2019-2020 Schedule

[hammb]

Scheduling is not irrelevant if you have a team you believe can win the MACC and if you believe that playing high level non-conference competition sets you up for a victory in the NCAA Tournament.
I believe BG can win the MACC and thus make the NCAA tournament, and I believe playing 2-3 tournament level teams could better prepare such a team for that potential 1+ victory.
That is just my opinion.

I agree. To add to that playing some worthwhile opponents also better prepares the team for the MAC grind, IMO.

As a season ticket holder, I also do not enjoy seeing multiple games against Lourdes, Findlay, and Lake Erie college on any year's schedule. Artificially propping up the number of home games and the win count with games like these do nothing for me. They're boring as hell to watch, and they do nothing to help the team prepare for MAC season.

I don't expect us to fill up a schedule with a bunch of Duke, Kentucky, and Syracuse type programs. But I'd very much like to see us play as many MAC level mid majors or lower tier power conference teams as possible. I realize we have to still fill out a home schedule as well, and I realize it's a major challenge, but I'd like to see them put in the work.

And to be clear, this isn't a clear criticism of THIS schedule...it's more a bitch about how we've scheduled in recent years....

[BleedOrange]

Scheduling is not irrelevant if you have a team you believe can win the MACC and if you believe that playing high level non-conference competition sets you up for a victory in the NCAA Tournament.
I believe BG can win the MACC and thus make the NCAA tournament, and I believe playing 2-3 tournament level teams could better prepare such a team for that potential 1+ victory.
That is just my opinion.

I agree. To add to that playing some worthwhile opponents also better prepares the team for the MAC grind, IMO.

As a season ticket holder, I also do not enjoy seeing multiple games against Lourdes, Findlay, and Lake Erie college on any year's schedule. Artificially propping up the number of home games and the win count with games like these do nothing for me. They're boring as hell to watch, and they do nothing to help the team prepare for MAC season.

I don't expect us to fill up a schedule with a bunch of Duke, Kentucky, and Syracuse type programs. But I'd very much like to see us play as many MAC level mid majors or lower tier power conference teams as possible. I realize we have to still fill out a home schedule as well, and I realize it's a major challenge, but I'd like to see them put in the work.

And to be clear, this isn't a clear criticism of THIS schedule...it's more a bitch about how we've scheduled in recent years....

From a NCAA tourney seeding and selection standpoint, scheduling doesn't matter until we've established ourselves with 1+ win and a good returning team. Until then, we're among the anonymous unwashed sea of mid-major one season wonders, and an RPI of 68 isn't any more useful than 103.

I will agree that scheduling good teams is good preparation for a GOOD team, which we are. On the bright side, there exist other good mid-major teams that haven't made their mark and face the same sympathetic scheduling issue BG does.

Of course, playing in a big venue against a name team in front of a giant crowd is an different experience altogether. THAT requires scheduling.


(By the way, it's MAC, not MACC. Mid. American. Conference.)

[ZuluWarrior]

Listen, Junior.
Winning the Mid-American Conference Championship (MACC) is the only way a MAC team makes the tourney (Buffalo last year would've been a very rare exception). And if BG played 3-4 Power 5 school and won 2 along with regular season MAC title it would absolutely help their seeding. But once again, it doesn't matter because they're only playing one Power 5.

[mbenecke]

The 2019-2020 non-conference schedule was released today. Home games are bolded.

Wed. 10/30 vs. Findlay (Exhibition)
Tues. 11/5 vs. Tiffin
Fri. 11/8 @ LSU
Mon. 11/11 Jacksoville (Miami)
Fri. 11/15 vs. Fairmont State
Fri. 11/22 Western Kentucky (Paradise Jam)
Sat. 11/23 or Sun. 11/24 Cincinnati/Illinois State (Paradise Jam)
Mon. 11/25 TBD (Paradise Jam)
Sat. 11/30 vs. Dartmouth
Sat. 12/7 vs. Oakland
Sun. 12/15 vs. Cleveland State
Fri. 12/20 Norfolk State (Boardwalk Battle)
Sat. 12/21 Drexel/Quinnipiac (Boardwalk Battle)
Tues. 12/31 vs. Hartford

[AyZiggy97]

Scheduling is not irrelevant if you have a team you believe can win the MACC and if you believe that playing high level non-conference competition sets you up for a victory in the NCAA Tournament.
I believe BG can win the MACC and thus make the NCAA tournament, and I believe playing 2-3 tournament level teams could better prepare such a team for that potential 1+ victory.
That is just my opinion.

I agree. To add to that playing some worthwhile opponents also better prepares the team for the MAC grind, IMO.

As a season ticket holder, I also do not enjoy seeing multiple games against Lourdes, Findlay, and Lake Erie college on any year's schedule. Artificially propping up the number of home games and the win count with games like these do nothing for me. They're boring as hell to watch, and they do nothing to help the team prepare for MAC season.

I don't expect us to fill up a schedule with a bunch of Duke, Kentucky, and Syracuse type programs. But I'd very much like to see us play as many MAC level mid majors or lower tier power conference teams as possible. I realize we have to still fill out a home schedule as well, and I realize it's a major challenge, but I'd like to see them put in the work.

And to be clear, this isn't a clear criticism of THIS schedule...it's more a bitch about how we've scheduled in recent years....

Play teams that prepare the program to win the MAC is one of the funniest tropes on this board. BG played one Power 5/BE team last season and played for the championship.

What leagues, exactly, qualify as MAC level that BG should be filling their schedule with? The Horizon and MAC seem to have multiple games. But if you look around the MAC, there are few games against teams from C-USA or The Valley.

