How to schedule for success in college football...Go Gators!!!

[HurricaneWarning 212]

Let's be honest, when you play in a conference as good as the SEC you don't have to have a real tough O.O.C. schedule. As a college football fan, I would like to see Florida matchup with USC, Texas, etc. in the regular season from time-to-time though.

 

I disagree, we all know the SEC is solid but you still need to leave your home state and play a quality OOC opponent. Look at Tennessee for example, they have played UCLA, Cal, Notre Dame, and Miami over the last five years.

[bluenado5 12]

That's disappointing to hear, and I do apologize if any UVA students/alumni have looked down on you personally.

 

Though, hating everything about Charlottesville and the school itself is probably one of the strongest reactions I've ever heard against the school. It just seems like there'd be much more of a reason, that's all.

 

well maybe too strong of words

[deuceswild 15]

That's disappointing to hear, and I do apologize if any UVA students/alumni have looked down on you personally.

 

Though, hating everything about Charlottesville and the school itself is probably one of the strongest reactions I've ever heard against the school. It just seems like there'd be much more of a reason, that's all.

 

I've gone to a few parties at UVA, and I will say, it is a different atmosphere than in Blacksburg to the point you wonder if the two schools share a state. But I won't generalize the whole population, there are d-bags everywhere. I don't mind the town of Charlottesville though, I've had some good times there and I'm going to a Metallica concert there at JPJ in October so thanks to UVA for that one. A few of the snooty popped-collar stereotypes hold true for a few, but ultimately most UVA kids are just students like VT kids. Except a few of our students play football really well.

[trublue 939]

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/uga/stories/2009/06/01/georgia_pay_opponents.html

 

excerpt:

"Athens — Georgia will pay North Texas $975,000 to open the 2013 football season in Sanford Stadium — the most UGA has ever guaranteed a visiting team and the latest example of the rising cost of scheduling anticipated easy victories.

 

According to the contract between UGA and North Texas, obtained by the Journal-Constitution under open-records laws, the teams are to play on Aug. 31, 2013.

 

The price surpasses the $925,000 Georgia will pay New Mexico State for a Nov. 5, 2011, game in Sanford Stadium. Louisiana-Lafayette will get $875,000 for coming to Athens for a Sept. 4, 2010, game.

 

Such prices reflect the rapid rise in the paydays commanded by lower-tier Division I-A programs that are willing to play in a BCS-level opponent’s stadium without demanding a return visit."

[bhs7695 185]

If you insist.

 

Well, when Virginia plays Bill+Mary to open our slate, it'll make just the second I-AA school that Virginia has played in the past 5 years. Virginia played Richmond last year, who finished the season ranked #4 in the FCS, partly due to the fact that our ex-OC is now their head coach.

 

Here's Virginia OOC for the last 7 years, or since I started following them VERY closely.

 

2009

1. William and Mary (respectable FCS school, have been near the top in recent memory)

2. TCU (arguable in the Top 3 in the non-BCS school category over the past several years)

3. Southern Mississippi (decent team with some history in C-USA)

4. Indiana (the worst Big X school, but a BCS school nonetheless)

 

2008

1. USC. Pac-10, finished 12-1, Rose Bowl champs. Obvious.

2. Richmond. Finished #4 in the FCS, ex-OC Mike London coached there.

3. Connecticut. Big East, finished 7-5 in the regular season.

4. East Carolina. C-USA, finished 9-3, laughably nailed the Hokies but not the Hoos.

 

2007

1. Wyoming. Finished 5-7 after 4 straight losses to end the season.

2. Pittsburgh. Another Big East team, this one a winning squad which we beat by 30.

3. Middle Tennessee State. Unbeknownst to casual fans, actually a D-IA school with a winning record.

4. Connecticut. Undefeated until UVA toppled them. Led the Big East until LATE in the year...

 

2006

1. Pittsburgh. A team which had stars like Darelle Revis, one of the best in the Big East that year.

2. Wyoming. Had a winning record in the Mountain West in 2006, UVA edged them here.

3. Western Michigan. Winning record, strong competitor in the MAC that year.

4. East Carolina. First half of the home-and-home, Virginia lost this tussle.

 

2005

1. Western Michigan. Did have a losing record in this season, UVA took care at home.

2. Syracuse. Right when the Orange started their long slide. Not a strong team, but a BCS team.

3. Temple. Not a strong school, disappointing to have scheduled them. But they are I-A

 

2004

1. Temple. Not a great team, again. But a I-A school.

2. Akron. Many people forget, they finished 6-5 and had Charlie Frye that year.

3. Syracuse. The last year before they REALLY stunk. But a Big East squad.

 

2003

1. South Carolina. SEC school in Lou Holtz's last year. Solid team.

2. Western Michigan. MAC foe, but still I-A.

3. Troy. A better-than-advertised I-A school out of the Sun Belt.

 

Now, let's examine VT's OOC schedule, shall we?

