Following the MAC’s new pod structure, can someone please explain to me why we are playing Kent State as opposed to Western Michigan?
From a competition standpoint this year it seems to benefit Miami, but conceptually it doesn’t make any sense to me since Kent State is in the pod with Akron and Buffalo (who we don’t play), and Western Michigan is in the pod with the other directional Michigan’s (who we do play).
Any answers?
Kent State sucks. I am pleased that they are on our schedule.
Good question RH24. The pod structure may be very short lived with the admission of UMASS in '25. It is possible that the conference has already abandoned it.
The pod schedule was designed to play every team in the conference (outside of the other 2 in your pod who you play yearly) every 3 years or so. For example, as opposed to going 11 or 12 years without playing Toledo (like we did before last year) we would play them every 3-4 years
In a 12 team league the original idea was Ohio and Ball State every year and 6 of the other 9. So you would play each team not in your pod once at home and once away in a 3 year span