New BIG Scheduling Model: No more FCS games

[FargoBison]

The league's athletic directors and presidents also approved a scheduling model that includes at least one team from a major FBS conference per year and no FCS teams. Delany hopes the model will be in place league-wide by 2016.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9220734/big-ten-schools-ok-realignment-9-game-schedule

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

I see no problem with this. It should benefit the MAC schools quite a bit.

[FargoBison]

I see no problem with this. It should benefit the MAC schools quite a bit.

It is a huge blow to the Missouri Valley.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

It is a huge blow to the Missouri Valley.

The schools that don't need to "whore" themselves out will be fine. Schools with financial troubles will need to reassess their priorities imo.

[FargoBison]

The schools that don't need to "whore" themselves out will be fine. Schools with financial troubles will need to reassess their priorities imo.

There is only one school in the MVFC that doesn't have to "whore" itself out and that school received a lot of benefits by playing Minnesota. If other conferences follow suit, the FCS as we know it is dead.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

There is only one school in the MVFC that doesn't have to "whore" itself out and that school received a lot of benefits by playing Minnesota. If other conferences follow suit, the FCS as we know it is dead.

I think the CAA, PL, IL and BSC will be fine since most of their schools are fairly stable financially. If schools truy rely on money games that bad then their programs should be reconsidered.

Maybe a school like UNI should consider the viability of their program. Perhaps focusing on basketball like Wichita State is in their best interest.

[Laker]

There is only one school in the MVFC that doesn't have to "whore" itself out and that school received a lot of benefits by playing Minnesota. If other conferences follow suit, the FCS as we know it is dead.

How are the Gophers ever going to fill up the place for a non-conference game if they don't play the Dakota schools? That brings a lot of money to the Twin Cities.

[FargoBison]

I think the CAA, PL, IL and BSC will be fine since most of their schools are fairly stable financially. If schools truy rely on money games that bad then their programs should be reconsidered.

The BSC is even worse off as far as depending on these money games is concerned. They have fewer non-conference scheduling options and a lot of their schools routinely play multiple money games.

Montana State wouldn't travel to Fargo because they needed a money game just to make their budget work.

[FargoBison]

How are the Gophers ever going to fill up the place for a non-conference game if they don't play the Dakota schools? That brings a lot of money to the Twin Cities.

I think if they could have it their way this wouldn't happen but the Gophers aren't a power player in the Big 10, so just like with hockey they'll have to do what the conference wants. It sucks.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

The BSC is even worse off as far as depending on these money games is concerned. They have fewer non-conference scheduling options and a lot of their schools routinely play multiple money games.

Montana State wouldn't travel to Fargo because they needed a money game just to make their budget work.

Most of the BSC teams don't play BCS conferences for their FBS games.

I'm not sure how much SMU is paying Montana State. If I were to wager a guess I'd say it's considerably less than Big 10 schools.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

The B1g is butthurt over the many losses and close calls they have had against FCS teams over the years. I honestly can't think of any other reason why they would want to trade away FCS games for games with FBS mid-majors and BCS home-and-homes which won't be as good for the bottom line for most of the schools (at least the ones that won't need FCS wins to have a chance at a bowl game). You won't see the SEC doing anything like this any time soon, I can promise you that.

[darell1976]

Most of the BSC teams don't play BCS conferences for their FBS games.

I'm not sure how much SMU is paying Montana State. If I were to wager a guess I'd say it's considerably less than Big 10 schools.

Since joining DI in 2008 UND has only 1 game against a BCS conference team (2009 Texas Tech). But it could be trouble if all conferences adopt this policy. UND has upcoming games against the MW and MAC teams so hopefully this is just a ploy to separate the BCS conferences from the rest of DI.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

The B1g is butthurt over the many losses and close calls they have had against FCS teams over the years. I honestly can't think of any other reason why they would want to trade away FCS games for games with FBS mid-majors and BCS home-and-homes which won't be as good for the bottom line for most of the schools (at least the ones that won't need FCS wins to have a chance at a bowl game). You won't see the SEC doing anything like this any time soon, I can promise you that.

I know in Michigan there was a push to get Michigan State and even Michigan to play on the road against the instate MAC schools. I also think there was some push back from season ticket holders. Penn State fans have despised their recent games against Coastal and Youngstown State.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Since joining DI in 2008 UND has only 1 game against a BCS conference team (2009 Texas Tech). But it could be trouble if all conferences adopt this policy. UND has upcoming games against the MW and MAC teams so hopefully this is just a ploy to separate the BCS conferences from the rest of DI.

I can't see this trickling down to the "Other" 5. Playing a regional FCS team benefits a school like Temple.

[darell1976]

I can't see this trickling down to the "Other" 5. Playing a regional FCS team benefits a school like Temple.

I hope not...UND plays Bowling Green in 2016.

[Laker]

Since joining DI in 2008 UND has only 1 game against a BCS conference team (2009 Texas Tech). But it could be trouble if all conferences adopt this policy. UND has upcoming games against the MW and MAC teams so hopefully this is just a ploy to separate the BCS conferences from the rest of DI.

I remember when UND almost knocked the Gophers off in football, but I am old. Of course the illogical policy of playing UND in hockey but not in any other sports would apply here, but that is for another rant. xflamemadx

[Saint3333]

Where's that post from a Lehigh poster saying this will never happen? I didn't think it would happen so soon.

These games have intangibles not just paychecks attached, they help with recruiting and donations (point system tickets).

[FargoBison]

Most of the BSC teams don't play BCS conferences for their FBS games.

I'm not sure how much SMU is paying Montana State. If I were to wager a guess I'd say it's considerably less than Big 10 schools.

14 games in 2012 and 2013 combined for the BSC vs the BCS. Like you said those are bigger money games.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

14 games in 2012 and 2013 combined for the BSC vs the BCS. Like you said those are bigger money games.

14 is definitely more than I thought. I figured 6 or 7 with most being against Wazzu, Utah, Arizona State etc.

[darell1976]

I remember when UND almost knocked the Gophers off in football, but I am old. Of course the illogical policy of playing UND in hockey but not in any other sports would apply here, but that is for another rant. xflamemadx

As a Huskers fan I would've love to see UND play in front of over 70,000 people. Then you have a lot of UND alumni and fans in the Twin Cities would like to see UND play Minnesota.

[clenz]

I think the CAA, PL, IL and BSC will be fine since most of their schools are fairly stable financially. If schools truy rely on money games that bad then their programs should be reconsidered.

Maybe a school like UNI should consider the viability of their program. Perhaps focusing on basketball like Wichita State is in their best interest.

You are a dumb ****

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk 2

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

As a Huskers fan I would've love to see UND play in front of over 70,000 people. Then you have a lot of UND alumni and fans in the Twin Cities would like to see UND play Minnesota.

Some FCS schools are going to miss out because of this ruling. However, I think it's for the best in the long run.

Lehigh's third most played opponent is Rutgers. Those two have met over 70 times and likely will never meet again.

Then there's Temple. Our biggest rival is a FCS school, Villanova.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

You are a dumb ****

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk 2

How so? Is UNI not cash strapped? Can the Panthers sustain a viable program without playing cash games? They had to play two last year and it ruined their season. UNI fans were very honest about the schools financial "struggles".

[Laker]

As a Huskers fan I would've love to see UND play in front of over 70,000 people. Then you have a lot of UND alumni and fans in the Twin Cities would like to see UND play Minnesota.

Exactly. Before that policy I would see a lot of green in the stands when they would play in Williams Arena. I would think that the same thing would happen when Northern Iowa would play in Ames or Iowa City. But as was mentioned above, the Gophers don't have much pull inside the Big Ten.

[IBleedYellow]

I honestly think this is the B1G showing their tail between their legs from FCS losses. I'd like to see which conferences have the most loses to FCS schools in the past ten years. I have a feeling the B1G would be towards the top of the list with most loses. Look T the SEC, they schedule FCS teams but know they have the talent to dominate.

Nexus 4

[Bisonoline]

I think this has to do with fans complaining about their teams playing FCS schools. They are paying a pretty good chunk of change for season tickets. But when 4 of those game are ooc and bottom feeders the fans dont like it.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

I honestly think this is the B1G showing their tail between their legs from FCS losses. I'd like to see which conferences have the most loses to FCS schools in the past ten years. I have a feeling the B1G would be towards the top of the list with most loses. Look T the SEC, they schedule FCS teams but know they have the talent to dominate.

Nexus 4

This, as was mentioned earlier, not a peep of any other conferences doing anything like this. The B1G needs to change their name, they're looking kind of small here.

[UNH Fanboi]

If all FBS teams stopped playing FCS games, then they'd have to replace those games with games against each other. The problem with that is that there can only be one home team, so half of FBS would be losing a home game.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

This is what I was referring to with Michigan State and the MAC schools. I'm still trying to find the article about Michigan being tied into this as well.


This is part of Michigan State’s “Celebrate the State” football series, featuring 12 games over 10 seasons (2011-2020) against Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan that includes the Spartans making one road trip to each of those schools.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/09/07/michigan-state-central-michigan-capsule-2/

[FargoBison]

MVFC games vs the Big 10 that could be in jeopardy...

NDSU at Iowa(2016)
SDSU at MN(2019)
Illinois State at Northwestern(2016)
Indiana State at Minnesota(2016)

[CID1990]

If all FBS teams stopped playing FCS games, then they'd have to replace those games with games against each other. The problem with that is that there can only be one home team, so half of FBS would be losing a home game.

This.

Any FBS conference trying to do this has not fully thought things through.


Sent from the center of the universe.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

The BSC is even worse off as far as depending on these money games is concerned. They have fewer non-conference scheduling options and a lot of their schools routinely play multiple money games.

Montana State wouldn't travel to Fargo because they needed a money game just to make their budget work.Your last line is incorrect. The game they traded for came out as a basic wash in reference to the NDSU game once the buyout was paid etc. The way it helped them was by giving them an extra home game that they wouldn't have had.

[bisonnation]

If all FBS teams stopped playing FCS games, then they'd have to replace those games with games against each other. The problem with that is that there can only be one home team, so half of FBS would be losing a home game.

Thank you for stating the facts

[Saint3333]

This.

Any FBS conference trying to do this has not fully thought things through.


Sent from the center of the universe.

They just replace them with multiple two for ones with the gang of five conferences or increased payouts to non BCS FBS members.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

From my perspective on them not scheduling FCS teams.

BFD.

The FCS schools will have a couple less opportunities playing there but the money ain't something that is gonna change the face of FCS as we know it. The sky is falling again, we get it.

[Saint3333]

Slow down caption hyperbole. Sky isn't falling just cloudy. If you guys only see these games as a paycheck you don't realize the intangibles they bring though.

[frozennorth]

How so? Is UNI not cash strapped? Can the Panthers sustain a viable program without playing cash games? They had to play two last year and it ruined their season. UNI fans were very honest about the schools financial "struggles".
even in uni had played some cupcake counters (and won), they still would have been a d1 win out of the playoffs.

[darell1976]

Is there any FCS teams that don't schedule an FBS team? This the first time since 2008 that UND does not play an FBS team and that was because we were a non counter.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

even in uni had played some cupcake counters (and won), they still would have been a d1 win out of the playoffs.

They were hurt by Savannah State backing out on them. Still, there has been plenty written about UNI's financial situation. My comment was basically in regards to HAVING to play FBS games. If it's an absolute must to balance the sheet then there's a far bigger issue imo.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Is there any FCS teams that don't schedule an FBS team? This the first time since 2008 that UND does not play an FBS team and that was because we were a non counter.