 

2009

1. Alabama. You'll probably lose your NC hopes here, but a respectable effort.

2. Marshall. Been crappy since Pruett left.

3. Nebraska. Big name, been pretty pitiful lately. Didn't they give up 70 to Kansas recently?

4. ECU. Losing a TON of people this year.

 

2008

1. ECU. Losing to the same team UVA beat? Really? Nah, couldn't be, right?!

2. Furman. TERRIBLE opponent. Weaker than ANY UVA's scheduled in recent years.

3. Nebraska. Again, big name, not very good recently.

4. Western Kentucky. At least pick GOOD I-A schools when you do go out on the limb.

 

2007

1. ECU. Again, before they got really good. But respectable, still.

2. LSU. Actually went out on a limb to schedule this delightful game.

3. Ohio. CRAPPY team, but I-A

4. William and Mary. Another I-AA school.

 

2006

1. Northeastern. Pathetic.

2. Cincinnati. Way to beat on Big East schools when they're down...

3. Southern Miss. Back when they were good, credit where credit's due.

4. Kent State. LOL, terrible.

 

2005

1. Ohio. See above comment.

2. West Virginia. Why hasn't this rivalry come back? Nothing to do with the fact that WVU is better?!

3. Marshall. See above comment.

 

2004

1. USC. Well, you schedule a solid team every 3 years, keep it up.

2. Western Michigan. Stop the presses, the same team UVA scheduled?

3. Florida A&M. Pathetic.

 

2003

1. UCF. Actually a decent school.

2. JMU. The year before they were better than a crappy I-AA school.

3. Texas A&M. Big XII school, can't complain.

 

Point #1

Total of I-AA schools for UVA: 2

Total of I-AA schools for VT: 5

 

Point #2

UVA and VT share a few common OOC opponents. ECU, WMU, Southern Mississippi, and USC to name a few. However, while VT schedules pitiful OOC opponents like Ohio/Marshall (and they have BLOWN since Pruett left, I remind you)/Kent State, UVA plays teams like Pittsburgh, TCU, and Connecticut. Also, VT likes to schedule big named schools that are down (Cincinnati, Nebraska), while UVA finds the hard unsung teams like a Middle Tennesee State and Akron.

 

Point #3

UVA's OOC schedule was ranked #1 most difficult by RPI in 2008. Yes indeed.

And it's the best numerical indicator available. Outside writers like Mark Schlabach who said the same thing, only using intuition.

It's impossible to schedule a tougher OOC than this.

 

You're REALLY going to tell me that UVA's schedule is inferior to Tech's? You seem to be above that sort of bandwagon assumption, my friend. They're obviously not even remotely comparative in difficulty on their faces. It's an absurd comparison. And deep down, true Tech fans know this. Just because it's slightly negative toward Vippie Sue doesn't mean its untrue. I see why the WVU fans here get so sick of the homerism...

 

It's funny how you talk up the teams UVA plays and talk down the teams VT plays so hard. Even some of the same schools!! Bill and Mary two years later on the UVA schedule from VT you call them "another 1AA school" but on UVA schedule "near the top of 1AA in recent memory" Hmmm Why aren't they just another 1AA opponent on UVAs' schedule? You even talk up a 6-5 (12 game rule) Akron team out of the MAC and bash a 6-6 (12 game rule) Ohio team just because Virginia Tech plays them. When VT schedule Western Mich., I think the Broncos had just won their third MAC regular season title in football. As far as Marshall is concerned, schedule was made when Pruitt was still there. The WVU series and the speculated reasons for it being canceled have been discussed on these boards many times.

 

I guess VT should just call these schools the year before when they see they are going to be a sub .500 team ans say "You guys look like you're going to be an easy win for us, we want to try and find a better team to play and drop you guys. Cool? No hard feelings, MmmKay"

 

JMU wins the Div 1AA national title the next year after they play at VT. Now I doubt they went from worst to first, but I bet they were a pretty good team in 2003. Your lack of respect to Nebraska and the Big 12, but propping up Indiana and the Big 10 is funny as well. You still don't bash Syracuse as bad as you did Cinn even though Cinn has been a far better team since 2004 and, as you say, in a BCS conference.

 

Jim Weavers' job on the scheduling front is he has to find teams that want to play Virginia Tech and costing issues of VT traveling to some places. Traveling knocks Fresno State (we play anyone anywhere) and a lot of western teams because of travel issues and costing. I guess Jim Weaver is lying to the public when he asks that fans call other schools to schedule VT. Weaver has a hard enough time getting calls back from schools when asks for a series. Wisconsin asked to push back their series in '08 & '09 to '16 & '17 with VT because of a new coaching staff coming to Madison. Ohio, with a respectable coach, also asked for a push back to a game with VT and eliminate another one because Solich was try to get his program built. Auburn had a home and home with VT and canceled it in '03. Illinois canceled a series and has been replace with Pitt for a few years from now. That leaves Weaver scrambling to try and find replacements within two or three years and most of those have to come from 1AA teams. Most 1A schedules are set years in advance so Weaver has a hard time finding replacements.

 

I never said the UVA OOC was better, but by and large, I see no difference in the strength of the two schools' OOC schedules since 2002.

 

Two more things, WVU (Bill Stewart) has been screaming for UVA to play them recently in the media at any time at any place and I don't think UVA has tried to accept that request yet.

 

Temple hasn't been div 1A in football quality in the last eight years. Scheduling a Div 1AA during that time frame was better competition then Temple.

[BigBlueAlum 12]

It's funny how you talk up the teams UVA plays and talk down the teams VT plays so hard. Even some of the same schools!! Bill and Mary two years later on the UVA schedule from VT you call them "another 1AA school" but on UVA schedule "near the top of 1AA in recent memory" Hmmm Why aren't they just another 1AA opponent on UVAs' schedule? You even talk up a 6-5 (12 game rule) Akron team out of the MAC and bash a 6-6 (12 game rule) Ohio team just because Virginia Tech plays them. When VT schedule Western Mich., I think the Broncos had just won their third MAC regular season title in football. As far as Marshall is concerned, schedule was made when Pruitt was still there. The WVU series and the speculated reasons for it being canceled have been discussed on these boards many times.