I'm not blindly defending BG. There has been an increase in non conference, same season home and homes. Toledo hosts Marshall and travels to Huntington before the MAC begins. Maybe BG should be more creative in this fashion.

But it's extremely easy for fans to create non conference schedules for themselves than the actual work of putting a schedule together. The program has a certain number of home dates it has to fill as part of its budget. I have no idea what that number is. But if no D1 is willing to play at Stroh then you have to look elsewhere. It sucks to hear, but that's life.

For the love of God, can we stop comparing Lourdes to Findlay? One is an NAIA school that was scheduled when another game fell through at the last minute and BG was desperate for a game. The other is better than a certain percentage of D1 schools.

[Schadenfreude]

Hosting Dartmouth will be fun. Any time we schedule the Ivy League is okay with me.

[ZuluWarrior]

We are 200 Days Away from Selection Sunday, according to Andy Katz. I am pumped that we should be the MAC favorite and I believe if you want to be a champion you have to think like a champion.
I wish the coaching staff embraced this thinking and went into scheduling willing to take on as many Top 50 programs as possible. The fact is, and this is my only remaining complaint of Coach Huger, who earned his extension, is that they played more Top 50 teams ANYWHERE necessary so that come 204 or 205 days from now we were ready to take on anyone! Our schedule during his tenure has to be one of the least challenging in the country.
I also don't know why Mr. Frack's incredible donation isn't used as intended in terms of paying to play a big time program at home. Was that donation rescinded or are we just ignoring that aspect of the $10MM pledge?
And one last bitchy-esque question; while season ticket holders get the NFL pre-season type joy of having to purchase Tiffin, Findlay and Fairmont State, I assume the university is not making you pay for tickets to our home game in Miami against Jacksonville?

[Schadenfreude]

Tiffin, Findlay and Fairmont State,

Have we ever had two games that count and an exhibition all against Division II schools? It seems like a lot.

[hammb]

Tiffin, Findlay and Fairmont State,

Have we ever had two games that count and an exhibition all against Division II schools? It seems like a lot.

Last year we played an Exhibition against Bluffton (D3), and games that counted against Tiffin & Findlay (both Division II).

Unfortunately it's not just us, other teams in the MAC have gone this route as well. It shouldn't be accepted though.

In reality I don't have a major problem with this year's schedule. The home game in Florida sucks. Another year of not using Mr. Frack's money to bring in a decent home game sucks. Another year of 2 D2 games that count sucks. But the LSU game is a good get. The Paradise Jam & Boardwalk Battle are worthwhile tournaments.

I know it's hard, I'm just tired of hearing how hard it is every year. I really wish they'd use the Frack money as it was intended. WHen was the last time we signed a multi year deal giving up multiple years of home games for a single home game? MSU or UM? It's been awhile. I have no problem with the single year home/homes like UT is playing with Marshall. Just get us some games so we can limit ourselves to a single xbh and a single lower division game. That's a start. Playing all our home games in Bowling Green, OH is a good idea too.

[mbenecke]

Tiffin, Findlay and Fairmont State,

Have we ever had two games that count and an exhibition all against Division II schools? It seems like a lot.

Last year we played an Exhibition against Bluffton (D3), and games that counted against Tiffin & Findlay (both Division II).

Unfortunately it's not just us, other teams in the MAC have gone this route as well. It shouldn't be accepted though.

In reality I don't have a major problem with this year's schedule. The home game in Florida sucks. Another year of not using Mr. Frack's money to bring in a decent home game sucks. Another year of 2 D2 games that count sucks. But the LSU game is a good get. The Paradise Jam & Boardwalk Battle are worthwhile tournaments.

I know it's hard, I'm just tired of hearing how hard it is every year. I really wish they'd use the Frack money as it was intended. WHen was the last time we signed a multi year deal giving up multiple years of home games for a single home game? MSU or UM? It's been awhile. I have no problem with the single year home/homes like UT is playing with Marshall. Just get us some games so we can limit ourselves to a single xbh and a single lower division game. That's a start. Playing all our home games in Bowling Green, OH is a good idea too.

I will say, though - playing the game in Miami is cool. It gets guys a chance to play close to their hometown, and that's not insignificant to them.

I'm not sure how playing a neutral site game gives up a home game, but I would love to have an explanation on that. I'm genuinely curious.

[ZuluWarrior]

University of Detroit plays: NC State, Clemson, Notre Dame and Gonzaga. That's a non-conference schedule!

[mbenecke]

The rest of the schedule has been announced.

Jan. 3 | KENT STATE
Jan. 7 | MIAMI
Jan. 11 | at Ohio
Jan. 14 | at Western Michigan
Jan. 18 | NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Jan. 21 | EASTERN MICHIGAN
Jan. 25 | at Toledo
Jan. 28 | BALL STATE
Jan. 31 | at Buffalo
Feb. 4 | at Central Michigan
Feb. 8 | TOLEDO
Feb. 11 | at Akron
Feb. 15 | at Ball State
Feb. 22 | OHIO
Feb. 25 | AKRON
Feb. 29 | at Miami
March 3 | at Kent State
March 6 | BUFFALO

[AyZiggy97]

3703D180-6311-409D-910A-D585D99E5881.jpeg (161.39 KiB) Viewed 932 times

Reupping as a reminder for next season that putting the non con together is the opposite of easy.

[Schadenfreude]

I'm not sure what makes a series like that difficult, to be honest. If Eastern Michigan and Oakland wanted to play every year, wouldn't they?