Marshall and Central Florida both will join Conference USA on July 1, 2005, as announced Tuesday.

The loss of both teams will bring the total number of MAC teams to 12, the minimum number needed for a conference championship game.

“I don’t think it affects us at all,” NIU Athletics Director Cary Groth said. “Look at Northern, Bowling Green, Toledo and the top three teams nationally ranked and they are all still in the MAC. Central Florida the past two years hasn’t been very good.”

Marshall and Central Florida both play in the MAC East Division. Groth said Bowling Green moving to the East next year is a possibility.

Central Florida, since 2002, has been a member of the MAC for football only. The Knights passed on an invitation to join the MAC for all sports.

Marshall has been a member of the MAC for the past seven years, and also was from 1954 to 1969.

Conference USA added three other schools Tuesday: Rice, Southern Methodist and Tulsa, all from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). Conference USA’s additions were made because the Big East gave invitations to Cincinnati, Louisville, Marquette, DePaul and South Florida. Marquette and DePaul do not have football teams. Correspondingly, Big East made its additions after the ACC took Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College.

“I think the MAC is in good shape,” Groth said. “An even number is always preferred, and personally I like 12.”