Schedule update

[Warthog]

A Buffalo fan posted the Bulls' sked on the MAC board. It has BG visiting Buffalo on Oct. 15.

Warthog (schedulemeister): Does that mean our schedule tentatively looks like this?

9/3 @ Wisconsin
9/10 @ Ball State
9/20 or 21 @ Boise State
10/1 TEMPLE
10/8 TBA - my guess would be H (Ohio, WMU, Akron)
10/15 @ Buffalo
10/22 TBA
10/29 TBA
11/5 TBA
11/15 @ Miami
11/22 TOLEDO

NO! The Miami game cannot be on 11/15 unless the are playing us on three days rest. They have a game at Temple on 11/12 and that is solid.

As for bg8492's comment that we will have a MAC home game on 9/10, I highly doubt that. Researching other teams OOC schedules showed that Toledo is the only team not playing that weekend that we are scheduled to play at the Doyt. Ain't no way the BG-UT game is gonna be that early in the season.

[Warthog]

Here is another issue with our schedule. When we have played at Toledo, the game has been on Tuesday or Wednesday BEFORE Thanksgiving. When it has been at BG, we have played (scheduled) it for the Friday/Saturday after Thanksgiving. With the number of weeks available, we can only play two games on a Tuesday/Wednesday night for TV. My bet then, is that the UT game will be after Thanksgiving, not on 11/22. That way we can play Boise and Miami on weeknights and still fit it all in our schedule. Here is my new wild-ass guess:

9/3 @ Wisconsin
9/10 @ Ball St
9/20(1) - @ Boise St
10/1 TEMPLE
10/8 OHIO, AKRON, or WESTERN
10/15 @ Buffalo
10/22 OHIO or WESTERN
11/1 @ MIAMI
11/12 OHIO, AKRON, or WESTERN
11/19 @ Kent
11/25(6) TOLEDO

Games in italics seem pretty solid based on postings from other boards.

[Schadenfreude]

As for bg8492's comment that we will have a MAC home game on 9/10, I highly doubt that. Researching other teams OOC schedules showed that Toledo is the only team not playing that weekend that we are scheduled to play at the Doyt.

Vandelay is reporting that Western Michigan *just* dropped a Sept. 10 game with Wisconsin (Temple will play at Wisconsin instead, as a favor, apparently).

Perhaps that means the Broncos will be coming to the Doyt on that day.

That would solve some problems.

Heck, maybe it even gets Ribeau's expansion vote. (Or not. I have no idea, really)

[BelieveNBG]

Look at it this way...
would you prefer to be on the road in Sept. playing teams like Wisconsin and Boise???

or at home playing Eastern Ky.???

Unfortunately, those are the choices. We can't have it both ways. September games are usually majority non-conference games. To get a non-conference quality game, we have to go to them, since they won't come to the Doyt. We could choose to stay home and the attendance would still suck cause we'd be playing some 1-AA opponent.

I prefer the quality road game vs. the 1-AA opponent anyday.


GO BG!!!

[1987alum]

Vandelay is reporting that Western Michigan *just* dropped a Sept. 10 game with Wisconsin (Temple will play at Wisconsin instead, as a favor, apparently).

Perhaps that means the Broncos will be coming to the Doyt on that day.

That would solve some problems.

Schade: I read somewhere - the MAC board, I think - that Ball State already had posters out with a Sept. 10 game against BG in Muncie. We made a very late switch with Ball State back in '85 (so Denny Stolz could get his 100th victory against Kentucky), so maybe they'll make a late swap, but it's not looking good.

Look at it this way ... would you prefer to be on the road in Sept. playing teams like Wisconsin and Boise?

or at home playing Eastern Ky.???

Unfortunately, those are the choices. We can't have it both ways. September games are usually majority non-conference games. To get a non-conference quality game, we have to go to them, since they won't come to the Doyt. We could choose to stay home and the attendance would still suck cause we'd be playing some 1-AA opponent.

Believe - I don't think that the decision is a simple either/or. For example, if Western is, in fact, open on 9-10, the MAC could schedule our home game against the Broncos for that date. Warthog has done the most research and might know the answer, but it's possible that Ohio and/or Akron could be here on that date as well.

So I would submit that we can, in fact, have it both ways. We're starting to transition from having to take D-IAA opponents at home to getting some D-I teams to come to The Doyt - Temple, Boise State, Wyoming. My sincere hope is that this "no home game 'til October" discussion won't happen after this year.

[Falconfreak90]

Let's just get the season going!!!!

[Warthog]

Ohio is hosting Pittsburgh and Akron is at Purdue on 9/10. Doubt they back out of either of those to come to BG. But I also would have doubted that Western would back out on Wisconsin, so who knows. I thought maybe WMU had three tough away games scheduled for OOC and might have wanted to get a cheap I-AA home game to get a win. But they already have Southern Ill at home on 9/17 so don't understand why they would back out on Wisconsin.

[Falconfreak90]

But they already have Southern Ill at home on 9/17 so don't understand why they would back out on Wisconsin.

