MAC realigns divisions

Staff report

CLEVELAND

The Mid-American Conference’s decision to look east means Bowling Green is heading west.

With Massachusetts joining the league this fall, the 14-team MAC revamped its divisional alignment to include the Minutemen in the East Division while moving Bowling Green to the West Division.

The alignment, which is for football only, looks like this:

East: Akron, Buffalo, Kent State, UMass, Miami, Ohio, Temple.

West: Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Western Michigan.

This fall will mark the first season since 2006 the MAC will have balanced divisional schedules. Each member will continue to play an eight-game conference slate, however, each school now will play six divisional games and two non-divisional cross-over contests. There will no longer be protected cross-over games.

“We considered a number of different paradigms and ultimately we focused on the core principles of geography, travel and rivalries,” MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher said. “We now have a true rotational cycle for football and a scheduling model that will extend for future years.”

UMass will begin conference play this will but will not be eligible for the conference football championship game and a bowl game until 2013.