Delaware, at least under Keeler, was pretty adamant against FBS games. The PL has been pretty selective in their FBS games. I know Montana State's coach does not like playing them either but will bite the bullet occasionally for recruiting purposes.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Slow down caption hyperbole. Sky isn't falling just cloudy. If you guys only see these games as a paycheck you don't realize the intangibles they bring though.

Hey slick luther, I was talking specifically to what Fargo Bison had said so don't get yourself bent up over it.

[UAalum72]

Is there any FCS teams that don't schedule an FBS team? This the first time since 2008 that UND does not play an FBS team and that was because we were a non counter.Most of the Northeast, usually the Patriot, all the Ivy (Yale is scheduled with Army in 2014) and the Pioneer. Albany so far (still not a counter).

[MR. CHICKEN]

Delaware, at least under Keeler, was pretty adamant against FBS games. The PL has been pretty selective in their FBS games. I know Montana State's coach does not like playing them either but will bite the bullet occasionally for recruiting purposes.

WE HAVE GAMES.....SKEDDED WHIFF ....NAVY & PITT....WHICH WERE INKED...DURIN' KC'S REIGN.....ZIADY.....OURAH NEW AD......HAS ADDED....WAKE FOREST & VIRGINIA TECH......FO' FUTURE....FBS CONTESTS.......AWK!

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

WE HAVE GAMES.....SKEDDED WHIFF ....NAVY & PITT....WHICH WERE INKED...DURIN' KC'S REIGN.....ZIADY.....OURAH NEW AD......HAS ADDED....WAKE FOREST & VIRGINIA TECH......FO' FUTURE....FBS CONTESTS.......AWK!

...and hopefully Temple in the VERY near future!

Keeler or someone else in the UD athletic department made it be known that they weren't a huge fan of FBS games in the past. That wasn't meant to suggest UD was completely against it though.

[MarkyMark]

MVFC games vs the Big 10 that could be in jeopardy...

NDSU at Iowa(2016)
SDSU at MN(2019)
Illinois State at Northwestern(2016)
Indiana State at Minnesota(2016)

I think MN has 3 games scheduled with SDSU during the several years. Ironically the only Dakota team they beat this century.

[MR. CHICKEN]

WELL OL' KC...WAS OWN-LAH WILLIN'.....TA PLAY AN' FBS......IN YEARS DAT...ALLOW 12 GAMES......BROCK!

[MarkyMark]

I wonder how the Have-Nots (MN, Indiana and others) agreed to this change or were they simply outnumbered?

This will lead to scheduling issues and huge payouts for smaller FBS schools to come and play for a 1 and done. What would Wisconsin have done if UNI hadn't agreed to come and play them last year?

[UNH Fanboi]

They just replace them with multiple two for ones with the gang of five conferences or increased payouts to non BCS FBS members.

It's a zero sum game. No matter how its done, some teams (inevitably from the lower tier conferences) will lose home games if all of FBS stops playing FCS. It's not just a matter of money. Central Michigan has 5 home games this year. If they weren't hosting UNH, they would have 4.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

It's a zero sum game. No matter how its done, some teams (inevitably from the lower tier conferences) will lose home games if all of FBS stops playing FCS. It's not just a matter of money. Central Michigan has 5 home games this year. If they weren't hosting UNH, they would have 4.

I can't help but think the Big 10 and MAC will form an even stronger scheduling alliance. There's plenty of NFL stadiums (Indy, Cincy, Cleveland, Buffalo, Foxboro, Detroit, Chicago) in the MAC's footprint to ensure that both parties benefit financially. Schools like Toledo and Ohio have done pretty well getting FBS teams to play at their on campus digs. Toledo almost always has one prime time ESPN OOC game a year.

[FargoBison]

Slow down caption hyperbole. Sky isn't falling just cloudy. If you guys only see these games as a paycheck you don't realize the intangibles they bring though.

Yep no way NDSU can replace the exposure and the alumni impact of playing a game against MN. We have 15k fans there and all the media outlets are covering the game in our most vital recruiting area. It is irreplaceable.

This is a huge hit to the MVFC.

[FargoBison]

Your last line is incorrect. The game they traded for came out as a basic wash in reference to the NDSU game once the buyout was paid etc. The way it helped them was by giving them an extra home game that they wouldn't have had.

They could not have done that without the money from SMU, which was my point. Like I said they needed the money game to make their budget work. They couldn't have bought out NDSU and paid for Monmouth without it.

[MarkyMark]

Yep no way NDSU can replace the exposure and the alumni impact of playing a game against MN. We have 15k fans there and all the media outlets are covering the game in our most vital recruiting area. It is irreplaceable.

This is a huge hit to the MVFC.

"The league's athletic directors and presidents also approved a scheduling model that includes at least one team from a major FBS conference per year and no FCS teams. Delany hopes the model will be in place league-wide by 2016."

My guess is that all games scheduled with MVFC teams will stay in place. Lots of wiggle room in this statement about how the Big 10 will actually make its members comply.

Also, the exposure for NDSU vs. MN was great but we were not going to be invited back anytime in the next several years.

[FargoBison]

My guess is that all games scheduled with MVFC teams will stay in place. Lots of wiggle room in this statement about how the Big 10 will actually make its members comply.


I'm not sure about that, Michigan State has already said they are dropping their 2016 game against Furman because of this.

[Saint3333]

It's a zero sum game. No matter how its done, some teams (inevitably from the lower tier conferences) will lose home games if all of FBS stops playing FCS. It's not just a matter of money. Central Michigan has 5 home games this year. If they weren't hosting UNH, they would have 4.

You will see all FBS conferences go to a 9 game conference schedule.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

xzzzzx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Where's that post from a Lehigh poster saying this will never happen? I didn't think it would happen so soon.

These games have intangibles not just paychecks attached, they help with recruiting and donations (point system tickets).

In two years they will be back to scheduling FCS schools.

[Saint3333]

So you went from that will never happen to give it two years and they'll reconsider. Ok.

[FargoBison]

So you went from that will never happen to give it two years and they'll reconsider. Ok.

Which is crazy...the Big 10's plan is to replace the FCS game their teams played with a conference game. These schools basically print money thanks to the Big 10 TV contract...it won't be tough to pay some FBS team to play them.

[darell1976]

A tweet from Jody Norstedt (WDAY/WDAZ sports):


More reax from Big 10 parting ways with FCS: #UND AD Brian Faison tells me he was in preliminary talks w/ Gophers about 2017 or 2018.

Faison also tells me that he expects the Big Sky and other FCS conferences to look at expanding their conference schedules.

From WDAY's Dom Izzo: Dom Izzo ‏@DomIzzoWDAY 4h
#NDSU AD cont: "Will reach out to Iowa this week; believed they'll do everything they can to play game" #FCSFootball

UND has Wyoming, San Jose State and Bowling Green from 2014-2016 but nothing after that, while NDSU has Iowa. It would be a blow to have the "local" FBS teams say no to the FCS.

[clenz]

The schools that don't need to "whore" themselves out will be fine. Schools with financial troubles will need to reassess their priorities imo.
Who is whoring themselves out? Taking 500Kish pay check that is offered isn't whoring yourself out.




Maybe a school like UNI should consider the viability of their program. Perhaps focusing on basketball like Wichita State is in their best interest.
How so? Is UNI not cash strapped? Can the Panthers sustain a viable program without playing cash games? They had to play two last year and it ruined their season. UNI fans were very honest about the schools financial "struggles".
1. UNI has done a viability study...in 2009. It said that mainting full funded FCS football was best, followed by a move to the FBS, then a non-sholly D1 move, then a D2 move, then dropping football. This is why you are a dip ****, you have done zero research and know nothing of UNI. The study found that if UNI were to cut scholarships/drop football donations to the athletic department would drop about 75%. However, you clearly don't want to educate yourself on UNI. You want to take bits and pieces of what posters have said and twist it into what you want.

2. Yes, UNI can continue to sustain it's current program without playing Iowa and Wisconsin every year.

3. We didn't need to play 2 FBS games this year. Iowa was the only one initially scheduled..the Wisconsin game was initially the return game of a home and home with Southern Utah. However, Wisconsin offered to pay us 500K, plus the buy out for the SUU game, plus pay for SUU's replacement for our game, and pay for 100% of our travel to Madison...We'd have been ****ing stupid when that offer came out not to take it. Get paid 500k rather than pay to fly our team to Utah? You'd turn that offer down? ****ing really?

4. We don't really play the Big 10. In 114 seasons of football UNI has played 18 games against the Big 10. Average that out and it's 1 game every 8 years...of thse 18 games 16 have been against Iowa. Yeah, we've played Iowa just 16 times in 114 years. Of those 16 games 11 of them came before 1915 (1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 02, 03, 04, 05, 12, 13, 14, 95, 97, 2005, 2009, 2012), and they are on the schedule just one more time before 2020 (2018). That leaves 2 other Big 10 games for us. Wisconsin in 2012 and Minnesota in 1987. It's not like UNI is losing a lot on this situation. I'd prefer to not play Iowa in ANYTHING as a UNI fan. There are a number of UNI fans who feel the same way. I guess 18 games in 114 years is whoring out though....

5. Wichita State has been 90% irrelevant since the mid 1980's. They have less conference championships that UNI does (and UNI didn't join the conference until 1992), less tournament championships, less NCAA appearances, worse average conference finish the last decade, worse average RPI the last decade, etc... I'd say UNI's ROI on basketball is pretty ****ing stellar right now....especially when compared to a place like WSU who spends two or three times as much on basketball. Also see point 1 about what happens to funding and what happens if football goes away.




MVFC games vs the Big 10 that could be in jeopardy...

NDSU at Iowa(2016)
SDSU at MN(2019)
Illinois State at Northwestern(2016)
Indiana State at Minnesota(2016)UNI @ Iowa 2018...when the first report of this came out Dannen said that no games currently scheduled were in jeopardy, who knows for sure though.


even in uni had played some cupcake counters (and won), they still would have been a d1 win out of the playoffs.


They were hurt by Savannah State backing out on them. Still, there has been plenty written about UNI's financial situation. My comment was basically in regards to HAVING to play FBS games. If it's an absolute must to balance the sheet then there's a far bigger issue imo.SSU didn't just "hurt" UNI last year...it ****ing crippled us. We didn't find out SSU dumped our game until about this time last year...maybe a touch later in the year. We didn't even find out from SSU. We found out on COMPLETE ACCIDENT. One of our athletic department employees was reading an ESPN/BR/Yahoo article about worst FBS/FCS match ups and saw the SSU/Florida State game for the same day as our game. We called/e-mailed them and it took a couple weeks for them to get back to us with a reply that said something to the effect of "Sorry, we were going to tell you eventually we backed out of that game we just hadn't gotten there yet. Hope you find a replacement game". Let's just say the comments from our athletic department were very unkind (as much as they could be and still be PC) about SSU's handling of the situation. It happened SO late in the game that we had almost no option to keep a home game without putting a bye week in week 2. With the way our schedule started that wasn't going to happen. We were stuck with a D2, that we paid something like 45K. We did to them what we would have done to SSU. That would have given us another D1 win with by far the toughest schedule in the nation...we would have been squarely on the bubble and with how week the bubble was last year we may have gotten in...though we lost a couple games we needed to win (ISUr, YSU and/or SIU). Win one of those plus the SSU game would have put us 3rd in the conference with an extra D1 win from what we had....all while starting a freshman QB, and 6 of 7 starters up front on D being first year starters....

