SMU manages to schedule home and home with Baylor

[Harry]

You need at least one big name opponent to get the attention of the average Dentonite. We need one of these periodically to showcase the Apogee experience to those types of college football fans.

[meangreener]

You need at least one big name opponent to get the attention of the average Dentonite. We need one of these periodically to showcase the Apogee experience to those types of college football fans.

I think SMU and Army are perfect to do just that.

We're playing the Boise/TCU guide to growth and that's just lots of cakewalk schedules. I have 0 issues with the scheduling as long as we can get the 5 home game thing fixed.

Playing A&M or UT or OU at home is a disaster waiting to happen. I'd rather have 22K for Nicholls then a "sellout" with 22K Aggie fans.

Call it loser mentality. I call it smart.

Also, we barely bring DFW presence and these schools know it. SMU is in the heart of Dallas. We're on the outskirts in a city that is 45 minutes away from Dallas and Fort Worth in no traffic.

Edited March 31, 2014 by meangreener

[Ben Gooding]

Home n home with SDSU would be really good. San Diego is really nice and would be great for the players on the team and maybe for recruiting out in that general area. I wouldn't mind a home n home with either New Mexico team. Not P5, but puts our brand into their state for a wkend for recruiting purposes. Utah St or Utah would be good as well. We have lost recruits here n there to Wyoming, so I wouldn't be opposed of a home n home with them either. I personally don't mind service academy games. They bring pub, people pay attention to those programs and rightfully so. Not so optimistic of having to play @SMwho, @Iowa, and @Tennessee in the same year. That's practically asking for a slow start out of the gate. If we can recruit at a relatively high level and more importantly keep developing we will be able to hang with Iowa and beat SMU in 2015. The game at Florida in 2016 is a bit of a death trap. I'm rambling now, GMG.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Of all the teams we played in the 60s and 70s, it's the series with Cincinnati and San Diego State I'd like to see renewed. To me, it's like the scheduliing run with old Missouri Valley foe Tulsa.

What we are really talking about here is 2018-2025. As of now, we have the schedule full through 2017.

2018-2021, we have SMU and Army. A third OOC is needed in each of those seasons. Many, many schools have empty schedules for those years. Strike now.

He's a short list of who I'd like to see us negotiate home and home with for any of the seasons, 2018 - 2025:

Wake Forest

We've never played them. Tulsa/Rice-like as a private school which is occasionally good. This season, ridiculously, Wake Forest plays ULM and Utah State...and both are road games! If they'll go to Monroe and Logan, in the same season,surely they would come to Denton.

Syracuse

We've never played them. Like watching games played at the Carrier Dome, for some reason. 'Cuse has grads all over; know some in the DFW area. They home and homed Central Michigan. Lots of history without the douchebaggery of the regional historic powers we schedule - OU, Texas, LSU, etc.

North Carolina State
Again, never played them. They have kind of a hippie reputation at their school as well; old fans would likely find some kindred spirits there. In 2015, they played at both South Alabama and Old Dominion.

Pittsburgh
Never played them. They played on the road at FIU (2014), Akron (2015), and Oklahoma State (2016); so, they will go. Pro stadium for home game. Like Syracuse, history without the apparent douchbaggery.

Virginia

Never played them. Historic institution. They have road games in the future against Connecticut (2016) and Boise State (2017), plus they play at BYU this season. They've home and homed TCU recently as well. So, they are game for travel across time zones.

Northern Illinois
We've played them once (1996) and won. They have been very good of late. They have future home and homes with UNLV (2014, 2015) and Wyoming (2015, 2016).

Kent State/Miami (OH)/Toledo
I lobbied for and like the MAC home and homes we had with Ball State and Ohio. Here are three MACs we've never played. In 2016, Toledo is playing at both Arkansas State and Tulsa.

Washington or Washington State

We've never played either. Selfishly, I'd lean toward Wazzu just for an excuse to see the Palouse. I'd also be up for an old Big 12 re-hash of Leach versus McCarney (Leach leads the series, 4-1). Of course, Seattle is a good trip as well on the other side of the state. The Huskies, though, rarely home and home East of the Rockies.

