UCF one of many looking for a home game in 2015

Harry · September 24, 2014

UCF's 2015 non-conference schedule is coming more into focus after the recently-announced agreement with Stanford. The Knights will travel out west next year and welcome the Cardinal to Orlando in 2019.

That leaves one vacancy, a game that must be played at Bright House Networks Stadium. Previously scheduled for 2015 were the return game at South Carolina and a home date with FIU.

Conference USA:

Middle Tennessee: The Blue Raiders have one vacancy, but with road dates already scheduled at Ball State and Illinois they're likely looking for another home game.

Louisiana Tech: Same situation as Middle Tennessee. They have one spot, but with two road games (at Mississippi State and Kansas State) they're probably looking for a team that will come to Ruston.

North Texas: The Mean Green have three road games on their non-conference schedule (SMU, Iowa, Tennessee) so it's a certainty they're in the market for a home game.

Rice: Same situation as Middle Tennessee and Louisiana Tech. One vacancy, but they've already got two road games scheduled (at Texas and Baylor).

Southern Miss: Same deal. One spot open, but already have two road games (at Texas State and Nebraska).

Read more: https://ucf.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1684780&PT=4&PR=2

GrayEagle · September 24, 2014

Iowa State has two home games and one away game in 2015, leaving a possibility. McCarney's previous head coaching job, clean OOC slate in both 2016 and 2017...just sayin'.

UNT90 · September 24, 2014

But we couldn't return that game with Iowa St. until 2018 without playing ANOTHER 5 game home season in either 2016 or 2017.

The only real option we have is to buy another FCS.

http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa/conf-usa/north-texas-mean-green.php

There is one tiny, minute sliver of hope that may come to pass after this season. Maybe, just maybe, the P5 teams will see the benefit to their RPI of playing a G5 on the road over playing a FCS at home. It all depends on what the committee does in selecting the playoff participants this year. Stay tuned.

Edited September 24, 2014 by UNT90

oldguystudent · September 24, 2014

I've got mixed feelings on this whole FCS thing now. I like the easy win that counts toward bowl eligibility for sure, but man, if we had been wearing watches, we would've been staring at them constantly come about five minutes into the third quarter. I feel like I just paid the full price of admission to watch the spring game.

UNT90 · September 24, 2014

I feel like I just paid the full price of admission to watch the spring game.

You mean kinda like...

wait for it...

A scrimmage?

I don't mind an FCS game if you have a legitimate marque OOC home game the same season (we didn't and haven't). And you will see another FCS as the ONLY out of conference home game next year.

Edited September 24, 2014 by UNT90

oldguystudent · September 24, 2014

I guess I'd rather have the Idahos and New Mexico States of the world than the Texas Southerns and the Nicholls States. It also helps perception a bit when you beat up on Idaho 41-7 and people at least recognize the name and know that they once belonged to some semblance of an FBS conference even if they do (unbeknownst to most) play in an inflatable gymnasium. Hell, let's bring in some SBC teams and show ole' opposite-of-Midas Touch Karl Benson what's what.

UNT90 · September 24, 2014

I guess I'd rather have the Idahos and New Mexico States of the world than the Texas Southerns and the Nicholls States. It also helps perception a bit when you beat up on Idaho 41-7 and people at least recognize the name and know that they once belonged to some semblance of an FBS conference even if they do (unbeknownst to most) play in an inflatable gymnasium. Hell, let's bring in some SBC teams and show ole' opposite-of-Midas Touch Karl Benson what's what.

Troy would be good to bring in about now.

oldguystudent · September 24, 2014

Oh. Idaho and New Mexico State are SBC teams now. Bring it, Karl! And quickly! Before you destroy yet another conference!

MDH · September 24, 2014

even if they do (unbeknownst to most) play in an inflatable gymnasium.

You leave the Kibbie out of this.

oldguystudent · September 24, 2014

You leave the Kibbie out of this.

I don't know why that struck me as so funny, but I must suppress my involuntary laughter at the expense of disrupting the cube farm now. Thanks.

MeanGreenTexan · September 24, 2014

I guess I'd rather have the Idahos and New Mexico States of the world than the Texas Southerns and the Nicholls States. It also helps perception a bit when you beat up on Idaho 41-7 and people at least recognize the name and know that they once belonged to some semblance of an FBS conference even if they do (unbeknownst to most) play in an inflatable gymnasium. Hell, let's bring in some SBC teams and show ole' opposite-of-Midas Touch Karl Benson what's what.

Digging into the Southland conference isn't too bad. If we could upgrade a little from the likes of Nicholls & TSU, to schools with a little more name recognition, like SFA or SHSU, I think it would help. But yeah, bringing in a SBC team (like TXSt or NMSU) would probably be better... but they'd probably cost more.

UNT90 · September 24, 2014

And why would a Sun Belt team play a money game at UNT when they could get almost 3 times as much money to play at a P5?

Idaho was an abberition. They had just been left out in the cold as an independent after the WAC folded up shop. They were scrambling to add games, both away and home, because they had no conference schedule to play.