 

I guess VT should just call these schools the year before when they see they are going to be a sub .500 team ans say "You guys look like you're going to be an easy win for us, we want to try and find a better team to play and drop you guys. Cool? No hard feelings, MmmKay"

 

JMU wins the Div 1AA national title the next year after they play at VT. Now I doubt they went from worst to first, but I bet they were a pretty good team in 2003. Your lack of respect to Nebraska and the Big 12, but propping up Indiana and the Big 10 is funny as well. You still don't bash Syracuse as bad as you did Cinn even though Cinn has been a far better team since 2004 and, as you say, in a BCS conference.

 

Jim Weavers' job on the scheduling front is he has to find teams that want to play Virginia Tech and costing issues of VT traveling to some places. Traveling knocks Fresno State (we play anyone anywhere) and a lot of western teams because of travel issues and costing. I guess Jim Weaver is lying to the public when he asks that fans call other schools to schedule VT. Weaver has a hard enough time getting calls back from schools when asks for a series. Wisconsin asked to push back their series in '08 & '09 to '16 & '17 with VT because of a new coaching staff coming to Madison. Ohio, with a respectable coach, also asked for a push back to a game with VT and eliminate another one because Solich was try to get his program built. Auburn had a home and home with VT and canceled it in '03. Illinois canceled a series and has been replace with Pitt for a few years from now. That leaves Weaver scrambling to try and find replacements within two or three years and most of those have to come from 1AA teams. Most 1A schedules are set years in advance so Weaver has a hard time finding replacements.

 

I never said the UVA OOC was better, but by and large, I see no difference in the strength of the two schools' OOC schedules since 2002.

 

Two more things, WVU (Bill Stewart) has been screaming for UVA to play them recently in the media at any time at any place and I don't think UVA has tried to accept that request yet.

 

Temple hasn't been div 1A in football quality in the last eight years. Scheduling a Div 1AA during that time frame was better competition then Temple.

 

pwned!

[Deleted Account 5,203]

It's funny how you talk up the teams UVA plays and talk down the teams VT plays so hard. Even some of the same schools!! Bill and Mary two years later on the UVA schedule from VT you call them "another 1AA school" but on UVA schedule "near the top of 1AA in recent memory" Hmmm Why aren't they just another 1AA opponent on UVAs' schedule? You even talk up a 6-5 (12 game rule) Akron team out of the MAC and bash a 6-6 (12 game rule) Ohio team just because Virginia Tech plays them. When VT schedule Western Mich., I think the Broncos had just won their third MAC regular season title in football. As far as Marshall is concerned, schedule was made when Pruitt was still there. The WVU series and the speculated reasons for it being canceled have been discussed on these boards many times.

 

I guess VT should just call these schools the year before when they see they are going to be a sub .500 team ans say "You guys look like you're going to be an easy win for us, we want to try and find a better team to play and drop you guys. Cool? No hard feelings, MmmKay"

 

JMU wins the Div 1AA national title the next year after they play at VT. Now I doubt they went from worst to first, but I bet they were a pretty good team in 2003. Your lack of respect to Nebraska and the Big 12, but propping up Indiana and the Big 10 is funny as well. You still don't bash Syracuse as bad as you did Cinn even though Cinn has been a far better team since 2004 and, as you say, in a BCS conference.

 

Jim Weavers' job on the scheduling front is he has to find teams that want to play Virginia Tech and costing issues of VT traveling to some places. Traveling knocks Fresno State (we play anyone anywhere) and a lot of western teams because of travel issues and costing. I guess Jim Weaver is lying to the public when he asks that fans call other schools to schedule VT. Weaver has a hard enough time getting calls back from schools when asks for a series. Wisconsin asked to push back their series in '08 & '09 to '16 & '17 with VT because of a new coaching staff coming to Madison. Ohio, with a respectable coach, also asked for a push back to a game with VT and eliminate another one because Solich was try to get his program built. Auburn had a home and home with VT and canceled it in '03. Illinois canceled a series and has been replace with Pitt for a few years from now. That leaves Weaver scrambling to try and find replacements within two or three years and most of those have to come from 1AA teams. Most 1A schedules are set years in advance so Weaver has a hard time finding replacements.

 

I never said the UVA OOC was better, but by and large, I see no difference in the strength of the two schools' OOC schedules since 2002.

 

Two more things, WVU (Bill Stewart) has been screaming for UVA to play them recently in the media at any time at any place and I don't think UVA has tried to accept that request yet.

 

Temple hasn't been div 1A in football quality in the last eight years. Scheduling a Div 1AA during that time frame was better competition then Temple.

 

A. I mentioned that VT/UVA play similar schools. You must've glossed over that. The difference is that while VT plays shoddy teams like Furman/Kent State to make up the remainder, Virginia takes the teams that no one wants to play: the TCUs, the Middle Tennesee States, the Akrons: the better-than-advertised teams that can put a little fear in you if you don't play your best. MTSU finished 9-3, and the next year beat Maryland. TCU's been good for a long time now. Pittsburgh's been respectable even under Wannstedt.

 

B. VT = 5 I-AA opponents. UVA = 2 I-AA opponents. This in a 7-year cycle. I didn't see you address this, maybe you can reference this glaring disparity. And to address another point, JMU was 2-10 the year before winning their natty. They were AWFUL.

