Here is my two cents. Things have changed radically in the past year. The Horizon League without Butler is highly likely to sink from a RPI of about 12 to about 20. That will be very good for us since we could compete very well in that type of DI basketball league. We go from being unable to compete in a basketball league to being highly competitive by doing exactly nothing. Can't beat that.
In the past year, NDSU has restored prestige to the MVFC and repaired some of the damage to our reputation caused by the yearly playoff disappearance of Team Choke (Northern Iowa for the uninformed.) Conversely, the CAA has lost Massachusetts, is losing Old Dominion after this season, and might lose Villanova whose program remains in Big East limbo. If we could just get our gridiron act together, I would now prefer to join NDSU as driving forces within a revived MVFC.
But my opinion really does not matter. Every reliable source to which I have access tells me that our future includes the Horizon League and the MVFC.