Two years, 23 games and one win. That is the sum of Temple University's last two seasons in college football. With that stellar performance Temple has successfully stolen a spot in the Mid-American Conference. Thankfully, that spot is only in football.
Not only does the addition of a revolting program like Temple make the MAC look worse, it screws up the balance in the conference. Before Temple there were six teams in the West Division and six teams in the East Division. Now there are seven in the East and six in the West. Maybe Temple is trying to prove why 13 really is the unluckiest number - just don't tell Nate Davis that.
Because of the addition, the traditional eight-game conference schedule every team plays in the MAC had to be changed. Now every team in the West plays seven games, and every team in the East plays eight, save Miami University, which plays just seven.
This causes a major issue. What if Miami goes 5-2 and a team in the East goes 6-2? Does Miami tie with the 6-2 team or lose the division by half a game and thus not get to play in the conference championship game?
The MAC has a solution. Only games played against teams in your division count towards standings. So for Ball State only games with West division teams count.
This essentially creates two conferences (East Conference and West Conference) where the winners of each conference agree to play at season end for top bragging rights.
Ball State's games against Miami and University of Buffalo mean the same as games against Indiana University and University of Illinois. All they count for is overall record and a chance at bowl eligibility.
It's a lot like Major League Baseball's All-Star game. It decides home field advantage in the World Series but isn't a REAL game.
Why did the MAC do all of this? For the addition of one of the worst football programs in the country of course. Hoo-ray, yippee, yeah for the MAC!
It's these decisions that make the MAC a mid-major and not the Bowl Championship Conference it so beggingly strives to be.
The addition would at least be feasible if it included men's basketball. But all the MAC got from Temple is a promise to "develop scheduling opportunities." Opportunities that amounted to four games in Temple's 2006-07 men's basketball season.
Even if the deal had men's basketball, it wouldn't have been worthwhile for the MAC. Yes, Temple has a lot of history in men's basketball, perhaps more than any other MAC school. But it's history. It had a Ball State-esque season last year by going 12-18, similar to the Cardinals 10-18 season in 2005-06.
Temple agreed to join the MAC in 2005 but until this season wasn't officially competing despite playing 10 MAC teams during the last two years. However, they were eligible to take a MAC slot in one of the two bowls the MAC is affiliated with. Luckily for other MAC schools, Temple fell short of bowl eligibility with its 1-11 record in 2006.
However, the worst part for Ball State fans is since Temple started playing MAC teams in 2005 Ball State and Eastern Michigan are the only two teams to not get the virtual guaranteed victory of playing Temple.
Hey, maybe the MAC should woo Utah State University into the conference. They have a whopping 2-22 record in the last two years - that's twice as good as Temple.
Write to Levin at levintblack@gmail.com
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