 

C. I call attention to Nebraska only to show that VT has scheduled big-name teams that haven't lived up to their big-name expectations in the past decade or so. They're a BCS school, as is Indiana. But I've heard far too many Hokies try to pawn off Nebraska as an example of playing a ramped-up SOS. Not quite.

 

D. I bash a 6-6 Ohio team because they've been historically TERRIBLE, regardless of what Solich has done. Akron had an NFL-caliber QB at the time and was rolling along nicely when we played them. And you act like the schedule's so much harder because "Pruitt made it." Bill Parcells can make a schedule, it doesn't matter: if the team's pathetic, the team's pathetic. Ahmad Bradshaw was the only bright spot on that pitiful Marshall squad.

 

E. I think your point has merit that teams have cancelled meetings with VT. However, then we need to ask the deeper question: why are they doing it? I have trouble believing that it's because VT is all-universe. There's some other reason that this happens. It doesn't happen with your northern neighbors.

 

F. Building on Point D, it doesn't take a football genius to decipher that if a team's been historically bad (Ohio), they're probably going to be bad in subsequent years. And golly gee, that's generally the case. Look at Duke, for goodness sakes. It's easy to place a call to a school and offer them a couple hundred grand to get their rear ends kicked. Happens all the time down south. As such, it's not hard to fathom that schedules also aren't made many years-a decade in advance, as you seem to imply. Virginia got USC on 18 months notice. Southern Miss/TCU/Indiana were less than that. These are major-conference teams, three of which have some nice history behind them.

 

G. The VT/WVU series was cancelled because VT finally got it in their skulls that it might not be wise to play WVU if you want a shot at a national title every year. This, and the WVU fans have even a worse reputation than the VT fans. Ending that series was on VT's end. Pretty simple and straightforward.

 

H. I'd love to play WVU. I really would. Our administration is at fault for not scheduling you guys. You're entirely in the right here.

 

I. I don't like stooping-down to play teams like Temple. I hate it, hate it, hate it. And you have the right to call us out for that. But we do it FAR less seldom than our southern neighbor (see B-E). And Temple is still I-A. I-A is I-A. Virginia beat Richmond last season, shut them out even; Virginia being 5-7 and Richmond being I-AA Champions.

 

J. If you would please, address for me how Virginia had the #1 SOS last season, and how VT can have an equivalent SOS to that. I'd appreciate it.

 

We're in agreement on a few points (see A, H, I). But however, I haven't seen evidence that makes me overturn my opinions on the rest of the points, especially having parsed the schedule myself and having irrefutable evidence that VT is 2.5 times more likely to schedule I-AA opponents. Definitely not enough to "pwn" me, as Blue suggested. Though, you have made me deliberate and reconsider my positions, and I thank you for that.

Edited June 11, 2009 by UVAObserver

[bhs7695 185]

A. I mentioned that VT/UVA play similar schools. You must've glossed over that. The difference is that while VT plays shoddy teams like Furman/Kent State to make up the remainder, Virginia takes the teams that no one wants to play: the TCUs, the Middle Tennesee States, the Akrons: the better-than-advertised teams that can put a little fear in you if you don't play your best. MTSU finished 9-3, and the next year beat Maryland. TCU's been good for a long time now. Pittsburgh's been respectable even under Wannstedt.

 

B. VT = 5 I-AA opponents. UVA = 2 I-AA opponents. This in a 7-year cycle. I didn't see you address this, maybe you can reference this glaring disparity. And to address another point, JMU was 2-10 the year before winning their natty. They were AWFUL.

 

C. I call attention to Nebraska only to show that VT has scheduled big-name teams that haven't lived up to their big-name expectations in the past decade or so. They're a BCS school, as is Indiana. But I've heard far too many Hokies try to pawn off Nebraska as an example of playing a ramped-up SOS. Not quite.

 

D. I bash a 6-6 Ohio team because they've been historically TERRIBLE, regardless of what Solich has done. Akron had an NFL-caliber QB at the time and was rolling along nicely when we played them. And you act like the schedule's so much harder because "Pruitt made it." Bill Parcells can make a schedule, it doesn't matter: if the team's pathetic, the team's pathetic. Ahmad Bradshaw was the only bright spot on that pitiful Marshall squad.

 

E. I think your point has merit that teams have cancelled meetings with VT. However, then we need to ask the deeper question: why are they doing it? I have trouble believing that it's because VT is all-universe. There's some other reason that this happens. It doesn't happen with your northern neighbors.

 

F. Building on Point D, it doesn't take a football genius to decipher that if a team's been historically bad (Ohio), they're probably going to be bad in subsequent years. And golly gee, that's generally the case. Look at Duke, for goodness sakes. It's easy to place a call to a school and offer them a couple hundred grand to get their rear ends kicked. Happens all the time down south. As such, it's not hard to fathom that schedules also aren't made many years-a decade in advance, as you seem to imply. Virginia got USC on 18 months notice. Southern Miss/TCU/Indiana were less than that. These are major-conference teams, three of which have some nice history behind them.

 

G. The VT/WVU series was cancelled because VT finally got it in their skulls that it might not be wise to play WVU if you want a shot at a national title every year. This, and the WVU fans have even a worse reputation than the VT fans. Ending that series was on VT's end. Pretty simple and straightforward.

 

H. I'd love to play WVU. I really would. Our administration is at fault for not scheduling you guys. You're entirely in the right here.

 

I. I don't like stooping-down to play teams like Temple. I hate it, hate it, hate it. And you have the right to call us out for that. But we do it FAR less seldom than our southern neighbor (see B-E). And Temple is still I-A. I-A is I-A. Virginia beat Richmond last season, shut them out even; Virginia being 5-7 and Richmond being I-AA Champions.

