The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Time for a little thought experiment. If you were put in charge of scheduling our OOC games, who would you schedule? I'm thinking in terms of trying to elevate the status of the program, now that we got some pub last season.

I was going to provide some historical info from one of my favorite sources, cfbdatawarehouse. Sadly, that website ceased operations sometime in February of this year, according to wikipedia.

I'm hoping that those who voice opinions will stick to things that 'might' be somewhat realistic. Alabama isn't coming to Waldo. Ever.

Think about how over the years Toledo has been able to get teams to come to the Glass Bowl.

Over the past 20 years, Toledo has HOSTED the following teams. Not all are P5, some are from peer G5 conferences.

Pittsburgh (2003)
Kansas (2006)
Purdue (2007)
Iowa State (2007, 2015)
Fresno State (2008, 2016)
Colorado (2009)
Arizona (2010)
Wyoming (2010)
Boise State (2011)
Navy (2013)
Cincinnati (2012)
Missouri (2014)
Arkansas State (2015)

Their funding can't be that much different than ours. Perhaps the difference is that WMU has been tethered to body bag games to keep the program afloat financially. Maybe the negotiater is the difference.

Obviously, I'm partly focusing on who we can BRING to Waldo for home games. The Alabama's and Michigans of the world will always be willing to have us visit them. When responding, consider that thought will need to be given to the possibility of getting a deal with a particular school, whether it is a 1 for 1, 2 for 1, etc.

What are your thoughts? Possible opponents? I'll give my opinion later in the thread.

OK, Bronco fans, have at it! Who would YOU schedule?

I don't mind "bodybag" games every few years or so (Ohio State, USC, etc.) because I still think there are many positives to these kinds of games: payout, experience for players, measurement against top competition, fan travel opportunity, etc.

Hate playing gimmicky offenses like academies and Georgia Southern, etc.

However my favorite games to schedule are regional high level G5's or mid-to-upper tier P5's...

Western Kentucky, MTSU, Memphis, Temple, etc.

Michigan St., Northwestern, Syracuse, Pitt, Va Tech, Louisville (very tough but winnable, close to large alumni bases)

Avoid west coast and SEC whenever possible.

I like battling the schools in our region we might recruit against. Indiana, Illinois, Northwestern, Cincinnati. Mid level P5's are great. Maybe alternate upper level G5 and upper level P5 each year.

I would have 1 cupcake. 1 Power 5 opponent (the quality could vary)...

But the main thing I'd want to set up would be a rotating schedule of 2 of the 3 academy schools annually 1 home and 1 away on a constant rotating basis.

i.e.

Year 1 @ Navy, H- Army
Year 2 @ Army, H- AF
Year 3 @ AF, H- Navy

Rinse and repeat

I would like a mid to high level G5, a mid level P5 and a top 25 type P5.

If there is one thing that we should take from Fleck being here is not to put a limit on what we can achieve. Playing a top 25 type P5 gives us a payday, excites recruits, allows us to measure our team, etc..

The ultimate goal is to have more seasons like we had last year, and have them consistently, if Lester and crew are going to take this to the next level, part of what we have to guard against is perceived schedule weakness.

Such a catch 22 with scheduling strong...

Strong non-conference schedule provides great competition and improves RPI, but it can also beat you up and ruin a conference run (and season).

Trick is to find a happy medium.

I like 1 big 10 game, keep the communiversity night against a 1AA (sorry playoff sub-division) and then look for a mid level and high level G5 (Sun belt, American, WAC or MWC every few years) or low P5 (B10, B12 or ACC). G5 games with Cincy (common recruiting battles), Boisie state, San Diego, Temple, W Kentucky, Troy, Central Florida. I like the Syracuse games coming up, more like that would be good. Play a Va tech again would be nice. lower east coast schools are good, Wake forest, UNC, Kentucky. Also a service academy every other year would be awesome. A lot of pride with those schools.

I tend to like it like this:
1 FCS
1 low-level Power 5 (think Illinois, Purdue)
1 high-level Power 5 (think Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa)
1 Group of 5 (think Temple, Cincinnati, Idaho)

I understand why we play FCS and don't mind it. Since I've become a die-hard, it seems like we play FCS every year, but maybe every few years we can schedule another G5 team instead.

We are D1 FBS, might as well play the high-level Power 5's. (need them for the money too unfortunately)

Need to play the low-level Power 5s to show we can beat them. Scheduling home-and-homes is important. Although the Power 5 always talks about breaking away, it seems like they actually travel to G5 stadiums more than they used to. A casual doesn't care when Ball St comes to town, but they might if a Purdue does. The chances of beating them tilts all the more if it's played at Waldo.

When I was a student, I think the only Group of 5 team out-of-conference we played was UConn, and even then the Big East was still considered an AQ BCS conference. These Group of 5 games are essential because it's another way to garner attention on the national stage. It's a way of comparing G5 Conferences. And if we lose both Power 5 games, it gives a chance of finishing the out-of-conference schedule 2-2. As someone who follows the G5 closer than the P5, I enjoy seeing teams like Idaho and GA Southern come to Waldo.

We need a mulligan Communivercity against Indiana. We really screwed the pooch on that one with QB substitutions.

Military Academies would be great. East Carolina, Tulsa, Memphis, Wake Forest, Iowa State, Marshall, Vanderbilt on my 'could happen' list.

I've always wanted to see us play Louisville, too.

(06-25-2017 01:26 PM)Doo Wrote:  I would have 1 cupcake. 1 Power 5 opponent (the quality could vary)...

But the main thing I'd want to set up would be a rotating schedule of 2 of the 3 academy schools annually 1 home and 1 away on a constant rotating basis.

i.e.

Year 1 @ Navy, H- Army
Year 2 @ Army, H- AF
Year 3 @ AF, H- Navy

Rinse and repeat

I agree with this, except, for personal reasons, I would like Army on the schedule more than the other two. I would love to get Army in the MAC. But I think a lot of conferences would like to add Army.

Like the matchup with Syracuse. Maybe regional recruiting rivals like Cinci, Iowa St, 'Ville. Would like to see P5 competition like Perdue, IU, Rutgers, Vandy, UK, UVA, Pitt & Mizzou. G5 competition - Boise St, WKU, Houston & academies.

Add Middle Tennessee to that list. They are straight-up ballin in Murfreesboro these days.

We should schedule a mid level Big 10, a Big 10 bottom feeder and a middling G5 along with our cupcake every year. I'm told that pretty much guarantees an undefeated season.

Here is one of those questions where you need to decide how much the money/prestige game factors in. It's kind of cool to play your USC, Ohio State, Florida; but yeah you lose a win and gain a loss. In exchange you get $ and some exposure.

Got to admit last years setup worked pretty good.

Apart from WHO you play comes the where and when, which is what really becomes tough and is not totally in your control. Getting the whole thing just right is like hitting the trifecta, eh?

It's a cool experience for the players and the fans also to say you're going to play at the Horseshoe, the Coliseum, etc.