I now think we know the date when Frank will retire before.

Don't bet anything you can't afford to lose on it. I think Frank's model is Amos Alonzo Stagg. He may "die in the saddle" so to speak.

A small glimpse at the new administration's attitude towards athletics. Expect lots more "big money" games to close the gap in what we used to raise via ticket sales, donations, etc. Have to make up the budget somewhere - Nellis has given his marching orders.

FWIW, I've heard that some other future games and home-home series are on the chopping block too.

I want one game with Ohio State. Just one more.

Catfan28 is probably correct. I doubt the Bearcats from UC play in Athens in a few years. Both schools may be looking for bigger pay days.

Wouldn't be shocked to see some 5 game home schedules in the not-too-distant future. Kent State has been doing those for a while and making $2 million or more on road games.

IMO, Frank may push back enough to keep it at 6 home games for the remainder of his tenure. But I'd fully expect the next coach to be told a major goal for his program is generating revenue via guarantee games.

And yes, I wouldn't be shocked if the Bearcats never make the trip to Athens.

The cats destroyed some pretty good teams last season in WMU, Buffalo and San Diego St so now its time for more challenge. Frank put the 6 game home schedule in to help the program build some wins which was understandable. Wins to help them get to a bowl and when Frank started the MAC had 3 of them. Seven wins today and Ohio is a lock for a bowl.

I am not certain five home games is what is best for Ohio. Scheduling six home games still gives the Bobcats the best chance to be successful. A few seasons ago Western Ky. got $1.3 million for a trip to Bama and UMASS got about the same for playing the Gators. Troy brought in about $1 million to play LSU in 2017. Auburn is paying Southern Miss $1.85 million to play them in 2020 and in 2014 Southern Miss made $1.4 million for a game in Tuscaloosa. Does this university want to play away at Arizona State, Auburn and Wisconsin? Kent faces this schedule in 2019. The ASU game is not all that intimidating, but the other two games, Kent will be a heavy underdog. Injuries mount over the first month and then when the MAC season arrives, Kent will not be healthy to compete against league schools. If Ohio can get one huge payday from an SEC school or the Irish then two homes games are always a possibility. Play the usual home game with a FCS school and then face the likes of Marshall, Texas State, Louisiana, Fla. Atlantic, South Alabama, Western Ky., Navy, Middle Tenn home and away. They then can schedule teams like Maryland, Pitt, Wake, UVA, Indiana, Rutgers away on some seasons, knowing that it would be a one year deal. This won't satisfy some fans, but if some of the schools above are bringing in way over $1 million, then Ohio should also try to get some of that money.

Doing some rough math, let's figure:
A. A "money game" on the road produces $1m. Chance of winning = 10%
B. A home and home gives produces no payment, but Ohio gets to keep the home gate receipts when they play at home, or about $200k, which would divided over 2 games, so $100k/game. Chance of winning = 50%.
C. FCS game is always at home. They get the $200k gate receipts, but have to pay the other team $400k, so a $200k loss.

Using those numbers, here are some options:
1. Current system: Two home-home, one money game, one fcs game.
Home games=1/2*2+0+1=2, plus 4 conference games, so 6 home games/year
Money: $100k*2+$1m-$200k=$1m/year
Wins: .5*2+.1+.9=2 OOC wins/year

2. Drop the FCS game, replace it with another home and home.
Home games=1/2*3+0=1.5, or 5.5 home games a year (alternating 5 and 6 game schedules.
Money: $100k*3+$1m=$1.3m per year.
Wins: .5*3+.1= 1.6 OOC Wins/year

3. Keep the FCS game, drop one home and home and have 2 money games.
Home games=.5*1+0*2+1=1.5, or 5.5 home games (alternate 5 and 6)
Money: $100k+2*$1m$-200k=$1.9m per year
Wins: .5+2*.1+.9=1.6 OOC wins/year

4. 2 home and home, and 2 money games
Home games=.5*2+0*2=1 or 5 home games per year
Money: $100k+2*$1m$=$2.2m per year
Wins: .5*2+2*.1=1.2 OOC wins/year

5. FCS game and 3 money games, no home and home series
Home games=1+3*0=1, so 5 home games/year
Money: 3*$1m-$200k=$2.8m per year
Wins: .1*3+1=1.3 OOC wins/year

If you don't like my assumptions, feel free to substitute your own, but where I end up is this:

I. If you want 6 homes games, you have only choice 1, with the FCS game, and a couple other (usually G5) foes.
II. For 5.5 games, you can choose between 2 and 3. Both produce about the same number of wins and home games, but option 3 produces significantly more money, so that's the one that is the logical choice.
III. If you are forced down to 5 homes games a year, Options 4 and 5 produce similar win totals, but option 5 produces more money, so it's the logical choice.

so... it would seem to me that where you end up is with an FCS game, and however many money games you need in order to produce the revenue you need. Any other games would be home and home with other G5 teams. If the home gate receipts were much higher (say 35,000 people at $30 each, or $1m), then the need for money games goes away, and the home and home series become much more attractive, but that isn't going to happen.

Word is Cincinnati has already bought out of their game in Athens. That's why I wanted to beat them so bad in Cincinnati this year.

They bought out a road game that is 2 hours away. What an egotistical decision.

I doubt it was an egotistical decision. More likely it was a monetary one. They have to be feeling the cost pressures as well, especially with the relatively new stadium, and all their coaching changes. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that they bought out the Ohio game in order to replace it with a paid money game.