Stole this idea from the Sun Belt Board. Some offseason fodder.

Curious as to how you would rank your home schedule, in terms of how excited you are about the game.

I'll go first! We've got 7 home games this year.

1) NC State (Home opener. Hate State. Going to be a nuthouse.)
2) UCF (Hope to send those turds off to the Big 12 with a loss.)
3) Houston (See above.)
4) Memphis (We beat them in Memphis last year, and they'll be looking for revenge.)
5) ODU (These games are always close and fun.)
6) Navy (We beat them in Annapolis last year... I hate playing Navy.)
7) Campbell (Meh... FCS.)

1. BYU- opener, will have a huge impact on season expectations. Played them close away last year.
2. ucf- could be the last game in the rivalry for a few years.
3. ECU- history and a win would be a step in right direction
4. SMU- need wins at home.
5. Tulane- has had our number last two years. Wins at home needed.
6. Howard- FCS.

I think 3-3 at home will be lowest expectations for most this year.

1) Navy - The last time they played in Nippert was perfect college football day. Special occasions seem to be happening around campus when Navy comes to town. The city seems to have a big Navy following and likely will be the last time for awhile Navy plays again in Cincinnati. Happy to have gained some history with Navy and nothing but best of luck after November.

2) Indiana - Local Big Ten team at home in Big Ten country is always great. I expect Indiana to be much improved from last season so good resume builder.

3) ECU - Homecoming puts them 3rd. Hopefully an improved ECU as expected but regardless homecoming is special.

4) Tulane - Would be above ECU if not for homecoming. I liked being conference members with Tulane and nothing but best of luck in November.

5) Kennesaw State - FCS. Get to watch the young bloods get on the field from the last few great recruiting classes.

6) USF - They've had every opportunity handed to them (Big East/American) and let UCF blow right by them. Don't mind the upcoming break from USF although a good amount of history between our two schools. Still not special history.

1. UCF - that usually turns into a hard fought game decided in the late 3rd/4th quarter
2. Arkansas State - local regional game, it's high on my list for the simple fact I'm flying back to watch it as I have many close friends in Jonesboro
3. Houston - we owe them one after losing to them by 18 last year
4. Tulsa - they got lucky last year!
5. Temple - hopefully we won't **** the bed this year
6.
7. N. Texas/N. Alabama - not sure who thought this was a good idea. If we start out good and have an off week against one of these two, then I think we struggle to recover for the games following them

our home schedule looks damn good:

1. Cincy
2. Louisville
3. Ga Tech
4. Navy
5. SMU
6. Temple
7. SC State

Temple has endured two of the worst seasons in our history and that is saying something. The following list is based on that perspective:
1. USF. The Bulls are 1-2 years ahead in rebuilding. Hard to believe just a few years ago our teams dominated the East. Looking forward to both teams doing it again.
2. ECU. A very close second and another team rising and another foundational American team.
3. Tulsa. This game will measure any progress the Owls make this year.
4. Cincinnati. The Bearcats should win this going away but hope persists. Won’t see this team for a loooong time.
5. UMass. Always an ugly game.
6. Rutgers. Don’t care and they will probably roll us again.
7. Lafayette. FCS

Maryland- 49ers are undefeated at home against acc teams, yes clt knows

Bill and Mary- Friday night home game!


Others- all of our future #P6 games are on the road

1. UCF (Beat them in the LB last time with no fans, I expect a full house win this year) Rival*

2. Houston (Seems like until last year we've been dominating them, let's get back on track) Rival*

3. Arkansas State (An hour outside of Memphis makes them the closest rival we have, they should have the full band and tons of fans as we kick em back over the bridge) Rival*

4. North Texas (Let's give our future conference mate a warm welcome to the LB)

5. Temple (I'll never forget the year we went undefeated in the regular season.. wait we didn't because we got robbed in Philly)

6. Tulsa (Tulsa always gives us a hard time even if they're bad but the little privet school from Oklahoma doesn't give me much thrill)

7. North Alabama (aka our second bye week!)

1. Charlotte (Owls lead series 2-1, 49ers comeback win (plus UNT overtime loss) cost Rice a bowl bid last year. Is Charlotte our biggest home game? Well, they are just one of two* #P6 on the slate…

2. UAB (Arguably “biggest” name, but with recent retirement of Clark, and the fact that we beat UAB last year, this one takes a back seat to the 49ers.) Blazers will probably bring a bigger crowd though, so it should still be a good one. Can we repeat last year’s upset?! Yes, yes we can.