Colorado
We've played them once (Jamario's national break out game, 2004). They have given San Jose State a 2 for 1 (2015-2017). They have given Massachusetts a home and home (2014, 2015). Surely, they'd like to hit Texas again for recruiting purposes. As of now, they have no games scheduled with any Texas school.

Texas State or New Mexico State

History shows that we have played these two schools more than any other. Amazing, no? New Mexico State is desperate for games. Texas State is aiming to get where we (and UTSA) are. Crazy, no? Las Cruces ain't much for tourism, but El Paso is nearby. San Marcos is a nice road trip. Bobcat fans are strewn, for better or worse, throughout DFW. So, it'd likely be a good draw.

Kentucky
This is a school we've played three times in our history (we're 0-3); but, they've never come to Denton. Coached by a Stoops brother now. This is likely the most beatable Stoops brother. A chance to play an SEC school and actually have better than a punchers chance of winning.

San Diego State or San Jose State
Already discussed this. Nice trip to Cali for the fans and families.

[Censored by Laurie]

Of all the teams we played in the 60s and 70s, it's the series with Cincinnati and San Diego State I'd like to see renewed. To me, it's like the scheduliing run with old Missouri Valley foe Tulsa.

What we are really talking about here is 2018-2025. As of now, we have the schedule full through 2017.

2018-2021, we have SMU and Army. A third OOC is needed in each of those seasons. Many, many schools have empty schedules for those years. Strike now.

He's a short list of who I'd like to see us negotiate home and home with for any of the seasons, 2018 - 2025:

Wake Forest

We've never played them. Tulsa/Rice-like as a private school which is occasionally good. This season, ridiculously, Wake Forest plays ULM and Utah State...and both are road games! If they'll go to Monroe and Logan, in the same season,surely they would come to Denton.

Syracuse

We've never played them. Like watching games played at the Carrier Dome, for some reason. 'Cuse has grads all over; know some in the DFW area. They home and homed Central Michigan. Lots of history without the douchebaggery of the regional historic powers we schedule - OU, Texas, LSU, etc.

North Carolina State

Again, never played them. They have kind of a hippie reputation at their school as well; old fans would likely find some kindred spirits there. In 2015, they played at both South Alabama and Old Dominion.

Pittsburgh

Never played them. They played on the road at FIU (2014), Akron (2015), and Oklahoma State (2016); so, they will go. Pro stadium for home game. Like Syracuse, history without the apparent douchbaggery.

Virginia

Never played them. Historic institution. They have road games in the future against Connecticut (2016) and Boise State (2017), plus they play at BYU this season. They've home and homed TCU recently as well. So, they are game for travel across time zones.

Northern Illinois

We've played them once (1996) and won. They have been very good of late. They have future home and homes with UNLV (2014, 2015) and Wyoming (2015, 2016).

Kent State/Miami (OH)/Toledo

I lobbied for and like the MAC home and homes we had with Ball State and Ohio. Here are three MACs we've never played. In 2016, Toledo is playing at both Arkansas State and Tulsa.

Washington or Washington State

We've never played either. Selfishly, I'd lean toward Wazzu just for an excuse to see the Palouse. I'd also be up for an old Big 12 re-hash of Leach versus McCarney (Leach leads the series, 4-1). Of course, Seattle is a good trip as well on the other side of the state. The Huskies, though, rarely home and home East of the Rockies.

Colorado

We've played them once (Jamario's national break out game, 2004). They have given San Jose State a 2 for 1 (2015-2017). They have given Massachusetts a home and home (2014, 2015). Surely, they'd like to hit Texas again for recruiting purposes. As of now, they have no games scheduled with any Texas school.

Texas State or New Mexico State

History shows that we have played these two schools more than any other. Amazing, no? New Mexico State is desperate for games. Texas State is aiming to get where we (and UTSA) are. Crazy, no? Las Cruces ain't much for tourism, but El Paso is nearby. San Marcos is a nice road trip. Bobcat fans are strewn, for better or worse, throughout DFW. So, it'd likely be a good draw.

