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Ohio Basketball Topic
Topic: 17-18 Non-conference schedule
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OU_Country
7/14/2017 12:07 PM
bshot44 wrote:expand_more
Did the MAC change their scheduling mandates since 2012-13? I don't think so?

Why can't Ohio schedule like they did that year consistently? Still had plenty of home games (10)...and 4 quality road games.

Doesn't seem like too much of a stretch.

http://warrennolan.com/basketball/2013/schedule/Ohio
Something to consider is that 2012-2013 is the last year that the MAC had 16 conference games. Since 2013-14, they moved to 18. I would think that makes a difference in the way the schedule is done for everyone.
That definitely makes a difference. Didn't take that into consideration. Good point.

According to Arkley, Saul would like to replace some of these Appy State, Southern, Jackson St type games with good home/homes with other decent mid-majors. I hope that is the case.

I have no problem scheduling 2-3 cupcakes....but when it's 5-6, that just waters down the schedule and makes it look as if you don't care about competing for at-large consideration.

I hope this discussion dissolves in the next few years as Saul gets entrenched as head coach and really builds a solid program.

But if we're still scuffling playing Tennessee Tech and Marietta .... along with Southern, Jackson State, Bryant and Appalachian St in 2020 .... I really have to question the legitimacy in which we go about scheduling
The Arkley series of tweets, as you and Shaba mention, gives you all the insight you need to know what they WANT to do with scheduling. Now it's a matter of finding some dance partners that fit.
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bshot44
7/14/2017 1:21 PM
OU_Country wrote:expand_more
Did the MAC change their scheduling mandates since 2012-13? I don't think so?

Why can't Ohio schedule like they did that year consistently? Still had plenty of home games (10)...and 4 quality road games.

Doesn't seem like too much of a stretch.

http://warrennolan.com/basketball/2013/schedule/Ohio
Something to consider is that 2012-2013 is the last year that the MAC had 16 conference games. Since 2013-14, they moved to 18. I would think that makes a difference in the way the schedule is done for everyone.
That definitely makes a difference. Didn't take that into consideration. Good point.

According to Arkley, Saul would like to replace some of these Appy State, Southern, Jackson St type games with good home/homes with other decent mid-majors. I hope that is the case.

I have no problem scheduling 2-3 cupcakes....but when it's 5-6, that just waters down the schedule and makes it look as if you don't care about competing for at-large consideration.

I hope this discussion dissolves in the next few years as Saul gets entrenched as head coach and really builds a solid program.

But if we're still scuffling playing Tennessee Tech and Marietta .... along with Southern, Jackson State, Bryant and Appalachian St in 2020 .... I really have to question the legitimacy in which we go about scheduling
The Arkley series of tweets, as you and Shaba mention, gives you all the insight you need to know what they WANT to do with scheduling. Now it's a matter of finding some dance partners that fit.
My only worry is they can say whatever they want ... but it's actions that will speak louder than words.

You can go out and say you want to schedule Duke, Kentucky, Kansas and Arizona every year ... doesn't necessarily mean that they are really trying to do that.

I want to take Saul at his word that he really does want to beef up the schedule .... but I'll believe it when I see it.
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bshot44
7/14/2017 1:27 PM
OU_Country wrote:expand_more
Arkley says we go back to Marshall this year. It's the third of a four-game series. I also didn't know that Iona was a four-game series.
Interesting that the Marshall 4 games was Home, away, away, home. I like the 4 games with Iona.

With Charleston, and assuming we see them play one of Iona, Marshall, WKU by December 1st, we're going to have a really good idea of what OUr team has for the conference season. Strong, strong start to the schedule.
Agree that it's shaping up better than last year. Based off playing 11 non-conf games in 2016-17 .... this is what I'm guessing for 2017-18

Charleston Classic
Charleston Classic
Charleston Classic
vs. Iona
vs. WKU
at Marshall
vs. UNOH (BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!)
at P5
vs. buy game
vs. buy game
vs. buy game

That's my guess piecing what we know for sure and what we've seem from Arkley.