3. UTSA , sorry, I forgot they were D1, let alone #P6, too, but they are the defending champs of little ol’ CUSA. If the Roadrunners and Owls both knock off Houston in the OOC, then this one moves straight to the top of the list. These two teams have split the four games of the series played in Houston.

4. Louisiana of Lafayette (LoL). You know who will bring a crap ton of fans to Rice Stadium? LoL, that’s who. Also 2-2 all time at home against these guys, but I’ll never forget the first game I saw Rice win, it was my sophomore year (we were 0-fer my Freshman year), and we snapped the Nation’s Longest Losing Streak against the Cajuns. Tore down the goal posts, too.

5. UTEP. Should rank this one higher, since it might be a while before we play the Miners again. Rice leads the all-time series 15-9 and we definitely don’t want them getting any last digs in before we shuffle off to the AAC next year.

6. McNeese - first meeting, apparently! This will be our home opener, and our first indication of whether Rice has anything this year (unless we somehow surprise USC on the road in week one, yeah, right…). So beat McNeese and beat ‘em convincingly, and I might buy in to the post season hype/hope that most Owl fans are currently eschewing.

(06-24-2022 07:23 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  1. Charlotte (Owls lead series 2-1, 49ers comeback win (plus UNT overtime loss) cost Rice a bowl bid last year. Is Charlotte our biggest home game? Well, they are just one of two* #P6 on the slate…

2. UAB (Arguably “biggest” name, but with recent retirement of Clark, and the fact that we beat UAB last year, this one takes a back seat to the 49ers.) Blazers will probably bring a bigger crowd though, so it should still be a good one. Can we repeat last year’s upset?! Yes, yes we can.

3. UTSA , sorry, I forgot they were D1, let alone #P6, too, but they are the defending champs of little ol’ CUSA. If the Roadrunners and Owls both knock off Houston in the OOC, then this one moves straight to the top of the list. These two teams have split the four games of the series played in Houston.

4. Louisiana of Lafayette (LoL). You know who will bring a crap ton of fans to Rice Stadium? LoL, that’s who. Also 2-2 all time at home against these guys, but I’ll never forget the first game I saw Rice win, it was my sophomore year (we were 0-fer my Freshman year), and we snapped the Nation’s Longest Losing Streak against the Cajuns. Tore down the goal posts, too.

5. UTEP. Should rank this one higher, since it might be a while before we play the Miners again. Rice leads the all-time series 15-9 and we definitely don’t want them getting any last digs in before we shuffle off to the AAC next year.

6. McNeese - first meeting, apparently! This will be our home opener, and our first indication of whether Rice has anything this year (unless we somehow surprise USC on the road in week one, yeah, right…). So beat McNeese and beat ‘em convincingly, and I might buy in to the post season hype/hope that most Owl fans are currently eschewing.

...which proves our last home CUSA schedule IS "rank"...

I'm always most excited about the next home game.
Gotta go 1-0 in the tailgating every week.

1. Notre Dame. This is in the Ravens' M&T stadium, but it was included in the season tickets this year, so I'm counting it. I haven't been to a ND-Navy game since 2012 in Dublin. More importantly, we're hoping to host our ND-fan friends from first tour in the fighter squadron, my liberty port running mate while the wives were each other's lifeline while we were deployed.

2. Memphis. Conference opener in week 2. This could be a big weathervane for how the rest of the season goes...Also gets the nod between #2 and #3 for being closer to "next game" and therefore generates more anticipation

3. Houston. Home game against a departing team, with the Coogs getting a lot of preseason buzz. Shades of 2016. Or maybe last year's win against UCF at NMCMS. I'm sure the staff and team know we have no reason to be afraid of these guys - last year in TDECU we led by 10 at the half and final score was within a TD, like the Cincinnati game.

4. Delaware. Sorry for those below the Blue Hen line. But this IS the next game. In 2007, Joe Flacco-led Delaware was the last FCS team to beat Navy. Heck, I'm still mad about Frank Schenk missing a FG in Delaware in 1989 (though it set up the win against Army, so....) I just saw on UD's presser announcing this matchup the claim that 2007: "It's a game that generations of Blue Hens fans talk about for hours." Dang. Should be a decent crowd for Labor Day. They're getting FCS pre-season buzz, so it won't be a walk in the park.

5. Tulsa We need some revenge for the 2020 home loss, when ranked Tulsa catapulted themselves into the CCG at our expense. This game will be the first home game in four weeks, so I will be excited about it when October rolls around. We'll reminisce about the good and righteous forward progress calls and DPI no-calls when the time comes.