Kentucky

This is a school we've played three times in our history (we're 0-3); but, they've never come to Denton. Coached by a Stoops brother now. This is likely the most beatable Stoops brother. A chance to play an SEC school and actually have better than a punchers chance of winning.

San Diego State or San Jose State

Already discussed this. Nice trip to Cali for the fans and families.

If we're just talking about scheduling someone to bring a name-school that will attract the general football fan to Apogee, I'm not sure any of these schools would really accomplish that...Syracuse might push a sell-out because they're a big school with a massive alumni network, but I don't see Wake, Virginia or any MAC team really providing much in the was of mass appeal.

[MeanGreenTexan]

If we're just talking about scheduling someone to bring a name-school that will attract the general football fan to Apogee, I'm not sure any of these schools would really accomplish that...Syracuse might push a sell-out because they're a big school with a massive alumni network, but I don't see Wake, Virginia or any MAC team really providing much in the was of mass appeal.

Maybe (out of TFLF's list above) the Buffs?

[Ben Gooding]

Cuse or Virginia will be good for North Texas and would put butts in seats. I think getting a close P5 school into Apogee would be that much better. We should have done a series with Indiana instead of just going there. I would love a home n home with Kansas. It's a lose/lose for them so they wouldn't do it, but they are P5 with a large fan base including here in DFW.

[UNT90]

Cuse or Virginia will be good for North Texas and would put butts in seats. I think getting a close P5 school into Apogee would be that much better. We should have done a series with Indiana instead of just going there. I would love a home n home with Kansas. It's a lose/lose for them so they wouldn't do it, but they are P5 with a large fan base including here in DFW.

Indiana is the return game of a 1 and 1. They payed here 1st year of Apogee.

[Ben Gooding]

Indiana is the return game of a 1 and 1. They payed here 1st year of Apogee.

yeah, I thought we were just kind of returning the favor. Didn't know it was a scheduled 1n 1.

[tmjerm]

Hopefully, we will buy out the Tennessee game next year and bring in an easy win or start a home-and-home, or as NT03 mentioned, start a home-and-home in 2016.

Yeah but I sure wanna visit Neyland

[UNT90]

How is Indiana any worse than Vandy or Minnesota or Maryland. Sounds about equal. We are finishing the away half of that series this year. You have to finish the series, which is why it is called and home-and-home. I love the Army and SMU series. Is SMU any different than getting a Cincinnati or Rutgers? Same conference, but they should actually bring a nice crowd with them. And our fans are excited to play them and be able to easily, very easily, attend the away portion.

So far, the Army series has been great and the military crowd has come out in great support of the service academies, even at Fouts. These are two excellent series both provide winnable games, which is an added bonus. I honestly think local fans would be more excited about Army and SMU than many of the programs listed above. More likely to sell out the game against either of those two than Minnesota or San Diego St. And I like the long series with both, as it will heighten interest in the games as a rivalry builds, especially with SMU.

Yes, I expected that we would have scheduled more high-profile games at Apogee, but too me, the ones we have scheduled have been good for the program and of interest to the fans. Our first Big10 game vs Indiana, Houston, SMU, Ball St and Army are all the type of games we have asked for -- winnable and/or regional interest. I don't even mind the FCS games. I really like to watch a win. I really do.

Hopefully, we will buy out the Tennessee game next year and bring in an easy win or start a home-and-home, or as NT03 mentioned, start a home-and-home in 2016.

I agree, those teams are not what I am talking about. I'm talking about a P5 the people in DFW care about (see Big 12 or SEC).

Tennessee will not be cancelled..Because the schedule was so f'ed up, we have had to buy 3 games over the last 3 years to avoid a 5 game home season (and 1 of those years we STILL had a 5 game home season. That is how bad scheduling has been). Tennessee and Iowa on the road in 2015 and a 5 home game schedule is the price we have to pay to recoup the money used to buy those games., and we just signed the Tennessee game about a year ago, so it isn't going anywhere.

NT03 is right. We could do a 1 and 1 if we could convince the team to come here first and accept a return game in 2019. But then you tie up 2019's schedule. I'm convinced this is why the AD has been buying home games. They are trying desperately to get out of the hole they have put themselves in, and buying games is the only way to do it.