Oh couple that with losing 2 starting LB's in the Iowa game (one for the season, and the other missed 2 or 3 weeks and never really got back to 100%) and by the time we got to the SIU game we were playing a 3rd string DE and DT along with starting Wisky, D2, Iowa, YSU, NDSU, SIU before a bye week was ****ing insane.


I wonder how the Have-Nots (MN, Indiana and others) agreed to this change or were they simply outnumbered?

This will lead to scheduling issues and huge payouts for smaller FBS schools to come and play for a 1 and done. What would Wisconsin have done if UNI hadn't agreed to come and play them last year?I don't know how it happened, but the only B1G team that didn't really play FCS games was MSU. They have played just 1 FCS game since 2000, from what I can find. They want to replace the game with a conference game...who knows how that will work. The other piece of it is I'm sure the new playoff will have some SOS tied into it and SBC/MAC/CUSA/AAC teams are going to be worth more than MVFC/CAA teams.

The idea of what would Wisky have done without UNI accepting the bid is something that could be interesting. They would have been fine, I'm sure, with how early the game was scheduled. However, I'm sure we were much cheaper than other options out there.

[clenz]

Also....


Yes, we have 2 FBS games on the schedule for 2014 BECAUSE ONE OF THEM IS HAWAII! That trip is 100% paid for by the U of H...plus they are paying us something like 400K...plus that also gives us the ability to have an extra bye week the week after due to travel. How stupid would you have to be to turn that down?


Post also....

We tend to play more B12 games...

Post post also...



Is it really whoring yourself out if schools are calling you and you aren't calling them? After SSU dumped us and word got out our AD said he fielded as many as 4 or 5 calls a day for about 2 weeks straight from ACC, MWC, B12, MAC (who offered home/home as well), etc... to get us to play them that week. We turned them all down. If we were truly whoring ourselves out, we would have jumped on the first offer from Florida State (the offer we turned down that SSU took to put us in that ****ty situation)

[IBleedYellow]

I'm just going to say this since no one else did:

This sucks, and we will move on. This will hurt NDSU more than any other school just because of the recent success we have had in MN kids and against the Gophers. (IE: It's could possibly hurt our recruiting) FCS still isn't dead, not yet.

Move along.


PS: If you're too dumb to realize what I mean when I say "hurts NDSU more than any other school" don't bother replying. Holy balls.

[Southern Bison]

Is there any FCS teams that don't schedule an FBS team? This the first time since 2008 that UND does not play an FBS team and that was because we were a non counter.

Don't worry, UND has never counted...or mattered!

[Lehigh Football Nation]

So you went from that will never happen to give it two years and they'll reconsider. Ok.

To clarify what I said, I said that I said the FBS blackballing FCS games would never happen. Sure, an individual conference can make the boneheaded decision to schedule only Eastern Michigan instead of Eastern Illinois, but ultimately the individual athletic departments will lose so much money (since MAC teams now will double their guarantee demands, while B1G teams will lose home games and will not bring in any more revenue than before) and it will have absolutely no bearing on their postseason chances, so those individual conference will soon reconsider.

The whole reason the B1G is doing this is to improve the schedule strength. Switching the MVFC with the MAC simply doesn't do this and it will put an immense amount of financial pressure on the lower-tiered schools. If Maryland thought scheduling was tough before, wait until they have a 9 game B1G schedule and have to fill the schedule with other non-FCS teams. It's going to be ugly.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

The Other 5 gives the Big 10 plenty of opportunities. Rutgers and Maryland will have no trouble scheduling Temple, UConn, Navy, Army etc.

I don't see this creating any trouble.

[Bisonator]

We’ll see how long this lasts when MAC, Sunbelt and the other FBS schools start demanding $1.5 to $3 million for games. I don’t see how the B1G schools like MN, IN, NW will be able to afford those OOC games every year. This is just going to cost them more money and probably more losses and fewer bowl games! They can’t beat FCS teams, what makes them think they will do any better against FBS teams?

I mean really, how many B1G teams even need to worry about SOS to get into the BCS stupid “4 team playoff”? Maybe OS, MI and NE once every ten years! It’s pretty meaningless for the rest of them.

[darell1976]

We’ll see how long this lasts when MAC, Sunbelt and the other FBS schools start demanding $1.5 to $3 million for games. I don’t see how the B1G schools like MN, IN, NW will be able to afford those OOC games every year. This is just going to cost them more money and probably more losses and fewer bowl games! They can’t beat FCS teams, what makes them think they will do any better against FBS teams?

I mean really, how many B1G teams even need to worry about SOS to get into the BCS stupid “4 team playoff”? Maybe OS, MI and NE once every ten years! It’s pretty meaningless for the rest of them.

The last paragraph is dead on. People talk about SOS...yeah if you are Ohio or Boise St but not Nebraska or Michigan.

[ASUMountaineer]

I honestly think this is the B1G showing their tail between their legs from FCS losses. I'd like to see which conferences have the most loses to FCS schools in the past ten years. I have a feeling the B1G would be towards the top of the list with most loses. Look T the SEC, they schedule FCS teams but know they have the talent to dominate.

I disagree. I think it's for two reasons: 1) to cater to fans that undoubtedly complain about playing particular schools (App sees it too when we play the likes of Mars Hill), and 2) to help the SOS of the schools that could possibly compete for the new CFP.

[Saint3333]

To clarify what I said, I said that I said the FBS blackballing FCS games would never happen. Sure, an individual conference can make the boneheaded decision to schedule only Eastern Michigan instead of Eastern Illinois, but ultimately the individual athletic departments will lose so much money (since MAC teams now will double their guarantee demands, while B1G teams will lose home games and will not bring in any more revenue than before) and it will have absolutely no bearing on their postseason chances, so those individual conference will soon reconsider.

The whole reason the B1G is doing this is to improve the schedule strength. Switching the MVFC with the MAC simply doesn't do this and it will put an immense amount of financial pressure on the lower-tiered schools. If Maryland thought scheduling was tough before, wait until they have a 9 game B1G schedule and have to fill the schedule with other non-FCS teams. It's going to be ugly.

This is a copy cat system and a slippery slope you know that.

[asumike83]

To clarify what I said, I said that I said the FBS blackballing FCS games would never happen. Sure, an individual conference can make the boneheaded decision to schedule only Eastern Michigan instead of Eastern Illinois, but ultimately the individual athletic departments will lose so much money (since MAC teams now will double their guarantee demands, while B1G teams will lose home games and will not bring in any more revenue than before) and it will have absolutely no bearing on their postseason chances, so those individual conference will soon reconsider.

The whole reason the B1G is doing this is to improve the schedule strength. Switching the MVFC with the MAC simply doesn't do this and it will put an immense amount of financial pressure on the lower-tiered schools. If Maryland thought scheduling was tough before, wait until they have a 9 game B1G schedule and have to fill the schedule with other non-FCS teams. It's going to be ugly.

The schedule strength computer numbers will probably not make a big difference, although the MAC/SBC/CUSA were rated higher than every FCS conference in 2012. However, the playoff selection will not be done purely on computer rankings. Perception will matter.

Teams like Minnesota, Indiana, etc. will stop scheduling FCS games because the teams with the power who bring in the revenue (Ohio State, Michigan) want them to. An FCS loss makes the whole conference look bad. ASU's upset made not only Michigan a punchline but the Big Ten. They finished second place in the conference that season and the talking heads who knew nothing about FCS football droned on and on about how "the second place team in the Big Ten lost to a D2 school."

Regardless of what their Sagarin Rating is, losing to a MAC/SBC/CUSA team is not the same black eye on a BCS conference as an FCS loss. Everybody still remembers App beating Michigan in 2007, who remembers them losing to Toledo the next year? Penn State opened the season with a loss to Ohio just last year. I'm sure the PSU folks won't forget but that was forgotten in a matter of weeks nationally.

Paying $500K to a CAA/MVFC team vs. paying $1.5M to a SBC/MAC team is a drop in the bucket for teams playing in a conference that gets $310M in TV revenue and $40M in bowl payouts every year. It does nothing but make one home game slightly less profitable.

[Apphole]

To clarify what I said, I said that I said .
xninjax

[MplsBison]

We’ll see how long this lasts when MAC, Sunbelt and the other FBS schools start demanding $1.5 to $3 million for games. I don’t see how the B1G schools like MN, IN, NW will be able to afford those OOC games every year. This is just going to cost them more money and probably more losses and fewer bowl games! They can’t beat FCS teams, what makes them think they will do any better against FBS teams?

I mean really, how many B1G teams even need to worry about SOS to get into the BCS stupid “4 team playoff”? Maybe OS, MI and NE once every ten years! It’s pretty meaningless for the rest of them.

On the contrary, I predict the MAC and B1G will negotiate a long term deal to avoid just exactly what you're describing.

I don't see why more games like what Iowa scheduled against Northern Illinois (in the Chicago Bears' stadium) won't become the norm. 2-for-1's or maybe even running home/home series with the B1G school traveling to the MAC school might be enough for them to waive massive guarantee demands.

We'll see.


If NDSU somehow made it into the MAC, it would be great to see the U of MN schedule a home/home with them playing one year at TCF and one year in the Vikings new stadium (for NDSU's home game)!

[MarkyMark]

On the contrary, I predict the MAC and B1G will negotiate a long term deal to avoid just exactly what you're describing.

I don't see why more games like what Iowa scheduled against Northern Illinois (in the Chicago Bears' stadium) won't become the norm. 2-for-1's with the B1G school traveling to the MAC school might be enough for them to waive massive guarantee demands.

We'll see.

Do 2-for-1 deals make sense anymore for smaller schools when you get such big payouts these days?

I see this old scheduling formula thrown out there alot by different posters but I would rather take the money anyday if I am a smaller school. Unless the AD thinks the home game against the bigger school will really energize your fan base.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The Other 5 gives the Big 10 plenty of opportunities. Rutgers and Maryland will have no trouble scheduling Temple, UConn, Navy, Army etc.


We’ll see how long this lasts when MAC, Sunbelt and the other FBS schools start demanding $1.5 to $3 million for games. I don’t see how the B1G schools like MN, IN, NW will be able to afford those OOC games every year. This is just going to cost them more money and probably more losses and fewer bowl games! They can’t beat FCS teams, what makes them think they will do any better against FBS teams?

I mean really, how many B1G teams even need to worry about SOS to get into the BCS stupid “4 team playoff”? Maybe OS, MI and NE once every ten years! It’s pretty meaningless for the rest of them.

Precisely. The games that used to cost Maryland six figures will now cost them seven. Each time.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The schedule strength computer numbers will probably not make a big difference, although the MAC/SBC/CUSA were rated higher than every FCS conference in 2012. However, the playoff selection will not be done purely on computer rankings. Perception will matter.

Teams like Minnesota, Indiana, etc. will stop scheduling FCS games because the teams with the power who bring in the revenue (Ohio State, Michigan) want them to. An FCS loss makes the whole conference look bad. ASU's upset made not only Michigan a punchline but the Big Ten. They finished second place in the conference that season and the talking heads who knew nothing about FCS football droned on and on about how "the second place team in the Big Ten lost to a D2 school."

