The 12-team Mid-American Conference on Wednesday said it would not pursue expansion at this time “to end the speculation,” commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said.
“Following analysis and evaluation by the membership, it has been determined our best interests are served in the conference remaining at 12 full member institutions,” Steinbrecher said in a prepared statement.
Steinbrecher said the MAC has had discussions about the topic — and they were contacted by schools concerning expansion possibilities — but they never took any applications or had a vote about other universities joining the fold.
“Our focus will continue to be on building upon the strengths of our conference — providing a student-centered academic and athletics experience, celebrating long-standing relationships and rivalries, and maintaining our tight geographic proximity to one another,” Steinbrecher said.
The realignment dominoes have continued to fall since the summer, when Texas and Oklahoma announced they would eventually join the SEC in July 2025.
Conference USA, after nine schools announced plans in the last month to leave, said Friday that it will add Liberty, Jacksonville State, New Mexico State and Sam Houston State in 2023.
That same day, the Associated Press cited sources in its report that MAC presidents met to discuss Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State as potential options.
On Wednesday, it was announced that Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky would remain in C-USA.
The MAC in its release said it would “continue to monitor the membership landscape.”