That said, they still went out and scheduled Tennessee knowing it would cause a 5 game home season. Hopefully they are doing this to pay bills and free up scheduling flexibility in the future. I honestly wonder sometimes if they look that far ahead.

[flyonthewall]

I think that the grass should be cut a little closer on the practice field, and too many trees were removed when Apogee was built, and throw in that the field turf is not the shade of green that I like. Why did they (they are the ones doing it) pick that drab shade of brick for everything? Did they (they are the ones doing it) think far enough ahead to realize that color wasn't going to be in style in 10 years? Did they (they are the ones doing it) realize that some new technology would come along in 5 or 6 years with scoreboard video and plan ahead for that?

Why would they (they are the ones doing it) schedule a game with Tennessee in the first place? I think they (they are the ones doing it) are intentially trying to alienate all fans and future fans with intentional crappy scheduling. I mean come on. Whey else would they being doing it? There is no way that this could be to help fund the program. "Hopefully they (they are the ones doing it) are doing this to pay bills and free up scheduling flexibility in the future." How could they (they are the ones doing it) be expected to be planning ahead? I mean who looks ahead any more anyway?

It sure is stupid to have 3 homes games in a row. I mean, thats not going to be any fun. Whoever made the schedule this year was just not planning ahead.

[Ben Gooding]

I think UNT90 was criticizing next years 5-game home schedule.

[UNT90]

Why would they (they are the ones doing it) schedule a game with Tennessee in the first place? I think they (they are the ones doing it) are intentially trying to alienate all fans and future fans with intentional crappy scheduling. I mean come on. Whey else would they being doing it? There is no way that this could be to help fund the program. "Hopefully they (they are the ones doing it) are doing this to pay bills and free up scheduling flexibility in the future." How could they (they are the ones doing it) be expected to be planning ahead? I mean who looks ahead any more anyway?

.

I'll address the one cognizant point in your post.

No, it's not planning ahead. It's addressing past failures. But going on the theme of what is past is past, lets look at the future.

Planning ahead would be NOT scheduling a 2 for 0 with Iowa, which puts a stranglehold on scheduling flexibility.

Are we really so poor that we have to schedule worse than ULM to pay the bills? Really?

[flyonthewall]

I would assume that the coach wanted a layup in between X and Y.

[untjim1995]

I'll address the one cognizant point in your post.

No, it's not planning ahead. It's addressing past failures. But going on the theme of what is past is past, lets look at the future.

Planning ahead would be NOT scheduling a 2 for 0 with Iowa, which puts a stranglehold on scheduling flexibility.

Are we really so poor that we have to schedule worse than ULM to pay the bills? Really?

I still don't get the 2 for none deal with Iowa. We haven't signed up a 2 for 0 deal with anyone else, not Bama, LSU, UT, OU, UGA, Clemson, Tennessee, or Florida, but we give Iowa that deal AFTER we get Apogee built. If Iowa is your bodybag game we need to pay the bills, why not just schedule a one game situation like we do with everyone else?

One of the reasons that Apogee was built was that it was sold it to the students that a new facility was needed not only because Fouts was falling apart, but because it would open up the schedule to being able to get more well-known teams here to Denton for OOC games. Iowa was a frequent example of a team we could talk to about scheduling a home-an-home series with a new stadium. Well, in the first year, we had as good an OOC schedule as UNT has ever had, with UH and Indiana at home. Since then, we have played OOC home games against Texas Southern, South Alabama, Idaho, and Ball State. This year, we welcome SMU and Nicholls State to Apogee, then next year, we get Army as the one OOC game. Decrepit, toilet-bowl Fouts literally hosted games against each of these teams (or ones just like them) for years. That is 2 FCS schools (TSU and NSU), 1 provisional school (USA), 1 MAC school (Ball St.), 1 AAC school (SMU), 1 Military Academy (Army) and 1 FBS vagabond that should really just give up FBS football(Idaho).

