[Cider Jim]

BYU is scared of us!

[TH Spangler]

BYU is scared of us!

Looking forward to beating them in the future. Hopfully often.

[chris leedlelee]

BYU is scared of us!

I wouldn't say the possibility of us playing this year is zero yet, BYU still has games that they need to fill.

[ballcoach15]

On the medical front, I hear that LU is receiving a state of the art virus testing system involving a swab, and results can be known in 15 minutes. Should arrive in 2 weeks.

[Chippy]

I know some of you will hotly dispute this, but with the decision to allow 2 FCS wins to count toward bowl eligibility, I think we should look to schedule either JMU or Elon, who are both working to put together an indy schedule. it's a home game for us and a short trip for either of them.

I completely agree that JMU should be on the schedule. Seems like a no brainer to me.

I'd also be okay trying to get Coastal for September 5. They lost their game with South Carolina that week. As much as both fan bases like to claim we've moved on from the rivalry, it'd still be fun and is the only school we truly have a history with.

McCaw said it would be an FCS team at home on 9/5. He said, per the News and Advance, Liberty will be playing 2 FCS teams this year as 2 FCS wins will count this year only toward bowl eligibility.

[Damien Sordelett]

I completely agree that JMU should be on the schedule. Seems like a no brainer to me.

I'd also be okay trying to get Coastal for September 5. They lost their game with South Carolina that week. As much as both fan bases like to claim we've moved on from the rivalry, it'd still be fun and is the only school we truly have a history with.

McCaw said it would be an FCS team at home on 9/5. He said, per the News and Advance, Liberty will be playing 2 FCS teams this year as 2 FCS wins will count this year only toward bowl eligibility.

The FCS opponent at home will be Sept. 12. That will serve as the season and home opener. There's other nuggets of information in there once you get past the relationship with the ACC:

https://newsadvance.com/sports/college/ ... -top-story

[Chippy]

I'd also be okay trying to get Coastal for September 5. They lost their game with South Carolina that week. As much as both fan bases like to claim we've moved on from the rivalry, it'd still be fun and is the only school we truly have a history with.

McCaw said it would be an FCS team at home on 9/5. He said, per the News and Advance, Liberty will be playing 2 FCS teams this year as 2 FCS wins will count this year only toward bowl eligibility.

The FCS opponent at home will be Sept. 12. That will serve as the season and home opener. There's other nuggets of information in there once you get past the relationship with the ACC:

https://newsadvance.com/sports/college/ ... -top-story

Yes, meant to say 9/12 as home opener to replace NC A&T.

[LUOrange]

Sounds like we're going with 11 games and if we backfill we're going with FCS or Independents. I'm a little disappointed that it appears that we're not trying to replace UCONN. I was hoping we'd add ODU or BYU.

[sstaedtler]

If we need a certain number of wins to qualify for a bowl, why not play 12 games? I'd rather play a weaker FBS team than 2 FCS games. 2 FCS games makes our schedule look like a joke to outsiders.

[Purple Haize]

If we need a certain number of wins to qualify for a bowl, why not play 12 games? I'd rather play a weaker FBS team than 2 FCS games. 2 FCS games makes our schedule look like a joke to outsiders.

Wasn’t exactly Murderer’s Row last year

[Jonathan Carone]

It was the easiest schedule in the country going into the season this year already.

[JK37]

Get to a bowl any way possible. Then see whose laughing.

[ballcoach15]

Get to a bowl any way possible. Then see whose laughing.

I agree. Hopefully we can "go to a bigger bowl" each season as we grow in FBS. (and start beating P5 schools in bowls)

[olldflame]

If we need a certain number of wins to qualify for a bowl, why not play 12 games? I'd rather play a weaker FBS team than 2 FCS games. 2 FCS games makes our schedule look like a joke to outsiders.

We had 2 FCS games on our schedule to begin with, even though only 1 could count toward bowl eligibility. Now we can count 2, and you are suggesting we only play one because some unidentified "outsiders" might think our schedule is "a joke"? I'm going with common sense on this one. The goal is to be in a bowl game. If we are being handed a gift that helps us achieve that goal, rejecting it defies logic. I have not heard from any official source that we are not going to try to get a replacement game for UConn. I think we should, for the same reason I think we should play 2 FCS games. It increases our chances of becoming bowl eligible. As much as I would like to beat JMU, we all know that would be no easy task. If the MEAC goes forward with Spring football, cancelling the A&T game, I think the pragmatic approach would be to replace them with Elon, and then possibly ODU in place of UConn.

[tyndal23]

If we need a certain number of wins to qualify for a bowl, why not play 12 games? I'd rather play a weaker FBS team than 2 FCS games. 2 FCS games makes our schedule look like a joke to outsiders.

We had 2 FCS games on our schedule to begin with, even though only 1 could count toward bowl eligibility. Now we can count 2, and you are suggesting we only play one because some unidentified "outsiders" might think our schedule is "a joke"? I'm going with common sense on this one. The goal is to be in a bowl game. If we are being handed a gift that helps us achieve that goal, rejecting it defies logic. I have not heard from any official source that we are not going to try to get a replacement game for UConn. I think we should, for the same reason I think we should play 2 FCS games. It increases our chances of becoming bowl eligible. As much as I would like to beat JMU, we all know that would be no easy task. If the MEAC goes forward with Spring football, cancelling the A&T game, I think the pragmatic approach would be to replace them with Elon, and then possibly ODU in place of UConn.

