thin, silver lining

[auggie22]

With SU and Pitt departing and moving to a more challenging, 9 game conference schedule + 1 w/ ND, coupled with the atrocious roster of NBE teams we will see on an annual basis, I would think we are bound to see more home-and-home arrangements with top 25 programs. Maybe too much wishful thinking but hear me out.

I realize that SU in particular has stepped up their OOC for the near-term (mostly neutral site venues), but I have to imagine that this scheduling was inked before the ACC move was known. They are stairing down the barrel of a 4-5 win season again this year...imagine what life would be like if they also had to play Miami, Fl State and/or Va Tech in conference?

Who are the name schools going to play if they are looking for an early, winnable (perceived winnable) Fall match-up in proximity to NYC/NE alumni? Uconn and Rutgers are now the BCS programs who can most afford to play a strong OOC schedule in the northeast, and offer a venue for programs that have a significant presence of NYC/NE alumni.

 

[UConnJim]

The NBE is going to be a pretty good football league, but not with name programs. Boise St. is as good if not better than anyone in the ACC. SMU and Houston are pretty good. Navy is always a challenge. UCF and SD St. are decent sometimes. And, don't forget Cinci and Louisville which have had very good years and top 10 finishes. Rutgers could go either way in the future, in my opinion. Thus, the NBE conference schedule is no cake walk. In my opinion, the ACC has more teams that can be bad than the NBE.