[Sly Fox]

First off, we have signed contracts with hefty buyouts so we have scheduling in greatr shape for the next 5-7 years. Beyond that range no one in college football has any idea what the FBS landscape will look like tied into the expiration of the Big XII GORs.

There is the distinct possibility that we could have another Indy or two helping to bolster the scheduling alliance we have already generated by our presence.

2025 on could have us in any number of different scenarios but we are esceptionally well-positioned for any repercussions in the FBS world base don our Indy flexibility. Now we just need to make ourselves more attractive on the field/court and we are certainly trending that direction.

[Purple Haize]

First off, we have signed contracts with hefty buyouts so we have scheduling in greatr shape for the next 5-7 years. Beyond that range no one in college football has any idea what the FBS landscape will look like tied into the expiration of the Big XII GORs.

There is the distinct possibility that we could have another Indy or two helping to bolster the scheduling alliance we have already generated by our presence.

2025 on could have us in any number of different scenarios but we are esceptionally well-positioned for any repercussions in the FBS world base don our Indy flexibility. Now we just need to make ourselves more attractive on the field/court and we are certainly trending that direction.

This is when things will change. LU needs to maximize themselves now to become attractive later

[TH Spangler]

If endowments help one of the podcast I listen to pointed out that LU's is twice that of Auburn's.

[ballcoach15]

If we become good, it will help other team's strength of schedule. We need to get in Top 25 and stay there.

[JK37]

If we become good, it will help other team's strength of schedule. We need to get in Top 25 and stay there.

I hope for that. But it will make scheduling more difficult on the whole. Especially in the latter part of the season when teams are into their conference schedule. No one wants a loss late in the year. So the bottom half of P5’s won’t want ya because of the loss risk. And those in the hunt for the playoff can’t afford the risk of loss either.

LU has feasted on the late-season P5’s having that one-week break in the conference schedule for a non-con game. It exists as a sort of exhibition game for them. If LU gets good, that will be near impossible to fill with a P5.

[Jonathan Carone]

This is why it hasn’t been proven that independent is a sustainable model for us long term. It’s working much better than expected now, but the jury is still out if we can do it forever.

[Purple Haize]

This is why it hasn’t been proven that independent is a sustainable model for us long term. It’s working much better than expected now, but the jury is still out if we can do it forever.

I’m always concerned when we agree......

[Class of 20Something]

I think it's going to be interesting if being a top 60 program makes us too much of a threat or makes us better for Strength of Schedule. That is ultimately what it boils down to. I think cementing the regional rivalries following BYU's example is a smart starting block.

What about scheduling 6 P5 and 6 G5. No FCS. That strength of schedule is more difficult than any G5 but shouldn't cripple the program on a bad year. If you can split the schedule to have three of each on home and road, the season ticket holders will be pretty happy too.

[tyndal23]

One convert - my work here is done...

[Class of 20Something]

Don't misunderstand me. That's a medium term goal for 6-12 years out. I think 3-4 every year until then is a plan though.

[thepostman]

The tricky part is being able to get those 6 home games consistently as an independent school. It will be very difficult to get 3 P5 schools to come to Lynchburg year in and year out. It will be made even more difficult if we become competitive.

Even if I thought it was a good idea to accelerate our scheduling aspirations the reality is it takes 2 in order to make this kind of thing happen and LU is in a very challenging position.

[willflop]

We’d really have to fall into a scenario like ODU did with VT, where they agreed to a long-term home and home. Otherwise, it may be feasible to get 2 home and 4 away every year. That would require LU to maintain six rolling 2-for-1 deals every three years, while buying an FCS and G5 outright each year to offset it, and then 4 G5 home and home deals.

[Class of 20Something]

The tricky part is being able to get those 6 home games consistently as an independent school. It will be very difficult to get 3 P5 schools to come to Lynchburg year in and year out. It will be made even more difficult if we become competitive.

Even if I thought it was a good idea to accelerate our scheduling aspirations the reality is it takes 2 in order to make this kind of thing happen and LU is in a very challenging position.