Regardless of what their Sagarin Rating is, losing to a MAC/SBC/CUSA team is not the same black eye on a BCS conference as an FCS loss. Everybody still remembers App beating Michigan in 2007, who remembers them losing to Toledo the next year? Penn State opened the season with a loss to Ohio just last year. I'm sure the PSU folks won't forget but that was forgotten in a matter of weeks nationally.

Paying $500K to a CAA/MVFC team vs. paying $1.5M to a SBC/MAC team is a drop in the bucket for teams playing in a conference that gets $310M in TV revenue and $40M in bowl payouts every year. It does nothing but make one home game slightly less profitable.

And yet, the SEC will still schedule Western Carolina and get millions more from an extra home game and not affect their Sag ratings. At some point the B1G will have to start beating these teams. To the casual fan, if Michigan loses to Ohio or App State it doesn't matter much - it's still a loss to an "inferior" school. Which is why forsaking millions of revenue for this policy is such bad economics.

[Saint3333]

Don't you think the Big 10 will try and add a factor in the SOS calcuation for playing FCS programs after making this move. These guys aren't playing checkers.

[Apps03]

And yet, the SEC will still schedule Western Carolina and get millions more from an extra home game and not affect their Sag ratings. At some point the B1G will have to start beating these teams. To the casual fan, if Michigan loses to Ohio or App State it doesn't matter much - it's still a loss to an "inferior" school. Which is why forsaking millions of revenue for this policy is such bad economics.

No way to know this for sure but I would guess the opposite of this is true. The casual fan would say at least Ohio is D1

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Don't you think the Big 10 will try and add a factor in the SOS calcuation for playing FCS programs after making this move. These guys aren't playing checkers.

Using what? Sag? Sag routinely has FCS teams higher in the rankings than mid- and low- level MAC, Sun Belt, C-USA and AAC teams. Just last year Georgia Southern's (#72) and SHSU's (#63) Sag ratings were above Ohio (#75), and Ohio went 9-4 last year.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf/sagarin/2012/team/

If the B1G tries to run up the flagpole that a loss to Ohio is better than a loss to Sam Houston simply because the Bobcats are in the MAC, countless computer models will disprove them instantly.

[bluehenbillk]

Using what? Sag? Sag routinely has FCS teams higher in the rankings than mid- and low- level MAC, Sun Belt, C-USA and AAC teams. Just last year Georgia Southern's (#72) and SHSU's (#63) Sag ratings were above Ohio (#75), and Ohio went 9-4 last year.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf/sagarin/2012/team/

If the B1G tries to run up the flagpole that a loss to Ohio is better than a loss to Sam Houston simply because the Bobcats are in the MAC, countless computer models will disprove them instantly.

Computers don't matter anymore - now there's a selection committee.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Computers don't matter anymore - now there's a selection committee.

That will turn out well... xlolx

[asumike83]

To the casual fan, if Michigan loses to Ohio or App State it doesn't matter much - it's still a loss to an "inferior" school. Which is why forsaking millions of revenue for this policy is such bad economics.

Every casual fan still remembers App beating Michigan. 9 out of 10 couldn't tell you what MAC team beat them the next year. The stigma is just not the same. Perception will matter.

[ASUMountaineer]

That will turn out well... xlolx

Excellent retort. xsmileyclapx

[walliver]

With a playoff limited to 4 teams, any loss to a FCS school or Gang of 5 school will almost assuredly prevent a team from participating.

The four teams participating will usually have no losses or one loss, and that loss will come from a major opponent.

Alabama and the rest of the SEC know this well. A home game against an FCS opponent is a very likely win in front of a full stadium. A home game against a Gang of 5 school means paying more money up-front with no increase in revenue, and the game is a little less likely to be win, and it still brings down the strength of schedule. Alabama won the "National Championship" in 2011 despite not going to their conference championship, playing an FCS (Georgia Southern) and 2 sub-BCS FBS (Kent State and North texas) schools (The attendance at all 3 games was about the same). Strength of OOC schedule is obviously not important at the SEC level.

If the B1G was really worried about strength of schedule, they would only schedule BCS level opponents.

Clemson has 2 FCS schools on their schedule. Will it hurt them? Probably not. For Clemson to realistically get a bid to the "playoff" they have to win the ACC, most likely go undefeated (beating South Carolina), and hope that a PAC/B12/B1G champion has 2 losses (or one bad loss). Playing 2 FCS games really doesn't change the equation.

[asumike83]

With a playoff limited to 4 teams, any loss to a FCS school or Gang of 5 school will almost assuredly prevent a team from participating.

The four teams participating will usually have no losses or one loss, and that loss will come from a major opponent.

Alabama and the rest of the SEC know this well. A home game against an FCS opponent is a very likely win in front of a full stadium. A home game against a Gang of 5 school means paying more money up-front with no increase in revenue, and the game is a little less likely to be win, and it still brings down the strength of schedule. Alabama won the "National Championship" in 2011 despite not going to their conference championship, playing an FCS (Georgia Southern) and 2 sub-BCS FBS (Kent State and North texas) schools (The attendance at all 3 games was about the same). Strength of OOC schedule is obviously not important at the SEC level.

If the B1G was really worried about strength of schedule, they would only schedule BCS level opponents.

Clemson has 2 FCS schools on their schedule. Will it hurt them? Probably not. For Clemson to realistically get a bid to the "playoff" they have to win the ACC, most likely go undefeated (beating South Carolina), and hope that a PAC/B12/B1G champion has 2 losses (or one bad loss). Playing 2 FCS games really doesn't change the equation.

No question that any team who loses to an FCS or non-BCS team is not going to be one of the four selected. I think this is more about the perception of the conference as a whole. The SEC is clearly the dominant conference in college football. They can withstand an Ole Miss loss to Jax State every once in a while and still get 2 of the 4 teams in because of the respect that voters have for the SEC. The Big Ten cannot and a loss to an FBS team, regardless of what the computer number is, does not do the same damage to the perception of a conference.

The SEC has no motivation to follow suit but I don't see the Big Ten reconsidering their stance any time soon.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

No question that any team who loses to an FCS or non-BCS team is not going to be one of the four selected. I think this is more about the perception of the conference as a whole. The SEC is clearly the dominant conference in college football. They can withstand an Ole Miss loss to Jax State every once in a while and still get 2 of the 4 teams in because of the respect that voters have for the SEC. The Big Ten cannot and a loss to an FBS team, regardless of what the computer number is, does not do the same damage to the perception of a conference.

The SEC has no motivation to follow suit but I don't see the Big Ten reconsidering their stance any time soon.

So basically, the B1G is asking Maryland to spend millions more money in football, potentially making their near-bankrupt team teeter into bankruptcy, to allow a bunch of millionaires in a smoke-filled room more likely to select Michigan for the FBP.

Mind those same B1G officials are going to try to say that, say, LSU's win over Florida A&M will be worse than, say, Minnesota's LOSS to Eastern Michigan. And, too, LSU's win over FAMU will have NETTED them millions, and Minnesota's hosting of Eastern Michigan may COST them millions.

I can't be the only person to see how insane this actually is.

[IBleedYellow]

With a playoff limited to 4 teams, any loss to a FCS school or Gang of 5 school will almost assuredly prevent a team from participating.

The four teams participating will usually have no losses or one loss, and that loss will come from a major opponent.

Alabama and the rest of the SEC know this well. A home game against an FCS opponent is a very likely win in front of a full stadium. A home game against a Gang of 5 school means paying more money up-front with no increase in revenue, and the game is a little less likely to be win, and it still brings down the strength of schedule. Alabama won the "National Championship" in 2011 despite not going to their conference championship, playing an FCS (Georgia Southern) and 2 sub-BCS FBS (Kent State and North texas) schools (The attendance at all 3 games was about the same). Strength of OOC schedule is obviously not important at the SEC level.

If the B1G was really worried about strength of schedule, they would only schedule BCS level opponents.


Here is the key: The SEC is touted by the media to be THE conference. No one cares if they play "cupcakes" because "It's the bloody Southeastern Conference, they have a crazy SOS in Conference."

The B1G doesn't carry that clout like the SEC does, no matter how you argue, in my opinion the B1G is the lowest rung for the BCS conferences, they have done nothing: Even their big teams like Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin have combined for a losing record (2-5 [Vacating Ohio States 2011 win]) since 2010.

That is why the B1G is trying to stay relevant in the BCS errr soon to be playoffs, get rid of "lower" wins and give them "bigger" loses.

[FargoBison]

People act like the Big 10 schools can't afford this....have you seen the Big 10's media deal? Have you seen how much revenue they are getting from the playoff?

Also everyone who makes this we'll so how long this lasts point completely glosses over the fact that they are adding a conference game. They are replacing their FCS game with a conference game. It won't have this massive affect on their budget, for some schools adding another conference game would actually add a lot of value.

I do agree with those who say the SEC doesn't need to do this. Of course if this works out for the Big 10 they might consider it.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Here is the key: The SEC is touted by the media to be THE conference. No one cares if they play "cupcakes" because "It's the bloody Southeastern Conference, they have a crazy SOS in Conference."

The B1G doesn't carry that clout like the SEC does, no matter how you argue, in my opinion the B1G is the lowest rung for the BCS conferences, they have done nothing: Even their big teams like Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin have combined for a losing record (2-5 [Vacating Ohio States 2011 win]) since 2010.

That is why the B1G is trying to stay relevant in the BCS errr soon to be playoffs, get rid of "lower" wins and give them "bigger" loses.

Boy does this ever confirm this post.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130429/sec-nfl-draft/


For seven straight seasons, the SEC has lorded over college football, racking up national championships, producing must-see Saturday games and inciting endless debate between its supporters and detractors. With each year The Streak lives on, fans outside the South wonder when some other conference or team will begin to close the gap.

If this year's NFL draft is any indication, however, the discrepancy is actually wider now than it has been at any point since The Streak began.

When the final name was called on Saturday, the SEC had set a modern record with 63 draft picks, more than double that of any other conference. The SEC West alone had more picks (32) than the next-nearest conference, the ACC (31). The SEC's total was the most any league had produced since the Pac-10's 55 in 1983 and represented one-quarter of all players drafted. The league also tied another record with 12 first-round selections. Even if you tossed out the combined seven picks produced by SEC newcomers Texas A&M and Missouri, the league still would've broken the Pac-10's mark.

And, way down the article:


It was apparent to anyone who had to watch their teams' games last season that the Big Ten was historically bad in 2012. The draft only confirmed that. The league produced its fewest picks (22) since 1994 and nearly got shut out of the first round for the first time since 1953, with Wisconsin offensive lineman Travis Frederick saving the day at pick No. 31.

Much like the SEC's haul coincided with certain events four to five years ago, the Big Ten's can be traced, at least in part, to the beginning of Rich Rodriguez's disastrous tenure at Michigan. The Wolverines stopped producing their usual spat of pros. But the real puzzler is Ohio State -- coming off an undefeated season -- producing just three picks. For all the heat Jim Tressel's teams took for their 2006 and '07 BCS blowouts, those teams were actually far more talented than the present Buckeyes. According to Todd Jones of the Columbus Dispatch, Ohio State had 23 players taken in the first three rounds from 2003-07, but since 2008, it has produced just nine. Here's guessing that number is about to rise.

Think about this: the SEC had nearly three times the overall draft picks of the Big 10.

[JSUBison]

Do 2-for-1 deals make sense anymore for smaller schools when you get such big payouts these days?

