In 1986, NIU left the MAC in what now is viewed as a bad move. It doesn’t look like the Huskies will leave the MAC again anytime soon.

NIU President John Peters said there could be as many as 24 teams to change conferences this season, but he doesn’t expect NIU to be one of them.

“All the changing of conferences started with the ACC and Big East, and then there is a domino effect,” Peters said. “NIU is really centered in the MAC and we are really pleased to be in here.”

One current member of the MAC, Marshall, already has announced it will join Conference USA next year. Rumors have said NIU may not be far behind.

“We always listen, but I see no reason to go to Conference USA,” Peters said. “They’ve lost so many teams, there’s no definition to them. We left the MAC a while back; that was a mistake.”

The MAC has seven teams in the East and West divisions this year. With the loss of Marshall, the MAC East will have six teams. MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst said the Big East is looking for a ninth member for football and possibly could be looking at Central Florida, which is a member of the MAC for football only.

An invitation, however, has been extended to Central Florida to join the MAC for all sports. They have until the end of this week to respond, NIU Athletics Director Cary Groth said.

“My own opinion is that you have 12 or 14 teams,” Groth said. “Northern Illinois, as far as I’m concerned, we don’t want 13 teams for scheduling purposes.”

The MAC would need to add a new team to make an even number if Central Florida did accept its invitation to the MAC.

“When all is said, there could be almost 20 percent of Division I-A switching conferences,” said Chryst, who was at the NIU-Ball State football game on Saturday. “I think everyone is still waiting on the Big East to see how it might sort out. Certainly when things are going well, you want to stick together. Having said that, the competitive core of our conference – who we are, what our values are – are all still here.”

The MAC has two bowl tie-ins, with the GMAC Bowl and the Motor City Bowl. Conference USA has five bowls it is affiliated with. Groth doesn’t feel that will be the case in the near future.

“If you look at the differences in the football programs in the Conference-USA and the MAC, the Mid-American Conference has done a much better job,” Groth said. “Yes, the Conference-USA has more bowl tie-ins, but those bowl contracts are coming up. I think what Rick Chryst is doing is giving us the opportunities to have more bowl opportunities. I emphasize, Northern Illinois is very happy in the Mid-American Conference.”

NIU football coach Joe Novak said the Huskies are in the best league for them as a program.

“I think our football’s better than Conference USA,” Novak said. “We got out of this league 20 years ago and made a mistake. We’re in a great league for us and I hope we stay right where we are.”