Northern Illinois is contemplating a suggestion to hitch the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member, in line with CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd. The Huskies have been steady members of the MAC since 1997, and it is unclear the place their remaining sports activities would play ought to NIU go away the league.
If NIU accepts the provide, the Mountain West could be as much as 9 football-playing members with UTEP and NIU becoming a member of the seven legacy members. An FBS league is required to have at the very least eight members to be acknowledged by the NCAA as a convention, and the addition of NIU would offer some cushion. It was beforehand reported the MWC was contemplating Texas State, NIU and Toledo as potential members, however the Bobcats later rebuffed curiosity.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Mountain West added UC Davis as a non-football member. The Aggies soccer program will proceed to play as a FCS member of the Big Sky. Grand Canyon additionally beforehand joined as a non-football member, bringing the basketball league to 10.
The newest spherical of realignment was set off throughout the season after the Pac-12 made an aggressive play by poaching Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Utah State as soccer members to hitch Oregon State and Washington State. The group additionally nabbed Gonzaga as a lift to its basketball presence. The Pac-12 nonetheless wants so as to add at the very least yet another college to succeed in the eight-member minimal.
The MAC is about so as to add UMass as a full member beginning with the 2025 season, which means its numbers is not going to be impacted by NIU’s departure. However, the Huskies have been a extremely profitable member of the convention in latest reminiscence, successful 5 MAC titles below three totally different coaches since 2011. NIU additionally pulled a historic upset over Notre Dame in Week 2.
NIU beforehand left the MAC in 1986 and was a member of the Big West with Mountain West faculties UNLV, Nevada and San Jose State from 1993-95.
