My schedule redux...a cavalcade of mediocrities

[bgsufalcon24]

I don't really mind playing WKU. That will be fun, really.

I'm completely in ire over the loss of Boise from the home slate just to cowtow to the commish. I'm also miffed about Temple - a team no one in BG cares about.

I LOVE the away schedule but that's just not enough to get me excited about the up and coming season. I just can't get out of my head the "what could have been."

I hope we can get 15K ave. I just don't see it with our home sched.

I don't mind WKU, either.

Our attendance, as usual, will depend on weather and the team's success.

Here's some guesstimates ...

Temple: We'll have a good crowd for this one. First home game, probably good weather, Sebo dedication, etc.

WKU: Homecoming + good weather should equal another good crowd.

Ohio: Family weekend ... weather will be a bit more dicey, but unless the team is in total freefall, I'd expect a decent crowd, at least.

Akron: This is a real potential clunker. If the weather and team are both below average, a poor turnout is likely.

Toledo: Big crowd.

So I don't think 15K is all that much of a stretch for us despite our less-than-enthusiastic reaction to the schedule.

I agree with your attendance analysis. The Temple game could also be a bit charged emotionally because of the last game with them.

I'm not optimistic about family weekend vs Ohio attendance wise, its too late into October. We're really rolling the dice with the weather. And as for Akron, even if the team is doing well I don't think we'll get much of a crowd. Look at what happened for that game in 05, we went from about 18000 vs WMU to about 9000 vs Akron, back to 22000 vs Toledo. Nobody wants to see Akron, they are the worst attendance draw in the MAC outside of maybe EMU.

[birddog]

I will go on record. 11 K average. We barely cracked 15 last year. This year I have just heard from nearly everyone I know - they are out. Huge crowd Toledo? I was at the last T-BG game at the Doyt. It was cold and I would not call it huge and the MAC championship was on the line. This schedule stinks- 11K top. Without a big name school (frontloaded) - no chance unless we a running the table. Like I said - no chance.
BD

[Schadenfreude]

Actually, we do not play any 1-AA teams since WKU will be playing 1-A this year.

I am pretty sure Western Kentucky is not going to be I-A this fall. The transition usually takes a couple of years.

If we are going to play a I-AA team, I think Western Kentucky is an excellent choice.

[1987alum]

I will go on record. 11 K average. We barely cracked 15 last year. This year I have just heard from nearly everyone I know - they are out. Huge crowd Toledo? I was at the last T-BG game at the Doyt. It was cold and I would not call it huge and the MAC championship was on the line. This schedule stinks- 11K top. Without a big name school (frontloaded) - no chance unless we a running the table. Like I said - no chance.
BD

birddog: I'm not a betting man, but I'd be willing to wager that we'll average more than 11,000.

[orangeandbrown]

I think the WKU transition does take a couple years, but they aren't pure I-AA team.

As for how much we draw, I believe we have drawn well for I-AA teams in the past. If the team is playing well and the weather is nice, we could get a nice crowd.

Not as good as for Boise, but there you go.

[Class of 61]

Let me preface this with the fact that I'm not enthralled any more than most of you re: our home schedule.....

But let's look at REALITY a bit....how many "POWER CONFERENCE" teams have I-AA's on their schedules this season? I'm pretty sure, though haven't looked up too many that OSU and Mich., for example, BOTH are playing I-AA teams this year....so what's the problem with BG playing one? Granted, WKU as a "replacement" for Boise or Navy or even FIU doesn't sound as glamorous... but we're still going to be a pretty young team with a VERY tough OOC road schedule. So, a slightly "softer" schedule at home (with some competitive MAC games on that schedule) might not be all bad.

As to the anger and frustration directed at GC for his scheduling, I said it before...I'll wait a year before I join the vigilantes to hang him...if he doesn't come through with a six game home schedule with at least one "name" opponent at the Doyt (and Minny is SUPPOSED to be here next year), then I'll say that we've screwed up royally.... but I've seen the ultra super years of Doyt Perry in person, followed by some fairly solid years, also followed by some pretty lean years....(can you say Moe Ankney?). Realistically, it's very difficult for any "mid-major" program to sustain the kind of success we saw when UM took over the program from Blackney, who seemed to let our success in the early 90's fizzle in his last 4-5 yrs.

[Falconfreak90]

Solid post, Den. Agree 100%.

Let's just get this 2007 season going. After last year, I'm ready.

[mjmorefield]

Clone away fellas! I share the disappointment and not accepting mediocre. I want to be the "Boise State of the Midwest"...the team that scares the crap outta the BCS boys...like we did a few years ago.

I'm just worried how they're going to gt the DNA samples

[redskins4ever]

The problem with playing a I-AA if you are a MAC team is that lets say you are making a Boise Type of Run up the top 25, you will be hammered by the voters for playing a soft team, because you are already from a soft conference, therefor playing I-AA is a double whammy against a MAC program and not even a blip on someone like Michigan. Its a double standard, but then again i don't see a MAC school putting 60K fans in a stadium week in and week out.