Big East football facing major scheduling problems

[NokiaBull]

Will other BE teams like WVU and Pitt have to play C-USA teams too?  I just checked on the UConn board, and it seems as if they will not play any C-USA teams and will have to fill 4 or 5 OOC games.  Some guys over there believe that the deal to play C-USA schools was only for USF, Cincy, and UofL and for basketball reasons more so than football reasons. Also, since we will play a C-USA school, meaing 8 games already full, that would mean we would need 3 OOC games during 11 game years, and 4 OOC games during 12 game years.  Just a thought, but will it be hard to find 3 or 4 OOC games a year?

[GarySJ]

Will other BE teams like WVU and Pitt have to play C-USA teams too?

No. It is part of the agreement the exiting schools negotiated with CUSA.

Only having to fill 2 OOC games for awhile would be a bad thing??

Well, it does limit our opportunites to play Miami- and UNC-type games, don't you think? If an eighth conference game were to be foisted on us for 2005, we'd have to drop Miami or Penn State or FAMU.

While I share Hail Pitt's disdain of I-AA opposition, I see increased OOC games as more of an opportunity than a drawback. Especially for a league that needs some OOC wins to gain credibility. If the 12-game season is approved, EVERYONE will be looking for a game. So we can probably get a good one if we want to.

Pedantic note: with a 12-game schedule likely starting in 2006, the fewest OOC games we'd have would be 3.

[USFPDiddy]

Hey SMAZZA, ftu/on/oc could probably use an attorney.

Conflict of Interest.

[79 Bull]

Pedantic note: with a 12-game schedule likely starting in 2006, the fewest OOC games we'd have would be 3.

I had to look up pedantic and I still don't get it.  How does 12-7 or 12-8 = 3?

[GarySJ]

12 total - 8 Big East - 1 CUSA = 3 OOC.

[NokiaBull]

We only play 7 Big East games a year = 4 OOC games during 11 game seasons and 5 during 12 game seasons.

[GarySJ]

My point is that if the Big East went to an 8-game schedule for the reasons Hail Pitt suggests, and if we still have to play one CUSA game a year, that would leave us only 3 OOC games in a 12-game season.

For clarity, I shall amend my previous remark as follows:

"Pedantic note: with a 12-game schedule likely starting in 2006, the fewest OOC games we'd ever have, if the Big East went to an 8 game schedule and we still had to play one CUSA game, would be three. Not two."

[CamelotUCF]

We only play 7 Big East games a year = 4 OOC games during 11 game seasons and 5 during 12 game seasons.

That's not true.  You guys are always playing with yourselves, so that would be 8 BE games.  ;D

[NokiaBull]

^0-11, now they have to play Steve Spurrier the first game of the season and get killed on national TV....

Wouldn't the C-USA game count as an OOC game?  Finding 3 OOC games a year is still a challenge.  UConn, Rutgers, UofL, Cincy, Pitt (will play Youngstown State), and now WVU (thanks CF) are having trouble finding one D-1A opponent.  Also, what about the other Big East schools?  Since they don't play a C-USA school, they would have to find another opponent, meaning they would have to look for 4 or 5 OOC games.  I am just trying to understand the logic of having an 8 member league.  I just don't see how we could schedule schools in the ACC, SEC, Big 10, and Big 12 since they only have to fill 2 or 3 OOC games depending on the season.  

[USFMikeB]

I would have to suggest Southern Miss, for a number of reasons.  First, UCF will not accept football only.  Next, USM dreams of getting into the SEC, but it will never happen as there are already 2 Mississippi teams in.  Finally, we need another team in the south, USF is too isolated.

It doesn't hurt that USM is a decent team.  Would they be amenable to joining for football only?