I hate having UNOH as an actual game with three other most-likely crappy buy games....
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UpSan Bobcat
7/14/2017 2:11 PM
bshot44 wrote:expand_more
Arkley says we go back to Marshall this year. It's the third of a four-game series. I also didn't know that Iona was a four-game series.
Interesting that the Marshall 4 games was Home, away, away, home. I like the 4 games with Iona.

With Charleston, and assuming we see them play one of Iona, Marshall, WKU by December 1st, we're going to have a really good idea of what OUr team has for the conference season. Strong, strong start to the schedule.
Agree that it's shaping up better than last year. Based off playing 11 non-conf games in 2016-17 .... this is what I'm guessing for 2017-18

Charleston Classic
Charleston Classic
Charleston Classic
vs. Iona
vs. WKU
at Marshall
vs. UNOH (BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!)
at P5
vs. buy game
vs. buy game
vs. buy game

That's my guess piecing what we know for sure and what we've seem from Arkley.

I hate having UNOH as an actual game with three other most-likely crappy buy games....
You're probably about right there. Wouldn't be that bad. Maybe one of those buy games can be at least decent or maybe there's potential for a good mid-major home-and-home series to be added.
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OU_Country
7/14/2017 3:02 PM
bshot44 wrote:expand_more
I hate having UNOH as an actual game with three other most-likely crappy buy games....

We get it - it's very clear that you're annoyed with the schedule for the 21st year in a row. Could we at least wait to bitch about buy games until we see who they actually are?
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bshot44
7/14/2017 3:07 PM
OU_Country wrote:expand_more
I hate having UNOH as an actual game with three other most-likely crappy buy games....

We get it - it's very clear that you're annoyed with the schedule for the 21st year in a row. Could we at least wait to bitch about buy games until we see who they actually are?
Pump the breaks, skippy. I think you're over generalizing there. I've been unhappy with the schedule recently. I think we've played some pretty damn good schedules over the course of the last 21 years.

I know you are totally okay we play UNOH or Marietta or Ohio Dominican "because other schools do it like OSU, UC, X, etc. (Even though I think I pointed out those schools use them as exhibitions while Ohio uses it as an acutal regular season game)

And I think the definition of a "buy game" for a school like Ohio (who isn't shelling out $500K to get someone to come to the Convo) is basically a lower level SWAC, MEAC team.

Rarely do those buy games end up being anything but garbage.
Last Edited: 7/14/2017 3:07:54 PM by bshot44
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OU_Country
7/14/2017 4:11 PM
You gave me a good chuckle with "Pump the brakes, skippy."!!


And you're right, I was over generalizing. Apologies on that. I'm not "okay" with having tons of bad games, but I don't care about just one like that. More than anything, I look at the schedule from this point of view: I want a couple non-conf games that are interesting or exciting to plan to go to.

As for specific games I think we should/shouldn't be scheduling, I'm getting closer to the side that feels like it doesn't even matter. Until proven otherwise, the selection committee isn't selecting a MAC team at-large anytime soon. Ohio would have to go 3-0 in Charleston, and undefeated in the rest of the non-conf schedule, then go 16-2 in the MAC, then get to the MAC finals and lose to even sniff an at-large bid. Do the math, that's somewhere about 28-3 on the year. Because of that, I don't invest as much in worrying about who gets scheduled. Ideally, I just want 1-2 games on the road I can try to make, and 1-2 Nov/Dec home games that are interesting.

To each their own, but at the end of the day, college hoops is my winter fun. As I get older, getting ticked off about the schedule, the game results, etc., just aren't worth it to me as much as they used to be.
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bshot44
7/14/2017 11:25 PM
OU_Country wrote:expand_more
You gave me a good chuckle with "Pump the brakes, skippy."!!


And you're right, I was over generalizing. Apologies on that. I'm not "okay" with having tons of bad games, but I don't care about just one like that. More than anything, I look at the schedule from this point of view: I want a couple non-conf games that are interesting or exciting to plan to go to.

