THE GAMES WE MUST WIN:

1) UMass at UConn (old rivalry, but UMass isn't up to speed yet)

2) Villanova at Temple (the Owls don't want to lose their first game back as a Big East team)

3) Chattanooga at USF (I'll boldly guarantee a win here)

4) Rutgers at Tulane (Tulane is near the bottom of C-USA)

5) UCF at Akron (Akron is near the bottom of the MAC)

6) UT-Martin at Memphis (I've never even heard of "UT-Martin")

7) Texas State at Houston (new to FBS, Texas State is in over its head in this one)

THE BIG ONES:

8) Kentucky at Louisville (the best "rivalry" game this week, not a guaranteed "w" but our conference favorite really needs to look good in this one)

9) Boise at Michigan State (a win would send a message about how good Boise is even in a rebuilding year ... MSU is predicted to challenge for the B1G championship)

10) SDSU at Washington (SDSU lost a lot of talent, but Washington is not USC ... SDSU has a chance)

11) SMU at Baylor (old rivals, a good measuring stick for SMU, much depends on SMU's new QB and O-line)

12) Navy at ND (the Midshipmen face a truly "home" crowd for the Irish in Dublin, a win is not expected but it would be very nice)

Cincinnati's first game is against Pitt next week.

(08-26-2012 02:37 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  6) UT-Martin at Memphis (I've never even heard of "UT-Martin")

The University of Tennessee at Martin is one of the universities in the UT system, along with UT-Chattanooga and UT-Memphis. The Skyhawks play FCS football in the Ohio Valley Conference.

After years of scheduling an SEC team as the home opener, the university decided to try a different approach and schedule an easy one first.

(08-26-2012 02:37 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  THE GAMES WE MUST WIN:

1) UMass at UConn (old rivalry, but UMass isn't up to speed yet)

2) Villanova at Temple (the Owls don't want to lose their first game back as a Big East team)

3) Chattanooga at USF (I'll boldly guarantee a win here)

4) Rutgers at Tulane (Tulane is near the bottom of C-USA)

5) UCF at Akron (Akron is near the bottom of the MAC)

6) UT-Martin at Memphis (I've never even heard of "UT-Martin")

7) Texas State at Houston (new to FBS, Texas State is in over its head in this one)

THE BIG ONES:

8) Kentucky at Louisville (the best "rivalry" game this week, not a guaranteed "w" but our conference favorite really needs to look good in this one)

9) Boise at Michigan State (a win would send a message about how good Boise is even in a rebuilding year ... MSU is predicted to challenge for the B1G championship)

10) SDSU at Washington (SDSU lost a lot of talent, but Washington is not USC ... SDSU has a chance)

11) SMU at Baylor (old rivals, a good measuring stick for SMU, much depends on SMU's new QB and O-line)

12) Navy at ND (the Midshipmen face a truly "home" crowd for the Irish in Dublin, a win is not expected but it would be very nice)

Cincinnati's first game is against Pitt next week.

I hate that Boise has to start off the year with a road game against the favorite to win the B1G this season.

Louisville will crush Kentucky. No contest there.

I look for SMU to beat Baylor. The Bears lost their primary reason for success, Robert Griffin III.

Navy could upset the Irish, although I'm for the Irish to get back to their glory days.

Cincinnati and Pitt will be a good one. Hopefully the Bearcats can pull it out.

Let's throw in BYU since they too might be the 14th member. They play Washington State and should win. They were in a rebuilding year last year and struggled. I look for them to bounce back this year.

(08-26-2012 03:34 PM)TOGC Wrote:  

(08-26-2012 02:37 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  6) UT-Martin at Memphis (I've never even heard of "UT-Martin")

The University of Tennessee at Martin is one of the universities in the UT system, along with UT-Chattanooga and UT-Memphis. The Skyhawks play FCS football in the Ohio Valley Conference.

After years of scheduling an SEC team as the home opener, the university decided to try a different approach and schedule an easy one first.

Most power conference schools have scheduled a patsy to work as a practice game to start the year before a big match up the following week.

(08-26-2012 03:50 PM)KingFu Wrote:  

(08-26-2012 03:34 PM)TOGC Wrote:  

(08-26-2012 02:37 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  6) UT-Martin at Memphis (I've never even heard of "UT-Martin")

The University of Tennessee at Martin is one of the universities in the UT system, along with UT-Chattanooga and UT-Memphis. The Skyhawks play FCS football in the Ohio Valley Conference.

After years of scheduling an SEC team as the home opener, the university decided to try a different approach and schedule an easy one first.

Most power conference schools have scheduled a patsy to work as a practice game to start the year before a big match up the following week.

I know. We used to be that game for other teams.

It would be nice to start the season with a win instead of a blowout loss. It might help the team's confidence at the start of the season.

the promblem with Memphis not opening with SEC school,
half the time it was Memphis home game & was on TV labor day wkend.
NBE needs them type of games for new TV contract.

I'm rooting for all current and future Big east members.

But I really hope SMU beats Baylor in Waco. We have worries about our new O-line, but this is an SMU team that should be able to compete with our tough OOC opponents (Baylor, TCU, Texas A&M).

