(07-22-2017 10:46 AM)jmutoml757 Wrote:  

(07-22-2017 10:24 AM)DoubleDDuke Wrote:  

(07-20-2017 11:50 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  Pretty much going with teams JMU hasn't played, or at least in a quarter century or so.

1. Penn State
-106.5k capacity stadium (only 2nd? to Michigan)
-Great (from what I've seen on TV, heard & read) atmosphere- never been to a game there.
-Roughly about 3.5 hrs from JMU & DC, 5 hrs Richmond, 6-7 from Tidewater, so for almost everyone would be at least 1 overnight.
-Only about a 3 hr drive from where I live outside of Philadelphia.

2. Tennessee:
-102.5k capacity stadium.
-Great (from what I've seen on TV, heard & read) atmosphere- never been to a game there.
-Driveable for most of the fanbase (JMU, DC/Nova, Richmond, Tidewater), little further than PSU. Roughly between 5-8 hrs drive for the bulk of the JMU fanbase, so would be 1-2 overnights for everyone.
-9 hr drive for me, but enroute I could visit family in the Shenandoah Valley, same as I usually do for JMU home games.
-Only an hr from Gatlinburg & the Great Smokies, people could make it a 4-5 day trip (or longer) and spend time in the Smokies.

3. Pitt:
-For all the reasons that Purple mentioned.
-Driveable for most of the fanbase, a little further than PSU. Roughly between 4-7 hrs drive for the bulk of the JMU fanbase..
-Only about a 4.5 hr drive for me.

4. Syracuse:
-Bulk of the JMU fanbase would between 7-9 hour drive, too far for some. Bout a 4 hr drive for me.
-I'd get a day of fishing in on the Salmon River about 1/2 hr+ further north. Have done double digit guided float trips up there in the last 8 years..

5. Navy:(yeah I know not P5) For all the reasons already mentioned, 1-4 hrs from the bulk of the JMU fanbase. I'm a couple hours drive.

6. Army: (yeah I know not P5): For all the reasons already mentioned, 5-7 hours drive from the bulk of the JMU fansbase, I'm about 2 1/2 hrs.
-Early October would be best with the fall foliage.

7. UVA: Just to beat them again.

8. Buffalo:(yeah I know not P5)
-7 to 10 hours drive for the bulk of the JMU fanbase (6+ for me), so a lot would fly.
-Certainly winnable.
-This would be purely to do Niagara Falls, about a 1/2 hr north of Buffalo (would definitely want it to be a early Sept game). For anyone who hasn't seen them, its worth the trip IMHOP. I've been there, my elderly mom hasn't, so a game @ Buffalo would be an excuse to take her.

All of these would be good, although JMU football is about the only reason I can think of in life to go to Buffalo. Only thing is based on my observation, JMU seems to concentrate a lot of recruiting resources to the Carolinas. They probably spend more time there than anywhere outside of VA. So, I think that's why we haven't really seen scheduling going further North than Maryland. Probably why you see UNC, NC State, Duke, ECU, WVU. If they stay with that strategy, some other good opponents might be Wake, perhaps Vandy, and South Carolina (although not likely after Houston's Citadel team knocked them off). Although I'd love to get to a game at Clemson, I'd be a little worried about that getting ugly.

A game at Buffalo would be a waste of our one fbs game IMO. The MAC connection is of no benefit at this point, and the regional fbs games we currently have scheduled are great for a majority of our fan base. Penn St not a bad idea, as I know we have a fairly large contingency that would drive to that game. Syracuse? Not so sure about that one either.

Yeah, of all mentioned, Buffalo doesn't get me very excited either and the payday would not be substantial at all. I'd much rather play someone like Marshall if it's not going to be a P5. I've been through Syracuse several times on the way to Canada and I agree with you on that one as well. It's actually kind of a depressing town to be honest so I don't think it'd bring much allure for our fans to make that trip. Wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but if we're gonna go North, there are more desirable places, some of which were noted. Rutgers might be a good one as well.

All this said, I think we all realize that these things are dictated by the FBS schools so in some sense we have to kind of take what we can get.