I see this old scheduling formula thrown out there alot by different posters but I would rather take the money anyday if I am a smaller school. Unless the AD thinks the home game against the bigger school will really energize your fan base.

I don't think for one minute that a true 2-1 will even be on the table. For example Michigan signing a 2-1 with Eastern/Central/Western Michigan whoever and playing two games at UM, and the return game to the MAC school will be somplace like Ford field.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

People act like the Big 10 school can't afford this....have you seen the Big 10's media deal? Have you seen how much revenue they are getting from the playoff?

Also everyone who makes this we'll so how long this lasts point completely glosses over the fact that they are adding a conference game. They are replacing their FCS game with a conference game. It won't have this massive affect on their budget, for some schools adding another conference game would actually add a lot of value.

I do agree with those who say the SEC doesn't need to do this. Of course if this works out for the Big 10 they might consider it.

Exactly...

We are talking about an insignificant amount of money in these paydays. The Big 10 is home to some of the richest schools in the WORLD. They will find a way to make up that money if choose to by advertising, creative ticket packages/more tickets sold etc.

[asumike83]

People act like the Big 10 school can't afford this....have you seen the Big 10's media deal? Have you seen how much revenue they are getting from the playoff?

Also everyone who makes this we'll so how long this lasts point completely glosses over the fact that they are adding a conference game. They are replacing their FCS game with a conference game. It won't have this massive affect on their budget, for some schools adding another conference game would actually add a lot of value.

I do agree with those who say the SEC doesn't need to do this. Of course if this works out for the Big 10 they might consider it.

Exactly. First, an extra $1M for their money games vs. the MAC/SBC/CUSA is peanuts to them. Also, as you mention, that FCS game is being replaced with a conference game which they don't have to cut a check for, can charge more for tickets and will be a bigger TV draw. The Big Ten schools will continue to print money.

I don't necessarily like the decision but it makes sense for them. The sky isn't falling and this is not a death sentence for the FCS but it is a kick in the junk.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

Who says the "middle 5" will want to suddenly want to be beholden to these 2 for 1 deals anyway? Pay a FCS school 2-300k to come in and get a home game every year or get 1 out of every 3?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I don't necessarily like the decision but it makes sense for them. The sky isn't falling and this is not a death sentence for the FCS but it is a kick in the junk.

It actually makes no sense, competitively or economically. They think the fact that Maryland plays East Carolina instead of Eastern Illinois makes a difference competitively, but it doesn't. It is all about perception, not reality, and it's false perception that is easily exposed with anyone with an internet connection, if that. Maybe a copy of the USA Today might be enough.

[asumike83]

It actually makes no sense, competitively or economically. They think the fact that Maryland plays East Carolina instead of Eastern Illinois makes a difference competitively, but it doesn't. It is all about perception, not reality, and it's false perception that is easily exposed with anyone with an internet connection, if that. Maybe a copy of the USA Today might be enough.

There is a huge competitive difference between East Carolina and Eastern Illinois but yes, in some cases, depending on which FCS/FBS teams we're talking about, the difference is minimal or non-existent. The public perception of FCS has been there since the split and it is not going to change, fair or not.

Economically and competitively, the addition of another conference game makes a ton of sense, especially for the teams near the bottom. Indiana could charge more for tickets and draw a much better crowd when hosting a Big Ten opponent than they would hosting an FCS program. In essence, they are eliminating the payday required for an FCS game and increasing the payday for a non-BCS game. When considering the extra revenue from a conference game, depending on how the schedule works out in a given year, the difference could be minimal, non-existent or they could even come out on top if that extra conference home game turns out to be Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, etc.

[walliver]

Boy does this ever confirm this post.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130429/sec-nfl-draft/


"Much like the SEC's haul coincided with certain events four to five years ago, the Big Ten's can be traced, at least in part, to the beginning of Rich Rodriguez's disastrous tenure at Michigan. "
And, way down the article:



Think about this: the SEC had nearly three times the overall draft picks of the Big 10.

It's all App State's fault.

[Saint3333]

Using what? Sag? Sag routinely has FCS teams higher in the rankings than mid- and low- level MAC, Sun Belt, C-USA and AAC teams. Just last year Georgia Southern's (#72) and SHSU's (#63) Sag ratings were above Ohio (#75), and Ohio went 9-4 last year.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf/sagarin/2012/team/

If the B1G tries to run up the flagpole that a loss to Ohio is better than a loss to Sam Houston simply because the Bobcats are in the MAC, countless computer models will disprove them instantly.

You've been right so far...

[clenz]

Each big 10 team gets about 24 million a year from the BTN alone.

Paying a mac school a million isn't going to stop anyone

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk 2

[Bisonator]

How does SOS improve playing Eastern Michigan instead of NDSU? Don't they determine it by Sagarin ratings or some other rating system?

[Saint3333]

The metric they will use most likely doesn't exist yet. The parties involved will stack the deck to the equation that fits their agenda.

[MplsBison]

How does SOS improve playing Eastern Michigan instead of NDSU? Don't they determine it by Sagarin ratings or some other rating system?

Because the selection committee will view Eastern Michigan as a more valuable win than some FCS team.

[IBleedYellow]

Really what this (and FBS vs FCS in general, IMO) boils down to is if you are all butthurt about some Joe-blow in California caring about your school in Southern Georgia (No offense towards you guys, GSU), or Eastern North Dakota. Personally, I care about my school and how the fans for my school view our school. This matter of B1G scheduling only effects the community around NDSU that aren't already NDSU fans or recruits who we could have possibly brought to our school because of a good showing against a B1G school. Yes this could have a ripple effect towards other conferences and obviously effects other Universities aswell, I am just talking about NDSU in this post.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The metric they will use most likely doesn't exist yet. The parties involved will stack the deck to the equation that fits their agenda.

... and the SEC will want to help the B1G why?

[ODU Oldtimer]

Who knows what will happen, but........

Every BCS School will want 6, 7 or even 8 homes games. The MAC, Sun Bellt and C-USA Schools will have opportunities for money games, but not necessarily home and home agreements in the future with BCS.

Yes I know they have said that for the next 12 years there will only be 4 teams in the National Championship Game. LOL.... Money, ESPN and sponsors will dictate a change to that for expansion in about 4 or 5 years (8 teams). IT WILL happen and much faster than 12 years down the road... With that said SOS will become a major factor why the power conference will upgrade and continue to eliminate FCS schools from the scheduling process.

It’s all about money. The best way to get there is more home games in 70,000 seat stadiums (70K x $25 = $1,750,000 for tickets) add to that food, apparel, advertisers, sponsor money for a home game you can easily add another 2,000,000. Each home game potentially on the surface is valued at just under 4 Million. The more attractive the game the more potential for greater TV sponsors.... Soft PR money could easily be worth anther 2 or 3 million. (Each home game now becomes valued at about 6 or 7 million dollars. Multiply that by just 2 extra home games (14,000,000.00), now the national branding for those that have.... will get even greater. It will snowball into more TV deals, Bowl games National Championship Games (expansion in the future) which eventually WILL be worth BILLIONS of dollars.

Just the way I see it.....

AIM High

[SpiritCymbal]

Slow down caption hyperbole. Sky isn't falling just cloudy. If you guys only see these games as a paycheck you don't realize the intangibles they bring though.

Can you imagine where App St. would be if y'all never even had the chance to play Michigan in '07?

[SpiritCymbal]

If all FBS teams stopped playing FCS games, then they'd have to replace those games with games against each other. The problem with that is that there can only be one home team, so half of FBS would be losing a home game.

What will happen if more of the "BCS" conferences adopt this is that they'll play more lower level FBS teams instead of FCS...not each other. Sun Belt, CUSA, MAC, etc... teams will be more in demand and thus will be able to leverage either bigger payouts or will be able to leverage the occassional home game out of these BCS schools. That's a win/win for the "G5" conference programs...they're the ones that benefit the most from all of this.

The trickle down of this decision means that lower level FBS schools will also not play FCS teams as much either. They're going to be less likely to schedule a FCS home game if they're now able to leverage a future home game against a BCS team (or at least a higher payout for a road game). It won't completely kill all FCS games in the "G5" conferences, but they're will definitely be less to go around.

Like Saint said though, the sky isn't falling b/c of this one decision, but I'm pretty sure there were a several people in and around Statesboro & Boone that just let out a "WHEW!" this morning by dodging this potential big bullet.

[Saint3333]

... and the SEC will want to help the B1G why?

Why did your neighbor buy the Benz when you came home with an Audi?

[Southern Bison]

To add to the point of the OP...when Minnesota, Northwestern, Illinois, & Indiana schedule and then lose to an FCS school, this in turn weakens the SOS of the top B1G schools (OSU, PSU, Nebraska, Michigan, UW) since they are all playing the weaker B1G teams in the regular season.

This is nothing more than the big kid on the block getting his *** beat in a fight so he's going to change the rules of the fight.

[clenz]

Oh it was also announced that schools with hockey will get ash extra 2 mill from the btn.... yeah, they can afford the games

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk 2

[MplsBison]

Oh it was also announced that schools with hockey will get ash extra 2 mill from the btn.... yeah, they can afford the games

That's one nice thing about having the most money: you can just buy what the winning programs have to make yourself a winner.

Really no different than when NDSU came into the MVFC. Pretty humbling....but exactly as I predicted: we were far too much of a 'have' program to just piddle around. We bought ourselves what UNI and SIU had and became not only champions of the league but national champions to boot.


Likewise, the Big Ten will just buy whatever it is that the SEC has that is so great. If it's coaching, fine. Ohio St has Urban Meyer now. Etc.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

That's one nice thing about having the most money: you can just buy what the winning programs have to make yourself a winner.

Really no different than when NDSU came into the MVFC. Pretty humbling....but exactly as I predicted: we were far too much of a 'have' program to just piddle around. We bought ourselves what UNI and SIU had and became not only champions of the league but national champions to boot.


Likewise, the Big Ten will just buy whatever it is that the SEC has that is so great. If it's coaching, fine. Ohio St has Urban Meyer now. Etc.

If the B1G wants to buy what the SEC has, why doesn't it just buy its best football head coaches, pay them $8 million a year instead of the $5 million they are currently paid, and actually win football games? That would do more to pad profits than coming up with silly scheduling arrangements with Eastern Michigan in an effort to fool the world into thinking that their football conference approaches the SEC.

Importantly, everyone thinks the B1G is simply minting money. So if they have all this money, how come Nick Saban isn't the head coach of Ohio State right now?

[NoDak 4 Ever]

If the B1G wants to buy what the SEC has, why doesn't it just buy its best football head coaches, pay them $8 million a year instead of the $5 million they are currently paid, and actually win football games? That would do more to pad profits than coming up with silly scheduling arrangements with Eastern Michigan in an effort to fool the world into thinking that their football conference approaches the SEC.

Importantly, everyone thinks the B1G is simply minting money. So if they have all this money, how come Nick Saban isn't the head coach of Ohio State right now?

Bad example, Urban Meyer is good enough. The real question is why does OSU have the only coach like that?

[asumike83]

If the B1G wants to buy what the SEC has, why doesn't it just buy its best football head coaches, pay them $8 million a year instead of the $5 million they are currently paid, and actually win football games? That would do more to pad profits than coming up with silly scheduling arrangements with Eastern Michigan in an effort to fool the world into thinking that their football conference approaches the SEC.

Importantly, everyone thinks the B1G is simply minting money. So if they have all this money, how come Nick Saban isn't the head coach of Ohio State right now?

