Colorado Left Hanging by MAC Scheduling Snafu

Colorado officials are expressing their frustration over the latest scheduling snafu involving the Mid-Americian Conference.

The Buffaloes are scheduled to play at Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 12, but now comes word that the RedHawks have moved their Sept. 5 game at Northwestern to Sept. 12. The reason? Miami is set to play Kentucky in Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium on Sept. 5.

Where does this leaving Colorado? "As soon as I know, you will know," athletic director Mike Bohn told the Boulder Daily Camera.

Two years ago, MAC officials blamed a scheduling mess on Temple becoming a full-fledged member of the league. Kent State was scheduled to play road games at Illinois and Vanderbilt on the same day — Oct. 27, 2007. Several other teams had to jostle their schedules to make things work, with the headaches being felt as far away as Honolulu, where Hawaii eventually had to schedule a game against Charleston Southern to fill out its schedule.

After a season of scheduling calm, the MAC appears to be at it again.

MAC commissioner Rick Chryst referred all questions about the Colorado-Miami game to the teams. When Miami assistant athletic director Mike Pearson was asked about the game, he said, "Frankly, we're waiting and waiting, as are all the other MAC schools, for the conference schedule to come out so we can get our schedule out there. Until then, we cannot comment."

The contract calls for a $750,000 cancellation fee should one team decide against playing the game. Colorado is also insisting that ESPN honor a pledge to televise the Buffaloes' game on Sept. 12 — regardless of the opponent. Bohn said that was a significant reason Colorado entered in the agreement with Miami in the first place.

Now it appears the MAC is scrambling to find a suitable replacement for the Buffaloes, setting up a situation similar to 2007.

Comments

[Marc]

Poor Colorado....maybe they should remember the game they backed out of AF on.....what comes arond goes around Mike Bohn

[Brandon]

Colorado can come down to Oxford and play Ole Miss...we still need a Sept. 12 opponent, I think.

[Chaddogg]

Isn't the obvious answer that Colorado and Northwestern sign a home-and-home deal? Throw in the "Gary Barnett" factor for both schools, and it'd be a natural for television as well....plus an upgrade to both teams' schedules.