6. Temple This series is tied at 8-8. Geographically closest AAC opponent for both. End of October could be picture perfect weather, and this will be the last NMCMS game (other than CCG possibility). Wait, will we do Senior Day in October? I just checked - this will be both Homecoming and Senior Day. Okay - plenty to be excited about.

We have Indiana.

You asked.

(06-23-2022 05:48 PM)ghostofclt! Wrote:  Maryland- 49ers are undefeated at home against acc teams, yes clt knows

Bill and Mary- Friday night home game!


Others- all of our future #P6 games are on the road

Maryland is in the B1G now.

(06-25-2022 12:18 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 07:23 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  1. Charlotte (Owls lead series 2-1, 49ers comeback win (plus UNT overtime loss) cost Rice a bowl bid last year. Is Charlotte our biggest home game? Well, they are just one of two* #P6 on the slate…

2. UAB (Arguably “biggest” name, but with recent retirement of Clark, and the fact that we beat UAB last year, this one takes a back seat to the 49ers.) Blazers will probably bring a bigger crowd though, so it should still be a good one. Can we repeat last year’s upset?! Yes, yes we can.

3. UTSA , sorry, I forgot they were D1, let alone #P6, too, but they are the defending champs of little ol’ CUSA. If the Roadrunners and Owls both knock off Houston in the OOC, then this one moves straight to the top of the list. These two teams have split the four games of the series played in Houston.

4. Louisiana of Lafayette (LoL). You know who will bring a crap ton of fans to Rice Stadium? LoL, that’s who. Also 2-2 all time at home against these guys, but I’ll never forget the first game I saw Rice win, it was my sophomore year (we were 0-fer my Freshman year), and we snapped the Nation’s Longest Losing Streak against the Cajuns. Tore down the goal posts, too.

5. UTEP. Should rank this one higher, since it might be a while before we play the Miners again. Rice leads the all-time series 15-9 and we definitely don’t want them getting any last digs in before we shuffle off to the AAC next year.

6. McNeese - first meeting, apparently! This will be our home opener, and our first indication of whether Rice has anything this year (unless we somehow surprise USC on the road in week one, yeah, right…). So beat McNeese and beat ‘em convincingly, and I might buy in to the post season hype/hope that most Owl fans are currently eschewing.

...which proves our last home CUSA schedule IS "rank"...

I don’t agree with you. We have two G5 champions coming in with UTSA and Louisiana. Both opponents will bring many fans, as will McNeese and UTEP. Beat UAB and UTSA, and we might find Rice in the C-USA championship game hunt. And UTEP will be nationally-televised, C-USA style.

I’d rank the games as:

1. Louisiana. Should be the highest attendance of the season. Can it ignite the Owl program under Bloomgren?
2. UTSA. Have to beat the champs to be the champs.
3. UAB. Beat Louisiana and UAB, and we are 3-2 early. Lose both, and we probably enter the Bottom 10 at 1-4.
4. UTEP. I will miss playing the Miners and hope to see them OOC.
5. Charlotte. Not much familiarity with the other pick-axe team.
6. McNeese. This game seems the direct result of the payday game at Southern Cal.

SMU has a terrific home schedule for fans (if we can win them).
TCU - rivalry sellout plus they took our Head Coach, now let's see who got the best of that deal.
UC, Memphis, Houston and Navy - Toughest schedule of Conference, but at least on Home field.
Lamar - warm up game.

AWAY - Maryland, North Texas, UCF, USF, Tulsa and Tulane. This schedule will be a HUGE test for a new Head Coach.

(06-25-2022 03:04 PM)AusTxPony Wrote:  SMU has a terrific home schedule for fans (if we can win them).
TCU - rivalry sellout plus they took our Head Coach, now let's see who got the best of that deal.
UC, Memphis, Houston and Navy - Toughest schedule of Conference, but at least on Home field.
Lamar - warm up game.

AWAY - Maryland, North Texas, UCF, USF, Tulsa and Tulane. This schedule will be a HUGE test for a new Head Coach.

That’s a brutal schedule

(06-25-2022 10:10 AM)JayEllis Wrote:  

(06-23-2022 05:48 PM)ghostofclt! Wrote:  Maryland- 49ers are undefeated at home against acc teams, yes clt knows

Bill and Mary- Friday night home game!


Others- all of our future #P6 games are on the road

Maryland is in the B1G now.

He says he knows...

1. Rice - an all out Owl-travaganza; future P6 matchup
2. Charlotte, UAB - P6 baby!
3. Western Kentucky - long time conference mate going to miss our rivalry.
4. UCF - looking to get the upper hand, but last close one was 2003.
5. SE Louisiana - should be a good competition.