I think that the SMU and Amry games are fine for OOC games at home--I just think we need another good team to play at home, too, just to get attendance up early in the season. Games against Texas Southern and Idaho had announced crowds around 22K out to Apogee for the home openers. South Alabama and Ball State brought around "announced" crowds of 15k for their games. The SMU home opening game this year will get a huge crowd at Apogee--I wouldn't be surprised at all for it to be a sellout. But Nicholls State will be a great crowd if it breaks 20k, which would be about 5000 more than what we have seen the last two years for our second OOC home game of the season. Imagine what attendance looks like if you have SMU/Army for one OOC game and then another against a BYU or an AQ school? I just can't buy the argument anymore that we cannot get anyone to come play here in Denton. If the AQ schools in Texas and Oklahoma won't come here, then expand your horizons--go after a Midwestern team in the B1G or Big 12. Talk to a northern SEC team or a team from the ACC. Call one of the Arizona schools or Oregon State about starting a series with them getting a game in Texas for exposure to the recruits that they wouldn't normally get to talk to. Its just impossible to believe that we cannot get that done--and the core fans that have seen a ton of rotten games at home over the decades, truly deserve the chance to see UNT host a powerful opponent that would draw major interest from the media and other fans, if for nothing else, just to show the world how great Apogee is and how different UNT is today from what it has been for the previous decades of its history.

[UNTFan23]

I still don't get the 2 for none deal with Iowa. We haven't signed up a 2 for 0 deal with anyone else, not Bama, LSU, UT, OU, UGA, Clemson, Tennessee, or Florida, but we give Iowa that deal AFTER we get Apogee built. If Iowa is your bodybag game we need to pay the bills, why not just schedule a one game situation like we do with everyone else?

One of the reasons that Apogee was built was that it was sold it to the students that a new facility was needed not only because Fouts was falling apart, but because it would open up the schedule to being able to get more well-known teams here to Denton for OOC games. Iowa was a frequent example of a team we could talk to about scheduling a home-an-home series with a new stadium. Well, in the first year, we had as good an OOC schedule as UNT has ever had, with UH and Indiana at home. Since then, we have played OOC home games against Texas Southern, South Alabama, Idaho, and Ball State. This year, we welcome SMU and Nicholls State to Apogee, then next year, we get Army as the one OOC game. Decrepit, toilet-bowl Fouts literally hosted games against each of these teams (or ones just like them) for years. That is 2 FCS schools (TSU and NSU), 1 provisional school (USA), 1 MAC school (Ball St.), 1 AAC school (SMU), 1 Military Academy (Army) and 1 FBS vagabond that should really just give up FBS football(Idaho).

I think that the SMU and Amry games are fine for OOC games at home--I just think we need another good team to play at home, too, just to get attendance up early in the season. Games against Texas Southern and Idaho had announced crowds around 22K out to Apogee for the home openers. South Alabama and Ball State brought around "announced" crowds of 15k for their games. The SMU home opening game this year will get a huge crowd at Apogee--I wouldn't be surprised at all for it to be a sellout. But Nicholls State will be a great crowd if it breaks 20k, which would be about 5000 more than what we have seen the last two years for our second OOC home game of the season. Imagine what attendance looks like if you have SMU/Army for one OOC game and then another against a BYU or an AQ school? I just can't buy the argument anymore that we cannot get anyone to come play here in Denton. If the AQ schools in Texas and Oklahoma won't come here, then expand your horizons--go after a Midwestern team in the B1G or Big 12. Talk to a northern SEC team or a team from the ACC. Call one of the Arizona schools or Oregon State about starting a series with them getting a game in Texas for exposure to the recruits that they wouldn't normally get to talk to. Its just impossible to believe that we cannot get that done--and the core fans that have seen a ton of rotten games at home over the decades, truly deserve the chance to see UNT host a powerful opponent that would draw major interest from the media and other fans, if for nothing else, just to show the world how great Apogee is and how different UNT is today from what it has been for the previous decades of its history.

Weren't most (all?) of the OOC schools we have already booked scheduled before ground had been broken for Apogee?