As for specific games I think we should/shouldn't be scheduling, I'm getting closer to the side that feels like it doesn't even matter. Until proven otherwise, the selection committee isn't selecting a MAC team at-large anytime soon. Ohio would have to go 3-0 in Charleston, and undefeated in the rest of the non-conf schedule, then go 16-2 in the MAC, then get to the MAC finals and lose to even sniff an at-large bid. Do the math, that's somewhere about 28-3 on the year. Because of that, I don't invest as much in worrying about who gets scheduled. Ideally, I just want 1-2 games on the road I can try to make, and 1-2 Nov/Dec home games that are interesting.

To each their own, but at the end of the day, college hoops is my winter fun. As I get older, getting ticked off about the schedule, the game results, etc., just aren't worth it to me as much as they used to be.
Trust me, I ain't losing ANY sleep over Ohio athletics. Good debate and conversation are fun.

As far as at large consideration... yes, you're right... if Ohio continues to put together the type of schedules they have the last few years, it will take something absurd like 28-3 you get noticed.

So why not beef up the schedule if "it doesn't even matter"? Why play trash and win by 25 instead of challenging yourself and giving yourself a fighting chance of getting in at-large talk?

The way most MAC teams schedule now, it's as if they don't care to compete except for three days in Cleveland in March
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Bobcat Love
7/15/2017 6:00 PM
The reality is I just had my credit card authorized for $1,100 to see Grambling and Prairie View A&M come through the Convo for the upteenth year in a row.

All this scheduling BS from Groce, Christian, and now Saul is exactly that - BS.

Just admit what we are already, instead of trying to dress it up with a bunch of lip service on what the future will look like.

There have been a few interesting games the past few years (UMASS, Temple, Richmond, Northern Iowa, Belmont, etc) - but aside from Temple, none really moved the needle for me.

So, here we are again. And no, we don't need to be playing this one joke of a non-exhbition game that is Urbana, Rio Grande, or Ohio Nothern State Tech. I have refused to show for that game each year, and I will do it again. It's a waste of everyone's time and money.
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bshot44
7/17/2017 9:56 AM
Bobcat Love wrote:expand_more
The reality is I just had my credit card authorized for $1,100 to see Grambling and Prairie View A&M come through the Convo for the upteenth year in a row.

All this scheduling BS from Groce, Christian, and now Saul is exactly that - BS.

Just admit what we are already, instead of trying to dress it up with a bunch of lip service on what the future will look like.

There have been a few interesting games the past few years (UMASS, Temple, Richmond, Northern Iowa, Belmont, etc) - but aside from Temple, none really moved the needle for me.

So, here we are again. And no, we don't need to be playing this one joke of a non-exhbition game that is Urbana, Rio Grande, or Ohio Nothern State Tech. I have refused to show for that game each year, and I will do it again. It's a waste of everyone's time and money.
Well put.

We are who we are ... in both basketball and football.

The lip service is just that – BS

They've both been talking about beefing up schedules for years .... and it never happens.

They schedule for wins ... not to elevate the program.

It is what it is. Some people defend it. I, for one, don't like/agree with it.

Doesn't mean I still don't support both teams ... just means I think the scheduling stinks.
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Deciduous Forest Cat
7/17/2017 2:52 PM
bshot44 wrote:expand_more
The reality is I just had my credit card authorized for $1,100 to see Grambling and Prairie View A&M come through the Convo for the upteenth year in a row.

All this scheduling BS from Groce, Christian, and now Saul is exactly that - BS.

Just admit what we are already, instead of trying to dress it up with a bunch of lip service on what the future will look like.

There have been a few interesting games the past few years (UMASS, Temple, Richmond, Northern Iowa, Belmont, etc) - but aside from Temple, none really moved the needle for me.

So, here we are again. And no, we don't need to be playing this one joke of a non-exhbition game that is Urbana, Rio Grande, or Ohio Nothern State Tech. I have refused to show for that game each year, and I will do it again. It's a waste of everyone's time and money.
Well put.

We are who we are ... in both basketball and football.

The lip service is just that – BS

They've both been talking about beefing up schedules for years .... and it never happens.

They schedule for wins ... not to elevate the program.

It is what it is. Some people defend it. I, for one, don't like/agree with it.