People don't think the Big Ten is flush with cash, they know. Their media deal and bowl payout is public information, got $310M from TV and $40M in bowl revenue last year. Add on all the ESPN money and NCAA tournament revenue from hoops on top of that, they have the funds to schedule any way they want without worrying about the finances of it. Nick Saban isn't leaving Alabama because the SEC is a money machine too.

Of the top 15 highest paid coaches in college football, 4 are from the Big Ten (Meyer, Ferentz, Hoke, Pelini) and 4 are from the SEC (Saban, Miles, Spurrier, Richt). It's not that they aren't paying, they just aren't getting the same results.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

People don't think the Big Ten is flush with cash, they know. Their media deal and bowl payout is public information, got $310M from TV and $40M in bowl revenue last year. Add on all the ESPN money and NCAA tournament revenue from hoops on top of that, they have the funds to schedule any way they want without worrying about the finances of it. Nick Saban isn't leaving Alabama because the SEC is a money machine too.

Of the top 15 highest paid coaches in college football, 4 are from the Big Ten (Meyer, Ferentz, Hoke, Pelini) and 4 are from the SEC (Saban, Miles, Spurrier, Richt). It's not that they aren't paying, they just aren't getting the same results.

So again, if all the B1G schools, not the B1G conference, are so flush with cash with this TV deal, why doesn't, say, Illinois or Rutgers just dangle an $8 million head coaching salary in front of Nick Saban or Les Miles, and start minting championships?

Perhaps because even with the TV money, they still can't afford it?

[asumike83]

So again, if all the B1G schools, not the B1G conference, are so flush with cash with this TV deal, why doesn't, say, Illinois or Rutgers just dangle an $8 million head coaching salary in front of Nick Saban or Les Miles, and start minting championships?

Perhaps because even with the TV money, they still can't afford it?

You realize the conference pays that money to the schools, right? They get $24.6M each as of June 2012, a number that will only increase.
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/51064/big-ten-to-distribute-284-million-to-teams

If success was as simple as throwing money at a coach, there wouldn't be as many bad football programs. No amount of money can buy tradition. The top-flight players want to play at Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, etc. Putting Les Miles at Illinois isn't suddenly going to have 5-star recruits flocking to Champaign. The schools know that, so they wouldn't waste the money. The coaches know that, so they have no interest is leaving a football powerhouse to try and rebuild a middle of the pack Big Ten program.

[ASUMountaineer]

If the B1G wants to buy what the SEC has, why doesn't it just buy its best football head coaches, pay them $8 million a year instead of the $5 million they are currently paid, and actually win football games? That would do more to pad profits than coming up with silly scheduling arrangements with Eastern Michigan in an effort to fool the world into thinking that their football conference approaches the SEC.

Importantly, everyone thinks the B1G is simply minting money. So if they have all this money, how come Nick Saban isn't the head coach of Ohio State right now?

Because they have Urban Meyer. He will win a National Championship at OSU.

[ASUMountaineer]

So again, if all the B1G schools, not the B1G conference, are so flush with cash with this TV deal, why doesn't, say, Illinois or Rutgers just dangle an $8 million head coaching salary in front of Nick Saban or Les Miles, and start minting championships?

Perhaps because even with the TV money, they still can't afford it?

Maybe because, even with the money, Saban and Miles aren't interested? They kind of have it made at their respective schools, and neither are hurting for money. Maybe you're on to something, and they can't afford it. Do you know why, or do you just enjoy speculating? Oh, my bad, I remember now--anti-FBS. Carry on.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

You realize the conference pays that money to the schools, right? They get $24.6M each.
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/51064/big-ten-to-distribute-284-million-to-teams

If success was as simple as throwing money at a big-name coach, there wouldn't be as many bad football programs. No amount of money can buy tradition. The top-flight players want to play at Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, etc. Putting Les Miles at Illinois isn't suddenly going to have 5-star recruits flocking to Champaign. The schools know that, so they wouldn't waste the money. The coaches know that, so they have no interest is leaving a football powerhouse to try and rebuild a middle of the pack Big Ten program.

So it's about the bottom line when it's about hiring the best college football coaches on the planet, but it's not about the bottom line when it comes to being forced to pay millions of extra dollars in guarantees with schools like Eastern Michigan?

I don't believe that to be true in any way. If Les Miles came to Illinois, he would get more Rivals Top 50 recruits than the Illini get now. And if they could genuinely afford getting a big-name coach with all that extra cash in order to compete for the lucrative crystal ball trophy, they would. No, the reason why they don't is that there's more to the story. $24.5 million is a lot of money, but it's not Les Miles money, nor is it enough money to have a conference packed with SEC-level programs.

[asumike83]

So it's about the bottom line when it's about hiring the best college football coaches on the planet, but it's not about the bottom line when it comes to being forced to pay millions of extra dollars in guarantees with schools like Eastern Michigan?

I don't believe that to be true in any way. If Les Miles came to Illinois, he would get more Rivals Top 50 recruits than the Illini get now. And if they could genuinely afford getting a big-name coach with all that extra cash in order to compete for the lucrative crystal ball trophy, they would. No, the reason why they don't is that there's more to the story. $24.5 million is a lot of money, but it's not Les Miles money, nor is it enough money to have a conference packed with SEC-level programs.

The effect on the bottom line is a LOT bigger to hire Les Miles than throw some extra cash at a MAC team. Would the middle of the pack teams choose to do this if the cash cows that bring in all this TV money for them didn't want it that way? No, but they can easily afford to, which is really the point of the entire thread. Much wiser to spend some extra money than bite the hand that feeds you.

[MplsBison]

There was a guy named Zook who came to Illinois from Florida. I don't recall if he was fired from Florida for poor performance, but he was definitely fired from Illinois for poor performance.

Supposed to be a top recruiter and bring a lot of talent into the UIUC campus.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The effect on the bottom line is a LOT bigger to hire Les Miles than throw some extra cash at a MAC team. Would the middle of the pack teams choose to do this if the cash cows that bring in all this TV money for them didn't want it that way? No, but they can easily afford to, which is really the point of the entire thread. Much wiser to spend some extra money than bite the hand that feeds you.

So... although Illinois could afford to hire away Les Miles with their boatloads of new cash, they don't, because the B1G league office wants to keep them mediocre and not compete for the Really Big Money and the crystal ball trophy. They think it's unwise to spend the money to actually try to build a winning program, but they think it fantastic that they are now giving away home games to Eastern Michigan and paying double the guarantee money. Mostly because it benefits the conference office rather than themselves.

Sure.

[IBleedYellow]

No amount of money can buy tradition. The top-flight players want to play at Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, etc. Putting Les Miles at Illinois isn't suddenly going to have 5-star recruits flocking to Champaign. The schools know that, so they wouldn't waste the money. The coaches know that, so they have no interest is leaving a football powerhouse to try and rebuild a middle of the pack Big Ten program.

This right here. The B1G is not the SEC, nor will they have the tradition like the SEC. It's the B1G, not the SEC. If they are in the B1G and they aren't Ohio State, Mich, Nebraska, or Wisconsin, they don't matter.

[asumike83]

So... although Illinois could afford to hire away Les Miles with their boatloads of new cash, they don't, because the B1G league office wants to keep them mediocre and not compete for the Really Big Money and the crystal ball trophy. They think it's unwise to spend the money to actually try to build a winning program, but they think it fantastic that they are now giving away home games to Eastern Michigan and paying double the guarantee money. Mostly because it benefits the conference office rather than themselves.

Sure.

OK, you're right. Schools getting $25M/year in TV money will eventually go broke when their FCS game is replaced with a conference game and the pricetag on a mid-major money game goes up $500K-$1M. Eventually, they'll come crawling back on their hands and knees begging the FCS teams to play them.

[MplsBison]

OK, you're right. Schools getting $25M/year in TV money will eventually go broke when their FCS game is replaced with a conference game and the pricetag on a mid-major money game goes up $500K-$1M. Eventually, they'll come crawling back on their hands and knees begging the FCS teams to play them.

I was wondering what his point was, too. He was challenged earlier in the thread and copped out.

When you state it so bluntly...it really is absurd. The B1G schools are never going to play FCS teams again. That much is crystal clear.


Think about it if you're head coach Jerry Kill. What possible benefit is there to playing a Dakota school or UNI? It's a lose-lose proposition. Plus he comes from both the MVFC and the MAC, so he knows exactly what he has to lose by playing MVFC schools vs. MAC schools.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

OK, you're right. Schools getting $25M/year in TV money will eventually go broke when their FCS game is replaced with a conference game and the pricetag on a mid-major money game goes up $500K-$1M. Eventually, they'll come crawling back on their hands and knees begging the FCS teams to play them.

They're not going to do that. They're going to schedule FCS games because it makes economic sense for them to do so. They are not doing this out of charity, or of particular love for FCS. They are going to do this because they can get more home games and pay less money to do it.

[ASUMountaineer]

OK, you're right. Schools getting $25M/year in TV money will eventually go broke when their FCS game is replaced with a conference game and the pricetag on a mid-major money game goes up $500K-$1M. Eventually, they'll come crawling back on their hands and knees begging the FCS teams to play them.

It's really pointless to argue with him. He's admittedly anti-FBS, and apparently has a lot of time on his hands to troll any and all threads where FBS is mentioned.

[IBleedYellow]

It's really pointless to argue with him. He's admittedly anti-FBS, and apparently has a lot of time on his hands to troll any and all threads where FBS is mentioned.


I'm not pro-FBS, but at least I don't do it like LFN.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

It's really pointless to argue with him. He's admittedly anti-FBS, and apparently has a lot of time on his hands to troll any and all threads where FBS is mentioned.

Yes, trolling a thread with the subject line "New BIG Scheduling Model: No more FCS games", and talking about, oh, I dunno, the new B1G scheduling model and it's decision to, um, not schedule FCS games.

A better question is what are App State fans doing here, unless there's a B1G game you're planning to schedule or announce in the near future.

[ASUMountaineer]

Yes, trolling a thread with the subject line "New BIG Scheduling Model: No more FCS games", and talking about, oh, I dunno, the new B1G scheduling model and it's decision to, um, not schedule FCS games.

A better question is what are App State fans doing here, unless there's a B1G game you're planning to schedule or announce in the near future.

xlolx You caught me! By saying "any and all threads," I was limiting it to just this one thread.

To answer your so-called "better question," App State is playing Michigan in 2014. When is Lehigh's next B1G game? That begs the question, what is a Lehigh fan doing here? xthumbsupx

Your trolling is getting better, but you still have not reached Chattown's level. Keep trying!

[ASUMountaineer]

I'm not pro-FBS, but at least I don't do it like LFN.

I don't get the notion of being anti-FBS, or anti-FCS, anti-DII, anti-DIII, anti-NAIA, etc. However, LFN is admittedly anti-FBS and obviously has a lot of time to post his disdain daily on AGS (and probably other sites). xlolx It's almost sad...almost.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

To answer your so-called "better question," App State is playing Michigan in 2014. When is Lehigh's next B1G game? That begs the question, what is a Lehigh fan doing here? xthumbsupx

Congrats on playing Michigan in 2014. I hope you guys beat them.

We'd like to play Rutgers, a school we've played 74 times and a place which we had a rivalry for nearly 100 years. So would at least two other FCS schools, Colgate and Lafayette.

But now we can't, thanks to "New BIG Scheduling Model: No more FCS games".