[smoothfresh]

Late to the party but a couple of points (thoughts):

1. There is mostly likely not a person that posted on this thread that knows what our 2015 schedule will be.. how many home games, how many away games... so any talk is purely speculation. (for the record I won't be happy if we only have 5 homes games, but I'll withhold judgement until the schedule comes out)

2. Who the hell cares who plays at SMU...

3. SMU went 5-7 last year... do you honestly think they are saying come December when they are sitting at home.. "hey but we hosted Texas Tech" ... I got a pretty good feeling they would be much happier had they hosted a "cupcake" and been bowl eligible.

4. I agree that 2 for none with Iowa is a bad deal (from afar), but again who really knows if we will be playing up there twice until those years schedules are set.

Edited April 2, 2014 by smoothfresh

[UNT90]

Late to the party but a couple of points (thoughts):

1. There is mostly likely not a person that posted on this thread that knows what our 2015 schedule will be.. how many home games, how many away games... so any talk is purely speculation. (for the record I won't be happy if we only have 5 homes games, but I'll withhold judgement until the schedule comes out)

2. Who the hell cares who plays at SMU...

3. SMU went 5-7 last year... do you honestly think they are saying come December when they are sitting at home.. "hey but we hosted Texas Tech" ... I got a pretty good feeling they would be much happier had they hosted a "cupcake" and been bowl eligible.

4. I agree that 2 for none with Iowa is a bad deal (from afar), but again who really knows if we will be playing up there twice until those years schedules are set.

Seriously? Our 2015 OOC IS at Iowa, at Tennesse, and at SMU, with an open date to hopefully buy a home game against Talleywacker St. The 3 away games are done deals. contracts are signed.

Football schedules are far less flexible than any other sport. Can you name the last time we voided a contract? What, 7 or 8 years ago? When WE were bought out?

We are less than 18 months out from 2015. That schedule ain't changing. I have an extremely slight hope that Iowa will buy out of the series which would (hopefully) allow us to buy a home game to replace them in 2015. But that would be against an FCS team.

And that would mean we would either have to buy 2 home games or find someone willing and able to do a one and one (here 2015, there 2016) on extremely short notice. The likelyhood of either of these 2 things happening is EXTREMELY remote.

Like I said prior to 2012, a 5 game home season is on the horizon. Close your eyes all you want, it ain't going away.

Fly's comment that we have to pay the bills should tell you that much.

Edited April 2, 2014 by UNT90

[UNT90]

Weren't most (all?) of the OOC schools we have already booked scheduled before ground had been broken for Apogee?

All were scheduled before the stadium was open, but I don't believe before groundbreaking and I know not before we knew the stadium was coming.

[untjim1995]

Weren't most (all?) of the OOC schools we have already booked scheduled before ground had been broken for Apogee?

Idaho, Texas Southern, and Nicholls State weren't...

[UNT90]

Right, money games we paid for. And if you will remember, K St. was scheduled thinking they would be playing in Apogee.

Edited April 2, 2014 by UNT90

[UNTFan23]

Right, money games we paid for. And if you will remember, K St. was scheduled thinking they would be playing in Apogee.

I thought the athletic department tried to get the game against K St. moved around so they played in Apogee but it didn't work out.

[untjim1995]

I thought the athletic department tried to get the game against K St. moved around so they played in Apogee but it didn't work out.

From what I heard, K-State treid desperately to get out of that game here in Denton because it was Bill Snyder's first year back at KSU and he didn't like playing road games against anyone not in an AQ league in OOC. UNT didn't budge, so they scheduled it as the final game at Fouts, instead, on the weekend after Thanksgiving, knowing that it would get a bigger crowd out to FOuts on that weekend than what we normally got, which was in the hundreds (NMSU game circa 2000) to a few thousand (see WKU game in 2007).

[NT03]

Weren't most (all?) of the OOC schools we have already booked scheduled before ground had been broken for Apogee?

We broke ground in Nov of 2009 - https://northtexan.unt.edu/content/unt-breaks-ground-new-stadium

Iowa series was set in Sept of 2011 - http://www.fbschedules.com/2011/09/iowa-hawkeyes-future-non-conference-football-schedule-update/