Doesn't mean I still don't support both teams ... just means I think the scheduling stinks.
I hardly think GRoce was paying lip service. Unfortunately, he was gone the year the schedule was truly built for an at-large opportunity and we saw how that turned out with a disastrous trip to Memphis and a missed opportunity at Okie. Right now, I think we need to sacrifice a few home games over winter break in front of sparse crowds and get on the road more. Get to an Anyone/anyplace/anytime attitude. We might take our lumps but we'll take some of them down too and that will be a team that's ready for the conference wars and the grind of the tournament.
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bshot44
7/17/2017 3:52 PM
Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:expand_more
The reality is I just had my credit card authorized for $1,100 to see Grambling and Prairie View A&M come through the Convo for the upteenth year in a row.

All this scheduling BS from Groce, Christian, and now Saul is exactly that - BS.

Just admit what we are already, instead of trying to dress it up with a bunch of lip service on what the future will look like.

There have been a few interesting games the past few years (UMASS, Temple, Richmond, Northern Iowa, Belmont, etc) - but aside from Temple, none really moved the needle for me.

So, here we are again. And no, we don't need to be playing this one joke of a non-exhbition game that is Urbana, Rio Grande, or Ohio Nothern State Tech. I have refused to show for that game each year, and I will do it again. It's a waste of everyone's time and money.
Well put.

We are who we are ... in both basketball and football.

The lip service is just that – BS

They've both been talking about beefing up schedules for years .... and it never happens.

They schedule for wins ... not to elevate the program.

It is what it is. Some people defend it. I, for one, don't like/agree with it.

Doesn't mean I still don't support both teams ... just means I think the scheduling stinks.
I hardly think GRoce was paying lip service. Unfortunately, he was gone the year the schedule was truly built for an at-large opportunity and we saw how that turned out with a disastrous trip to Memphis and a missed opportunity at Okie. Right now, I think we need to sacrifice a few home games over winter break in front of sparse crowds and get on the road more. Get to an Anyone/anyplace/anytime attitude. We might take our lumps but we'll take some of them down too and that will be a team that's ready for the conference wars and the grind of the tournament.
Agree.
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bornacatfan
7/18/2017 10:50 AM
DCF makes a pretty astute observation. Good analysis
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Bobcat Love
7/18/2017 11:06 AM
We went to the 2nd round of the tournament 2 years prior to him leaving. Nothing changed.

I disagree.

The home OOC schedule was, is, and will always be bad.

Credit to Frank and the football side for listening to me 7 or 8 years ago.
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bornacatfan
7/18/2017 11:20 AM
Bobcat Love wrote:expand_more
We went to the 2nd round of the tournament 2 years prior to him leaving. Nothing changed.

I disagree.

The home OOC schedule was, is, and will always be bad.

Credit to Frank and the football side for listening to me 7 or 8 years ago.
*home* OOC.

I think looking at DCF's analysis the Memphis and Okie games were good opportunities along with UMass, Winthrop, Richmond and St Bonnie.

I am not sure how you get the big boys to come out of their home courts and play. I have been beating that drum for years. Going on the road gets some decent games and TOS was pretty good at getting us some of those but they are becoming harder for everyone.
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OU_Country
7/18/2017 2:19 PM
bornacatfan wrote:expand_more
We went to the 2nd round of the tournament 2 years prior to him leaving. Nothing changed.

I disagree.

The home OOC schedule was, is, and will always be bad.

Credit to Frank and the football side for listening to me 7 or 8 years ago.
*home* OOC.

I think looking at DCF's analysis the Memphis and Okie games were good opportunities along with UMass, Winthrop, Richmond and St Bonnie.

I am not sure how you get the big boys to come out of their home courts and play. I have been beating that drum for years. Going on the road gets some decent games and TOS was pretty good at getting us some of those but they are becoming harder for everyone.
I guess it depends on opinion and/or perspective. I'm in agreement that 2 fewer home non-conf games, if used to play road/neutral games vs "big boys", is a no-brainer in lieu of home games vs a MEAC or SWAC team. On the other hand, I'm not sure what was wrong with the 2012-13 home slate (Richmond, St.Bonnie, Marshall, Winthrop) or the 2013-14 home slate (Northern Iowa, UMass, Evansville, Valpo). No, it's not a B1G school, or Dayton, or WVU, but every one of those opponents are traditionally solid basketball schools, with traditionally respectable RPI's.

