A Sea Of Red

Wake Forest just canceled the 2025 and 2026 games with Liberty. This leaves us now with four straight years of now Power 5 schools. Ian McCaw can say whatever he wants about how hard it is, but this CUSA rescheduling process has been a disaster. We've lost about every Power 5 that we possibly could have lost. How are recruits going to come here with no attractive games? Furthermore, how will we ever have as shot at a New Year's Bowl with no Power 5 teams? Even the G5's we are playing aren't great except 2024.

I just don't understand what we are doing at this point. Im sure wake forest wanted out of that series so they dont look bad when they are irrelevant again but these future schedules are getting about as weak as it gets. We might as well cancel that Virginia Tech series and play an all cupcake schedule if that's what Hugh Freeze really wants.

I was told to trust Ian McCaw, but it's getting really hard to do at this point regarding scheduling. It's like saying everything is fine with fire all around you. I mean, with this weak of a schedule, how do we attract recruits, how do we have any shot at a New Year's bowl game or even being ranked?

The sky is not falling. We are having to clear games to accommodate conference scheduling. This isn't shocking. It isn't some major statement against Liberty. This is purely Ian and Mickey having to clean up because the work they have done paid off with a conference home.

sstaedtler wrote: ↑September 16th, 2022, 4:08 pm I was told to trust Ian McCaw, but it's getting really hard to do at this point regarding scheduling. It's like saying everything is fine with fire all around you. I mean, with this weak of a schedule, how do we attract recruits, how do we have any shot at a New Year's bowl game or even being ranked?

I'm not concerned about recruiting since all we need to do is out recruit the teams we play and we will likely do that. And no undefeated G5 team has been left out of a NY6 bowl since the CFP was created except for the strange 2020 season. I worry that we get stagnant as a program like boise st when we are looking at one or two somewhat attractive home games a year for the next 6 years. It's hard to build a fanbase that way.

I think both things can be true. We are clearing games for the conference move, sure. But, I'm pretty sure Ian said in a recent interview these teams were also trying to use that as an opportunity to bail. It's not a coincidence that the 4 out of conference games we will have, it's always the Duke, UNC, WF, UVA, etc that just don't work date wise.

Since I got a dislike for contribution I'm going to respond with more contribution .



This is a live sheet that will change as FPI and SP+ rankings change, but comparing our schedules for the next few years, yes, there is obviously a drop off in the competition level without the P5s, but we do know they are going to come back, and we also will be building conference rivalries and be competing for conference championships annually. The expected record over that time is 46-14.

For transparency, for 2024 I dropped the three latest games scheduled, Texas State, Campbell, and UMass.

I would not at all be shocked if we added back some of these more high profile OOC games once we know what we’re dealing with with the CUSA schedule. We’ll be fine.

To be honest, I would have assumed that the remaining Wake games were probably the most secure on our future schedules since they were both season openers.

We should have built up some massive markers for all of the moves that Mickey & Ian have made by letting so many schools out of their contracts. Hopefully that pays dividends eventually.

Its not that were clearing games. Its that its the good games only that are being cleared. That seems obvious but thought i would restate it for those that say pay no attention to the man behind the curtain and its all good. Now maybe its all we can move without paying sizeable money but doesnt make it feel any better.

I was one of the people that wasn't concerned about the good games disappearing because I figured we would get a mix of good and bad games which would've been understandable given the circumstances. Now that there are few good games left its hard to keep making excuses. I like having teams like marshall and army on the schedule but I don't like them being our marquee games.

I assume we kept the umass games to help them out with their scheduling struggles but we aren't getting anything in return. Can't they at least throw a basketball home and home our way? It would be way better than the bottom tier D1s we keep scheduling in basketball.

Ill flame wrote: ↑September 16th, 2022, 3:35 pm I just don't understand what we are doing at this point. Im sure wake forest wanted out of that series so they dont look bad when they are irrelevant again but these future schedules are getting about as weak as it gets. We might as well cancel that Virginia Tech series and play an all cupcake schedule if that's what Hugh Freeze really wants.

We are talking about replacing you guys with App st. so I doubt that's it.

Ill flame wrote: ↑September 16th, 2022, 6:54 pm I was one of the people that wasn't concerned about the good games disappearing because I figured we would get a mix of good and bad games which would've been understandable given the circumstances. Now that there are few good games left its hard to keep making excuses. I like having teams like marshall and army on the schedule but I don't like them being our marquee games.

I assume we kept the umass games to help them out with their scheduling struggles but we aren't getting anything in return. Can't they at least throw a basketball home and home our way? It would be way better than the bottom tier D1s we keep scheduling in basketball.

I hate to bring bad news but I am almost 100% sure we aren't keeping Marshall in either year either. In the next couple years they only games I believe we are keeping are App. State and Coastal in 2024, ODU, Army, Ball State in 2026, and UMass. Probably keep Campbell in 2024.

100% sure connotates already done and you have a source. Which maybe you do. Can you expound? Or is this typical fan hyperbole?

I’m as frustrated with the non-direction of the schedule building as all of you, and I said so a couple months ago and got laughed at.

