[tyndal23]

Tyndal23 - I actually am with you in spirit on this last post. But this gets me curious, which school was the highest profile opponent we had during your days and what was it like from your perspective? I totally get we are in a different era and situation.

Sly - I was a preferred walk on 88 ( coming off a knee surgery and sent my tapes in late to Hout staff ) so was invited to come Spring of 89. ( went on to earn a scholarship ) Winter break Sam Rutigliano was announced and it was all over ESPN - SI ( Sports Illustrated for the young folk )sent a team staff writer and photog week of E Michigan game ( only FBS team on schedule ) they were 6-0 and ranked 26th in one of the polls - we go there and upset them last second with Eric Green and had a 4 page spread in Sports Illustrated. That was a huge deal at the time, new stadium that year,etc. LU was “on its way” - then you know the rest. As for big teams only other FBS ( 1A ) was N Illinois that I recall - did play at Boise State prior to them going FBS - JMU games were all thrillers and UCF were hated rivals - Biggest win was upsetting Youngstown State at their place the year they went on to win 1st title under Tressel. Big issue at the time was keeping enough good players - about 25% got kicked out every year ( or so it seemed )...I somehow managed to avoid that - ha!

[Sly Fox]

I knew you were in the Coach Sam realm but wasn't sure about the years. So you probably did see Daunte Culpepper up close. We may have crossed paths while I was leaving campus and you were coming.

Playing UP while trying to elevate your program has its benefits but also can have negative side effects as evidenced by the Karcher experience.

[tyndal23]

I knew you were in the Coach Sam realm but wasn't sure about the years. So you probably did see Daunte Culpepper up close. We may have crossed paths while I was leaving campus and you were coming.

Playing UP while trying to elevate your program has its benefits but also can have negative side effects as evidenced by the Karcher experience.

Culpepper 3 years after me. Didn’t realize we scheduled much different under Karcher...

[rogers3]

I knew you were in the Coach Sam realm but wasn't sure about the years. So you probably did see Daunte Culpepper up close. We may have crossed paths while I was leaving campus and you were coming.

Playing UP while trying to elevate your program has its benefits but also can have negative side effects as evidenced by the Karcher experience.

Culpepper 3 years after me. Didn’t realize we scheduled much different under Karcher...

Funny...I took you for being a recent grad! I remember those brutal beatdowns. Sam had a few blemishes...Kutztown, anyone?

[Baldspot1]

I was an RA on the football dorm 3rd floor the year Sam was introduced over winter break. Perhaps our paths crossed.

[Cider Jim]

Playing UP while trying to elevate your program has its benefits but also can have negative side effects as evidenced by the Karcher experience.

For a few of those Karcher years, wasn't he scheduling 2 FBS schools a year? Those were some major beat downs. If memory serves correctly, I think we lost a few of those game by 50+ points.

[Purple Haize]

Playing UP while trying to elevate your program has its benefits but also can have negative side effects as evidenced by the Karcher experience.

For a few of those Karcher years, wasn't he scheduling 2 FBS schools a year? Those were some major beat downs. If memory serves correctly, I think we lost a few of those game by 50+ points.

UCF and Akron come to mind

[CCWMichael]

I knew you were in the Coach Sam realm but wasn't sure about the years. So you probably did see Daunte Culpepper up close. We may have crossed paths while I was leaving campus and you were coming.

Playing UP while trying to elevate your program has its benefits but also can have negative side effects as evidenced by the Karcher experience.

Culpepper 3 years after me. Didn’t realize we scheduled much different under Karcher...

Funny...I took you for being a recent grad! I remember those brutal beatdowns. Sam had a few blemishes...Kutztown, anyone?

Off topic. Watched Andre Reed play at K-Town for three years. He was fun to watch. He certainly dominated at that level. Thanks for stoking that memory as I had not thought of it in years.

[Sly Fox]

Yes, we were aggtressive in scheduling during the Karcher years at a time when we couldn't handle it. Not only beatdowns on the scoreboard but we would generally be beaten up physically in those matchups at a time when depth was not our friend. I think of poor Zach Terrell and the poundings he took. I would have loved to have seen him in today's situation.

[tyndal23]

Another thing to consider: what incentive does the LA stadium have to host this game of an in-town school against a nobody? Against a big name, sure! But LU wont sell enough tickets to justify using thenfscility to host the game. In another thread, you suggested giving away tickets to local HS coaches, but I’m not even sure Liberty would have the authority to do so. To say nothing of the fact that if UCLA/ISC is the “home” team, there’s incentive to deny Liberty the rights to giveaway tickets.

