Yea I hear you on the above for the most part. The ability to modify football schedules is limited when 75% of your games are played in conference. With that being said, Ohio can't afford to waste a non-conference game on a WAC or SBC team on an annual basis. I would be okay with a combination of Army, Navy, Duke, Syracuse, BC on a 1 for 1 basis in its place.

No argument.  They were not good.  But these games are scheduled years in advance.  tOSU has Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Georgia on the future schedules.  Who knows how any of them will be when the time actually comes to play...But at least they are playing someone.  When was the last time Florida played a non-conference outside their state?

Nebraska isn't out of conference any more.

Based upon next years schedule most of us would agree that it's soft.
Therefore most of us are thinking a 10 win season is a lock.
Some of us are expecting Ohio to break into the top 25.
Most think another bowl appearance is a certainty.
Most are probably thinking a MAC Championship is in reach.
Frank is now in control of the scheduling and he has turned the program around.
Having the last 4 games on the ESPN network is great even if it means a mid - week schedule.
This ESPN schedule also says something else about the MAC.
I think the MAC negotiated this schedule with ESPN.
I doubt there is another MAC team having as many games broadcast on ESPN as Ohio.
This schedule also helps in the recruiting nationally.
If we can win 10 or more games including the 4 ESPN televised games,+ the MAC Championship Game, and the bowl game we will have had an incredible year. The program takes another step forward. The fact that the schedule was soft, while factual, becomes less of a talking point. Maybe, just maybe with these results we end the year in the top 25. Time for celebration.



GO BOBCATS

My understanding is that columbus' out of conf sched (that part of the sched which is of a school's choosing, unlike in conf games) is generally weak and that they don't often play away from home.

I wonder how their out of conf sched compares with such as USC, UCLA, Nebraska, Texas, etc.  My impression is that USC and UCLA, at least, play tough out-of-conf scheds and including, at times, multiple tough roadies.

None of the top programs play tough road schedules.  Why?  Because they don't have to.  The system is what it is.  I don't like it one bit, but that's another day.

Ohio State has their philosophy, and they stick by it, just like many of the other programs.  Play one high-major program, which is usually a home-and-home (USC, Texas, Miami in the past - VTech, Oklahoma, Georgia, Tennessee in the future), 2 in-state/MAC schools at home, and they'll typically play one game against a not-so good BCS team (Navy, this year it's Colorado).

I'd love to see them axe a MAC team and play a TCU or Boise, but that is not gonna happen.  And you can't argue with their results, as they are now the all-time leader in BCS appearances and wins.

But I'm on record favoring a playoff, which would be nothing short of greatness.

Does anyone know when the starting times for the 2011 schedule will be posted? Also a note about scheduling by schools like osu. Their fans can complain all they want but they must schedule the way they do, not to help us out or for easy wins but too pay for their athletic programs. With 36 varsity sports osu must have at least 7 home games a year or serious cuts would have to be made. Another game against a team like The University of Miami would require a home and home which might leave osu some years with only 6 home games. The same goes with the Big Ten going to a 9 game schedule. That is the whole reason the 12 th game was added, to pay bills. Everyone benifits this way, we get the money by playing the bcs schools and they get the needed exstra home game.

It will probably be after Ohio State announces their starting times.