 

J. If you would please, address for me how Virginia had the #1 SOS last season, and how VT can have an equivalent SOS to that. I'd appreciate it.

 

We're in agreement on a few points (see A, H, I). But however, I haven't seen evidence that makes me overturn my opinions on the rest of the points, especially having parsed the schedule myself and having irrefutable evidence that VT is 2.5 times more likely to schedule I-AA opponents. Definitely not enough to "pwn" me, as Blue suggested. Though, you have made me deliberate and reconsider my positions, and I thank you for that.

 

A I did address that when I talked about Bill and Mary and how you built up that team when they referenced them to UVA and downgraded them when they played VT.

 

B. I address that too when I remarked that Weaver has to scramble to find replacements for the D1A teams that cancel a scheduled series with VT and D1AA is all he can find. Case in point is the Northeastern, Florida A&M, Western Kentucky games. VT had series signed with UNC and NC State but with the move to the ACC they became conference games so new opponets had to be found. Once again, the only takers that Weaver found were either D1AA teams or lowly D1A teams.

 

C. Name me one D1A school in the nation that isn't going to play Nebraska if given the chance. Are they going to look at them and say "Oh, their kinda down right now, let's find someone else." Nebraska is a big name and will get you a guaranteed TV spot and money. All schools want that of course.

 

D. Just about every school this side of the Mississippi schedules MAC teams for home games because they want home games and MAC schools want the money. When MAC teams get scheduled by the Michigans, Ohio States, WVUs, VTs etc., the games probably won't be played or five or six years out. Maybe Nostradamus should have a hand in this to see how good a MAC team is going to be on the field when the games are scheduled to be played. Pick one and you may get lucky and you may not.

 

E. I can't answer why they do it, but they do. No school has ever rebutted Jim Weaver's public comments when asked why schools drop VT. He has said "They canceled us."

 

F. A little more. VT has benifited from quick games such as our USC match up and the LSU series. I never implied these are made decades in advance. By and large, Jim Weaver gets told a lot that "we are full for the next four or five years" by almost all the big name school he calls. VT already had So. Miss, but I guess they were ranked 113 in D1A that week just because VT played them.

 

G. Have any facts to back that claim up that VT dropped it?? Both parties agreed to put a hold on the series for now because of the bad blood between the fans. WVU & UVA fans like to blame it on VT. I guess because they hate VT. I don't know.

 

H. It's a shame UVA won't schedule that series with WVU.

 

I. VT had a game with Temple scheduled in '03 for '04, you guessed it, Temple dropped it. I was thankful for that one though! Got FAMU to replace that one.

 

J. I'll give UVA one year of having the top OOC last season. It's also a shame that UVA isn't called more often to play made for TV games as often as VT is. i.e. G.T. in the BCA lightening game, USC at D.C. and now Alabama in a few months. Talk about creampuffs.

 

Of couse, USC used both trips to the east to show off their team to potential recruits in the east since they recruit nationally.

 

I talk, on occasion, directly with a couple of people in the athletics department in Blacksburg and read TSLs schedule page (http://www.techsideline.com/football/futurescheds.htm), so I know what goes into making a schedule and how teams get on VTs' schedule. I don't just sit back and look at a given schedule and start making the assumption that said school schedules a bunch of soft OOC teams on purpose just to try and get an easy win, because I know it's not true. I choose to find out the real reason.

 

One last thing, OOC ranked opponets since the 2002 season. VT - 6 UVA - 3 and I'd be willing to bet one of those ranked OOC teams was VT that UVA played and lost to.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

A I did address that when I talked about Bill and Mary and how you built up that team when they referenced them to UVA and downgraded them when they played VT.

 

B. I address that too when I remarked that Weaver has to scramble to find replacements for the D1A teams that cancel a scheduled series with VT and D1AA is all he can find. Case in point is the Northeastern, Florida A&M, Western Kentucky games. VT had series signed with UNC and NC State but with the move to the ACC they became conference games so new opponets had to be found. Once again, the only takers that Weaver found were either D1AA teams or lowly D1A teams.

 

C. Name me one D1A school in the nation that isn't going to play Nebraska if given the chance. Are they going to look at them and say "Oh, their kinda down right now, let's find someone else." Nebraska is a big name and will get you a guaranteed TV spot and money. All schools want that of course.

 

D. Just about every school this side of the Mississippi schedules MAC teams for home games because they want home games and MAC schools want the money. When MAC teams get scheduled by the Michigans, Ohio States, WVUs, VTs etc., the games probably won't be played or five or six years out. Maybe Nostradamus should have a hand in this to see how good a MAC team is going to be on the field when the games are scheduled to be played. Pick one and you may get lucky and you may not.

 

E. I can't answer why they do it, but they do. No school has ever rebutted Jim Weaver's public comments when asked why schools drop VT. He has said "They canceled us."

 

F. A little more. VT has benifited from quick games such as our USC match up and the LSU series. I never implied these are made decades in advance. By and large, Jim Weaver gets told a lot that "we are full for the next four or five years" by almost all the big name school he calls. VT already had So. Miss, but I guess they were ranked 113 in D1A that week just because VT played them.

 

G. Have any facts to back that claim up that VT dropped it?? Both parties agreed to put a hold on the series for now because of the bad blood between the fans. WVU & UVA fans like to blame it on VT. I guess because they hate VT. I don't know.