I don't think it will be that bad as long as we have the same 7-10 year scheduling range as most schools now. 2025-2030 already all have P5 home games. Adding one or two shouldn't be as bad as we think.

2022 we host BYU and VT.

[thepostman]

I know we all love that we are playing BYU but they aren't a P5

[tyndal23]

BYU IS considered a P5 by big 12 and Pac 12 conferences which is the whole point of my 3 month long crusade to get LU in the same category - we then count as a P5 win not a G5 ( which even a team as good as UCF still counts as ) both those conferences require 1 P5 Non Con - that opens scheduling up dramatically - I have already stated financially how we make scheduling very easy in other posts.

[Rubicon]

BYU has several advantages that make scheduling easier for them - built in rivalries with Utah at Utah St, being considered P5 equivalent, and having a football pedigree that makes them a brand name (and an acceptable loss if they beat their P5 opponent). Even with those advantages, I've read articles that say scheduling is tough for them.

Another advantage is that BYU has an exclusive contract with ESPN, so they get like $1 million per game, with any game not shown by ESPN permitted to be shown on BYUtv, BYU's cable network. This has made it so that I, as a BYU fan, can see every BYU game, which is one of the real pluses to being independent for us. ESPN also helps with bowls and scheduling, to an extent. It will be interesting to see how long this arrangement lasts, long-term. With a lot of "cord-cutting," ESPN has hemorrhaged susbscribers. ESPN is also pretty liberal (any media entity is), so as society continues to change in certain ways, there may be backlash and ostracism against schools like BYU. Or Liberty. cf. the outcry about the honor code and expectations/enforcement of the law of chastity when the Big12 considered adding BYU as a member. Anti-religious bias makes BYU a non-starter for really liberal conferences, like the Pac 12.

In theory, being an FBS independent sounds more appealing to me than being in a G5 conference. I just wonder if scheduling becomes even more difficult as the team improves.

It's really controversial among BYU fans, many of whom would prefer being in even a "lower tier" conference to independence. I really like independence, even though it all but guarantees that we will never be undefeated. I really like our schedules (way more interesting, even though we get pounded in September and have a hard time scheduling difficult opponents in October/November, with their conference schedules in full swing), I like the 100% availability of watching games, and I like that we don't have to share our TV or bowl money with conference members.

The downside to scheduling is that getting P5 teams means that we have to do one-off "neutral" site games (that always favor the P5 opponent) or 2-for1 home and away deals. Notre Dame won't come to Provo any more, and still owes us two games (I want them to pay us the breach of contract fine, even though that means that they won't ever play us again. If we're promised games, then we get those games, in my book). So, we played a ton in South Bend, without the promised return trips.

All in all, I'm very happy with independence, but realize that it is easier for us than it is for UMASS or NMSU. Liberty enjoys certain similar advantages, too, such as a broad fan base of evangelicals. I think Liberty would pick up a lot of bandwagon momentum from fair weather fans if it could get the ball rolling and pull off some major upsets. And many P5 fans would absolutely lose their minds.

My pipe dream is for all of the independents to have good records and rankings. *That* would help expose the corrupt system that is designed to only benefit the P5 conferences.

[LUGrad2000]

If they expand to 8 teams in the CFP, does Liberty have any chance of making it?

No, except for our 2022 schedule. We already have 3 power 5 games with 5 games left to schedule.

Add at least 2 more power 5 schools and we might have a chance if we were to go undefeated and we have a steady replacement for HCHF.

Unless he falls in love with Liberty and is still there.

[Class of 20Something]

Let's look at an 8 team where the P5 all auto, highest ranked G5, plus two at large. Seeding happens later. This is just teams.

Alabama(1) SEC
Clemson(2) ACC
Oklahoma(4) XII
Washington(9) Pac-12
Ohio State(6) B1G
UCF(8) G5 Auto
Notre Dame (3) At Large
Georgia (5) At Large

The committee has three jobs. Select the top G5 school, select two at large teams, seed. That's it.