No need to give anything away - USC and UCLA fans will fill the stadium - different scenario than Dallas if BYU would only bring 20k since they are far away - eliminates the gimmicks to try and fill seats. This isn’t about hosting recruits but- every recruit we go after in MS, FL, VA would love to play home opener in LA on national TV and naturally LU brands on west coast. LU could form an Exploratory Committee and a decent deposit check and give x amount of time to coordinate with teams and tv rights. If LU cant pull it off - Stadium owners keep the check. There might be a couple other fill in teams like AZ, SDSU Fresno St first year or two if UCLA and USC want to play but cant until 2023 due to scheduling or something but if you are doing a 10 year deal you would get a lot more leeway- . And it doesn’t have to be a sell out - stadiums host events all the time at half capacity or less - but it will sell out with USC and come close with UCLA if Kelly figures it out. TV rights for this game would be bigger than rest of our entire LU season. Stadium sells majority percentage of tickets and the schools are allotted x amount each and Stadium could keep 100 Percent of Concessoins. Throw in a Franklin Graham Crusade during the day - and you have a real LU takeover of LA - Bill Walton would love it !!!

[ballcoach15]

We'd be better off, working out a deal with SEC or Big 12, like Notre Dame did with ACC. (5 games).

[tyndal23]

We'd be better off, working out a deal with SEC or Big 12, like Notre Dame did with ACC. (5 games).

100% agree but I don’t think that is realistic - unless maybe if we wrote a really really big check and committed to a larger stadium.

[thepostman]

We'd be better off, working out a deal with SEC or Big 12, like Notre Dame did with ACC. (5 games).

We aren't Notre Dame...so good luck with that.

[alabama24]

And the SEC aint the ACC.

[Class of 20Something]

And the SEC aint the ACC.

Clearly the ACC is the better conference.

[JK37]

We'd be better off, working out a deal with SEC or Big 12, like Notre Dame did with ACC. (5 games).

100% agree but I don’t think that is realistic - unless maybe if we wrote a really really big check and committed to a larger stadium.

Wait! So you DO have a line of realism drawn somewhere?!??!!

I’m jesting

But it’s funny it took BC to unearth your realism measure.

[JK37]

Are UCLA and USC selling out their current home games? Honest question.

[tyndal23]

Are UCLA and USC selling out their current home games? Honest question.

Nope both attendance levels are down due to string of down seasons - 52k low for USC and 52k average for UCLA. USC jumps quick to above the 70k average as soon as they are good ( and they were doing major work on stadium past season ) - UCLA trend slower up and down ( a bit more loyal ). LA loves a scene - new stadium game will be well attended especially opening game before they have a loss. If Helton doesn’t win PAC 12 this year he is gone - and they wont be down long with any decent coaching. UCLA has the staff but not the recruits yet.

[tyndal23]

USC Future Schedule
https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/usc/

UCLA Future Schedule
https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/ucla/

Looks like UCLA booked up several years in advance. USC it is

[LUGrad2000]

UMASS signed a home and home with Missouri.

[CCWMichael]

UMASS signed a home and home with Missouri.

I am more about the Penn State game.
We have many ties to PSU (#notsourcesties) and would love to see us match up with them.

[BlueBlood]

I am more about the Penn State game.
We have many ties to PSU (#notsourcesties) and would love to see us match up with them.

Penn State won't give you a home game. I think Temple is the only non-P5 to get a home game from them. And that is only because it was a 2-for-1 and Penn State likes playing in Philly.

[CCWMichael]

I am more about the Penn State game.
We have many ties to PSU (#notsourcesties) and would love to see us match up with them.

Penn State won't give you a home game. I think Temple is the only non-P5 to get a home game from them. And that is only because it was a 2-for-1 and Penn State likes playing in Philly.

The Philly games are primarily PSU fan base anyhow. My grandfather was a die hard PSU/Paterno fan and one season I purchased some tickets to take him to a PSU game. happened to be PSU and Temple at the Vet. ALLLLL PSU fans. It was essentially a home game for them. Yes, PSU loves Philly games.

[BlueBlood]

I've seen Penn State in Philly several times. Very convenient game for a large portion of the alumni and fanbase.

Speaking of the two-for-ones, it looks like Liberty's P5 scheduling strategy at this point seems to be to schedule the close P5s in two-for-ones. Very fortunate geography that UVA, VT, Wake, UNC, NC State and Duke are all inside of 2.5 hours and likely view LU as am easy commute for the team and fans. Might even be able to get Maryland into that mix. Of course, that means you are going to have twice as many P5 road games as home games - but you have to do what you can do.

[Class of 20Something]

I've seen Penn State in Philly several times. Very convenient game for a large portion of the alumni and fanbase.

Speaking of the two-for-ones, it looks like Liberty's P5 scheduling strategy at this point seems to be to schedule the close P5s in two-for-ones. Very fortunate geography that UVA, VT, Wake, UNC, NC State and Duke are all inside of 2.5 hours and likely view LU as am easy commute for the team and fans. Might even be able to get Maryland into that mix. Of course, that means you are going to have twice as many P5 road games as home games - but you have to do what you can do.

Making that round robin isn't terribly difficult in theory.

Lets use VT, UVa, and Duke for an easy example.

Year 1
VT:Away
UVa:Away
Duke:Home

Year 2
VT:Home
UVa:Away
Duke:Away

Year 3
VT:Away
UVa:Home
Duke:Away

Three years of three P5 games and a home game every season.