 

H. It's a shame UVA won't schedule that series with WVU.

 

I. VT had a game with Temple scheduled in '03 for '04, you guessed it, Temple dropped it. I was thankful for that one though! Got FAMU to replace that one.

 

J. I'll give UVA one year of having the top OOC last season. It's also a shame that UVA isn't called more often to play made for TV games as often as VT is. i.e. G.T. in the BCA lightening game, USC at D.C. and now Alabama in a few months. Talk about creampuffs.

 

Of couse, USC used both trips to the east to show off their team to potential recruits in the east since they recruit nationally.

 

I talk, on occasion, directly with a couple of people in the athletics department in Blacksburg and read TSLs schedule page (http://www.techsideline.com/football/futurescheds.htm), so I know what goes into making a schedule and how teams get on VTs' schedule. I don't just sit back and look at a given schedule and start making the assumption that said school schedules a bunch of soft OOC teams on purpose just to try and get an easy win, because I know it's not true. I choose to find out the real reason.

 

One last thing, OOC ranked opponets since the 2002 season. VT - 6 UVA - 3 and I'd be willing to bet one of those ranked OOC teams was VT that UVA played and lost to.

 

A. William and Mary's a common opponent for us, then. Just like WMU/USC/etc. It just narrows the scope of the other OOC opponents, and that doesn't hide the fact that there are still a number of teams like Marshall/Ohio on VT's slate.

 

B. Teams will also be booked several years in advance because they like to schedule series with other schools. Notre Dame is famous for scheduling series up through 2020 and beyond. Virginia has a couple of games set in the future, as in going away to USC next season. There are 119 Division I-A schools. I find it hard to believe that a school in the Top 60 or so wouldn't have a hole in their schedule 12-18 months before the season starts to allow a good football school like VT to schedule them. As I said earlier, UVA doesn't have that problem. I think it requires deeper explanation.

 

C. Many schools would play Nebraska, mainly for the reason I mentioned. HUGE name, BIG history, LITTLE recent success. Look who hopped early on the bandwagon to gain the "notoriety" of playing them. And damn straight, I'm going to look at high-caliber teams who schedule them and accuse them of playing them as a faux-resume builder.

 

D. We both have scheduled MAC schools, Virginia with Akron/WMU, Virginia Tech with Marshall/Kent State/WMU. However, it's not a secret to any college football fan that Marshall and Kent State have been overwhelmingly bad in the past 8+ years. Virginia played Akron when they had Charlie Frye and were actually a decent team in that conference. Again, I disagree completely that these games are scheduled 5-6 years out. In Virginia's case, I know that's not true: we don't have a set game past 2011 yet. Given my experiences with college football scheduling, I'm accusing Jim Weaver and company of scheduling softer teams.

 

E. If you can't answer it, you can't answer it. Let the record show, though, that Virginia doesn't have this problem. I think we can move on.

 

F. I fail to show how VT benefited from the LSU game. That game cost you a spot in the NC game, a game which I know that fanbase would do anything short of selling their firstborn children to return to. Also, I fail to see what you learn from getting ROLLED like that. The USC game, I think that was a beneficial game for you guys. So, 1-1, IMO. Again, Southern Miss is one of those common opponents I've mentioned before. Do I need to keep a comprehensive list of them?

 

G. I base it on the fact that Rodriguez and now Stewart wanted to keep the series and raised a bit of a public fuss when the series was "canceled". Especially since WVU was just getting over Rodriguez's transition period when it was dropped. Iffy timing, am I right? There is also a parallel to this: Florida canceling their series with Miami when Spurrier saw that the getting was good.

 

H. We agree, we can move on. I'll accept criticism for that one.

 

I. FAMU isn't THAT much better than Temple, TBH. It's like thumping your chest for eating a Hardee's Thickburger instead of a whole Pizza Hut Pizza.

 

J. One game does not a schedule make, and this is where I think the big disconnect between us (and our fanbases in general) lies. Sure, you've scheduled USC/LSU/Bama, and credit where credit's due. But that doesn't hide the 5 I-AA teams in the past 7 years and routinely schedule the dredges of the MAC. And Virginia's been on TV a good bit in the past few years, thanks to ESPNU. No question, VT's been on TV more, but again, VT hasn't been on TV nearly as much as the top SEC/Pac-10 schools.

 

K. As sports fans, this is what we do. We DO sit back and look at given schedules of schools to see if they're scheduling cupcake opponents or not. It alleviates the boredom of a long offseason. I have friends from almost every school in the conference. One of my very best friends graduated from Miami. My Miami friend admits that they schedule cupcakes most of the time (save the occasional Florida). My FSU friends admit that they'll schedule weaklings occasionally. My VT friends on the whole seem to be incapable of this, even when it's crystal clear they do it (5 I-AA opponents in the last 7 years). I don't know why. Again, my experience.

 

L. I likewise have talked on occasion with people in the Virginia Athletics Department regarding scheduling, even talking to Craig Littlepage himself a couple of times. And I will vouch for that. And what I hear on the Virginia side is the desire to schedule a wide variety of quality opponents. That's why we much more seldom play I-AA teams unlike VT. That's why we've historically been more likely to expand our horizons and play teams like a Wyoming/TCU/Southern Miss. That's why we have SOS rankings that are much higher than our in-state rivals (again, #1 SOS last year).

 

M. Actually, if you're going back to before VT's admission into the ACC, one of those times VT was ranked, if I recall correctly, UVA beat them in Scott Stadium (2003). How many of VT's OOC ranked opponents were WVU? That is, before Tech washed their hands of them?