But I'm not giving up hope. Rutgers paying $1 million to get UMass to come when they can pay $300,000 to schedule a game with Lehigh will make so much more economic sense that it will happen again soon.

[MplsBison]

Congrats on playing Michigan in 2014. I hope you guys beat them.

We'd like to play Rutgers, a school we've played 74 times and a place which we had a rivalry for nearly 100 years. So would at least two other FCS schools, Colgate and Lafayette.

But now we can't, thanks to "New BIG Scheduling Model: No more FCS games".

But I'm not giving up hope. Rutgers paying $1 million to get UMass to come when they can pay $300,000 to schedule a game with Lehigh will make so much more economic sense that it will happen again soon.

Or give UMass (or another MAC, AAC or CUSA team) a 2-for-1 or home/home deal with no money.

[Saint3333]

It is worth the $700k from a national perception standpoint for Rutgers to play UMass over Lehigh. I know you don't agree, but that is now reality.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

It is worth the $700k from a national perception standpoint for Rutgers to play UMass over Lehigh. I know you don't agree, but that is now reality.

For Notre Dame, yes. For UMass, no.

[Saint3333]

Like I said you don't have to like it or agree with it, and very few at Rutgers may see it that way, but the rules their leaders just agreed to make it reality.

[ASUMountaineer]

Congrats on playing Michigan in 2014. I hope you guys beat them.

We'd like to play Rutgers, a school we've played 74 times and a place which we had a rivalry for nearly 100 years. So would at least two other FCS schools, Colgate and Lafayette.

But now we can't, thanks to "New BIG Scheduling Model: No more FCS games".

But I'm not giving up hope. Rutgers paying $1 million to get UMass to come when they can pay $300,000 to schedule a game with Lehigh will make so much more economic sense that it will happen again soon.

Hopefully, for your sake, this prediction is more accurate than the one about the B1G not ceasing to play FCS teams. xnodx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

A huge LOL in the latest chapter in this saga.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20130510/SPORTS/130510025/Barta-Big-Ten-will-no-longer-schedule-FCS-schools-football


The Big Ten Conference will no longer schedule football games against Football Championship Series (formerly Division I-AA) schools, according to Iowa athletic director Gary Barta, who discussed the matter on ESPN.

“We’ve agreed going forward we’re not going to be scheduling any other FCS schools,” Barta said on the network’s College Football Live program.

Barta went on to say he was undecided about how to handle already scheduled games against Northern Iowa, an in-state rival and FCS member.

The Panthers are slated to visit Kinnick Stadium in 2014 and ’18.

“We’ll either move them off and reschedule, or in the case of Northern Iowa, I’ve talked about the possibility of an exception,” Barta said, “based on the fact that they play in our home state.”

xlolx xlolx xlolx

And...


“We talked about strengthening our schedule, and that’s why we went to nine games,” Barta said,. “and then we talked about our non-conference schedules and playing home-and-home with other traditional ‘quote, unquote’ BCS schools.”

...

It was also reported Friday by CBSSports.com that Iowa and Northern Illinois are on the verge of finalizing a football series. The games will be played at Kinnick Stadium in 2018 and 2020, according to Huskies athletic director Christian Spears.

Intent: schedule BCS "home-and-homes". Reality: replacing Northern Iowa with Northern Illinois. And in Iowa's case, replacing a regional game that promises a decent visiting turnout with a game with Northern Illinois with crappier turnout.

Nah, nobody could have predicted THAT.... xrolleyesx

[MplsBison]

I am hard pressed to believe that Iowa really cares deeply for the visiting teams turnout in a non-conference game. They'll easily sell the tickets that NIU fans don't buy. Not that it's a hard drive from Chicago to Iowa...

Certainly even you would agree that replacing an FCS team, no matter how good, with a team that went to a BCS bowl last year is seen as an upgrade.


NDSU also has a game scheduled at Iowa in 2016. Not sure if it will go through, but Barta said he would try.

[darell1976]

Per Dom Izzo tweet:

https://twitter.com/DomIzzoWDAY



What does this mean for #FCSFootball? SEC commish Mike Slive: "I made it clear (to the schools) to upgrade (their non-conference) schedules"

SEC's Mike Slive:"I don't want (our schools) to play four (non-conference) games that don't interest our fans" Good or bad for #FCSFootball?

So will the SEC join the B1G in banning FCS games? The B1G banning FCS teams affect Midwestern schools (NDSU, UND, UNI etc), the SEC banning FCS teams affect the southern schools, who's next the Big 12, Pac 12?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

So will the SEC join the B1G in banning FCS games? The B1G banning FCS teams affect Midwestern schools (NDSU, UND, UNI etc), the SEC banning FCS teams affect the southern schools, who's next the Big 12, Pac 12?

They won't, because 1) they didn't say they were going to start banning FCS schools, 2) saying "I don't want (our schools) to play four (non-conference) games that don't interest our fans" could have equally referred to UL-Lafayette as well as SFA, and 3) you can only have one FCS anyway count towards bowl eligibility, and there's four games to consider. Replacing Lafayette with UL-Lafayette wouldn't serve any purpose of Silve's. Now, replacing Old Dominion with Virginia Tech - that's an "upgrade".

[darell1976]

They won't, because 1) they didn't say they were going to start banning FCS schools, 2) saying "I don't want (our schools) to play four (non-conference) games that don't interest our fans" could have equally referred to UL-Lafayette as well as SFA, and 3) you can only have one FCS anyway count towards bowl eligibility, and there's four games to consider. Replacing Lafayette with UL-Lafayette wouldn't serve any purpose of Silve's. Now, replacing Old Dominion with Virginia Tech - that's an "upgrade".

I am just reading between the lines. 4 OOC games to get rid of would be SB, C-USA, MAC, FCS. Replaced with Big 10, ACC, Big 12, Pac 12.

[MplsBison]

Like I've been saying and saying again....it's all going to come down to who is going to get the first screw job by the selection committee that is attributable to strength of schedule.

It may not be an FCS thing solely, it may be like LFN said - simply a bad non-conference slate in general with FCS and low-tier FBS games.


But it's going to happen and the elite conferences are going to fall over themselves to upgrade schedules once it does. Until then, probably they won't except for the B1G who is taking the familiar leadership position.

[darell1976]

Like I've been saying and saying again....it's all going to come down to who is going to get the first screw job by the selection committee that is attributable to strength of schedule.

It may not be an FCS thing solely, it may be like LFN said - simply a bad non-conference slate in general with FCS and low-tier FBS games.


But it's going to happen and the elite conferences are going to fall over themselves to upgrade schedules once it does. Until then, probably they won't except for the B1G who is taking the familiar leadership position.

I can see that, but it looks like the only games FCS teams may schedule (big money games) will be the lower conferences (MW, SB, MAC).

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I can see that, but it looks like the only games FCS teams may schedule (big money games) will be the lower conferences (MW, SB, MAC).

I disagree. Suppose you're Alabama. Are you really going to fork over twice the money for UL-Lafayette over Western Carolina? I mean, you don't care about "schedule strength": win the SEC, and they'll have "schedule strength" by default. You want OOC games that are of regional interest, cheap, and mostly easy wins. FCS games fit that bill best.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I can see that, but it looks like the only games FCS teams may schedule (big money games) will be the lower conferences (MW, SB, MAC).

Those are typically not big money games and will likely not be enough to get a team from the top 4 FCS conferences out of their stadiums anymore than already happens.

It's possible that the SBC, MAC, CUSA, or whatever may take the brint of this. If the SEC upgrades with a B1G, a Pac 12, etc. and then have a slot lft for ONE OOC game and you could choose an FCS team that still counts toward bowl and costs less or a SBC, MAC team I'm not sure which way the schedule would be likely to come out.

All in all unless it's a ban on FCS games I think would stay pretty much the same.

[darell1976]

Those are typically not big money games and will likely not be enough to get a team from the top 4 FCS conferences out of their stadiums anymore than already happens.

It's possible that the SBC, MAC, CUSA, or whatever may take the brint of this. If the SEC upgrades with a B1G, a Pac 12, etc. and then have a slot lft for ONE OOC game and you could choose an FCS team that still counts toward bowl and costs less or a SBC, MAC team I'm not sure which way the schedule would be likely to come out.

All in all unless it's a ban on FCS games I think would stay pretty much the same.

I hope they don't ban the FCS. The only way I see a total ban is if FCS don't count anymore.

[clenz]

Per Dom Izzo tweet:

https://twitter.com/DomIzzoWDAY




So will the SEC join the B1G in banning FCS games? The B1G banning FCS teams affect Midwestern schools (NDSU, UND, UNI etc), the SEC banning FCS teams affect the southern schools, who's next the Big 12, Pac 12?
UNI has played 16 Big Ten gamesin 114 years of football....just because we played 2 this year doesn't mean we are losing that many games.

[Saint3333]

The more likely scenario is this will impact the lower FBS teams from getting home games vs. BCS programs AND lead to fewer FCS games, but to think they are going to stop scheduling lower tier FBS schools in favor of FCS schools is very wishful thinking by a few here.

[MplsBison]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9323455/sec-coaches-vote-13-1-stay-eight-conference-games

SEC stays at 8 conference games....for now. Some coaches talking that 9 is inevitable with the SEC Network starting up.

[kdinva]

SEC stays at 8 conference games....for now. Some coaches talking that 9 is inevitable with the SEC Network starting up.

.....and there will be two or three schools that will whine for five home/four away conf. games EVERY season.......

[MplsBison]

.....and there will be two or three schools that will whine for five home/four away conf. games EVERY season.......

Such is life. Or go to 10 games, then.

[walliver]

If ESPN had its way, the Big 5 would only play other Big 5 schools. Ratings are better, and it generates more money. The SEC likes money, but is probably not heading that way soon since playing big time teams every single week makes it hard to go undefeated or one-loss. The SEC network (partially owned by ESPN) is going to want big games, however. The end result will be fewer FCS games, fewer SBC games, and few if any road games against the Gang of 5. If a team can put 70,000 fans paying $30-100 a ticket into a stadium, it is much cheaper to pay $1,000,000 to bring in paid games every year than execute a 2-for-1 or 3-for-1 deal.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

If ESPN had its way, ESPN schools would only play other ESPN schools and schools that are home games for the ESPN schools.

Think of it this way and it's a little less clear-cut. And if you're an ESPN school, an FCS game is always a home game and an ESPN game.

Let's say Michigan and Alabama schedule a home-and-home. It's oversimplified, but the game at Michigan is likely to be a FOX/B1G game, and the game at Alabama is likely to now be an ESPN/SEC game. This is a dirty little secret as to why these games rarely happen.

[MplsBison]

Whatever makes the most money for TV is the way it will go. That's what's been happening and that is what will continue happening.

No more analysis is really required than that.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Whatever makes the most money for TV is the way it will go. That's what's been happening and that is what will continue happening.

No more analysis is really required than that.

No. Why would ESPN want to enrich FOX?

The money from two home games vs. FCS teams greatly outweighs one home game against a perennial Top 25 team that's a home-and-home. This applies to both the school and the networks, if those schools are "owned" by competing networks. If it's an all-ESPN shop, the economics may differ for the network, but probably not for the school.

[MplsBison]

Wasn't arguing one way or another. Just stating the golden fact: the TV networks will dictate whatever direction they think will generate the most revenue.