I agree 100% for pragmatism - however JMU Game is better all around for fan base, locals, returning grads for ceremony etc. and if we are overly worried of losing to them then we shouldn’t be talking about beating VT or anyone else. However I am wondering if JMU can schedule enough games to Even have a season - Anyone been tracking?

[LUAlum1215]

If we need a certain number of wins to qualify for a bowl, why not play 12 games? I'd rather play a weaker FBS team than 2 FCS games. 2 FCS games makes our schedule look like a joke to outsiders.

We had 2 FCS games on our schedule to begin with, even though only 1 could count toward bowl eligibility. Now we can count 2, and you are suggesting we only play one because some unidentified "outsiders" might think our schedule is "a joke"? I'm going with common sense on this one. The goal is to be in a bowl game. If we are being handed a gift that helps us achieve that goal, rejecting it defies logic. I have not heard from any official source that we are not going to try to get a replacement game for UConn. I think we should, for the same reason I think we should play 2 FCS games. It increases our chances of becoming bowl eligible. As much as I would like to beat JMU, we all know that would be no easy task. If the MEAC goes forward with Spring football, cancelling the A&T game, I think the pragmatic approach would be to replace them with Elon, and then possibly ODU in place of UConn.

I agree 100% for pragmatism - however JMU Game is better all around for fan base, locals, returning grads for ceremony etc. and if we are overly worried of losing to them then we shouldn’t be talking about beating VT or anyone else. However I am wondering if JMU can schedule enough games to Even have a season - Anyone been tracking?

Didn't realize it wasn't already posted, but I've heard from two different sources that the graduation ceremony has been nixed from the first football game, that is even if we have fans present.
Edit with further detail- there will be ceremonies for each school around campus the Friday before with a limit of 1,000 per site, but no graduation activity or event at the game.

[Cider Jim]

Playing a second FCS team is smart, because that increases our chances of being bowl eligible. Right now, that should be our bottom line, and our AD is smart and knows that.

[olldflame]

I would not be at all upset if we end up playing JMU for the reasons you cited, but there is a downside to them that you don't have with VT. Never mind that the Dukes are probably a better team than a lot of possible FBS opponents, it would still be a loss to an FCS team. We would get all the positives that come with playing JMU and without that down-side, if we could schedule ODU. IMHO, a good rule of thumb for an FBS team who wants to schedule an FCS opponent is "play someone you KNOW you can beat".

[Chippy]

As it is now we open the season with 7 straight games before the bye week 10/31. Unless we schedule for 9/5 we may only play 11 games. No way are we going to fill that 10/31 game and play 12 games with no bye week.

[Sly Fox]

Agreed, Chippy. And with the distinct possibility of game sbeing canceled early in the season on very short notice due to virus spread, having that date remain open to be able to schedule a makeup game is very valuable. You know who else is holding that date open? Our Indy brothers out in Provo.

On another note, the Pioneer Football League (PFL) this morning canceled their season. The Big Sky is expected to announce a partial or full move to the spring later today. That seals the deal on FCS being able to hold a championship this fall as that puts well over the 50% of teams ineligible that had been established by competition committee as the threshold they were watching to make their decision. With D2 & D3 championships already toast, the announcement should come today for FCS. There is a growing push among FCS schools to try to salvage the season by moving to the spring as the MEAC is planning.

There will likely remain a cadre of FCS independents looking to grab whatever games they can manage. While we watch NC A&T decision, it appears Florida A&M is planning on giving the fall a go as an indy. UCF AD Danny White made note an interview yesterday of that situation. So they join JMU, Elon & Villanova as schools at least trying to put together an indy season. With the championship possibility taken out of the picture, is it possible the SoCon doe ssomething that impacts WCU's availability to stay on our schedule?

On a side note, do you think we will ever have a QB be a full-time punter in the NFL ever again? Danny has to be the last ever.

[tyndal23]

I predict by end of next week all of FCS moves to spring. ODU, Coastal, Army etc will still be in play for us. We should pay NNSU to make a trip to fill WCU spot.

[olldflame]

So, I take it HF was happy about how the first practice went?

[ballcoach15]

I would not be at all upset if we end up playing JMU for the reasons you cited, but there is a downside to them that you don't have with VT. Never mind that the Dukes are probably a better team than a lot of possible FBS opponents, it would still be a loss to an FCS team. We would get all the positives that come with playing JMU and without that down-side, if we could schedule ODU. IMHO, a good rule of thumb for an FBS team who wants to schedule an FCS opponent is "play someone you KNOW you can beat".

Good post.

In my opinion, LU should not even recognize that JMU exists. Find a sure win. I have seen VT lose to JMU, when they should have won by 50.

[olldflame]

So, I take it HF was happy about how the first practice went.

[rtb72]

Get to a bowl any way possible. Then see whose laughing.

Agreed....GaSouthern was no "pushover" last year, although I expect they came into Orlando thinking we were. Little did they realize...

Let's get to a bowl, and let or outstanding coaching staff and hungry kids take care of the rest.