Also, I still maintain that the 18 game conference schedule puts a hurt on home non-conference scheduling. As does not scheduling during finals week which I understand, but it is a hindrance in scheduling.
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bshot44
7/18/2017 2:53 PM
OU_Country wrote:expand_more
We went to the 2nd round of the tournament 2 years prior to him leaving. Nothing changed.

I disagree.

The home OOC schedule was, is, and will always be bad.

Credit to Frank and the football side for listening to me 7 or 8 years ago.
*home* OOC.

I think looking at DCF's analysis the Memphis and Okie games were good opportunities along with UMass, Winthrop, Richmond and St Bonnie.

I am not sure how you get the big boys to come out of their home courts and play. I have been beating that drum for years. Going on the road gets some decent games and TOS was pretty good at getting us some of those but they are becoming harder for everyone.
I guess it depends on opinion and/or perspective. I'm in agreement that 2 fewer home non-conf games, if used to play road/neutral games vs "big boys", is a no-brainer in lieu of home games vs a MEAC or SWAC team. On the other hand, I'm not sure what was wrong with the 2012-13 home slate (Richmond, St.Bonnie, Marshall, Winthrop) or the 2013-14 home slate (Northern Iowa, UMass, Evansville, Valpo). No, it's not a B1G school, or Dayton, or WVU, but every one of those opponents are traditionally solid basketball schools, with traditionally respectable RPI's.

Also, I still maintain that the 18 game conference schedule puts a hurt on home non-conference scheduling. As does not scheduling during finals week which I understand, but it is a hindrance in scheduling.
Yup. Those two years you referenced should be the norm each and every year. But you are right. A) The 18-game MAC season is a tough hurdle B) the MAC pressure to play as many home games as possible C) refusal to play a real game during finals week are all real problems in putting together the best possible schedule.

I understand the MAC's thought process in not wanting NIU or others to go load up on road games and get pounded ... which in turns lowers the league's RPI and hurts their chances of ever being seriously considered for an at-large bid. But on the other hand, teams that are in the MAC's upper echelon like Ohio, Akron, Kent, etc....being forced to play x-amount of home games hurts their chances of going out and playing decent road/neutral games....which, ironically, hurts the league's RPI too.

An Ohio win in the Convo vs. Southern is actually more hurtful than a loss on the road at WVU. But apparently, Ohio is forced to do that.

There is a happy medium between playing non D-I's and SWAC/MEAC cellar-dwellars and going on the road to Kansas, Kentucky and Duke. The MAC has yet to find that.

I've always said, I know scheduling ain't easy .... so I'm just complaining to complain ... but our OOC schedules are pretty awful for a team/program that has aspirations of being more than just a good MAC school (at least I hope we have aspirations for more than that)
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bornacatfan
7/18/2017 11:14 PM
Indiana fans complained about Del State,Houston Baptist, SIU Edwardsville and Hope College (exhbt) Alcorn State, Kennesaw State, McNeese State

Purdue fans complained about NJIT , Mc Neese, Utah St, Western Ill, Norfolk St, UNOh (exb) Incarnate Word...

Butler fans complained about Norfolks St , Central Ark, Wabash (exb) SIUE. Remarkably they had the best Non Con schedule that I can recall out of the P5 schools I follow.

Notre Dame Fans complained about none and looking at their non con...I can see why (plus much past Football basketball fans round this part of Indiana are few)

Not many P5 schools please their fanbase as they all throw in those bottom dwellers.

I am not happy as for a decade we have heard that "when the right class comes along we'll beef it up"...so I do not disagree with the premise that we should schedule tougher ...but I also look at the schools and fanbases I am around and see similar scheduling.
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OU_Country
7/19/2017 10:16 AM
bornacatfan wrote:expand_more
I am not happy as for a decade we have heard that "when the right class comes along we'll beef it up"...so I do not disagree with the premise that we should schedule tougher ...but I also look at the schools and fanbases I am around and see similar scheduling.

