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Topic: 2024 schedule
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Alan Swank
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Posted: 3/22/2024 12:40 PM
Just saw that Homecoming is in September and then looked at the schedule. This may be the most unattractive home schedule in recent history - South Alabama, Morgan State, Akron, Buffalo, Eastern, and Ball State. Other than Akron, not much of a rivalry game in any of them. Syracuse and Kentucky are appealing road games though. And four weeks between home games in September/October. The MAC office did us no favors with this schedule (from a fan's perspective).
OhioBobcat
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Posted: 3/23/2024 9:17 AM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Just saw that Homecoming is in September and then looked at the schedule. This may be the most unattractive home schedule in recent history - South Alabama, Morgan State, Akron, Buffalo, Eastern, and Ball State. Other than Akron, not much of a rivalry game in any of them. Syracuse and Kentucky are appealing road games though. And four weeks between home games in September/October. The MAC office did us no favors with this schedule (from a fan's perspective).
While I agree it’s an unappealing looking slate of games at first glance, when I look at it a little more closely, I actually see 6-0, which makes the schedule look really appealing to Ohio from that standpoint. I agree there isn’t a game on the home schedule to circle, but I also don’t see a loss either, which in my view makes it an outstanding home schedule for Ohio. Further, the only team from that MAC that would even be able to spruce the schedule up would be Miami IMO, as even Toledo got hit hard by the portal and will be taking a couple steps back. Also, considering who Ohio’s conference peers have to play in the non-conference, Ohio’s P5 slate is about as good as you can get for hunting more wins. Syracuse has been a pretty terrible team and Kentucky is decent, not great. Both of those games are certainly winnable. Point being to all of this, just like the old expression “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” I see a much different picture in this schedule than you do. While it may not look great on paper now, it’ll look fantastic on paper after the end of the season when it’s marked up with wins.
Last Edited: 3/23/2024 9:19:33 AM by OhioBobcat
Alan Swank
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Posted: 3/23/2024 9:52 AM
OhioBobcat wrote:expand_more
Just saw that Homecoming is in September and then looked at the schedule. This may be the most unattractive home schedule in recent history - South Alabama, Morgan State, Akron, Buffalo, Eastern, and Ball State. Other than Akron, not much of a rivalry game in any of them. Syracuse and Kentucky are appealing road games though. And four weeks between home games in September/October. The MAC office did us no favors with this schedule (from a fan's perspective).
While I agree it’s an unappealing looking slate of games at first glance, when I look at it a little more closely, I actually see 6-0, which makes the schedule look really appealing to Ohio from that standpoint. I agree there isn’t a game on the home schedule to circle, but I also don’t see a loss either, which in my view makes it an outstanding home schedule for Ohio. Further, the only team from that MAC that would even be able to spruce the schedule up would be Miami IMO, as even Toledo got hit hard by the portal and will be taking a couple steps back. Also, considering who Ohio’s conference peers have to play in the non-conference, Ohio’s P5 slate is about as good as you can get for hunting more wins. Syracuse has been a pretty terrible team and Kentucky is decent, not great. Both of those games are certainly winnable. Point being to all of this, just like the old expression “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” I see a much different picture in this schedule than you do. While it may not look great on paper now, it’ll look fantastic on paper after the end of the season when it’s marked up with wins.
While I agree with your assessment from a wins and losses perspective, there just isn't a game where I'd pick up the phone and call out of town Bobcat friends inviting them to travel to Athens to see a game. When they would ask "who's playing" other than Akron I think many folks would say "thanks for the invite but I'll take a pass this year."
L.C.
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Posted: 3/23/2024 10:37 AM
There are 4 Saturday games, plus one on Wednesday (EMU), and one on the Friday after Thanksgiving. There are no Tuesday games at all. Also, no games are played on less than a week rest. I'd have to think that the lack of multiple mid-week games will boost average attendance.
colobobcat66
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Posted: 3/23/2024 9:54 PM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Just saw that Homecoming is in September and then looked at the schedule. This may be the most unattractive home schedule in recent history - South Alabama, Morgan State, Akron, Buffalo, Eastern, and Ball State. Other than Akron, not much of a rivalry game in any of them. Syracuse and Kentucky are appealing road games though. And four weeks between home games in September/October. The MAC office did us no favors with this schedule (from a fan's perspective).
While I agree it’s an unappealing looking slate of games at first glance, when I look at it a little more closely, I actually see 6-0, which makes the schedule look really appealing to Ohio from that standpoint. I agree there isn’t a game on the home schedule to circle, but I also don’t see a loss either, which in my view makes it an outstanding home schedule for Ohio. Further, the only team from that MAC that would even be able to spruce the schedule up would be Miami IMO, as even Toledo got hit hard by the portal and will be taking a couple steps back. Also, considering who Ohio’s conference peers have to play in the non-conference, Ohio’s P5 slate is about as good as you can get for hunting more wins. Syracuse has been a pretty terrible team and Kentucky is decent, not great. Both of those games are certainly winnable. Point being to all of this, just like the old expression “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” I see a much different picture in this schedule than you do. While it may not look great on paper now, it’ll look fantastic on paper after the end of the season when it’s marked up with wins.
While I agree with your assessment from a wins and losses perspective, there just isn't a game where I'd pick up the phone and call out of town Bobcat friends inviting them to travel to Athens to see a game. When they would ask "who's playing" other than Akron I think many folks would say "thanks for the invite but I'll take a pass this year."

