Conference expansion.

[MIAAWeekly]

Jesse's first MIAA-weekly touched base on OOC matchups, and the task committee basically said that there would have to be an inter conference contractual agreement to get those games. Instead of whichever schools could schedule which ever schools... So it wouldn't really allows for the money making games against FCS schools to happen, but I generally think they are a waste of time, anyways.

I don't think an agreement with another league would completely eliminate the possibility of FCS Money games. Those agreements can take on different forms, for example maybe it's a deal with the Line Star to schedule home-and-home series every odd year between the No. 1 & No. 2 teams from the previous year's conference standings i.e. NW vs Texas A&M-Kingsville and FHSU vs Midwestern State... The biggest reason behind partnering with another league was to make sure the top tier schools don't have to settle on paying NAIA schools to fill the schedule. You could still see games like Lincoln playing in HBCU showcases vs Bethune-Cookman or like a Missouri Western playing Missouri State.

I may do a segment on what the scheduling solutions could be for the MIAA if the league doesn't expand (I don't see them expanding again for a while).

[MIAAWeekly]

This is pretty much correct. I sat on the Bearcat Booster Club board at the time all this was shaking out. Budget concerns were the main worry at the time. Just not athletic budget but for the entire University. Boerigter was in favor of conference expansion to control costs, not just for NW, but the entire conference. People have to remember that Missouri and other states were under siege to budget woes for higher education at the time just like they are now. Secondly, he wanted an even playing field in terms of scheduling. It was becoming increasingly difficult for the powers in the conference at the time to schedule quality non-conference games at home without having to pay the opponent a bunch of money. NW had no problems scheduling road games, but nobody wanted to come to NW except the Minnesota St. Moorheads of the world to receive a check. And yes, he was in favor of expansion to absorb potential defections. Conference expansion and the pod system would've worked because it would've fit the PO criteria system at that time. Conferences now are much better aligned in terms of region and it's time for the MIAA, the GLIAC, the GAC and the GLVC to create a "pod" system of non-conference games.

THIS. I can't know this for certain because I only had a little bit of time with Commissioner Racy but, I really feel like this type of setup is what he wants to achieve. Now, he mentioned the Lone Star, Gulf South, and RMAC as the leagues he'd had preliminary discussions with... So, I wonder if that means A.) He tried the other leagues in this super region first and they said "no" straight out of the gate or B.) He feels like it will benefit MIAA teams to play notably tougher competition (Lone Star and Gulf South are much better leagues than GLVC) when it comes to regional rankings at the end of the year.

[BearcatDude]

The scheduling is BS - yes its difficult to schedule, if you DEMAND that the other team plays under your conditions. There has to be some give and take. Look at Pueblo's OOC games for like the next 4-6 years, its great. It's called negotiating. Don't give me the BS that it can't be done.

[northwest missouri state]

the mega conf model where teams don't all play each other every yr only works in d1a b/c of the ccg. but even so it's still not as good or legitimate as a true rr nor is it feasible in d2. miaa fixed something that wasn't broken. 10 team league, 9 conf games, 2 ooc. it's not rocket science. yes scheduling has it's challenges. no it is not impossible.

obv we don't have 10 teams now but if we wait long enough we will, let natural attrition fix it & then leave it alone.

[reloadmvp]

[Brandon]

One team in particular was pretty sensitive about the criticism.

[GorillaBred]

One team in particular was pretty sensitive about the criticism.

Was it a team that only made the playoffs because they ducked most of the better competition?

[Brandon]

Was it a team that only made the playoffs because they ducked most of the better competition?

The only MIAA team to win a playoff game in the last four years, outside of Northwest.

[reloadmvp]

Brandon Predatory Primates

[Predatory Primates]

Pitt had soft schedule then too. They only had a winning record because of it.
reloadmvp They still would've spanked ESU, though.

[reloadmvp]

Pitt had soft schedule then too. They only had a winning record because of it.
reloadmvp They still would've spanked ESU, though.

[Predatory Primates]

Honestly, I have 0 strong feelings about it. I just wanted to use the @ thing.

[reloadmvp]

Predatory Primates

[MIAAWeekly]

Maybe we should add two more football schools and adopt a similar structure to this?
https://www.espn.com/college-footbal...tball-thoughts

I just worked this out (and I will talk about it more on the podcast) but, this could actually be instituted without further expansion.

[Predatory Primates]

I just worked this out (and I will talk about it more on the podcast) but, this could actually be instituted without further expansion.

I like it. PSU rivals are Lincoln, NSU, and Southern