Last year I covered each Old Dominion football game for MonarchFans.com. I had familiarity with other CAA schools so I didn't have to do much additional research to preview the games and set expectations. This season I also want to cover (from afar) one game from each of the teams that will comprise the 2014 Conference USA. The goal is to educate myself on other teams before Old Dominion plays them in 2014.

I have created a schedule (below) of which team I would examine each week, but I realized that it might be more meaningful to seek your input. Which one game on your school's schedule this season has you most excited to see, and why? I did not pick a game prior to 9/21 to provide the season to play out to establish trends.

For Western Kentucky I picked your 11/2 game at Georgia State, since I am familiar with your opponent. For Charlotte I just picked the Old Dominion game since I'm already covering that game, plus I suspect you're excited about each game equally.

Any feedback you provide is appreciated.

Schedule:

9/21 - UTEP vs UTSA
9/28 - FAU vs Rice
10/5 - FIU vs USM
10/12 - MTSU vs North Texas
10/19 - Louisiana Tech vs North Texas
10/26 - UAB vs UTSA
11/2 - Western Kentucky vs Georgia State
11/9 - Marshall vs UAB
11/16 - Charlotte vs ODU

ODU is a decent pick since they will be our biggest test but our opener against Campbell is by far the most anticipated game, at least for us.

I forgot the dates but cover either the ULL or Ark St game. The three of us will all be vying for the championship... The ArkSt game is rivalry week on the last game of the regular season. That game is always a classic.

I'm looking forward most to the TxSt game but that's just because it's the opener. Our best OOC may be the Arkansas game because of the "big 3" OOC games, that one is the most winnable at least at this point. The FIU game won't be a bad one to cover but I don't think there is a single USM fan who is excited about our conference schedule especially the home games.

For ODU its easily the ECU game not just because its the opener but also for playing the first FBS opponent.It should provide a decent measure against how we are going to perform against nBE/ACC/futureACC/new-conference-mates for the rest of the season.

For UTSA I think the 11/30 game against LaTech is what you want. Then you can compare this game to last season's game. See if the changes in depth for LaTech made a difference, and see where UTSA is moving with respect to the 2014 season.

You could also compare our game with Rice instead.

(04-23-2013 12:07 PM)VBR_Productions Wrote:  Last year I covered each Old Dominion football game for MonarchFans.com. I had familiarity with other CAA schools so I didn't have to do much additional research to preview the games and set expectations. This season I also want to cover (from afar) one game from each of the teams that will comprise the 2014 Conference USA. The goal is to educate myself on other teams before Old Dominion plays them in 2014.

I have created a schedule (below) of which team I would examine each week, but I realized that it might be more meaningful to seek your input. Which one game on your school's schedule this season has you most excited to see, and why? I did not pick a game prior to 9/21 to provide the season to play out to establish trends.

For Western Kentucky I picked your 11/2 game at Georgia State, since I am familiar with your opponent. For Charlotte I just picked the Old Dominion game since I'm already covering that game, plus I suspect you're excited about each game equally.

Any feedback you provide is appreciated.

Schedule:

9/21 - UTEP vs UTSA
9/28 - FAU vs Rice
10/5 - FIU vs USM
10/12 - MTSU vs North Texas
10/19 - Louisiana Tech vs North Texas
10/26 - UAB vs UTSA
11/2 - Western Kentucky vs Georgia State
11/9 - Marshall vs UAB
11/16 - Charlotte vs ODU

You left off 3 games for USM that will be games we at USM will look forward to. USM and La. Tech, USM and MTSU, and USM and UAB (UAB has beat USM 4 years in a row after losing 9 straight so that alone shows the rivalry between USM and UAB is growing), but with all respect to FIU I doubt many USM fans consider the FIU as much as the ones mentioned above and certainly not like ECU, Marshall, and our 3 none conference games (Nebraska, Arkansas, and Boise State).

UAB vs USM... USM has gone from the only team we couldn't beat, to one of the few wins we can count on. And it's not because USM isnt talented. We beat them two years ago which probably thwarted their BCS chances. I'm hoping this game is moved to thursday or friday.

If not A&M, then Tulsa. A&M is the pie in the sky game where we'd have to get lots of breaks. Definitely not expecting to win that one. The game @ Tulsa seems likely to be a showdown of the two top teams in the West, and if we want to make some noise and win the conference for once, that's the game we've got to win. It'll be hard since we never beat Tulsa and they're at home for the 2nd consecutive year (thanks schedulers), but I'm looking forward to it

(04-23-2013 12:07 PM)VBR_Productions Wrote:  Last year I covered each Old Dominion football game for MonarchFans.com. I had familiarity with other CAA schools so I didn't have to do much additional research to preview the games and set expectations. This season I also want to cover (from afar) one game from each of the teams that will comprise the 2014 Conference USA. The goal is to educate myself on other teams before Old Dominion plays them in 2014.

