[LUOrange]

So there's nothing new in this article. It's just a re-hash of what most of us know, whether some entirely believe or understand it or not.

So as of right now, we have 2 openings for 2025 & 2026, and potentially 3 and 1 in 2027, should/once UMass joins CUSA.

Anyone have some tea for message board discussion purposes on potential games, especially P4's?

https://www.aseaofred.com/liberty-futur ... s-face-p5/

[Ill flame]

There are several cases where a Power 5 team needs a game because of an unforeseen opening, Liberty makes the call and the response has been the same, “you are too good, its a not a good opportunity for us”.

I'm just curious where this quote came from. Is this what the AD is actually being told behind closed doors or is it just speculation based on what we all assume is happening? I'm confident that's what is happening but I would be surprised if a school like syracuse is candidly admitting that's the reason they don't want to play us.

[tyndal23]

There are several cases where a Power 5 team needs a game because of an unforeseen opening, Liberty makes the call and the response has been the same, “you are too good, its a not a good opportunity for us”.

I'm just curious where this quote came from. Is this what the AD is actually being told behind closed doors or is it just speculation based on what we all assume is happening? I'm confident that's what is happening but I would be surprised if a school like syracuse is candidly admitting that's the reason they don't want to play us.

We can get a road game with literally 90% of P4. The 2 for 1 game or 1 for 1 ( which we have the $ not to worry about ) is the difference. If we truly wanted a P5 every year, we can ditch the FCS “ home game” and play P4 on the road. Once again - is the goal a Bowl Game or is it a CFP shot every year...Had we covered in the Fiesta Bowl - good argument for scheduling either way. The fact we got smoked - uphill battle vs “ perception” ( and yes I laid out that 24 is a much better odds on paper for top G5 spot than 23 was based on what every top G5 team has to play ). But moving forward,if you actually want to control your destiny as a top G5 - you “typically” need to go win a low tier road P4 game and your Conference Champ game. If LU goes 26-1 in 23/24 we get in CFP unless a fluke happens with a Mountain West Team. IF that magic happens - we are “ branded” and can ride that wave for a bit if coaching staff stays.

[ballah09]

Guess we’re going to play Tech regularly since that’s the only P4 school that will play us. In all seriousness though, BYU has openings. Hopefully Ian is working on something since he said that he wanted to develop a little rivalry with them.

[Ill flame]

For the 2025/2026 schedules we have 1 home and 1 away game against G5 cupcakes which means based on Ian's ideal schedule we would add a P4 game and a FCS game each of those years. Which does more to help our perception and get us to the CFP, beating a bottom tier P4 team like syracuse/ wake forest and a FCS school each of those seasons, or beating two top G5s in a home and home each season?

I know in the long term we can have the best of both worlds such as the 2029 schedule when we have a P5 and two solid G5s but that's not an option in 2025/2026 with umass/ODU and umass/ball state already on the schedule. Personally I'd rather forgo the weak P4 games that we wont get much credit for winning if thats our marquee game and try to schedule home and homes with two top G5s that will be our direct competition for the G5 autobid. We were 2 points away from being 4-0 against P5s last year and that didn't earn us any goodwill among the talking heads this year.

[sstaedtler]

One thing is for sure. If Liberty plays UMass we cannot play an FCS game in the same year. 3 of the 4 out of conference games need to be solid G5's if we are not going to play a P4.

What I don't get is how we let Wake, Virginia, Duke, and North Carolina out of 3 game contracts because there was a game at Liberty without them at least giving us a future road game. Why did we have to cancel the UCF game? I get wanting to save money, but at some point, it almost seems like we were too frugal.

[Chippy]

One thing is for sure. If Liberty plays UMass we cannot play an FCS game in the same year. 3 of the 4 out of conference games need to be solid G5's if we are not going to play a P4.
What I don't get is how we let Wake, Virginia, Duke, and North Carolina out of 3 game contracts because there was a game at Liberty without them at least giving us a future road game. Why did we have to cancel the UCF game? I get wanting to save money, but at some point, it almost seems like we were too frugal.

https://www.aseaofred.com/liberty-futur ... s-face-p5/

[LUOrange]

One thing is for sure. If Liberty plays UMass we cannot play an FCS game in the same year. 3 of the 4 out of conference games need to be solid G5's if we are not going to play a P4.

What I don't get is how we let Wake, Virginia, Duke, and North Carolina out of 3 game contracts because there was a game at Liberty without them at least giving us a future road game. Why did we have to cancel the UCF game? I get wanting to save money, but at some point, it almost seems like we were too frugal.

I think the primary goal was to get from 12 games down to 4, and that letting the ACC schools walk was just too easy and convenient. I, also think that was also an attempt to create or keep some goodwill between Athletic Departments. I, only remember UVA's announcement as stating that the decision was mutual. But maybe there was the promise of rescheduling at some unknown unforeseen future date, like the old JMU games. It, also appears to me that we essentially gave the SC and USC games to JSU and SHSU as well.

I do give the Athletic Department the benefit of the doubt out of necessity for 23 and 45 and needing to get down to 4. But now it's time to get some solid opponents going forward. I don't see what happened last year happening routinely. Going 13-0 is very difficult, much less every year and then needing help from other conferences. It's only going to get harder when CUSA schools are improving and then they get used to playing us as well.

