TWO Div I-AA teams next year? Are they kidding?

Y

YodaBee

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That's offensive to me as a season ticket holder.

The notion that "We're full until 2012 so we can't give a return visit to anyone" is also silly.

We have Div I-AA teams booked for the next 4-6 years. Why not shuffle one of those games around. Ditch a future game with Jacksonville State or Samford and pick up a home and home with a Tulane-level team.

Get creative!

We already have 6 home games next year. Why not suck it up and visit someone next year and get the return trip in 2009 or 2010.

Or...call the GA Dome folks. They want to book an ACC/SEC season opener every year. Let's get in on that in the near future, and use it to our advantage instead of playing second fiddle on opening week in our own town!

If you ask me, our AD spent too much time booking Div I-AA teams well into the future and not enough time booking quality opposition.

I realize that Army screwed us, but I think we're screwing ourselves worse.

Here's a list of teams that still need games:
http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/college_football_2008_schedules/index_openings.htm
 
I was reading September 13th would be good for both LSU or Rutgers. LSU would probably be challenging- Rutgers would be a tossup.

Where did you hear about 2 Div 1-AA teams next year?
 
Clemson and FSU already have 2 DI-AA teams, btw.

That doesn't make me any less mad about this, though. I don't think you should be able to schedule more than one DI-AA team per season, period. The NCAA already tries to make it hurt by not letting more than one count towards bowl eligibility but it seemingly isn't enough.

There's 119 DI-A teams, and after next year there'll be 120. Considering that all but 3 are in a conference, they need 3 to 5 out-of-conference games per year. I am pretty sure there's ways to work it out so no one has to play DI-AA teams at all.

Of course this won't happen because:
1) Schedules are set way too far in advance. Why do we have our OOC opponents set through 2012? Because everyone else does. Hell, the SEC even has their league schedule set years in advance.
2) DI-AA schools like the guarantee games to keep their program afloat.

Oh, and in this case, beej is right: we got screwed. But, still, there's gotta be a DI-A opponent we can play.
 
On the surface, and without looking at each of the team's schedules you linked, this list is fun to consider. A Home and Home with LSU, Rutgers, Wisconsin, Texas Tech, or Illinois would be nice.

There are several potential matchups that would really be fun to see.

BTW, I wonder if Army regrets not fulfilling their obligation? They have 3 games to schedule! Wow.
 
The NCAA should make it harder for teams to back out of a scheduled game.
 
They should, but remember, we've backed out of games before (Louisville).

That said, I'd like to see us play Rutgers, or maybe we could get a "neutral site" game with LSU (doing a home & home would be difficult because both schools only have a one-time opening until a few years down the road).
 
Normally I'd agree, but next year, with a new systems both offensively and defensively to install and work out the kinks in, I don't really care.
 
fattyjackson said:
They should, but remember, we've backed out of games before (Louisville).
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We didn't back out of Louisville less than a year in advance, though.

Noone wants to schedule two 1AA teams, but I expect it's much tougher than many of us think to get a lower level D1A team at this late a stage in the game. Clemson and FSU doing it doesn't make it right, but it's a lot easier for them to get pay-for-play opponents than it is for us, because they make a lot more per home game and can afford to pay the visitors more. Moreover they probably should have an easier time scheduling home and homes, because they're not any better than GT is but they're "bigger names". I'd bet Paul Johnson isn't gonna make scheduling much easier for us, either. We'll be better and harder to prepare for. Fortunately that should not matter the next three seasons and we already have Bama set up for 2012-2014.

We'd probably take a 2 for 1 at this point if the return visit could be in 2012, but it's pretty hard to find someone and work out that deal in only a month or two, most programs are gonna want the return game sooner (or they're scared they'll get a check and it just won't happen), and most of the lower-1A teams are booked up anyway.

Yoda, ditching a home game with a 1AA would not give us a road game slot. My impression from DRad is that now that we don't have to go to Army, we really need a home game slot financially. Even if we pay the 1AA team $300K we should still net $500K, while it would cost us money to go on the road. Add in the $500K check Army paid us, and it really helps keep us in the black.

Add all that to the fact that it doesn't make sense to schedule much tougher this year, and I can understand why we'd add a 2nd 1AA. I don't like it, and I'm sure the AD doesn't either, but there aren't a whole lot of options.
 
I don't "care" either but I'd rather have a "don't care" shoved up my butt where you have to fight for your life rather than the 'pussy' game (scrimmage) to test our meddle.

The 1-AA things are an embarrassment. I'd rather lose 69-0 to Florida or Michigan or USC than walk over some school totally out of our league.

It is an embarrassment to our tradition.
 
Well, first of all we aren't going to get a game against FL or UM so it doesn't really matter does it? If we could somehow get a decent game I'd prefer that as well, but doubt at this late date it's really possible given how scheduling it done. Finally, it's mettle, not meddle. I mean, I know we all meddle with stuff all the time, but you test your mettle.
 
GTWannaBee said:
The NCAA should make it harder for teams to back out of a scheduled game.
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Yes. THAT is the solution to our current predicament. We were in a similar fix when Auburn dumped us a few years ago. (so they could go undefeated and miss the NC game on a weak schedule)
 
ncjacket said:
Normally I'd agree, but next year, with a new systems both offensively and defensively to install and work out the kinks in, I don't really care.
Click to expand...

The only thing is it would be tougher to make a bowl game with two 1-AA teams on the schedule. I still can't believe it would happen, but if two other schools are already doing it...hopefully D-Rad comes through in the clutch.
 
ncjacket said:
If we could somehow get a decent game I'd prefer that as well, but doubt at this late date it's really possible given how scheduling it done. Finally, it's mettle, not meddle. I mean, I know we all meddle with stuff all the time, but you test your mettle.
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Give this man a medal.

D-Rad says he's still trying to work something out, but it will likely be a D-1AA team, which he doesn't like either. Stop acting like he isn't trying. Besides, it's one freaking game in one freaking season. Get over it.

At least, we have one more tailgating opportunity than if Army hadn't cancelled.
 
once again, my decision to remove the Zeier quote from my sig is proven sound.
 
gnats67 said:
....The 1-AA things are an embarrassment. I'd rather lose 69-0 to Florida or Michigan or USC than walk over some school totally out of our league.

It is an embarrassment to our tradition.
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Are you serious? You want to send our new coach out for a lopsided pounding in one of the first games of the season? You sound like you want to build on tradition by getting beat 69-0. These people crowing for us to play LSU early in the season are just as bad. I'm not that excited about playing a 1-AA either; but I would rather do that than destroy the team's and the fan's excitement over a new coach and system by getting blown out by top tier competition before they are ready. If you want to add a top ten team late in the season or sometime next year fine; but not this September.
 
You sound like you want to build on tradition by getting beat 69-0.
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That's how it sounds to me, too.

I have no problem creaming powderpuffs, because it's what gets you ranked. Look at Clemson over the last few years, as a great example. Idiot sportswriters don't remember who you played, they remember that you rushed for 600 yards, or that you average 50 points per game. And national championships are about impressing the press, even if they don't use the AP in the BCS equation anymore.
 
yeah the Army games sucks.....

...but I thought I also read somewhere that CPJ emphasized playing easier teams when he went to Navy....

...I hope that's not the case here!
 
theShaft said:
yeah the Army games sucks.....

...but I thought I also read somewhere that CPJ emphasized playing easier teams when he went to Navy....

...I hope that's not the case here!
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We need WINS, WINS, and WINS. With all of our youth and transition, we need another easy game. Bring on another home game and let's put 50 on somebody. We need to unite the base behind our coach.
 
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