I’m not thinking that Kentucky will be a likely win, we shall see.
Last Edited: 3/23/2024 9:54:48 PM by colobobcat66
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 3/24/2024 12:26 PM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
There are 4 Saturday games, plus one on Wednesday (EMU), and one on the Friday after Thanksgiving. There are no Tuesday games at all. Also, no games are played on less than a week rest. I'd have to think that the lack of multiple mid-week games will boost average attendance.
Just goes to show, we can never be happy over here ;-)
OhioBobcat
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Posted: 3/25/2024 12:21 AM
colobobcat66 wrote:expand_more
Just saw that Homecoming is in September and then looked at the schedule. This may be the most unattractive home schedule in recent history - South Alabama, Morgan State, Akron, Buffalo, Eastern, and Ball State. Other than Akron, not much of a rivalry game in any of them. Syracuse and Kentucky are appealing road games though. And four weeks between home games in September/October. The MAC office did us no favors with this schedule (from a fan's perspective).
While I agree it’s an unappealing looking slate of games at first glance, when I look at it a little more closely, I actually see 6-0, which makes the schedule look really appealing to Ohio from that standpoint. I agree there isn’t a game on the home schedule to circle, but I also don’t see a loss either, which in my view makes it an outstanding home schedule for Ohio. Further, the only team from that MAC that would even be able to spruce the schedule up would be Miami IMO, as even Toledo got hit hard by the portal and will be taking a couple steps back. Also, considering who Ohio’s conference peers have to play in the non-conference, Ohio’s P5 slate is about as good as you can get for hunting more wins. Syracuse has been a pretty terrible team and Kentucky is decent, not great. Both of those games are certainly winnable. Point being to all of this, just like the old expression “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” I see a much different picture in this schedule than you do. While it may not look great on paper now, it’ll look fantastic on paper after the end of the season when it’s marked up with wins.
While I agree with your assessment from a wins and losses perspective, there just isn't a game where I'd pick up the phone and call out of town Bobcat friends inviting them to travel to Athens to see a game. When they would ask "who's playing" other than Akron I think many folks would say "thanks for the invite but I'll take a pass this year."

