Yard Barker doth say..."Back to the future..."

Gardner-Webb 'Dawgs 2018

ETSU Bucs 2019 & 2024

Need another P5 or big G5 announced soon.

Announced back in April: http://www.appstatesports.com/ViewArtic ... =210873587

Let's not forget Marshall, Akron, Wake, Charlotte, and Massachusetts. All members of the Group of Five and Wake from the ACC. It shapes up well. The regional teams from FCS are nice, might mean night games and a nice crowd that travels from these schools. It is also nice to see the old rivals from the Southern Conference come to town.

Of the G5 opponents the only one I consider upper level is Marshall.

Don't count out Akron, Terry Bowden is the HC, he will make them strong. That is a hard road game this fall for us.

Completely agree about Akron. That is probably one of the games that I am most afraid of this upcoming season. However, I don't consider their name to be upper echelon of the college football G5 world. Need someone to really sparked the fans interest.

They aren't listed above, but I would say Southern Miss is at or near the same level as Marshall.

Southern Miss has the name recognition, but their performance on the field in recent years isn't up there with Marshall...although it's trending upward.

boonetown1 wrote:Completely agree about Akron. That is probably one of the games that I am most afraid of this upcoming season. However, I don't consider their name to be upper echelon of the college football G5 world. Need someone to really sparked the fans interest.

Afraid of them because you feel they are superior to us or because you think we will overlook them?

AtlAppMan wrote:

boonetown1 wrote:Completely agree about Akron. That is probably one of the games that I am most afraid of this upcoming season. However, I don't consider their name to be upper echelon of the college football G5 world. Need someone to really sparked the fans interest.

Afraid of them because you feel they are superior to us or because you think we will overlook them?

I wouldn't say they're superior, but they are coming off one of their best seasons, winning a bowl and returning many starters. Add that to the fact we are playing them after a tough stretch (with potential ups and downs) and at their place. I'm just saying all of our first 4 games will be tough and there is potential to overlook the Zips.

Also, on an unrelated note. Their stadium is very nice.

AtlAppMan wrote:

boonetown1 wrote:Completely agree about Akron. That is probably one of the games that I am most afraid of this upcoming season. However, I don't consider their name to be upper echelon of the college football G5 world. Need someone to really sparked the fans interest.

Afraid of them because you feel they are superior to us or because you think we will overlook them?

Their MAC "sister" (Ohio U) almost spoiled our day just a few months back. Thus, in a nutshell, for the same reason.

Isn't Penn State on the schedule in the next couple of seasons?

hotrod2001 wrote:Isn't Penn State on the schedule in the next couple of seasons?

2018 Labor Day weekend.

I'm sorry, but I honestly can't get excited about playing GW and ETSU nor would I ever consider coming to Boone to watch these games...I was hoping that we left the FCS to avoid playing soft teams, but I guess I'm wrong. If we're ever going to do something about our SOS, playing these games are a complete waste of time. I don't expect anyone to agree. Just stating my opinion...

Firstly I agree that I'd prefer to schedule home and homes with G5 members over FCS games, that said:

App plays two FCS opponents over the next four seasons. Only two ACC programs play less than two FCS programs over that same span (FSU and Miami), most play three, and three ACC programs play one every year. http://www.fbschedules.com/

Your expectation was for App to play fewer FCS opponents than ACC teams currently do, I'm not sure that's realistic.

If we stick to averaging one FCS team every two years and maintain six home games that will be pretty solid scheduling, especially if we continue finishing above .500.

No FCS games = no money games. Simple as that. If you're going to schedule any road games for which you don't get a return game, then you have to schedule a home-only game to balance it out. They also give us the flexibility to schedule something like a 2-for-1 series with a bigger program should that ever be an issue.

I don't get excited about them either, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy making the trip up to Boone to watch us squash one cupcake per year.

ELCubano1 wrote:I'm sorry, but I honestly can't get excited about playing GW and ETSU nor would I ever consider coming to Boone to watch these games...I was hoping that we left the FCS to avoid playing soft teams, but I guess I'm wrong. If we're ever going to do something about our SOS, playing these games are a complete waste of time. I don't expect anyone to agree. Just stating my opinion...

This year is an anomaly. I would expect at least one FCS team on our schedule. If they are "local" even better because they might bring a few fans with them. Don't get me wrong, this year is very exciting but I think if we hit the conference schedule banged up we might wish for a soft team to rest some guys.

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No FCS teams: Great, and something we should shoot for every season.

One FCS team: Expected, and can be a fun breather for our guys.

Two FCS teams: Inexcusable, and unlike UNC-CHeat (two games in both 2015 and 2016), will not likely happen for us again.

I know some people are really opposed to playing FCS teams if at all possible. I'll just say this: If you give me a choice between a single home game vs. an FCS and a home-and-home versus a bottom-of-the-barrel, out-of-region FBS like UMass, give me the FCS every time. I'm hopeful that we won't see any more of the latter added to the schedule in the foreseeable future.