I have created a schedule (below) of which team I would examine each week, but I realized that it might be more meaningful to seek your input. Which one game on your school's schedule this season has you most excited to see, and why? I did not pick a game prior to 9/21 to provide the season to play out to establish trends.

For Western Kentucky I picked your 11/2 game at Georgia State, since I am familiar with your opponent. For Charlotte I just picked the Old Dominion game since I'm already covering that game, plus I suspect you're excited about each game equally.

Any feedback you provide is appreciated.

Schedule:

9/21 - UTEP vs UTSA
9/28 - FAU vs Rice
10/5 - FIU vs USM
10/12 - MTSU vs North Texas
10/19 - Louisiana Tech vs North Texas
10/26 - UAB vs UTSA
11/2 - Western Kentucky vs Georgia State
11/9 - Marshall vs UAB
11/16 - Charlotte vs ODU

11/2 The return of He Whose Name Shall Never Be Spoken

For Middle I would say it is either ECU or Marshall. Memphis would be third on that list.

(04-23-2013 02:10 PM)Blueraidersig Wrote:  For Middle I would say it is either ECU or Marshall. Memphis would be third on that list.

+1

I'm travelling to Chapel Hill, NC and Provo, UT for UNC and BYU road games but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that September 14th is circled on my calendar.

Memphis.........and it's not even close.

I'm only excited about our OOC schedule. I am getting season tickets again but not because of any excitement these visiting schools bring. Win or lose I'm not happy about our home schedule.

SMTTT

Switch FAU vs. Rice and FIU vs. USM for FAU vs. FIU (rivalry between to up and coming programs) and USM vs. Rice (two of the most respected and historic programs left in the CUSA). Besides that, I think your set.
If you don't mind me asking, what's the point of doing UTSA vs. UAB, if you've already covered UTSA and you'd be covering UAB a week later against Marshall.

(04-23-2013 05:26 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  Switch FAU vs. Rice and FIU vs. USM for FAU vs. FIU (rivalry between to up and coming programs) and USM vs. Rice (two of the most respected and historic programs left in the CUSA). Besides that, I think your set.
If you don't mind me asking, what's the point of doing UTSA vs. UAB, if you've already covered UTSA and you'd be covering UAB a week later against Marshall.

Southern Miss doesn't play Rice this year.

(04-23-2013 05:37 PM)Freshy Wrote:  

(04-23-2013 05:26 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  Switch FAU vs. Rice and FIU vs. USM for FAU vs. FIU (rivalry between to up and coming programs) and USM vs. Rice (two of the most respected and historic programs left in the CUSA). Besides that, I think your set.
If you don't mind me asking, what's the point of doing UTSA vs. UAB, if you've already covered UTSA and you'd be covering UAB a week later against Marshall.

Southern Miss doesn't play Rice this year.

Ah, my mistake. I thought they'd be in the same division.

(04-23-2013 08:12 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  

(04-23-2013 05:37 PM)Freshy Wrote:  

(04-23-2013 05:26 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  Switch FAU vs. Rice and FIU vs. USM for FAU vs. FIU (rivalry between to up and coming programs) and USM vs. Rice (two of the most respected and historic programs left in the CUSA). Besides that, I think your set.
If you don't mind me asking, what's the point of doing UTSA vs. UAB, if you've already covered UTSA and you'd be covering UAB a week later against Marshall.

Southern Miss doesn't play Rice this year.

Ah, my mistake. I thought they'd be in the same division.

Probably will be next year, but not now.

For Marshall I would go with one of these four games:

8/31 Miami OH
11/2 USM
11/14 at Tulsa
11/30 ECU

Miami OH is a former Hated Rival, by the end of 2018 it may be again. The USM game should be a good game if Monken has shown that a year lost in SC didn't hurt that much. Tulsa just like the other times we've played should be a close game. The ECU game and last game of the season could decide the East championship.

Thanks to everyone for all the feedback. I'll work to adjust the games I review accordingly as best I can.

(04-23-2013 05:26 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  If you don't mind me asking, what's the point of doing UTSA vs. UAB, if you've already covered UTSA and you'd be covering UAB a week later against Marshall.

I picked the games to cover as many conference games as possible, without attention to particular rivalries. I overlapped a couple games because I wanted a starting point before realizing that you all could get me on a better path.