I’m not thinking that Kentucky will be a likely win, we shall see.
I wouldn’t call the Kentucky game a “likely win” win either, but it’s certainly a game that is winnable. There isn’t a game on the schedule that I would label a sure loss. The UK game will be the toughest, but it’s the toughest of a very soft overall schedule.
OhioBobcat
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Posted: 3/25/2024 12:28 AM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
There are 4 Saturday games, plus one on Wednesday (EMU), and one on the Friday after Thanksgiving. There are no Tuesday games at all. Also, no games are played on less than a week rest. I'd have to think that the lack of multiple mid-week games will boost average attendance.
Ohio blew the MAC out of the water for Saturday home games last year. I believe there were 6 last season. That’s unheard of for MAC schools nowadays. Hell, that’s unheard for many schools in their history, let alone in recent years. Add four more this year and it’s another schedule perk for OU.
colobobcat66
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Posted: 3/25/2024 6:51 AM
OhioBobcat wrote:expand_more
Just saw that Homecoming is in September and then looked at the schedule. This may be the most unattractive home schedule in recent history - South Alabama, Morgan State, Akron, Buffalo, Eastern, and Ball State. Other than Akron, not much of a rivalry game in any of them. Syracuse and Kentucky are appealing road games though. And four weeks between home games in September/October. The MAC office did us no favors with this schedule (from a fan's perspective).
While I agree it’s an unappealing looking slate of games at first glance, when I look at it a little more closely, I actually see 6-0, which makes the schedule look really appealing to Ohio from that standpoint. I agree there isn’t a game on the home schedule to circle, but I also don’t see a loss either, which in my view makes it an outstanding home schedule for Ohio. Further, the only team from that MAC that would even be able to spruce the schedule up would be Miami IMO, as even Toledo got hit hard by the portal and will be taking a couple steps back. Also, considering who Ohio’s conference peers have to play in the non-conference, Ohio’s P5 slate is about as good as you can get for hunting more wins. Syracuse has been a pretty terrible team and Kentucky is decent, not great. Both of those games are certainly winnable. Point being to all of this, just like the old expression “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” I see a much different picture in this schedule than you do. While it may not look great on paper now, it’ll look fantastic on paper after the end of the season when it’s marked up with wins.
While I agree with your assessment from a wins and losses perspective, there just isn't a game where I'd pick up the phone and call out of town Bobcat friends inviting them to travel to Athens to see a game. When they would ask "who's playing" other than Akron I think many folks would say "thanks for the invite but I'll take a pass this year."

I’m not thinking that Kentucky will be a likely win, we shall see.
I wouldn’t call the Kentucky game a “likely win” win either, but it’s certainly a game that is winnable. There isn’t a game on the schedule that I would label a sure loss. The UK game will be the toughest, but it’s the toughest of a very soft overall schedule.

The Kentucky game is about as close to an unwinnable game as it could be. Very unlikely win IMHO

In my opinion, 2024 will be very much of a rebuilding year, with pretty much the least returning experience of anyone in FBS. While recruiting has been improving and we have some good young guys in the wings , it will take a while to mature those guys. Frankly, I’m glad we have what some folks are considering an easier home schedule, we’re going to need it.
Last Edited: 3/25/2024 7:03:17 AM by colobobcat66
bobcatsquared
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Posted: 3/25/2024 8:13 AM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
Just goes to show, we can never be happy over here ;-)
While BTC labels a lot of posts on BA as not being happy, others call it as just being realistic.
L.C.
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Posted: 3/25/2024 8:53 AM
colobobcat66 wrote:expand_more
... While recruiting has been improving and we have some good young guys in the wings , it will take a while to mature those guys.
...

And therein lies the problem with this brave new portal world. You no longer recruit great freshmen, and wait for them to mature. You recruit great freshmen, and wait for them to transfer.
M.D.W.S.T
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Posted: 3/25/2024 1:51 PM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
... While recruiting has been improving and we have some good young guys in the wings , it will take a while to mature those guys.
...

And therein lies the problem with this brave new portal world. You no longer recruit great freshmen, and wait for them to mature. You recruit great freshmen, and wait for them to transfer.
Did you hear Calipari this weekend? He said he might have to stop recruiting freshman because he can't wait for them to develop anymore. You have to win yesterday.
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 3/25/2024 4:47 PM
M.D.W.S.T wrote:expand_more
Did you hear Calipari this weekend? He said he might have to stop recruiting freshman because he can't wait for them to develop anymore. You have to win yesterday.
I'd argue that this is the same problem Calipari has always had at Kentucky, just with a different name. Now it's an NIL problem. Before it was a 1 and Done problem.

Dude's won a single championship. He's coached Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo, Jamal Murray, Julius Randall, Tyrese Maxey, Tyler Herro, De'Aaron Fox, SGA, etc.

When were those guys maturing at Kentucky?
TheBobcatBandit
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Posted: 3/29/2024 1:42 AM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
... While recruiting has been improving and we have some good young guys in the wings , it will take a while to mature those guys.
...

And therein lies the problem with this brave new portal world. You no longer recruit great freshmen, and wait for them to mature. You recruit great freshmen, and wait for them to transfer.
Can do what Oakland did in basketball, get good veteran D2 D3 kids. Can find untapped talent there.
Bobcat1996
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Posted: 3/29/2024 7:04 PM
"I wouldn’t call the Kentucky game a “likely win” win either, but it’s certainly a game that is winnable. There isn’t a game on the schedule that I would label a sure loss. The UK game will be the toughest, but it’s the toughest of a very soft overall schedule."

