Besides UC-Miami, there aren't any P5 (I guess UC doesn't really count from now on) schools that regularly visit MAC teams, and home-and-home (or 2-1) matchups are fairly uncommon. But how does it happen? It'll probably come down to getting financial independence so we don't have to play bodybag games so often.

An example of what MAC teams are capable of scheduling: believe it or not, between 2008 and 2012 Miami at one point or another was supposed to have home games (as part of a 2-1 or H-H) against Minnesota, Kentucky, Mizzou, Colorado, and Boise State (in addition to Northwestern in 2006, Syracuse in 2007, and Vanderbilt in 2008). For whatever reason, our genius AD decided to move our UK home game to Paul Brown Stadium (and move the game date) at the cost of: a reduced fee to play at UK this past year, the elimination of the Colorado home game to be played on national TV, the elimination of Mizzou home game, a 1-1 with Towson in men's basketball*, an away game at Colorado for MBB with zero payday#, the elimination of a home game with Boise, and a 2012 road game at Boise. Our home game vs. Minnesota was rescheduled for 2019 to accommodate the Colorado game, that's still on as of now.



*Because of scheduling difficulties, Miami asked Northwestern to modify its football schedule and Towson was a victim as it was scheduled to play at Northwestern that year. Miami had to make amends to Towson and our MBB had to play a home/away.

#Even though Miami (with help from the MAC) found a replacement for Colorado on the same date (with national TV coverage), Colorado required our MBB to play on the road with no payday (we lost around 80k).

Toledo gets home opponents.

The answer is simple: get better attendance.

How to do that is not necessarily simple. And it probably varies by locale. However, I'm not impressed w/ most MAC schools' efforts in this area, especially when I see what other G5 teams do. That's why I question whether MAC schools administrators are interested in seeing athletics become more competitive.

Get better attendance, pay more and focus on teams that don't do that well at home, Indiana, Kansas, etc. Nobody back in Lawrence or Bloomington much care if they win or not, they get a nice payday and a return game and the MAC team gets a bigger draw and a chance at a win over a whatever they call themselves these days team. Getting Miami to come for a 1 and 1 is a little different. Not sure how we manged that and I'm guessing it won't happen but we'll get a nice buyout and the right to claim they were afraid of coming to the Glass Bowl.

(01-10-2014 09:21 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  ...but we'll get a nice buyout and the right to claim they were afraid of coming to the Glass Bowl.

Wow, you guys could be the N. Dakota St. of the MAC.

(01-10-2014 10:09 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(01-10-2014 09:21 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  ...but we'll get a nice buyout and the right to claim they were afraid of coming to the Glass Bowl.

Wow, you guys could be the N. Dakota St. of the MAC.

Right now we LOOK like the N Dakota of the MAC.

(01-10-2014 10:29 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(01-10-2014 10:09 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(01-10-2014 09:21 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  ...but we'll get a nice buyout and the right to claim they were afraid of coming to the Glass Bowl.

Wow, you guys could be the N. Dakota St. of the MAC.

Right now we LOOK like the N Dakota of the MAC.

I wish Kent State football was the N. Dakota State of the MAC!

(01-10-2014 12:25 PM)Flash Freak 3 Wrote:  

(01-10-2014 10:29 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(01-10-2014 10:09 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(01-10-2014 09:21 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  ...but we'll get a nice buyout and the right to claim they were afraid of coming to the Glass Bowl.

Wow, you guys could be the N. Dakota St. of the MAC.

Right now we LOOK like the N Dakota of the MAC.

I wish Kent State football was the N. Dakota State of the MAC!

We are working on it:

•weather--√

What's next?

(01-10-2014 02:08 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Besides UC-Miami, there aren't any P5 (I guess UC doesn't really count from now on) schools that regularly visit MAC teams, and home-and-home (or 2-1) matchups are fairly uncommon. But how does it happen? It'll probably come down to getting financial independence so we don't have to play bodybag games so often.

UB just finsihed a 2:2 with UConn and another 2:2 with Pitt.. We have a 1:1 with BC coming up. There is nothing the *conference* can do you need an AD who works the phones.

Im not really a fan of 2:1's with ok P5 teams like Northwestern or Syracuse. I much prefer 1:1's with good G5 teams. Go on the road for a paycheck if you must and use an FCS for your own tune up game.

(01-10-2014 07:12 AM)DrTorch Wrote:  Toledo gets home opponents.

The answer is simple: get better attendance.

How to do that is not necessarily simple. And it probably varies by locale. However, I'm not impressed w/ most MAC schools' efforts in this area, especially when I see what other G5 teams do. That's why I question whether MAC schools administrators are interested in seeing athletics become more competitive.

Yup and UMass also gets home opponents. Next year we have Boston College and Colorado.

Schedule better? What's not to like about Presbyterian, Murray State and our favorite: WyomingIdaho?

Though we do have UNLV in 2015.

Of course in the scheme of things, it's really a home away from home and get your point. Our only way is at Gillette and not on campus.