And it still cost us 400k.

Edited September 24, 2014 by UNT90

Ben Gooding · September 24, 2014

Bc it would be considered to them a "winnable" body bag game. The ones we are starving for. It's also an easy travel game for most sun belt teams. I don't see why they wouldn't take it to be honest.

oldguystudent · September 24, 2014

And why would a Sun Belt team play a money game at UNT when they could get almost 3 times as much money to play at a P5?
Idaho was an abberition. They had just been left out in the cold as an independent after the WAC folded up shop. They were scrambling to add games, both away and home, because they had no conference schedule to play.
And it still cost us 400k.

Now you're operating under the assumption that every OOC game must be either a top 5 FBS money game or a bottom of the barrel, barely better than high school FCS game. I'd argue with Houston, Indiana, Idaho, Ball State that this just isn't so. Not every SBC team demands a million bucks per OOC road game, and we should be able to get them in here without paying that much.

golfingomez · September 24, 2014

if we are going FCS, let's challenge ourselves and at least put a North Dakota St. on there

BillySee58 · September 24, 2014

How about we bring in a competitive FCS opponent? Texas Southern and Nicholls State are cupcakes, even by FCS standards. How about bringing in North Dakota State?

On a serious note, maybe Sam Houston or SFA? I would prefer a lower level FBS school like a bottom tier sunbelt or bottom tier MAC school, but I'm not sure that would happen and most already have their 2015 schedules filled.

Whatever happens with our last game in 2015, we can't schedule another home and home. The Army series isn't bad, but it's at least two games too long. We can't set up an more home and homes until after 2021. As long as we play at least paycheck game a year, we can't have 3 home and homes. That would create 5-game home schedules.

NT03 · September 24, 2014

If they would bring their band , I'd love to host Grambling to start a season. I think we could hit 30K

untjim1995 · September 24, 2014

How about we bring in a competitive FCS opponent? Texas Southern and Nicholls State are cupcakes, even by FCS standards. How about bringing in North Dakota State?
On a serious note, maybe Sam Houston or SFA? I would prefer a lower level FBS school like a bottom tier sunbelt or bottom tier MAC school, but I'm not sure that would happen and most already have their 2015 schedules filled.
Whatever happens with our last game in 2015, we can't schedule another home and home. The Army series isn't bad, but it's at least two games too long. We can't set up an more home and homes until after 2021. As long as we play at least paycheck game a year, we can't have 3 home and homes. That would create 5-game home schedules.

Well, you could have 3 home and home series if your AD conisders a road game in Dallas as an alternate home game every other year. This is all about paying the bills for the entire athletic department. We are poor, we need lots of money from the bodybag games, and playing a 5 game home schedule every other year will help the AD stay in the black (or near it anyway). Scheduling is all about known costs--as is almost everything we do when it comes to athletics. Its always about known costs--not opportunity costs that are lost, but what we know for certain something will cost. You could call it a VALUE proposition, if you want...

Ben Gooding · September 24, 2014

No, I call it BS. We have room for 1 OOC. Put a program with a smidgen of substance on the field for that game.

UNT90 · September 24, 2014

Now you're operating under the assumption that every OOC game must be either a top 5 FBS money game or a bottom of the barrel, barely better than high school FCS game. I'd argue with Houston, Indiana, Idaho, Ball State that this just isn't so. Not every SBC team demands a million bucks per OOC road game, and we should be able to get them in here without paying that much.

No, I'm talking strictly about paying a team to come here and play a home game, and teams that may be an alternative to an FCS team.

I was just pointing out that Idaho had a very specific set of circumstances that allowed it to happen.

This has nothing to do with a 1 and 1 series, which we should be able to get from a Sun Belt team any time we want it.

NT03 · September 24, 2014

If my memory is correct, you cannot count FCS wins in back to back years towards bowl eligiblity.

So Since we already played Nicholls this season, playing a FCS next year would do us no good

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong here

oldguystudent · September 24, 2014

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong here

Looks like that's been relaxed, but made even more confounding.

outoftown · September 24, 2014

if we are going FCS, let's challenge ourselves and at least put a North Dakota St. on there

No. If we are playing an FCS we reeeeaaally don't need it it to be ND State. Bigger programs than ours have tried that the last few years, they all failed. There is nothing to be won by doing that no recognition in winning the game, and the chance of losing that game is just too big. Maybe someone a peg above Nichols, but decidedly worse than ND state would improve the experience, if it has to be FCS. Something like eastern Kentucky, Bethune Cookman, SF Austin or northwestern state. Although the latter seems not to be a gimme either.

James · September 24, 2014

I would love to bring in SFA, Sam Houston St, or Texas St. I feel like students could connect better with those names coming to town.

Coffee and TV · September 24, 2014

How about we bring in a competitive FCS opponent? Texas Southern and Nicholls State are cupcakes, even by FCS standards. How about bringing in North Dakota State?

No. Don't schedule an FCS team that could possibly beat you. You only look foolish when you do. I think Michigan still hasn't recovered from that App State game, even if they got their revenge this year.