For one, Marshall is listed as a road game in 2026. That would be our 3rd road game out of 4 non conference games. Also, Marshall and Middle Tennessee scheduled a series for 2025, 2026. That would seem to take up the spot for our 2026 games. And it makes sense, because we have been giving games to other CUSA teams.

JK37 wrote: ↑September 17th, 2022, 8:15 am 100% sure connotates already done and you have a source. Which maybe you do. Can you expound? Or is this typical fan hyperbole?

I’m as frustrated with the non-direction of the schedule building as all of you, and I said so a couple months ago and got laughed at.

As bad as it’s looking now I can only imagine how worse schedules would look as an independent

It wouldn't surprise me with the political temperature as well as the devout Christian mission at Liberty that has led to some of these P-5 games being canceled. It is the reality LU will have to live with. Some may not agree with me & that is okay. Standing for truth as an institution matters more than anything & if that means a weak football schedule, then I fully support that. Now, it may have nothing to do with that, but nothing surprises me in the present history of America.

Purple Haize wrote: ↑September 17th, 2022, 10:57 am

JK37 wrote: ↑September 17th, 2022, 8:15 am 100% sure connotates already done and you have a source. Which maybe you do. Can you expound? Or is this typical fan hyperbole?

I’m as frustrated with the non-direction of the schedule building as all of you, and I said so a couple months ago and got laughed at.

As bad as it’s looking now I can only imagine how worse schedules would look as an independent

If I was playing the new ncaa football game with Liberty and I wanted to schedule the weakest teams possible as an independent our future schedules would pretty much be it. The biggest redeeming quality in all of this is that we can win conference championships and probably have the easiest path in the country to a NY6/CFP appearance.

Ill flame wrote: ↑September 16th, 2022, 5:10 pm
I'm not concerned about recruiting since all we need to do is out recruit the teams we play and we will likely do that. And no undefeated G5 team has been left out of a NY6 bowl since the CFP was created except for the strange 2020 season. I worry that we get stagnant as a program like boise st when we are looking at one or two somewhat attractive home games a year for the next 6 years. It's hard to build a fanbase that way.

If "all we need to do is out recruit the teams we play" we'll get blown out in those NY6 or CFP games. I get that keeping all our P5 matchups was impossible, but it's not looking like we're keeping any.

House on fire wrote: ↑September 17th, 2022, 6:17 pm

Ill flame wrote: ↑September 16th, 2022, 5:10 pm
I'm not concerned about recruiting since all we need to do is out recruit the teams we play and we will likely do that. And no undefeated G5 team has been left out of a NY6 bowl since the CFP was created except for the strange 2020 season. I worry that we get stagnant as a program like boise st when we are looking at one or two somewhat attractive home games a year for the next 6 years. It's hard to build a fanbase that way.

If "all we need to do is out recruit the teams we play" we'll get blown out in those NY6 or CFP games. I get that keeping all our P5 matchups was impossible, but it's not looking like we're keeping any.

No P5 game at home. Good luck selling more season tickets

House on fire wrote: ↑September 17th, 2022, 6:17 pm

Ill flame wrote: ↑September 16th, 2022, 5:10 pm
I'm not concerned about recruiting since all we need to do is out recruit the teams we play and we will likely do that. And no undefeated G5 team has been left out of a NY6 bowl since the CFP was created except for the strange 2020 season. I worry that we get stagnant as a program like boise st when we are looking at one or two somewhat attractive home games a year for the next 6 years. It's hard to build a fanbase that way.

If "all we need to do is out recruit the teams we play" we'll get blown out in those NY6 or CFP games. I get that keeping all our P5 matchups was impossible, but it's not looking like we're keeping any.

Not including cincy in the cfp last year since thats a whole different animal, G5 schools have a 3-4 record in NY6 bowls since the cfp was created with the worst loss being by 14 points. I'm not very concerned about it. Of all the factors that go into recruiting, strength of schedule is toward the bottom of them for g5 schools. Winning, location, coaches, facilities, playing time and academics factors are generally going to be higher on that list than if we play a P5.

Our 2023 recruiting class is shaping up to be the best one yet and all of those recruits have committed since the cusa decision was announced. Something tells me the Virginia Tech or Wake Forest games mean more to the fans than they do to recruits from Georgia or Tennessee.

I don't think a schedule means squat to recruiting, what G5 recruit is thinking "sweet! We get to get our butts kicked by Michigan next year!" They want playing time, they want to win and win a conference championship and hopefully make a good bowl because of conference championship

Imagine being a 2023 recruit and not playing one Power 5 team your whole entire time here. Not one 50,000 seat stadium to feel what it is like. Not one chance to show what you can do to scouts against higher competition. Meanwhile, our season ticket sales will plummet. We will get few road fans, lower attendance, and no higher conference will ever want us with terrible atmospheres getting 16,000 fans a game.

We are going from playing the worst teams the P5 has to offer once or twice a year, with a good season being rewarded with a cure bowl appearance if we are lucky, to us playing for conference championships (which players/recruits love) and a shot at a NY6 bowl. From a strictly recruiting perspective we won't be hurting compared to what we are currently doing.

As for the attendance perspective thats where I have more concerns. These P5 home games might not move the needle much in recruiting but it definitely does with season ticket sales. With that being said, if fans can't get excited at a potentially 10+ win a year program maybe we are meant to be in C-USA.