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Topic: Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

Topic: Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

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AppMan
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Member Since: 9/22/2011
Post Count: 1

Status: Offline

Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

Posted: 9/22/2011 5:44:33 PM

Harrisonburg Daily News Record 9-20-2011

HARRISONBURG - If you’ve been pining for James Madison to seriously consider a jump to Division I-A football, you’re going to like this: Athletic director Jeff Bourne said Monday it could happen sooner than anyone expected.

So what are the odds of Madison moving up?

“I think it is very likely something like this could happen,” Bourne said. “I would guess you could see movement in 18-24 months.”

Bourne said, without prompting, that he could see JMU becoming a charter member of a conference comprised of upper-level I-AA schools and lower-level I-A schools – schools such as Appalachian State, Delaware, Marshall, Ohio University and Old Dominion.

Thoughts, comments.

bigtillyoopsupsideurhead
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Member Since: 12/1/2006
Location: Cincinnati
Post Count: 1,926

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RE: Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

Posted: 9/22/2011 6:05:34 PM

Seems far fatched, but it can't be any worse than the current MAC.

ozarkcat
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Member Since: 7/20/2006
Location: Missouri
Post Count: 87

Status: Offline

RE: Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

Posted: 9/22/2011 6:24:16 PM

Not a bad idea. nice traveling conference with theme: " I get my kicks on the new I-66." ( that's the mostly to-be-built yet interstate highway from washington to the Mississippi River) and these schools are within spitting distance. add maybe a Richmond, ECU, Miami of Ohiya, George Mason, Georgetown, Navy, u of Maryland Baltimore, or maybe Temple or Villanova, william and mary. There are a bunch of highly thought of schools in this region would be a very classy conference .....generally well-known schools with rich history.

TWT
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Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Alexandria, VA
Post Count: 5,189

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RE: Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

Posted: 9/22/2011 6:47:52 PM

This could be a basketball only conference for a while. Some of those schools don't play FBS football.

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

Jeff McKinney
Moderator

Member Since: 11/12/2004
Post Count: 6,155

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RE: Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

Posted: 9/23/2011 5:06:57 PM

I would love a group of schools like this, BUT...it would make for some very eeenteresssttting bus trips in the winter...over the mountains and through some serious winter weather.

Ohio Pilot
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Member Since: 9/5/2010
Post Count: 499

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RE: Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

Posted: 9/23/2011 5:29:06 PM

Am I the only one who thinks this would be a huge step back for the program. Joining a league with a bunch of 1AA schools?

Jeff Johnson
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Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Post Count: 182

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RE: Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

Posted: 9/23/2011 5:40:13 PM

Ohio Pilot wrote:

Am I the only one who thinks this would be a huge step back for the program. Joining a league with a bunch of 1AA schools?

I agree with you on this...I don't think Ohio should consider any conference move that is less than a step upward...a new conference including the cast-offs of the Big East and Big Twelve might fit that description, but any of the other 4 non-AQ conferences (MW, WAC, SBC, and CUSA) are at best a lateral move and all but CUSA geographically impractical, and a new conference made up largely of new FBS entrants certainly doesn't make it.

Jeff Johnson '67, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Back in the Land of Enchantment

bobcat28
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Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: United States
Post Count: 808

Status: Offline

RE: Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

Posted: 9/23/2011 5:59:44 PM

Ohio Pilot wrote:

Am I the only one who thinks this would be a huge step back for the program. Joining a league with a bunch of 1AA schools?

Agreed. This would be horrible.

C Money
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Member Since: 8/28/2010
Post Count: 3,420

Status: Offline

RE: Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

Posted: 9/23/2011 10:17:14 PM

Ohio Pilot wrote:

Am I the only one who thinks this would be a huge step back for the program. Joining a league with a bunch of 1AA schools?

Of the 4 FCS schools mentioned in the article, all have Sagarin ratings better than Kent and Akron. All but ODU are better than CMU, Buffalo, Fiami, and EMU as well. Two other CAA conference schools--UMASS (to be MAC next year) and Richmond--rank higher than all MAC schools except OHIO, WMU, NIU, and Toledo.

Virginia is a recruiting hotbed, and gives you access to the DC market. Delaware expands presence in the Philly/NJ area. As a program, Appy State is as good as it gets in I-AA. Their average attendance last year (25,715) is 10,000 more than the MAC average (15,609).

I think it would be, at worst, a step sideways.

oucs 1986
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Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Mason, OH
Post Count: 251

Status: Offline

RE: Ohio Mentioned by JMU AD for New Eastern Conference

Posted: 9/23/2011 11:22:51 PM

On the plus side, it wouldn't be a mostly Ohio and Michigan conference, and no directional names!

Go Bobcats!

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