Very soft schedule?? Two power five teams on the road. Add in South Alabama a team that won seven games and dominated Oklahoma State and Marshall by three plus scores. Throw in the best team in the league the past five seasons in Toledo and Miami on the road, who won the MAC. I guess that schedule is soft? The non conference schedule alone is tougher than what Ohio basketball played this past season. Zero power five teams. A total of three true road games out of 13 non league games. Throw in three Horizon teams and one of those teams was a one win Detroit team, add in Marshall at home who finished 11th out of 14 Sun Belt teams. The Atlantic Ten is a much better league than the MAC, but Davidson and GW neutral site games were at the bottom of the standings in that league. I forgot Defiance. The basketball team consistently plays more games in the Convo than they do true road games. Was the basketball schedule soft? Yeah, the upcoming 2024 football schedule is soft. You may as well include the 2025 schedule as soft also when they have three power five schools, one being at Ohio State.
Last Edited: 3/29/2024 7:11:55 PM by Bobcat1996
Buckeye to Bobcat
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Posted: 4/3/2024 12:34 AM
Will gladly take this schedule in the name of what 2025 holds for us all. That, my friends, is a schedule
OUcats82
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Posted: 4/3/2024 8:31 AM
Buckeye to Bobcat wrote:expand_more
Will gladly take this schedule in the name of what 2025 holds for us all. That, my friends, is a schedule
Just took a peek-wow, yes.
Trevor Stephens
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Posted: 4/16/2024 12:56 PM
OUcats82 wrote:expand_more
Will gladly take this schedule in the name of what 2025 holds for us all. That, my friends, is a schedule
Just took a peek-wow, yes.
2025 Ohio Bobcats Schedule:

Saturday Aug. 30 at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
SHI Stadium, Piscataway, NJ

Saturday, Sep. 6 West Virginia Mountaineers
Peden Stadium, Athens, OH

Saturday, Sep. 13 at Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH

Saturday, Sep. 20 Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs
Peden Stadium, Athens, OH

at Akron Zips
InfoCision Stadium, Akron, OH

at Ball State Cardinals
Scheumann Stadium, Muncie, IN

at NIU Huskies
Huskie Stadium, DeKalb, IL

Central Michigan Chippewas
Peden Stadium, Athens, OH

Bowling Green Falcons
Peden Stadium, Athens, OH

Toledo Rockets
Peden Stadium, Athens, OH

Miami (Ohio) RedHawks
Peden Stadium, Athens, OH

at Western Michigan Broncos
Waldo Stadium, Kalamazoo, MI
Pataskala
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Posted: 8/19/2024 9:12 PM
I don't think this has been mentioned: This will be the first season since 2011 that we open the MAC schedule at home. Back then, we beat Kent 17-10. I think we've had a pretty good record in MAC openers since then but it'll be good to have a home game to start the MAC schedule.
Tymaster
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Posted: 8/21/2024 9:18 AM
Dear Lord Almighty, FOUR Saturday games in September/October. One weeknight MACtion and the Black Friday game and we still have whinging?
Bobcat1996
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Posted: 8/21/2024 3:26 PM
Tymaster wrote:expand_more
Dear Lord Almighty, FOUR Saturday games in September/October. One weeknight MACtion and the Black Friday game and we still have whinging?
BTC and Tymaster are correct. No reason to complain about four Saturday home games, one Friday afternoon game after Thanksgiving and only one midweek game.
Victory
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Posted: 8/30/2024 7:06 PM
It seems like the last few years schools have been allowed to announce homecoming times before the season started. Other game times weren't announced because of flexing. Miami announced their HC, which is against us, as a 3:30 game on 10/19. OUr time remains unannounced. So does CMU on 10/12 which is also against Ohio. Given that they announced times for a lot of week 3 and week 4 games earlier this year and we have 4 MACtion game times set, I thought we might experience an FBS oddity in having 11 of 12 times set before the season. I guess that isn't going to happen.

Homecoming is 4 weeks away. You'd think they'd want to nail down a schedule. I'm guessing ESPN hasn't let them.
uagamer
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Posted: 8/31/2024 1:14 AM
Tymaster wrote:expand_more
Dear Lord Almighty, FOUR Saturday games in September/October. One weeknight MACtion and the Black Friday game and we still have whinging?
It's Alan Swank. He's been doing this since at least the Sweet 16 season, when he, 695, and other wannabes kept harping on the O Zone.......
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