Murray State heading to the Missouri Valley

[33Y0]

https://twitter.com/DomIzzoWDAY/status/1479501218506592259?s=20

"Murray State makes it official, they are leaving the Ohio Valley for the Missouri Valley Conference. This statement says there are active discussions between the Missouri Valley Football Conference and Murray State on membership."

[Wick250]

This is potentially very good news for us. I doubt that anybody wants to play more than 8 league games. So if the MVFC expanded to 12, how would you fairly decide which 8 teams a school played in a given year?  The only feasible way is by forming divisions. Six schools on each side of the Mississippi.

YSU, Indiana State, Illinois State, Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, Murray State

NDSU, SDSU, South Dakota, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, Missouri State

Each year you play the 5 teams from your own division and then 3 from the other.  Rotate the 3 after a 2-year cycle.

For reasons of geography and rivalries, the Dakota schools always play each other.  Likewise, the Illinois schools and Indiana State always play.  Murray would just be happy to be in a much better basketball conference.  YSU obviously would be pleased.

The two losers, UNI and Missouri State.  Who cares.

[guinpen]

This is potentially very good news for us. I doubt that anybody wants to play more than 8 league games. So if the MVFC expanded to 12, how would you fairly decide which 8 teams a school played in a given year?  The only feasible way is by forming divisions. Six schools on each side of the Mississippi.

YSU, Indiana State, Illinois State, Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, Murray State

NDSU, SDSU, South Dakota, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, Missouri State

Each year you play the 5 teams from your own division and then 3 from the other.  Rotate the 3 after a 2-year cycle.

For reasons of geography and rivalries, the Dakota schools always play each other.  Likewise, the Illinois schools and Indiana State always play.  Murray would just be happy to be in a much better basketball conference.  YSU obviously would be pleased.

The two losers, UNI and Missouri State.  Who cares.

Makes sense and would be good for YSU. Love your last line, I agree

[guinpen]

ST. LOUIS, Missouri (WKBN) – The Missouri Valley Football Conference, of which Youngstown State is a member, voted to extend an offer of membership to Murray State University.

The move establishes the Racers Football program as the 12th member of the FCS conference.

Murray State, which is located in Murray Kentucky, finished last season with an overall record of 6-5.

“With Murray State becoming the 12th Missouri Valley Football Conference member, we have stabilized and strengthened FCS football in the Midwest and cemented the MVFC’s position as the premier FCS football conference in the nation,” said MVFC Commissioner Patty Viverito. “This course of action makes good sense for our conference, our member institutions, our fans and most importantly our student-athletes.  With this move, we will turn long-standing traditional games with neighboring schools into conference rivalries and open the way for equally satisfying new rivalries throughout the league.”

Murray State will play its’ first season in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in the fall of 2023.

The Racers will play the 2022 season in the Ohio Valley Conference, their 75th and final season in the league.

“As we enter a new era of Racer Athletics and begin to play in the Missouri Valley Conference, I am extremely proud that we will be playing football in the Missouri Valley Football Conference,” said Murray State University President Bob Jackson. “This is the best FCS Conference in the country and it will benefit our student-athletes, our program and the university as a whole as we move forward.  I want to thank Commissioner Patty Viverito and the MVFC Presidents Council for this invitation and vote of support.”

[Wick250]

Viverito also stated that the conference will not use divisions.  Rather, you would play everybody at least four times in six years!  Sorry, that is not practical.  You know that the Dakota schools will insist on yearly matchups. The Illinois schools and Indiana State (right on the Illinois border) would rightly also insist on playing each other every year?  Divisions is the only answer. And it will mean far fewer trips to the Dakotas for us.

[IAA Fan]

It is a little upsetting that we cannot get a bid into the MVC, especially with the historical success for our women's basketball, but football does not control conference moves ...never has. Honestly I expect to see Murray State as a bottom-feeder in the MVFC, but a good choice for the MVC. However, you never know, the MVFC has a reputation and that may draw some football recruits to Murray State. I mean let's face it, if we were going for football, the MVFC would take EKU or JSU.

[YSUGO]

Don’t see how Murray St football benefited the conference for us.  The MVC wanted them for basketball. Explain to me how it benefits our program. 

[goodnews]

The last thing we need is another team we cant beat. 

[guinpen]

The last thing we need is another team we cant beat.

Why cant we beat them?

Looked at their schedule last year and the only score that remotely stands out is their loss to Bowling Green by only 17.

[guinpen]

Viverito also stated that the conference will not use divisions.  Rather, you would play everybody at least four times in six years!  Sorry, that is not practical. 

Fail to see any logic in her statement.

[IAA Fan]

Viverito also stated that the conference will not use divisions.  Rather, you would play everybody at least four times in six years!  Sorry, that is not practical. 

Fail to see any logic in her statement.

I don't know, I think one is as practical as the other.  It is just more work to schedule with everyone & th conference will tell us which teams we play. The big-10 proved what a flop assigned teams are. You have the 'contenders' vs the 'wannabes' right now.

[guinpen]

Viverito also stated that the conference will not use divisions.  Rather, you would play everybody at least four times in six years!  Sorry, that is not practical. 

Fail to see any logic in her statement.

I don't know, I think one is as practical as the other.  It is just more work to schedule with everyone & th conference will tell us which teams we play. The big-10 proved what a flop a$$igned teams are. You have the 'contenders' vs the 'wannabes' right now.

Makes more sense to have divisions so 5 teams are set every year. Then 3 teams for 2 years then the other 3 teams for 2 years.

[Wick250]

Viverito also stated that the conference will not use divisions.  Rather, you would play everybody at least four times in six years!  Sorry, that is not practical. 

Fail to see any logic in her statement.

Nothing that Viverito has said about scheduling is logical.  She claims that there will be no divisions yet states that the Dakota schools will always play each other. That alone makes a shambles of her 4/6 provision. She is just trying to placate UNI and Missouri State who fear getting stuck with the Dakotas each season.  I still submit that the divisions that I proposed at the top of this thread are the only logical scheduling pattern.  And in 2023 if that proposal came to a vote, it would be approved by league teams by a 10-2 margin.

[peteonastick]

I think it opens up the possibility of the OVC and MVFC "partnering" or just flat out combining into a super conference.  This opens up all kinds of possibilities with eastern MVFC teams and OVC teams.  YSU could use some more local rivalries instead of traveling to the Dakota's all the time. Eastern Illinois, EKU, and the 6 eastern MVFC teams would make a good conference or division. 

GO GUINS!

[Dmorton]

I think I read that EKU will be joining another league!  Could be wrong!