This is how I see it - your comments?
For the second straight year - Ball State has THE most difficult schedule in the MAC.
OUCH!
<a href='http://www.vandelaysports.com/news/2005_06_01_rankings.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.vandelaysports.com/news/2005_06...01_rankings.htm</a>
That Ball State schedule is perhaps the most difficult OOC in the Nation. I give them props for taking on the big boys. I'm not sure why they would play three road OOC games. Must be the cash $$$. Can't blame them. Whores make good money. They will get ***** slapped alot this year. But they will get paid.
HuronDave had a complete article about this very same topic back in April.
<a href='http://www.macreportonline.com/mac_football_schedules_released.htm' target='_blank'>MAC Schedules</a>
At first glance, I was thinking #7? But there really seem to be quite a few teams with very similar schedule strength. I can see our schedule from #5 to #7 so I think it was pretty accurate. I agree with BSU. I am not sure BSU has the toughest in football(if I am not mistaken, Temple has a killer schedule) but it is probably in the top 10(if we were voting as a BC$ guy, that person would disagree because the person would argue the MAC schedule is "sub-standard" therefore not as tough as other teams in the top 10).
Yeah, I would have also listed UT at the bottom, unfortunately. That I-AA game kind of sucks but it beats a throttling by the Golden Gophers. Anyway, that schedule is full of cream puffs except NIU and Fresno State. :(
I think the MAC has some very good OOC matchups, and some very tough games. Good luck to those of us who are travelling to UM and OSU.
I'm all for difficult schedules, but here's hoping the advent of the 12-game schedule will allow the Cardinals to schedule at least one moderate OOC opponent in upcoming years. I don't think it does the psyche well for a team to get pummelled and head into conference play 0-3 every year. I would contend that you will never elevate your game to the upper MAC tier unless you work your way up to the big boys. Jumping in head-first to an outrageous OOC in the middle of rebuilding a program may lose you some recruits (having a losing program, but having chances to play against BCS don't necessarily equal out in my mind). Of course, I would love to see the Cards at a level where they could compete in these games, much like our friends in the upper tier of this conference, but I'm not sure you get there with this type of schedule every year. IMHO anyway...