[GMan 3,569]

And there are still millions of children who do not know a world where UVA has beaten VT in football...1,658 days and counting...

[Deleted Account 5,203]

And there are still millions of children who do not know a world where UVA has beaten VT in football...1,658 days and counting...

 

And there are still billions of children who don't know a world where VT has won an NCAA team title.

Oh wait, that's NEVER happened. In anything.

50,132 days since the founding of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, to be exact. And counting...

Perhaps VT fans and Mississippi State fans can console each other. Have a deep cry about it...

 

http://johngcomedy.com/images/600_IMG_1806.JPG

Edited June 12, 2009 by UVAObserver

[Deleted Account 5,203]

A quick little aside, I dug a little bit deeper. From the same article GMan quoted (or failed to quote), Ivan Maisel mentioned that it took just 24 months for the Alabama-Virginia Tech game to come about. 24 months, which is pretty typical. South Alabama has to put together an entire schedule in now just over 2 years.

[bhs7695 185]

South Alabama isn't even a D1A school! http://www.usajaguars.com/fls/8300/pdfs/2009southalabamafootballschedule.pdf I would bet the Jaguars schedule is easier to put together and wouldn't take as much time. No TV involved and far less money.

 

I've given my reasons that VT has has five D1AA teams on recent schedules because of others canceling and the move to the ACC. I'm not going to state it again. Fans and media don't like them as the schedule, but Weaver is not trying to get as many D1AA teams as you suggest for VT to play just for the sake of beating the crap out of them and getting a home game. Weaver also has that desire to schedule quality opponents, but gets turned down most of the time. He's said that publicly and to myself as well.

 

I could continue to argue this back and forth, but apparently it will do no good to either one of us. You have your mind made up and I have mine. So be it. There are series that are put together with help from outside sources such as ESPN for the Alabama - VT match up inside of fifteen months or so and others that are worked out by the schools for a few years down the road. It may be three, four, or seven. Scheduling in D1A is tough and I don't care what anyone says or thinks. I know better. You just can't go out and get Penn State for the sake of getting Penn State. The numbers have to work out for both schools and more times then not, they don't work out. I see zero difference, by and large, between the OOC schedules of UVA and VT over the years and going forward.

 

I will say one last thing about D1A scheduling that I haven't mentioned yet and then I'm done with this thread. Costing for OOC games is going through the roof. Look at what Georgia is paying now. http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/uga/stories/2009/06/01/georgia_pay_opponents.html

 

For 2005 -2007 the price VT has paid to it's OOC D1A opponents to play in Blacksburg has more than tripled on average during those three years. It's going to average almost a million dollars in the next few years form most D1A schools to pay D1A teams for one game a season at home. D1AA teams are presently asking for a little under $500K depending on the schools involved. Schools are looking at numbers more and more and trying to get opponents for as low a price as possible. Of course scheduling D1AA isn't popular with fans and media writers, but it's getting more common because of costing issues for schools that are trying to make as much money as they can for their athletic budgets. It's about money more then ever. UVA will have more D1AA teams in the near future, you can almost count on it.

 

For example, Duke, North Carolina and NC State are all hosting two 1-AA opponents in 2009, while Georgia Tech, Florida State and Clemson all did the same for the 2008 season.

Edited June 12, 2009 by bhs7695

[Deleted Account 5,203]

South Alabama isn't even a D1A school! http://www.usajaguars.com/fls/8300/pdfs/2009southalabamafootballschedule.pdf I would bet the Jaguars schedule is easier to put together and wouldn't take as much time. No TV involved and far less money.

 

I've given my reasons that VT has has five D1AA teams on recent schedules because of others canceling and the move to the ACC. I'm not going to state it again. Fans and media don't like them as the schedule, but Weaver is not trying to get as many D1AA teams as you suggest for VT to play just for the sake of beating the crap out of them and getting a home game. Weaver also has that desire to schedule quality opponents, but gets turned down most of the time. He's said that publicly and to myself as well.

 

I could continue to argue this back and forth, but apparently it will do no good to either one of us. You have your mind made up and I have mine. So be it. There are series that are put together with help from outside sources such as ESPN for the Alabama - VT match up inside of fifteen months or so and others that are worked out by the schools for a few years down the road. It may be three, four, or seven. Scheduling in D1A is tough and I don't care what anyone says or thinks. I know better. You just can't go out and get Penn State for the sake of getting Penn State. The numbers have to work out for both schools and more times then not, they don't work out. I see zero difference, by and large, between the OOC schedules of UVA and VT over the years and going forward.

 

I will say one last thing about D1A scheduling that I haven't mentioned yet and then I'm done with this thread. Costing for OOC games is going through the roof. Look at what Georgia is paying now. http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/uga/stories/2009/06/01/georgia_pay_opponents.html

 

For 2005 -2007 the price VT has paid to it's OOC D1A opponents to play in Blacksburg has more than tripled on average during those three years. It's going to average almost a million dollars in the next few years form most D1A schools to pay D1A teams for one game a season at home. D1AA teams are presently asking for a little under $500K depending on the schools involved. Schools are looking at numbers more and more and trying to get opponents for as low a price as possible. Of course scheduling D1AA isn't popular with fans and media writers, but it's getting more common because of costing issues for schools that are trying to make as much money as they can for their athletic budgets. It's about money more then ever. UVA will have more D1AA teams in the near future, you can almost count on it.

 

For example, Duke, North Carolina and NC State are all hosting two 1-AA opponents in 2009, while Georgia Tech, Florida State and Clemson all did the same for the 2008 season.

