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2014 Mid-American Conference Group of Five Draft Preview

The Group of One.

By Keith Scheessele

It is the year 20XX, and only MACtion remains.

The Sun Belt was the first to go.  Unable to keep up with the rabid, mentally unbalanced, and toothless enthusiasm of the SEC, the SBC's member institutions elected to close up shop rather than go shirtless, eat mayonnaise sandwiches, and tailgate six days a week.

Then the Mountain West fell.  PAC-12 expansion suffocated the MWC, scooping up television territories and creating the only college football option available in the Western United States.

More: Round 1 Round 2

Not long after it was the American Athletic Conference.  Playing to the fan's patriotic side was a noble effort, but ultimately the AAC was overtaken by the Atlantic Coast Conference.  The ACC dominated the East Coast, absorbing those fans and TV markets that had not yet fallen victim to the SEC.

Only two remained.  The Mid-American Conference and Conference USA.

The MAC never deviated from the norm.  With a lesser emphasis on expansion and greater focus placed on it's member institutions, the roster of schools reads the same in 20XX as it did in 2014.  Conference USA was not nearly as fortunate.  Stretching from Texas to Virginia, C-USA fell victim to the gauntlet that is the SEC and the ACC.  There really was never any hope for survival.

Today there is just one mid-major football conference in America.  It is the MAC.  We are the Group of One.

Attempts to squeeze the MAC out like the AAC, MWC, Sun Belt, and Conference USA have been aggressive.  From the headquarters in Cleveland it's believed a battle with the Big Ten can be won.  If that's to happen we will need the best football players from the now defunct four conferences.  Why didn't they attempt to play football at one of the bigger schools?  Because then the mock draft wouldn't be as fun.

Furthermore, it's bound to be asked, "How have the 2014 Group of Five rosters been magically transported to the year 20XX?"  Because MACtion, that's how.  If  you need more realistic football chatter, take your ass to Jim Delany's office.  Enjoy three yards and a cloud of yawn.

So what happened to the independents in this post apocalyptic college football landscape?  Notre Dame joined the Big Ten, mercifully saving us from seeing them in future national championship games.  Army and Navy stepped away from football, placing greater focus on protecting your freedoms.  No?  Fine you ungrateful bastard, they play each other 10 games a year, in front of sellout crowds, and you LOVE it.  Choose your own adventure.  BYU gave up the gridiron up to pray for you.  Again you're ungrateful.

The draft will consist of two rounds, with round one being posted tomorrow.  Together we will save college football.  Here's a refresher on the pool our Hustle Belt writers will be picking from:

American Athletic Conference

Conference USA

Mountain West Conference

Sun Belt Conference

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