And this is kind of what I was saying towards the beginning of this thread when comparing the lesser teams on the Bobcats schedule to the UC, UD, OSU, etc schedules. And with that, I'm done hashing out the schedule making until it actually comes out.

I'm ready to talk about who we're actually playing, and the young guys and their development through the schedule.
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bshot44
7/19/2017 10:21 AM
OU_Country wrote:expand_more
I am not happy as for a decade we have heard that "when the right class comes along we'll beef it up"...so I do not disagree with the premise that we should schedule tougher ...but I also look at the schools and fanbases I am around and see similar scheduling.

And this is kind of what I was saying towards the beginning of this thread when comparing the lesser teams on the Bobcats schedule to the UC, UD, OSU, etc schedules. And with that, I'm done hashing out the schedule making until it actually comes out.

I'm ready to talk about who we're actually playing, and the young guys and their development through the schedule.
I think you guys are ignoring the GIANT elephant in the room in regards to your premise.

UD, OSU, UC, IU, Butler and Purdue all have really, really good opponents to play in the conference season.

UD has VCU, Richmond, St. Bonnie, Davidson and others in the A-10.

Same goes for UC in the AAC .... O$U, Purdue and IU in the B1G .... and Butler in the Big East.

Ohio does NOT get quality conference opponents each year. There might be one or two MAC games that are good when Akron is way up (or Kent/UB) .

A school like Ohio (if they ever want to chase an at-large bid) absolutely has to schedule better OOC games.

UC, OSU, UD, X, IU, Purdue and Butler can totally get away with playing a handful of lower level teams because their league schedule is enough to elevate their resume a lot of years.

Ohio is not on an even playing field with those other teams ... so to level the playing field, they can't play by the same rules in regards to scheduling
Last Edited: 7/19/2017 10:23:25 AM by bshot44
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OhioCatFan
7/19/2017 11:02 AM
bshot44 wrote:expand_more
Arkley says we go back to Marshall this year. It's the third of a four-game series. I also didn't know that Iona was a four-game series.
Interesting that the Marshall 4 games was Home, away, away, home. I like the 4 games with Iona.

With Charleston, and assuming we see them play one of Iona, Marshall, WKU by December 1st, we're going to have a really good idea of what OUr team has for the conference season. Strong, strong start to the schedule.
Agree that it's shaping up better than last year. Based off playing 11 non-conf games in 2016-17 .... this is what I'm guessing for 2017-18

Charleston Classic
Charleston Classic
Charleston Classic
vs. Iona
vs. WKU
at Marshall
vs. UNOH (BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!)
at P5
vs. buy game
vs. buy game
vs. buy game

That's my guess piecing what we know for sure and what we've seem from Arkley.

I hate having UNOH as an actual game with three other most-likely crappy buy games....
[sarcasm] Fake Jeff McKinney told me that the UNOH contest was a real trap game, and that we should be leery of the Racers. Hey, they share a nickname with Murray State, and they are pretty good. [/sarcasm off]
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OU_Country
7/19/2017 12:31 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
[sarcasm] Fake Jeff McKinney told me that the UNOH contest was a real trap game, and that we should be leery of the Racers. Hey, they share a nickname with Murray State, and they are pretty good. [/sarcasm off]
Well played OCF!
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bornacatfan
7/21/2017 6:49 PM
BShot my only premise was that those big schools have the same problems with their fanbase bitching about who they can get to come to their place in the Non Con. No hidden meanings or agenda. We are only gonna get the games some folk are wanting if we go on the road and play less home games. Kentucky, Wisconsin, Cal, Az, even Providence or Butler are not walking throughh that door.
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bshot44
7/24/2017 9:45 AM
bornacatfan wrote:expand_more
BShot my only premise was that those big schools have the same problems with their fanbase bitching about who they can get to come to their place in the Non Con. No hidden meanings or agenda. We are only gonna get the games some folk are wanting if we go on the road and play less home games. Kentucky, Wisconsin, Cal, Az, even Providence or Butler are not walking throughh that door.
Never in a million years would I expect Ohio to get UK, Wisky, Cal, Az .... or even Providence or Butler to come play at the Convo (Although UK and Wisky both have played in Athens in the last 20 years)

I agree that Ohio should get out on the road more and beef up their schedule. But as OU Country has pointed out, that MAC mandate for home games really handcuffs teams.

