Ohio Football Topic
Topic: Win the MAC.....go to something called the "Game Above Sports Bowl" in Detroit....What are we even doing?
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greencat
12/6/2024 8:53 PM
Bobcat Love wrote:expand_more
Mississippi State
The same Miss. St. that Toledo blew out in Starkville?

The one ranked #214 in National Universities by US NEWS?

Where exactly do they fit in on the prestige scale for football OR academics?
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TWT
12/7/2024 12:12 AM
In prep for the big game on Saturday I listened to a couple of Ohiobobcats TV videos on YouTube. TA mentioned that one of his biggest pitches to attract recruits to play ball at Ohio University is the edcuational advantages. He cited the 250 majors. In my estimation, Ohio has the best academic center in the MAC (probably all of G5) and an elite sports administration program. Then in the MAC a more travel friendly schedule to reduce missed class time.

The football operations inside Peden Tower gets the job done. The weight room is solid. The IPF is nice. No student athlete cafeteria though. They should put that one in behind the student section and enhance the concessions in that area. But the one area where Ohio can be best of class is in academic support.
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TWT
12/7/2024 12:51 AM
greencat wrote:expand_more
Mississippi State
The same Miss. St. that Toledo blew out in Starkville?

The one ranked #214 in National Universities by US NEWS?

Where exactly do they fit in on the prestige scale for football OR academics?
The MAC is strong academically for a mid-major. Its similar in profile to the American East or Big West. Neither of those conferences sponsor football. The MAC has it and the mid-week TV package the best known quanity in the G5. Opportunity to make Sportscenter. National TV opportunities against the P4 and in bowl games.

MAC doesn't overlap footprint with other G5 conferences. AAC/CUSA/SBC overlap and moving forward so will the PAC12 and MWC. MAC doesn't play bowl games in home stadiums which is not uncommon in G5.

Paydays to play at the P4 are set at a market rate. Kent State from what I remember it was said hauled in $5 million from all of its buy games combined. The market is just not there for an 8 or 9 million dollar buy game.

An area where the university could do better on is trying to stick with a top tier Big Ten or SEC team. Think of what Bowling Green did playing Penn State and Texas A&M. They did not succeed but they earned respect. The way that Boise State has their ranking because the played the #1 team Oregon close. They caught Oregon early but so did BG with Penn State.

Kentucky killed Ohio and only 4-8 on the season. The risk vs. reward is not there for a payday game against a lower tier P4. Syracuse game was closer and they were 9-3. NIU caught Notre Dame early and so did Cincinnati a few years ago when they made the 4 team playoff. High reward to risk playing Notre Dame.
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TWT
12/7/2024 1:18 AM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
You can say what you want, but the shaping of college sports has now increased the enrollment demands and prestige of degrees...
If that is true, then Harvard is (according to Sagarin) the 141st best university in the United States, one spot ahead of Yale.
You have higher quality prospective students applying to P4 universities because the profiles have been raised by high level athletics. Ohio, WMU, Kent, Toledo, Bowling Green - we are gum on their shoe. It's become an embarassment.

More importantly, as I have pointed out for the last 20 years, the strongest growth in endowments has primarily occurred in two groups: the ultra-elite universities (e.g. Harvard, Yale, U. Chicago, Cal Tech), and the P4. The P4 has been using those contributions to fund new buildings and other advances.

That doesn't change the question, however. What share of the overall college football revenue is the G5 "entitled" to, and why? In fact, the above actually brings up two additional questions:
1. Given that the flow of money to the general funds of Universities is far more significant to their long term health than the money spent directly on athletics, would getting a few extra dollars from football actually change anything?
2. Would Ohio be better served in the long term by trying to become more of an ultra-elite university, to truly become the "Harvard on the Hocking"?
Ohio tried to add as much prestige with its own Ohio University press and everything as it could but the metrics have become research driven and without a special state subsidy given to Ohio for it (like what some of those SEC schools receive) its tough to envision significant improvement.

The best thing Ohio could do honestly is more building. Help to redevelop more blighted areas of town like West Union St. Build up the economy. Support regional tourism by offering shuttle services.
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