Michigan(7) is the only Top 8 CFP ranked team that did not get into the playoff.

Every G5 school has a legitimate chance of playing in the CFP even if there is only one spot. The Pac12 can't even say that right now.

I would watch every game in that playoff regardless of seeding.

[BlueBlood]

If the G5 bid is automatic, that becomes the easiest ticket to the playoffs. I don't think I would guarantee the G5 a spot unless they have a team in the top 10 (or 12 or whatever). There has to be a cut off in my mind to protect #7 Michigan from sitting at home while #23 G5 gets a spot.

[Class of 20Something]

If the G5 bid is automatic, that becomes the easiest ticket to the playoffs. I don't think I would guarantee the G5 a spot unless they have a team in the top 10 (or 12 or whatever). There has to be a cut off in my mind to protect #7 Michigan from sitting at home while #23 G5 gets a spot.

That doesn't solve the current issue though. Right now, a G5 cannot play their way into the CFP. UCF just put together two undefeated seasons and is on the outside looking in. That is a fundamental error that needs to be addressed. What the current system has created is a massive dichotomy between P5 and G5 where recruiting will come down to one issue. Asking the recruit if they want to play for a national championship or not.

I think it's difficult to call it the easiest path to the playoffs. A G5 auto bid means you have 60 teams vying for one spot where as all the P5 conferences are fighting fewer than 20.

I'm not saying this is the forever solution, because undoubtedly the landscape will change and this would become unfair, but without going to a 16 team playoff, there isn't a way to force recruiting parity.

[BlueBlood]

That doesn't solve the current issue though. Right now, a G5 cannot play their way into the CFP. UCF just put together two undefeated seasons and is on the outside looking in. That is a fundamental error that needs to be addressed. What the current system has created is a massive dichotomy between P5 and G5 where recruiting will come down to one issue. Asking the recruit if they want to play for a national championship or not.

I think it's difficult to call it the easiest path to the playoffs. A G5 auto bid means you have 60 teams vying for one spot where as all the P5 conferences are fighting fewer than 20.

I'm not saying this is the forever solution, because undoubtedly the landscape will change and this would become unfair, but without going to a 16 team playoff, there isn't a way to force recruiting parity.

If you require the G5 to be in the Top 10 (or 12 or 15), I think it does solve the problem. UCF would have been in. It just protects against a mediocre G5 sneaking in there some years. Also, there is nothing stopping 2 G5s from getting in - 1 as the top ranked G5 and one as an at-large.

[Class of 20Something]

That might work, there just needs to be a path.

[ballcoach15]

With 8 team playoff, if committee has integrity, 3 SEC teams will make it every year
I don't like idea of conference champion automatically making it, because some years a conference champion may not be one of 8 best teams.

[Class of 20Something]

In fairness to the current system, and UCF’s honestly remarkable accomplishment, Saying the system is broken bc they haven’t gotten in is pretty flawed.

They are sentenced to a G5 conference schedule. They basically can’t help that. But they have 4 other games to prove themselves worthy to the committee. What did they choose to do with those 4 games?

They scheduled South Carolina State (FCS), Florida Atlantic (C-USA), @ UNC, and a home game against Pitt.

Not exactly the choices you make if you are concerned about making an impression. Sure, they won, and deserve to be about where they are. But that’s it.

If they had instead gone on the road to 2 top 25 level P5’s and worked in a mid-level home P5 like Pitt, that might catch some attention. I know that getting these teams on the schedule isn’t easy, but it can be done.

So with the knowledge that scheduling is happening 5-7 years out, you think G5s need to forecast excellence and schedule accordingly?

The issue is that it is not possible for a G5 team to create a schedule "worthy" of the CFP.

[Purple Haize]

With 8 team playoff, if committee has integrity, 3 SEC teams will make it every year
I don't like idea of conference champion automatically making it, because some years a conference champion may not be one of 8 best teams.

Some years neither might 3 SEC teams. Like say this year