2015 Football Schedule

[mscarn]

Put simply, going 0-4 in the OOC may be heartbreaking to us, but to the fan base we are attempting to attract, it may only sting slightly. If we only beat Memphis, we'll see it as a good win, but that target fan base will remain neutral. A win against any of the other three will attract the target fan base because of the name and the conference that team plays in. If the goal is to attract fans, we're doing the right thing. If the goal is to make money, we're doing the right thing. I'm excited because we are playing some big teams and can get our name out there. This is where we need to be.

You make some strong points. At the end of the day I just want to win; 15,000 people will have a blast at the games and the rest can go screw themselves as far as I'm concerned. A bigger issue than the morale of the fans should be the morale of the players. There is more than enough talent to win the league but an 0-4 start would be devastating. You shouldn't go into every single OOC game you play as the underdog. I'm sure it won't be a trend, but potentially ruining an entire year because of overscheduling shouldn't ever happen because scheduling is within your control. Another I-AA should have been found (or at minimum searched for diligently) to drop their opening week opponent just like SCSU dropped us. Tennessee was an option; lets hope it doesn't turn out to be the nuclear option.

[mscarn]

Newly hired Pitt AD Scott Barnes attributed the successful turnaround of Utah State's football program (where he came from) to three factors:

“We did it in three facets. We hired Gary Andersen as coach and came up with better salaries for his assistants. We improved our facilities. And we scheduled the right way.”

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/ron- ... 1505040041" target="_blank

They have natural OOC rivals in BYU and Utah and play their requisite one guarantee game a year, the operative word being ONE. Their other OOC games over the past 6 years have consisted of Southern Utah, Idaho State, Arkansas State, Weber State and New Mexico State. They also played Wake Forest, a low-tier beatable BCS opponent, at home. Nowhere did they play 3 BCS teams on the road plus a home game against a 10 win Top 25 team with their head coach, quarterback and a bunch of other starters returning. The surest way to halt momentum in a program is to overschedule.

[zete]

I don't think we can afford to "schedule the right way".

[BGFalconfromCincy]

If it was a trend, yeah I might be concerned with how we are scheduling, but its not, its a one year thing because us and Tennessee were in a bad spot and needed something last minute. Look at the 2016 schedule - Power 5 (at OSU), G5 at home (Middle Tennessee), G5 on the road (Memphis), FCS at home (North Dakota). Looking beyond 2016 the other years are starting to look the same way - power 5 and G5 on the road and FCS or either G5 or lower level Power 5 at home. Us and Tennessee were in a bad spot and needed something last minute, 2015 OOC appears to be a blimp and not a trend

[Schadenfreude]

If it was a trend, yeah I might be concerned with how we are scheduling, but its not, its a one year thing

This.

[BGSU33]

If it was a trend, yeah I might be concerned with how we are scheduling, but its not, its a one year thing

This.

I agree, but I just hope it doesn't overwhelm us to start the year, because we should be pretty good if we can stay healthy and have confidence.

[Falconfreak90]

I honestly believe we will win 2 of the 4...at the least. IF we wanna be taken seriously, we need to beat teams like Maryland and Purdue. The Vols will be tough and Memphis is a damn good team. Just tee it up!!!

[BGSU33]

I honestly believe we will win 2 of the 4...at the least. IF we wanna be taken seriously, we need to beat teams like Maryland and Purdue. The Vols will be tough and Memphis is a damn good team. Just tee it up!!!

I would be thrilled to go 2-2 to start the year, with any combination of getting those two wins.

[Indiana4]

Interesting that Tennessee opponent after us, is Oklahoma at Knoxville......They may be over looking us.

[Falcon137]

If it was a trend, yeah I might be concerned with how we are scheduling, but its not, its a one year thing

This.

The schedules going forward are fine with me.

2016 - @ Ohio State, North Dakota, Middle Tennessee, @ Memphis. That is a perfect schedule.
2017 - @ Michigan State, @ Middle Tennessee.
2018 - Maryland and @ Oregon.
2019 - @ Maryland and @ K State.

All of these are fine with me. With the money Under Armour is pouring into Maryland, I think they are going to rise quickly in the Big10. It will be pretty cool to see them come into the Doyt.

[bgsufn]

And now UAB is reinstating football?!?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2482 ... s-reaction" target="_blank

Could this possibly affect us?

[able1]

It shouldn't. We've filled our schedule. I wonder how this will work out for them though. Surely the coaching staff and a fair number of their players have moved on. They lost spring practice all together. Sounds like it could be a real mess given the timing.

[Schadenfreude]

Sounds like it could be a real mess given the timing.

Southern Methodist could probably offer a few pointers.

[able1]

Yeah, good point Now THAT was a mess.

[bgbill]

2016 would be earliest season for UAB football.