While those P5 big boys aren't coming to the Convo, there are a lot of teams in the A-10, AAC, CUSA that Ohio could potential work some deals with .... rather than these MEAC, SWAC, & D2 garbage they play at home.

My only point was the P5 teams can get away with playing these lower-level teams because they have built-in quality games thru their conference. Ohio (and the rest of the MAC) doesn't have that luxury because the MAC has been traditionally weak in RPI numbers for the most part the last 20 years. There have been a few exceptions ... but for every team in the 70s, you get a team that is 200+.

Even Rutgers, the worst B1G team by a longshot, had an RPI of 177 last year. That's higher than almost half the MAC (5 were below...7 above, but two of them were 172 & 176)

The Big East had 7 Top-100 teams

The MAC as a whole only played 17 games vs. RPI Top 50 teams last year.

In comparison

OVC 19
Sun Belt 35
CUSA 42
Horizon 12
Colonial 36 (and had three Top 100 teams)
MVC 62
MAAC 20 (three Top 100 teams)
Summit League 17
Patriot League 17

I would like to think that MAC strives to be head and shoulder better than the Summit, Patriot, Horizon, MAAC and OVC ... but yet, they schedule just as bad if not worse than some of these leagues.

It's a league-wide epidemic. Those leagues will never challenge for an at-large bid .... just like the MAC as long as they continue to schedule the way they do.

I think we're on the same page that we'd like to see better schedules, so ZERO argument on that.

I just get tired of the lip service that they're beefing up the schedule each year and in reality that just isn't happening.
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Deciduous Forest Cat
7/24/2017 11:14 AM
bshot44 wrote:expand_more
BShot my only premise was that those big schools have the same problems with their fanbase bitching about who they can get to come to their place in the Non Con. No hidden meanings or agenda. We are only gonna get the games some folk are wanting if we go on the road and play less home games. Kentucky, Wisconsin, Cal, Az, even Providence or Butler are not walking throughh that door.
Never in a million years would I expect Ohio to get UK, Wisky, Cal, Az .... or even Providence or Butler to come play at the Convo (Although UK and Wisky both have played in Athens in the last 20 years)

I agree that Ohio should get out on the road more and beef up their schedule. But as OU Country has pointed out, that MAC mandate for home games really handcuffs teams.

While those P5 big boys aren't coming to the Convo, there are a lot of teams in the A-10, AAC, CUSA that Ohio could potential work some deals with .... rather than these MEAC, SWAC, & D2 garbage they play at home.

My only point was the P5 teams can get away with playing these lower-level teams because they have built-in quality games thru their conference. Ohio (and the rest of the MAC) doesn't have that luxury because the MAC has been traditionally weak in RPI numbers for the most part the last 20 years. There have been a few exceptions ... but for every team in the 70s, you get a team that is 200+.

Even Rutgers, the worst B1G team by a longshot, had an RPI of 177 last year. That's higher than almost half the MAC (5 were below...7 above, but two of them were 172 & 176)

The Big East had 7 Top-100 teams

The MAC as a whole only played 17 games vs. RPI Top 50 teams last year.

In comparison

OVC 19
Sun Belt 35
CUSA 42
Horizon 12
Colonial 36 (and had three Top 100 teams)
MVC 62
MAAC 20 (three Top 100 teams)
Summit League 17
Patriot League 17

I would like to think that MAC strives to be head and shoulder better than the Summit, Patriot, Horizon, MAAC and OVC ... but yet, they schedule just as bad if not worse than some of these leagues.

It's a league-wide epidemic. Those leagues will never challenge for an at-large bid .... just like the MAC as long as they continue to schedule the way they do.

I think we're on the same page that we'd like to see better schedules, so ZERO argument on that.

I just get tired of the lip service that they're beefing up the schedule each year and in reality that just isn't happening.
It's the conference office's fault! I can only say it so many ways. They can't mandate a minimum # of home games while still begging teams to beef up their schedules. It doesn't work.
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