(08-26-2012 02:37 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  THE GAMES WE MUST WIN:

1) UMass at UConn (old rivalry, but UMass isn't up to speed yet)

2) Villanova at Temple (the Owls don't want to lose their first game back as a Big East team)

8) Kentucky at Louisville (the best "rivalry" game this week, not a guaranteed "w" but our conference favorite really needs to look good in this one)

9) Boise at Michigan State (a win would send a message about how good Boise is even in a rebuilding year ... MSU is predicted to challenge for the B1G championship)

I really like seeing some of these OOC rivalry games as the first game of the season. It allows for a whole summer of trash talk and anticipation. Nice job UConn, Temple, and UofL.

I will make one absolute guaranteed stone cold lock for the UofL vs. UK game. The team with the most rushing yards WILL win the game. The team with the most rushing yards has won the game every single year it has been played in the modern era.

It is also nice to see a conference team starting off with a big national game like the Boise vs. Michigan St. game. Well done.

We need more scheduling like this.

We're aint scurred...

Michigan St. is going down, Brother!!

I hope Louisville stomps Kentucky into the stone age! Go CARDS!

The expansion of the Big East will make keeping track of teams across the country a good time even this year. I now have a reason to watch a game out on the west coast like SDSU vs UW. Our new TV partner is going to love this league.

(08-26-2012 02:37 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  THE GAMES WE MUST WIN:

1) UMass at UConn (old rivalry, but UMass isn't up to speed yet)

2) Villanova at Temple (the Owls don't want to lose their first game back as a Big East team)

3) Chattanooga at USF (I'll boldly guarantee a win here)

4) Rutgers at Tulane (Tulane is near the bottom of C-USA)

5) UCF at Akron (Akron is near the bottom of the MAC)

6) UT-Martin at Memphis (I've never even heard of "UT-Martin")

7) Texas State at Houston (new to FBS, Texas State is in over its head in this one)

THE BIG ONES:

8) Kentucky at Louisville (the best "rivalry" game this week, not a guaranteed "w" but our conference favorite really needs to look good in this one)

9) Boise at Michigan State (a win would send a message about how good Boise is even in a rebuilding year ... MSU is predicted to challenge for the B1G championship)

10) SDSU at Washington (SDSU lost a lot of talent, but Washington is not USC ... SDSU has a chance)

11) SMU at Baylor (old rivals, a good measuring stick for SMU, much depends on SMU's new QB and O-line)

12) Navy at ND (the Midshipmen face a truly "home" crowd for the Irish in Dublin, a win is not expected but it would be very nice)

Cincinnati's first game is against Pitt next week.

Great list, thanks for posting this. Also, I really like the inclusion of all the nBE 2013 members. As far as I'm concerned, they are in the BE now. Just hostage one more year 'over there'. ;-)

(08-27-2012 03:24 PM)Bull Wrote:  

(08-26-2012 02:37 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  THE GAMES WE MUST WIN:

1) UMass at UConn (old rivalry, but UMass isn't up to speed yet)

2) Villanova at Temple (the Owls don't want to lose their first game back as a Big East team)

3) Chattanooga at USF (I'll boldly guarantee a win here)

4) Rutgers at Tulane (Tulane is near the bottom of C-USA)

5) UCF at Akron (Akron is near the bottom of the MAC)

6) UT-Martin at Memphis (I've never even heard of "UT-Martin")

7) Texas State at Houston (new to FBS, Texas State is in over its head in this one)

THE BIG ONES:

8) Kentucky at Louisville (the best "rivalry" game this week, not a guaranteed "w" but our conference favorite really needs to look good in this one)

9) Boise at Michigan State (a win would send a message about how good Boise is even in a rebuilding year ... MSU is predicted to challenge for the B1G championship)

10) SDSU at Washington (SDSU lost a lot of talent, but Washington is not USC ... SDSU has a chance)

11) SMU at Baylor (old rivals, a good measuring stick for SMU, much depends on SMU's new QB and O-line)

12) Navy at ND (the Midshipmen face a truly "home" crowd for the Irish in Dublin, a win is not expected but it would be very nice)

Cincinnati's first game is against Pitt next week.

Great list, thanks for posting this. Also, I really like the inclusion of all the nBE 2013 members. As far as I'm concerned, they are in the BE now. Just hostage one more year 'over there'. ;-)

Amen brother!!

Houston will crush Texas State. See last year for details.

(08-26-2012 02:37 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  6) UT-Martin at Memphis (I've never even heard of "UT-Martin")

Believe it or not, they are dangerous. They are a veteran team and know full well that Memphis lacks depth and experience. Winning that game would probably be their greatest achievement (and our worst loss). In 2008, they went down to Auburn and scared them to death. That game was tied 20-20 with 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. On the bright side, Memphis has never lost to an FCS (or Division 1AA) team. That's more than Michigan can say.

Good luck to ALL our conference brothers. What we need is to have 4 or 5 NBE teams in the preseason Top 25 this time next year (and it is doable).

Strange that Cinci basically has a bye week during Week 1.