 

The Jaguars are playing a I-A slate in their provisional year in 2011, are they not? Of course it'll be easy for them to make a schedule, there are no shortage of schools that will be happy to play a school that counts as an easy, automatic win. I can hear Jim Weaver burning up the phone lines now. ;)

 

You know Jim Weaver better than I, and you have spoken with him as I certainly have not. But I find it hard to believe that Furman was the absolute best opponent available in that Week 2 slot last season. I know schools cancel series (not without lengthy arbitration costs attached, might I add, but you'll never see that in the media). Heck, a 2009/2011 Penn State/UVA deal fell through last year. But when they fall through, you have to schedule another opponent. We got Indiana on barely 12 months notice. I just don't think Weaver and Co. are aiming for the stars when trying to rework splintered deals.

 

And I will agree that costs are going through the roof when scheduling non-conference games. Georgia just paid North Texas just shy of $1M for a 2013 matchup. Michigan paid Appalachian State $500K, and see how that went. But I find it hard to believe that VT's athletic department, especially with football being the cash cow it is for that school, is bereft of the funding required to shell out $2.5M-$4M per season to schedule quality OOC opponents. That's what the multitude of licensing agreements are for. That's why you see ads after ads in your pregame programs. I think the money's there. Is it an issue in the economy now? Certainly is, and it might restrict budgets elsewhere. But a school will more than make its money back by scheduling a solid team like a TCU/USC rather than Furman/Elon/etc. Better opponent = more rear ends in the seats = more money a' flowin'.

 

And I think Duke, UNC, and NCST are pathetic for doing scheduling 2 I-AA opponents. GT, FSU, and Clemson are none the better for doing it last year. I think it's pitiful to schedule 1, much less 2. But again, my FSU friends are fine with the fact that they schedule cakewalks. They're not thrilled, but they at least choose to accept it.

 

I enjoy this sort of banter. Keeps the mind sharp. :)

[BigD4VT 11]

A quick little aside, I dug a little bit deeper. From the same article GMan quoted (or failed to quote), Ivan Maisel mentioned that it took just 24 months for the Alabama-Virginia Tech game to come about. 24 months, which is pretty typical. South Alabama has to put together an entire schedule in now just over 2 years.

It's a made for TV game. Those come together quick. Tech right now has Ohio State (2014 & 2015), Kansas State (2014 & 2016), and Wisconsin (2017 & 2018)... That's pretty far in advance.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

It's a made for TV game. Those come together quick. Tech right now has Ohio State (2014 & 2015), Kansas State (2014 & 2016), and Wisconsin (2017 & 2018)... That's pretty far in advance.

 

Glad to hear that. Cannot complain with a schedule of OSU and Wisconsin. KSU's not the best you'll ever see, but I'm glad to see that.

[BigD4VT 11]

KSU has been very good in the past. There is no way of knowing how they will be in 2014. Tech was supposed to play Wisconsin in 2008 and 2009 (deal signed in 1999) but Wisconsin cancelled. They were also supposed to play Auburn in 2004 and 2005 (think that's right) but they cancelled too.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

KSU has been very good in the past. There is no way of knowing how they will be in 2014. Tech was supposed to play Wisconsin in 2008 and 2009 (deal signed in 1999) but Wisconsin cancelled. They were also supposed to play Auburn in 2004 and 2005 (think that's right) but they cancelled too.

 

I know Ron Prince heading out to KSU wasn't the best thing for that program, but I think they pulled the string on him a season too early. Back at UVA now as ST Coordinator, a lower position than he had when he was there in the first place. Snyder brought that program out of the wilderness, though; they were terrible until he got there. I just hope it doesn't revert back for them.

[bhs7695 185]

Heard this evening on Greg Roberts show that Syracuse is trying to get out of the scheduled series with VT for 2010 -11. That going to put VT in a bind to find a replacement in roughly 12-14 months.

 

Maybe Boise State has an open slot and wants to travel East for a game in the Commonwealth of Virginia.......

[GMan 3,569]

Heard this evening on Greg Roberts show that Syracuse is trying to get out of the scheduled series with VT for 2010 -11. That going to put VT in a bind to find a replacement in roughly 12-14 months.

 

Maybe Boise State has an open slot and wants to travel East for a game in the Commonwealth of Virginia.......

 

If your team had only won 10 games in the last four years, wouldn't you want to get out of that deal too???

 

Don't worry, JW will get Division I-AA Directional St. University to fill the void...we need more home game tailgating opportunities anyway...

[bhs7695 185]

If your team had only won 10 games in the last four years, wouldn't you want to get out of that deal too???

 

Don't worry, JW will get Division I-AA Directional St. University to fill the void...we need more home game tailgating opportunities anyway...

 

We might as well sell our tix to the 1-AA games for whatever we can get for them and use that money to buy more tailgate supplies. We can then just sit out in the parking lot, "enjoy" those extra supplies, and watch other games on one of the 162 sat. TVs set up in Lot 8.

[swvasport_7 10]

Give me a breake, Uf play in the best conference in the ncaa when it comes to football...Now I disagree whole heartly with D-1 schools playing D-2 schools but they also play FSU...and whats the big deal thats in-state?...would it really make a difference if they play someone equal to fsu in another state?

[GMan 3,569]

would it really make a difference if they play someone equal to fsu in another state?

 

You never know in college football...

[swvasport_7 10]

sorry i just don't buy that

[Guest JJBrickface]

sorry i just don't buy that

 

Traveling makes a huge difference.