NAU announces 2018 schedule

[dbackjon]

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/nau/2018/02/06/nau-2018-football-schedule/312142002/


Sat., Sept. 1: at UTEP, El Paso, Texas.


Sat., Sept. 8: Eastern Washington, Walkup Skydome


Sat., Sept. 15: at Missouri State, Springfield, Mo.


Sat., Sept 22: Southern Utah, Walkup Skydome


Sat., Sept. 29: at Idaho State, Pocatello, Idaho


Sat., Oct. 6: Weber State, Walkup Skydome


Sat., Oct. 13: Off


Sat., Oct. 20: at Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colo.


Sat., Oct. 27: Cal Poly (Homecoming), Walkup Skydome


Sat., Nov. 3: at UC Davis, Davis, Calif.


Sat., Nov. 10: at Sacramento State, Sacramento, Calif.


Sat., Nov. 17: North Dakota (Senior Night), Walkup Skydome




OOC schedule in BOLD

[dbackjon]

Good OOC - EWU, Missouri State away, UTEP away

Hate that SUU is not the final game of the season.


Sucks that there are no Montana Schools this year

[ST_Lawson]

Sucks that there are no Montana Schools this year

Sorry, we took them all.

[Grizzlies82]

Good OOC - EWU, Missouri State away, UTEP away

Hate that SUU is not the final game of the season.


Sucks that there are no Montana Schools this year

Lumberjack, It looks like a good schedule for No. Arizona. A bit surprised you don't have your usual U. of Arizona or ASU road game to open.

As to the lack of MT schools. I'm still ticked off with the grossly over expanded Big Sky conference and our lack of playing each other. Honestly still think they need to break up the conference into two. Yet we know that won't happen. Good luck to your Jacks in 2018.

[dbackjon]

Lumberjack, It looks like a good schedule for No. Arizona. A bit surprised you don't have your usual U. of Arizona or ASU road game to open.

As to the lack of MT schools. I'm still ticked off with the grossly over expanded Big Sky conference and our lack of playing each other. Honestly still think they need to break up the conference into two. Yet we know that won't happen. Good luck to your Jacks in 2018.

NAU has chosen to skip the UA/ASU games if a reasonable alternative can be found. We play ASU in 2020, 2022, 2025 and 2028 - roughly every three years. We play Arizona in 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2026.

So no game this year, but every year but 2027 until 2028.


Yeah, I wish we had our 9-team BSC back. Good luck to the Griz

[Outsider1]

Lumberjack, It looks like a good schedule for No. Arizona. A bit surprised you don't have your usual U. of Arizona or ASU road game to open.

As to the lack of MT schools. I'm still ticked off with the grossly over expanded Big Sky conference and our lack of playing each other. Honestly still think they need to break up the conference into two. Yet we know that won't happen. Good luck to your Jacks in 2018.


The Big Sky is the biggest, but not by much; only a school or two depending on if you include only football. It covers such a big area geographically that is more spread out. Unless just a couple of schools want to move over to another somewhat nearby conference, it isn't worth it to split the conference.

[Outsider1]

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/nau/2018/02/06/nau-2018-football-schedule/312142002/


Sat., Sept. 1: at UTEP, El Paso, Texas.


Sat., Sept. 8: Eastern Washington, Walkup Skydome


Sat., Sept. 15: at Missouri State, Springfield, Mo.


Sat., Sept 22: Southern Utah, Walkup Skydome


Sat., Sept. 29: at Idaho State, Pocatello, Idaho


Sat., Oct. 6: Weber State, Walkup Skydome


Sat., Oct. 13: Off


Sat., Oct. 20: at Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colo.


Sat., Oct. 27: Cal Poly (Homecoming), Walkup Skydome


Sat., Nov. 3: at UC Davis, Davis, Calif.


Sat., Nov. 10: at Sacramento State, Sacramento, Calif.


Sat., Nov. 17: North Dakota (Senior Night), Walkup Skydome




OOC schedule in BOLD

Why do you count Eastern Washington as OOC? Is it only because you count an 8 game conference schedule?

[dbackjon]

Why do you count Eastern Washington as OOC? Is it only because you count an 8 game conference schedule?

Correct - EWU is not on the conference schedule for 2018. We don't play them this year or next, IIRC, so we agreed to an OOC schedule with them. Hard to get FCS teams to go to both of our schools.

[Outsider1]

Correct - EWU is not on the conference schedule for 2018. We don't play them this year or next, IIRC, so we agreed to an OOC schedule with them. Hard to get FCS teams to go to both of our schools.

Thanks, it makes me wonder why you only do an 8 conference game schedule with so many teams?

[dbackjon]

Thanks, it makes me wonder why you only do an 8 conference game schedule with so many teams?


A nine game schedule would only leave two OOC games - making it harder to schedule enough home games and/or payday games. Montana/MSU like having 6 home games, something that would be very hard to pull off with a nine-game schedule.

I also don't like it because every other year you are playing more road games than half the conference.

[Outsider1]

Just wondering why there wouldn't be that consistency between conferences. The SLC plays 9 conference and 2 OOC. We only have 5 home games. I would actually like to see more games, but again it is interesting that decision must be left to the conferences and not NCAA?

***When we were looking to add another OOC game for next year, I thought you guys would actually be a good home and away choice. Besides some of the nearest SWAC schools, you were one of the better programs that was at least within reasonable distance. I grew up in AZ and many of my HS friends are now NAU alum, so was curious when I saw you post your schedule.***

[Iridebikes]

A nine game schedule would only leave two OOC games - making it harder to schedule enough home games and/or payday games. Montana/MSU like having 6 home games, something that would be very hard to pull off with a nine-game schedule.

I also don't like it because every other year you are playing more road games than half the conference.

While like most I do think that the BSC is too large and would prefer a reduction, I don't think that going to a 9 game conference schedule would be of benefit. It removes one of the few opportunities that the conference teams have to schedule an FCS opponent outside of conference. Those games allow the conference and its teams to measure where its at in comparison to the rest of the FCS.

[Outsider1]

While like most I do think that the BSC is too large and would prefer a reduction, I don't think that going to a 9 game conference schedule would be of benefit. It removes one of the few opportunities that the conference teams have to schedule an FCS opponent outside of conference. Those games allow the conference and its teams to measure where its at in comparison to the rest of the FCS.


Yes, but in this case NAU scheduled an OOC game with an in conference opponent... EWU is still Big Sky.

[dbackjon]

Just wondering why there wouldn't be that consistency between conferences. The SLC plays 9 conference and 2 OOC. We only have 5 home games. I would actually like to see more games, but again it is interesting that decision must be left to the conferences and not NCAA?

***When we were looking to add another OOC game for next year, I thought you guys would actually be a good home and away choice. Besides some of the nearest SWAC schools, you were one of the better programs that was at least within reasonable distance. I grew up in AZ and many of my HS friends are now NAU alum, so was curious when I saw you post your schedule.***

I would think a series with ACU would be a natural

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Yes, but in this case NAU scheduled an OOC game with an in conference opponent... EWU is still Big Sky.

Yes, it's an option for those two teams IF they want to do it. I would never want to see us pinned down to a 9 game conference schedule. Choices are better than not having them and a conference is really limiting it's members when you have that.

I think our too big conference sucks a bit too. 9 teams is the perfect number of course but I would rather have it this way than adding another conference game in there.