The rumored move of Massachusetts to the Mid-American Conference and the FBS level -- last we heard anything, Nov. 30, the Boston Herald was reporting that the Minutemen would be playing a "provisional" schedule in 2011 and 2012, with a full move in 2013.
Now, ESPN's Bruce Feldman has popped up Wednesday to confirm that report, tweeting: "UMass is likely headed to the MAC for 2013 season. The MAC visited Mass campus & Gillette Stadium. Team would be 'transitional' for 2 yrs."
The MAC was won this season by Miami (OH) and has four bowl teams: Miami (GoDaddy.com Bowl), Northern Illinois (uDrove Humanitarian Bowl), Toledo (Little Caesars Pizza Bowl) and Ohio (R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl).
UMass' original affiliation, The Yankee Conference, eventually was taken over by the Atlantic 10 in 1997 -- UMass won more league titles (17) and games (160) than any other Yankee Conference member. Ten years later, the CAA took over for the A-10. In all, UMass has won 22 league titles, including sharing the 2007 CAA crown with Richmond. The Minutemen won the FCS National Championship in 1998 and lost to Appalachian State in the title game in 2006.