Yeah, especially after BG softens the Badgers up for the Broncos!!

[Warthog]

But they already have Southern Ill at home on 9/17 so don't understand why they would back out on Wisconsin.

Yeah, especially after BG softens the Badgers up for the Broncos!!

More like, pisses them off and puts them in a bad mood.

[Schadenfreude]

Ohio is hosting Pittsburgh and Akron is at Purdue on 9/10. Doubt they back out of either of those to come to BG. But I also would have doubted that Western would back out on Wisconsin, so who knows. I thought maybe WMU had three tough away games scheduled for OOC and might have wanted to get a cheap I-AA home game to get a win. But they already have Southern Ill at home on 9/17 so don't understand why they would back out on Wisconsin.

Vandelay, in reporting the Western Michigan's decision to pull out of the game, emphasized that Temple agreed to play the game so Western Michigan didn't suffer a financial penalty. He said Temple seems to be pulling out all the stops in hopes of getting a MAC invite.

I see no logical reason why Western Michigan would drop this game -- but the MAC may feel an obligation to give us a September home game, since the Boise State game will really make a mess of things.

So, maybe this is a favor Temple is doing to benefit the MAC -- and it could be that the MAC is seeking the favor to sweeten the deal for us.

Again, I'm not sure what Western Michigan would get out of it.

Supposedly, Temple was planning to play North Carolina State at home that day. So... maybe... someone (Western Michigan?) will get a game with North Carolina State at home out of this. (!)

Maybe that's what WMU gets out of it -- and if so, that's really big. WMU needs another nonconference game from what I understand.

I could see why Temple would want to dump that game. They probably can't afford the guarantee, the way attendance is going there. I think they'd get a better crowd at Western Michigan.

All this is speculation -- but it is fitting together for me.

The only imposition on Ball State is that they need to redo posters -- if that.

That's not a big deal. I'm sure WMU would help cover the expense.

[1987alum]

So Schade, in your scenario, the Broncos come to The Doyt on Sept. 10, the Owls take a beating in Madison on the same day, then NC State goes to K-zoo on a date TBD?

I think it makes sense for Temple because of the reasons you suggest. I have no doubt they'll make more $ with a Wisky payday than hosting the Wolfpack in front of a bunch of green seats. If WMU gets the OOC game it needs, every body wins.

Selfishly, I was hoping Noah would see a different team this year, but if the Broncos come to BG on Sept. 10, that'd be my leading candidate for our roadie, 9-11 anniversary (and my wife's terrorist-related fears) notwithstanding.

[Schadenfreude]

So Schade, in your scenario, the Broncos come to The Doyt on Sept. 10, the Owls take a beating in Madison on the same day, then NC State goes to K-zoo on a date TBD?

Actually, after some thought, I realize I had WMU playing Bowling Green and N.C. State on the same day.

Maybe N.C. State could play at Ball State and trade a game with someone else.

Or, maybe they play at WMU and we are still stuck opening at home in October.

[Warthog]

I think Western dropping the big pay day at Wisconsin (if true) has nothing to do with getting us a home game on 9/10.

But then again maybe it does and all this is related. How about this idea: Temple takes Western's game in Wisconsin. That leaves NC State without a road game on 9/10. The Wolfpack come to the Doyt since we are looking for a home game on that date. Then Temple plays at Western on 10/1 when they should have come to BG and we get an open week. Except that we already have homecoming scheduled for 10/1 so we would need a home game that day anyway. Hmmmm, all of this would also allow the UT game to be played on 11/22 and Boise on 9/21(2) as many have speculated and still get Miami on a weeknight for ESPN as well. Hmmmm, would be nice, but I don't think so. Still betting on traveling to Muncie 9/10.

[1987alum]

I think Western dropping the big pay day at Wisconsin (if true) has nothing to do with getting us a home game on 9/10.

But then again maybe it does and all this is related. How about this idea: Temple takes Western's game in Wisconsin. That leaves NC State without a road game on 9/10. The Wolfpack come to the Doyt since we are looking for a home game on that date. Then Temple plays at Western on 10/1 when they should have come to BG and we get an open week. Except that we already have homecoming scheduled for 10/1 so we would need a home game that day anyway. Hmmmm, all of this would also allow the UT game to be played on 11/22 and Boise on 9/21(2) as many have speculated and still get Miami on a weeknight for ESPN as well. Hmmmm, would be nice, but I don't think so. Still betting on traveling to Muncie 9/10.

Warthog: I think you're getting to the point of schedule overload!

[MiamiBando]

The consensus here at Miami is that we(Miami) will have the following games on ESPN:
UC(Battle for the Victory Bell)Big East
OhioU(Thanksgiving game? This is one my sources are not sure of)
BGSU(relatively sure, They want to see recent MAC national powerhouses on TV)
Northern Illi?(not too sure)

ABC? Or major TV
Ohio State

Local TV
Temple
Akron(if not then ESPN)
Buffalo?(New York stations)