[JK37]

One thing is for sure. If Liberty plays UMass we cannot play an FCS game in the same year. 3 of the 4 out of conference games need to be solid G5's if we are not going to play a P4.

What I don't get is how we let Wake, Virginia, Duke, and North Carolina out of 3 game contracts because there was a game at Liberty without them at least giving us a future road game. Why did we have to cancel the UCF game? I get wanting to save money, but at some point, it almost seems like we were too frugal.

They didn’t want out just because there was a game at Liberty. Those schools wanted out of any deal with Liberty altogether. Those schools playing Liberty is the very definition of a lose-lose.

[Sly Fox]

With the UMass games ofr the next three years coming off the schedule, it gives us some more flexibility to snag some of these P4 games. Let's see how we fill these new vacancies on our upcoming schedules from '25-'27.

[rtb72]

Yeah...not sad about losing those games on our schedule. Hopefully, we fill those spots with a quality opponent. I'm sure Ian is already looking...

[Sly Fox]

My guess is that Ian may already have an agreement or two already in place. He certainly has tons of flexibility with the league shifting ecerythine around with the three schools coming in. Dallas can adjust based on about anything he & Mickey put together.

[tyndal23]

My guess is that Ian may already have an agreement or two already in place. He certainly has tons of flexibility with the league shifting ecerythine around with the three schools coming in. Dallas can adjust based on about anything he & Mickey put together.

What are odds that CUSA adds a conference game and we are left with 3 Non Con ? I don’t see many AD’s signing up for that - seems like a net revenue loss for most.

[tyndal23]

My guess is that Ian may already have an agreement or two already in place. He certainly has tons of flexibility with the league shifting ecerythine around with the three schools coming in. Dallas can adjust based on about anything he & Mickey put together.

Any chance CUSA adds a conference game limiting us to 3 non con ? I can’t see many AD’s signing up for that.

[JK37]

Hey guys, you think CUSA adds a conference game?

[ATrain]

Free of UMass, Free of UMass, thank God almighty, we are free of UMass!

[jbock13]

One day, our fans will learn to appreciate the importance of easy wins.

Well, in sports other than basketball, of course.

[Purple Haize]

Hey guys, you think CUSA adds a conference game?

No. But what I can see is CUSA teams doing another home and home series with each other …….

[Purple Haize]

One day, our fans will learn to appreciate the importance of easy wins.

Well, in sports other than basketball, of course.

No truer words have ever been spoken

[ATrain]

One day, our fans will learn to appreciate the importance of easy wins.

Well, in sports other than basketball, of course.

We can get easy wins without scheduling what is perhaps the worst team in all of FBS.

[cruzan_flame13]

One day, our fans will learn to appreciate the importance of easy wins.

Well, in sports other than basketball, of course.

Those games would help the program become the top G5 choice in a playoff selection? In the direction college football is heading, not so much. Our schedule strength is already at the bottom of the barrel; need some interesting games to keep a steady balance of season ticket buyers.

[tyndal23]

We should offer to go to Northwestern 25 and 26. Won’t be much of a home field advantage as they play on temporary bleachers next to lake and 10k or so while they build new stadium. Probably not a lot of interest from other schools - these type scenarios are perfect for LU.

[LUOrange]

We should offer to go to Northwestern 25 and 26. Won’t be much of a home field advantage as they play on temporary bleachers next to lake and 10k or so while they build new stadium. Probably not a lot of interest from other schools - these type scenarios are perfect for LU.

I'm not sure that we want to ba associated with schools that cater to terrorists anti-Semites.

[cruzan_flame13]

We should offer to go to Northwestern 25 and 26. Won’t be much of a home field advantage as they play on temporary bleachers next to lake and 10k or so while they build new stadium. Probably not a lot of interest from other schools - these type scenarios are perfect for LU.

I'm not sure that we want to ba associated with schools that cater to terrorists anti-Semites.

Claimed descendants of Ashkenaz are Shemites/Semites ? Anyways, there's likely going to be open spots for P5 schools that are closer geographically when the time comes.

[tyndal23]

We should offer to go to Northwestern 25 and 26. Won’t be much of a home field advantage as they play on temporary bleachers next to lake and 10k or so while they build new stadium. Probably not a lot of interest from other schools - these type scenarios are perfect for LU.

I'm not sure that we want to ba associated with schools that cater to terrorists anti-Semites.

Claimed descendants of Ashkenaz are Shemites/Semites . Anyways, there's likely going to be open spots for P5 schools that are closer geographically when the time comes.

If we Eliminate all the schools that had protests, not too many left to play...as for “when the time comes” we are in 11th hour from a football schedule perspective, but I imagine something is already penciled in and waiting on announcement. Go play the most radical P5’s and beat em, makes it even sweeter. Side note : ACC hasn’t said “don’t go play an Independent on the road” ...they just don’t want to be associated as losing to a G5. UConn ( same team that beat LU a season ago ) has an ACC coming to their house for next several years. Time will tell if CUSA vs Independent was worth the “perception” for LU. Year 1 - Fiesta Bowl appearance ( and slaughter ) along with the schedule ridicule - still trumps Independent and 23 pre CUSA Independent schedule. If we make a playoff this year and “somewhat” compete, then no question CUSA was good move short term.

https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/uconn/