Semantics aside, what would you do? Get rid of two schools and go down to 6? That puts us at the absolute minimum number of schools to be a conference.
I say give Miami their walking papers (they are looking to get out on their own) and add Mankato.
They are a sleeping giant who will wake up in the next 5 years. They are an asset which will increase in value over time. It is always better to acquire an asset before it increases in value. Which school would have been a better choice? Bemidji?
Truth be told, all preseason rankings are worthless. Nobody knows which teams will underachieve and/or overachieve. We won't have a good sense of that until 3 to 4 weeks into the season.