(01-10-2014 01:00 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  Schedule better? What's not to like about Presbyterian,

Blue Hose!

Ohio has the right idea playing one away at a power conference school, then schedule 1 for 1's with American/CUSA/Sun Belt and a FCS cupcake. A legit chance for the team to have a shot at a bowl every year. I like our series with Marshall and hope we get a Cincinnati series going plus games with other Sun Belt and CUSA teams. Playing Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan and Florida all four conference games gets you an 0-4 nonconference record hurts recruiting and builds losing tradition. Even a down year for Ohio this year ended up with a bowl trip and a winning season. What did Miami and UMass tougher non-conference schedules get them. Having more MAC teams 3-1 or better non-conference will lift the conference. Not loading up on big name teams.

Dear OhioBobcatJohn,
Couldn't disagree with you more on your beliefs of scheduling. Ohio has generally started out well, as you stated with a fairly bland schedule early on, but has also fell apart late in the year. As far as bowl games go, in my opinion, if you don't win them, why go? Overall, Ohio is 2-6 in their bowl game experiences, which goes to my point of late season collapses.
I think a team needs to schedule tough competition in the non-conference schedule to help prepare them for the MAC schedule, and if they go to a bowl game. I would agree with not necessarily scheduling three big time schools at the beginning of the year, but don't always look for the easy pickings, even in conferences like C-USA or Sun Belt.

(01-11-2014 02:11 PM)Ken Barna Wrote:  I think a team needs to schedule tough competition in the non-conference schedule to help prepare them for the MAC schedule, and if they go to a bowl game.

Playing one Go5 school away and one at home can easily be a tough non-conference schedule to help prepare for the MAC schedule ... depending upon the schools, of course.

And if a Go5 school schedules a tough P5 school as a buy-in opponent, of course they should spread the wealth by using some of that money to schedule an FCS opponent at home.

(01-11-2014 02:11 PM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear OhioBobcatJohn,
Couldn't disagree with you more on your beliefs of scheduling. Ohio has generally started out well, as you stated with a fairly bland schedule early on, but has also fell apart late in the year. As far as bowl games go, in my opinion, if you don't win them, why go? Overall, Ohio is 2-6 in their bowl game experiences, which goes to my point of late season collapses.
I think a team needs to schedule tough competition in the non-conference schedule to help prepare them for the MAC schedule, and if they go to a bowl game. I would agree with not necessarily scheduling three big time schools at the beginning of the year, but don't always look for the easy pickings, even in conferences like C-USA or Sun Belt.

huh? what in the world does OOC games in September have to with games in November? How does getting your teeth kicked in in front of 100K B1G fans in Sept. help you win on a Tues night at Bowling Green in Nov?

Ohio's OOC schedule had NOTHING to do with their performance in November. Btw, their OOC schedule this year consisted of games vs 3 bowl winners that finished 12-1, 10-4 and 9-4. Ohio was 2-1 vs those teams. That goes against everything you've just claimed.

Only an EMU fan could be so beat down as to say something like "if you don't win bowl games, why go?". you can't be serious.

and finally, if scheduling tough opponents is necessary for playing well in conference games then why do NONE of the P5 schools follow that philosophy? In fact, they take the exact opposite approach.

(01-10-2014 10:09 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(01-10-2014 09:21 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  ...but we'll get a nice buyout and the right to claim they were afraid of coming to the Glass Bowl.

Wow, you guys could be the N. Dakota St. of the MAC.

I would settle for replicating their success on the grid iron for the last few years and the devotion of their fans who probably travel better than any team in the MAC.

Dear perimeterpost,
Ohio has a history of late season collapses. This past season Ohio lost most of the final five games played, including the bowl game. I don't know the reason or reasons behind the season ending collapses, but you have to wonder when they start out good, why it ends badly.
As far as bowl games go, I have had the belief that if you lose them consistently, your team was probably not as good as you thought. As a league, I didn't see anyone bragging on this board about how well we did this past bowl season. It is just as important to win those games as it is to get there in the first place.

(01-11-2014 04:53 PM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear perimeterpost,
Ohio has a history of late season collapses. This past season Ohio lost most of the final five games played, including the bowl game. I don't know the reason or reasons behind the season ending collapses, but you have to wonder when they start out good, why it ends badly.
As far as bowl games go, I have had the belief that if you lose them consistently, your team was probably not as good as you thought. As a league, I didn't see anyone bragging on this board about how well we did this past bowl season. It is just as important to win those games as it is to get there in the first place.

Ohio's November record-
2013- 1-3
2012- 1-3
2011- 4-0
2010- 2-1
2009- 3-0
2008- 2-1
2007- 2-1
2006- 2-1

hardly a "history of late season collapses".

Dear perimeterpost,
It's easy to be selective by putting up the last eight seasons, but be that as it may, did you include bowl loses in any of those years? I don't think so, because you only mention November results. Eight years doesn't make much of a history.