[MplsBison]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/9330454/sec-meetings-end-scheduling-resolution


The SEC might switch to a nine-game schedule in 2016. If so, the league would join the Big Ten, the Pac-12 and the Big 12 in having that model.

Is this misreported or did I just miss this before???

I knew the Pac-12 had a nine game schedule currently. Didn't know that B1G and Big XII had adopted it??

[DFW HOYA]

No. Why would ESPN want to enrich FOX?

The money from two home games vs. FCS teams greatly outweighs one home game against a perennial Top 25 team that's a home-and-home. This applies to both the school and the networks, if those schools are "owned" by competing networks. If it's an all-ESPN shop, the economics may differ for the network, but probably not for the school.

Some networks do work together, because there are shared costs that play to the benefit of both parties. Example: The Big 12 (Fox) has games they can't full clearance to broadcast, ESPN has space on the broadcast schedule unfilled. Working together, both are happy, competitive issues aside.

Some networks do not get along, however. Example: ESPN's lackluster coverage of hockey is a grudge in part, over NBC's embargo of Olympic highlights to ESPN and in part to ESPN's WWE-like philosophy of sports: "if it didn't happen in our federation, it didn't happen."

Not sure where your comment that "The money from two home games vs. FCS teams greatly outweighs one home game against a perennial Top 25 team that's a home-and-home" comes from. The ratings and TV contracts dictate this. Remember, if the BCS agreed to a formula on intra-conference TV rights, the concept of paying guarantees would make that obsolete. Lehigh doesn't "pay" to schedule Monmouth or Princeton. In the future, why would Florida need to pay Rutgers if the TV deals were structured properly?

[MplsBison]

I was under the assumption that any team, no matter its stature or classification, will demand some form of payment in exchange for not receiving a return game.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Not sure where your comment that "The money from two home games vs. FCS teams greatly outweighs one home game against a perennial Top 25 team that's a home-and-home" comes from. The ratings and TV contracts dictate this. Remember, if the BCS agreed to a formula on intra-conference TV rights, the concept of paying guarantees would make that obsolete. Lehigh doesn't "pay" to schedule Monmouth or Princeton. In the future, why would Florida need to pay Rutgers if the TV deals were structured properly?

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20111030/NEWS/111029703


The Alabama vs. Louisiana State football game Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors to town, in addition to those with tickets, as the nation's top two ranked teams face off. The winner will have an inside track for a slot in the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 9, 2012, in New Orleans.

Bryant-Denny, which holds more than 100,000 people, will be packed, and the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission estimates another 40,000 people without tickets will show up to tailgate outside the stadium, on campus and elsewhere around town.

“Every restaurant and bar with a TV will be filled during the game,” said Beakie Powell, sales director of the tourism and sports commission.

Restaurants, bars and hotels will ring in the green, as will many retailers near the stadium and other visitor hot spots.

Ahmad Ijaz, an economist at the University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research, said most game-day weekends bring an extra $15 million into the local economy.

But when the Crimson Tide hosts rivals LSU, Auburn and Tennessee in football, the economic impact will be several million dollars more.

“A game like that will bring in $17 million to $18 million for Tuscaloosa,” Ijaz said.

3 things:

* The surrounding area will see a $15 million boost on gameday with a warm body vs. $17-$18 million for a BCS title game implications game. If Alabama enters in home-and-homes only with power conference teams, who will certainly want home games of their own, they're giving up $30 million of local economy over 2 years vs. $18 million of one "premium" home game. That's a huge economic impact. Even for a 2-for-1 it's $45 million/3 years vs. $36 million/3 years. This is why home games for these elite teams are a BFD irrespective of TV.

* There is a complex web of coverage that allows some inventory to go on multiple networks - for example, some B1G games are broadcast on ESPN. But they're not going to work together for a marquee, Top 10 matchup. One year, it could be a ratings bonanza of Top 10 teams; the next season, it could be a battle of teams out of the Top 25. The home team's broadcast partner will fight like hell to get the money from the marquee game that's in front of them, not some game that could be relatively worthless next season.

* And again, this is why this model is unsustainable for the B1G. A few years of doubled guarantees to UL-Monroe and disappearing home games will have the doubly idiotic effect of having teams spend more money for less football revenue and fewer home games. As nice as their TV contract is, it won't make up for this shortfall. Michigan and Ohio State might end up OK, but Indiana and Northwestern will not. And that's even assuming they win all of these games.

[MplsBison]

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20111030/NEWS/111029703



3 things:

* The surrounding area will see a $15 million boost on gameday with a warm body vs. $17-$18 million for a BCS title game implications game. If Alabama enters in home-and-homes only with power conference teams, who will certainly want home games of their own, they're giving up $30 million of local economy over 2 years vs. $18 million of one "premium" home game. That's a huge economic impact. Even for a 2-for-1 it's $45 million/3 years vs. $36 million/3 years. This is why home games for these elite teams are a BFD irrespective of TV.

* There is a complex web of coverage that allows some inventory to go on multiple networks - for example, some B1G games are broadcast on ESPN. But they're not going to work together for a marquee, Top 10 matchup. One year, it could be a ratings bonanza of Top 10 teams; the next season, it could be a battle of teams out of the Top 25. The home team's broadcast partner will fight like hell to get the money from the marquee game that's in front of them, not some game that could be relatively worthless next season.

* And again, this is why this model is unsustainable for the B1G. A few years of doubled guarantees to UL-Monroe and disappearing home games will have the doubly idiotic effect of having teams spend more money for less football revenue and fewer home games. As nice as their TV contract is, it won't make up for this shortfall. Michigan and Ohio State might end up OK, but Indiana and Northwestern will not. And that's even assuming they win all of these games.

Hence why they'll go to a nine game conference schedule and work out nice deals with the MAC and MWC for 2-for-1's and low cost guarantee games. Minnesota this year for example has two home games against the MAC and travels to Colorado St.

You think you're smart LFN, but I guarantee you that the B1G has people in rooms making more money than you thinking of things you aren't comprehending right now.

[darell1976]

Looks like the Pac12 won't stop scheduling FBS teams with South Dakota vs Oregon in 2014 and now with UND vs Utah in 2017. I hope the B1G is alone in not scheduling FCS teams.

[Laker]

Gopher schedules with FCS teams:
2013 Western Illinois
2014 Eastern Illinois
2016 Indiana State
2019 South Dakota State

[darell1976]

C
Gopher schedules with FCS teams:
2013 Western Illinois
2014 Eastern Illinois
2016 Indiana State
2019 South Dakota State

What's the odds the Goofs go 0-4. There was talks of them playing UND in either 17 or 18 but since we have Utah in 17, maybe 18. But by then the B1G will split from the NCAA into their own money fantasy land with the other power conferences.

[MplsBison]

What's the odds the Goofs go 0-4. There was talks of them playing UND in either 17 or 18 but since we have Utah in 17, maybe 18. But by then the B1G will split from the NCAA into their own money fantasy land with the other power conferences.

Nope, nope and nope.

Gophs will not go 0-4, at the least because Eastern Illinois is not MVFC level competition, but mainly because the 2016 and 2019 scheduled games will be bought out and no FCS team will be schedules for 2015, 2017 or 2018.


And most certainly the B1G will not be splitting away from the NCAA any time soon, nor will the SEC, BigXII, PAC or ACC.

Not so long as the NCAA keeps 'the agreement' in place: the elite conferences and bowl organizations get to dictate and keep the money from big time college football so long as the NCAA gets to dictate and keep the money from March Madness.

That agreement has been in place and working for both sides for a while. No need to capsize a boat full of cash...

[DFW HOYA]

"At last month's SEC spring meetings, SEC commissioner Mike Slive said his league "probably but not exclusively" preferred to play the other Power Five leagues going forward in the bowls. Sources said the reason is simple: The teams from the bigger leagues draw better television ratings and have bigger fan bases to travel."

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9364692/smaller-conferences-look-add-bowl-games-sources

[Lehigh Football Nation]

What's the highest-rated 2012 bowl game that involved two FWB schools and didn't include a member of the "Power 5"? The Little Caesars Bowl and New Orleans Bowl... with a lofty 1.8 rating.

http://i.imgur.com/2UflS.jpg

FCS quarterfinals, Georgia Southern vs. ODU, netted a 1.1 rating, or 1.566 million households. The difference is about 1 million households... or about the ratings of Georgia Southern's semifinal game vs. NDSU.

What will happen when the BCS and the FWS are further separated, though?

[NoDak 4 Ever]

What's the highest-rated 2012 bowl game that involved two FWB schools and didn't include a member of the "Power 5"? The Little Caesars Bowl and New Orleans Bowl... with a lofty 1.8 rating.

FCS quarterfinals, Georgia Southern vs. ODU, netted a 1.1 rating, or 1.566 million households. The difference is about 1 million households... or about the ratings of Georgia Southern's semifinal game vs. NDSU.

What will happen when the BCS and the FWS are further separated, though?

It's actually pretty easy to see the common denominator here. Network. How many TV's are tuned to ESPN rather than ESPN2? The only bowl to fight the trend was the Gator bowl which has some name recognition and was a NYD bowl.

The BBVA Compass bowl was at the same time as the NC game. One was on ESPN and the other was on ESPN2. You can't ignore that variable.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

It's actually pretty easy to see the common denominator here. Network. How many TV's are tuned to ESPN rather than ESPN2? The only bowl to fight the trend was the Gator bowl which has some name recognition and was a NYD bowl.

The BBVA Compass bowl was at the same time as the NC game. One was on ESPN and the other was on ESPN2. You can't ignore that variable.

The Gator Bowl pitted two BCS opponents against each other, exactly the type of bowls that would result from their decision.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Here's another wrinkle. What if ESPN decides only BCS bowls will show up on ESPN? Suddenly, the New Orleans Bowl will be devolved to ESPN2 and the ratings magically decrease automatically.

[ASUMountaineer]

Here's another wrinkle. What if ESPN decides only BCS bowls will show up on ESPN? Suddenly, the New Orleans Bowl will be devolved to ESPN2 and the ratings magically decrease automatically.

Well, there's only 4 BCS bowls and a BCS title game. Not sure that would benefit ESPN too much.

[DFW HOYA]

ESPN holds no loyalty to I-A conferences below the power five. Watch how they will punish...er, relegate the AAC to the C-USA/MAC midweek TV netherworld for daring to look beyond that network for a TV rights deal.

[SpiritCymbal]

What's the highest-rated 2012 bowl game that involved two FWB schools and didn't include a member of the "Power 5"? The Little Caesars Bowl and New Orleans Bowl... with a lofty 1.8 rating.

http://i.imgur.com/2UflS.jpg

FCS quarterfinals, Georgia Southern vs. ODU, netted a 1.1 rating, or 1.566 million households. The difference is about 1 million households... or about the ratings of Georgia Southern's semifinal game vs. NDSU.

What will happen when the BCS and the FWS are further separated, though?

I'm not sure I follow the point you're making "for" 1-aa football. Could you expand on this?

[MplsBison]

"At last month's SEC spring meetings, SEC commissioner Mike Slive said his league "probably but not exclusively" preferred to play the other Power Five leagues going forward in the bowls. Sources said the reason is simple: The teams from the bigger leagues draw better television ratings and have bigger fan bases to travel."

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9364692/smaller-conferences-look-add-bowl-games-sources


Not sure why you chose to leave out the interesting part of this article (the part that it was named for): the group of five conferences are going to be starting up new bowl games to give themselves more post season opportunities.