With no TV deal and such low attendance numbers, I wonder how this tournament is funded? Perhaps the teams participating absorb the cost?

It might not be saying much, but I feel this piece is less negative than some of the other abj pieces. I kind of came away with the opinion that the Marla portrayed this as a stepping stone that only matters if Akron builds upon in years to follow. There is reason to be cautiously optimistic as the only other time Akron went bowling, they followed it up with 9 straight losing seasons. One 7-5 season in which Akron failed to beat any team with a winning record isn't going to instantly sway public opinion.

For a team like Akron who struggles to meet NCAAF 15k minimum standards, definitely. For a team like OSU who gets 100k+ either way, I'm not sure it matters much.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it a requirement that teams surpass 15k average once every 2 years? If that's the case last years numbers likely weren't inflated much, if at all, but the school would have needed to guarantee that they hit 15k+ this year.

It's a pretty low budget tournament which explains there are no big name teams. Are the games even televised? It appears that team out east got into the more prestigious of the 2 basketball tournaments taking place in Vegas that weekend.

These teams might not be anything special, but our OOC schedule would look a whole heck of a lot better if we scheduled more UCSB/Iona teams and fewer Coppin State/Bethune-Cookman teams.

For clearly being low budget, I found it mildly humorous.

Personally, I don't see Bowden going anywhere. The market for 60+ year old FBS coaches isn't big. The typical MAC coach that gets poached is between the ages of 30-50

$$$. Extra games in the earlier rounds means more ticket, concessions, merchandise, and parking revenue. They then are still able to market their championship game as winner take all must see TV. Garber, the commish, will say it is so all fans get rewarded with a guaranteed home playoff game. Personally I'd like to see single game elimination throughout.

I feel I'm the only Zip here that was cheering for the Crew, however, Portland is my 2nd favorite team.