Second game of the Season!!!

[EWU Grad 82]

SE174,

Do you know what we paid SUU to come to Cheney?

 

[Screamin_Eagle174]

SE174,

Do you know what we paid SUU to come to Cheney?

Likely nothing, because that was a home and home deal; we played in Cedar City in 2009.

 

[EWU Grad 82]

SE174,

Pardon my senior moment, somehow it slipped my mind the we played SUU at home in 09.

Do you know if we have a home and home deal with USD?

 

[Screamin_Eagle174]

SE174,

Pardon my senior moment, somehow it slipped my mind the we played SUU at home in 09.

Do you know if we have a home and home deal with USD?

From what I've heard we don't, unfortunately.

 

[EdubAlum]

SE174,

Pardon my senior moment, somehow it slipped my mind the we played SUU at home in 09.

Do you know if we have a home and home deal with USD?

From what I've heard we don't, unfortunately.

ya, it's a pay and play, one time only trip out there.

 

[EWU Grad 82]

If it's a pay and play then it's truly pitiful that the defending NC needed to trade a home game for a payday. What's even more dreadful is that USD is the best opponent our athletic department could find. If they wanted a payday maybe they should have tried harder to get an FBS opponent located in the same time zone such Idaho or WSU. I'm sure there's a reason for this choice, but I just don't understand it.

I hope the quest for the revenue that comes with pay and play games doesn't come of the expense of fans who've been season ticket holders for years and have given this program financial and moral support for years.

 

[kalm]

If it's a pay and play then it's truly pitiful that the defending NC needed to trade a home game for a payday. What's even more dreadful is that USD is the best opponent our athletic department could find. If they wanted a payday maybe they should have tried harder to get an FBS opponent located in the same time zone such Idaho or WSU. I'm sure there's a reason for this choice, but I just don't understand it.

I hope the quest for the revenue that comes with pay and play games doesn't come of the expense of fans who've been season ticket holders for years and have given this program financial and moral support for years.

Given our chances of making another deep run in the playoffs, USD, even on the road and with no return, is still a better opponent than Idaho or WSU. We're not a CAA school who can schedule a MEAC, Big South, or Patriot League gimme whenever we want. And we're not Montana who many years can avoid a body bag game because they can make as much at home scheduling a DII. It sucks, but being the NC has nothing to do with it as long as we remain west of the Mississippi and average under 10,000 in attendance.

 

[clawman1]

If it's a pay and play then it's truly pitiful that the defending NC needed to trade a home game for a payday. What's even more dreadful is that USD is the best opponent our athletic department could find. If they wanted a payday maybe they should have tried harder to get an FBS opponent located in the same time zone such Idaho or WSU. I'm sure there's a reason for this choice, but I just don't understand it.

I hope the quest for the revenue that comes with pay and play games doesn't come of the expense of fans who've been season ticket holders for years and have given this program financial and moral support for years.

Given our chances of making another deep run in the playoffs, USD, even on the road and with no return, is still a better opponent than Idaho or WSU. We're not a CAA school who can schedule a MEAC, Big South, or Patriot League gimme whenever we want. And we're not Montana who many years can avoid a body bag game because they can make as much at home scheduling a DII. It sucks, but being the NC has nothing to do with it as long as we remain west of the Mississippi and average under 10,000 in attendance.

Kalm;
So true!! A win over another FCS team is worth far more than a win over a DII. A loss against WSU or Idaho is still another loss. While we would all like a 5th home game this is really a pretty good schedule for playoff seeding. Even if the Eagles loose 2 of the first 3 and run the table after that we are in good shape for a high seed. If there was another loss to a FBS team now at 3 losses the Eagles would be very average in the big picture, and early season losses are more forgiving than late season losses.
As far as fan support due to another game, I think another run deep in the playoffs is more beneficial, if the support at the end of last season is any indication, and high seeding is extremely important for that to happen.
Seattle and Missoula are easily day trips if one likes to drive or one nighter at most, now you have a chance to attend 6 games.
Go Eags!

 

[EdubAlum]

from bill chaves

Football ‘11 – We announced our schedule last week, and as I was quoted in the release below I do wish we could have found a way to play one more home game in Cheney. But scheduling is very inexact and the ability to dial-in 10 FCS games was something that we wanted to secure rather than potentially waiting longer into the spring before we tried to contract our 11th game. The South Dakota game is a one-year arrangement as they agreed to a guarantee for us to play in Vermillion, while Cal Poly is a home and home beginning on the road in ‘11. As we have discussed before, the start of our year is always interesting because our team literally has six weeks of practice/games before the academic quarter begins (next year it will be during our first home game on September 24). So the ability to weave in road games at that time of year (especially two bus trips) can in some ways be a positive from a focus/team building perspective.

 

[marceagfan5]

from bill chaves

Football ‘11 – We announced our schedule last week, and as I was quoted in the release below I do wish we could have found a way to play one more home game in Cheney. But scheduling is very inexact and the ability to dial-in 10 FCS games was something that we wanted to secure rather than potentially waiting longer into the spring before we tried to contract our 11th game. The South Dakota game is a one-year arrangement as they agreed to a guarantee for us to play in Vermillion, while Cal Poly is a home and home beginning on the road in ‘11. As we have discussed before, the start of our year is always interesting because our team literally has six weeks of practice/games before the academic quarter begins (next year it will be during our first home game on September 24). So the ability to weave in road games at that time of year (especially two bus trips) can in some ways be a positive from a focus/team building perspective.

I understand the situation and I think Chaves is trying to get at that they didn't want to schedule a drop down home game and wanted to play 10 FCS games. I just wonder how much we really tried to get someone (FCS) here? We win a national championship, but we have to go play at South Dakota? 3 road games to start the year is going to be brutal. Our main focus should be on conference play, we win the conference next year and we should get another playoff seed. Why do we play a Pac 12 team and South Dakota on the road before we play at Missoula to open conference play?

I guess I am just wondering if we think this is the best possible way to get a seed in the playoffs? I go back and forth on it and think it is great to have 10 FCS schools on our schedule, even with only 4 home games, but I also think it would be nice to have a home game before going on the road to Missoula and then coming back to host MSU, arguably the 2 toughest conference games we will have all season.

We don't have the attendance that U of M or MSU have so if we don't have a seed in the playoffs it will be difficult to host a playoff game and the best bet at getting a seed is winning our conference. My only gripe about the schedule is I don't think we put ourselves in a great position to win the conference. Playing at Missoula is tough enough, doing it after playing back to back road games makes it more difficult. I still see us winning the game and conference, I just don't like the way we set it up, but I'm also not in control and I'm sure there is a lot more that goes into it that we aren't aware of, so I will just make the trip to Missoula and Seattle and cheer my ass off.

 

[Rontheoldwiseeagle]

Two road games before a road game to UofM and then Montana State. Plus the travel to SD will cost the team a practice day. AD says it is the best that can be done. WOW! Home and Home with Cal Poly. why are we traveling first with only 4 home games? I can not see a harder way to get a high seed than this schedule.
How many years do we have to play the two Montana schools back to back? What a disavantage that is for the second years in a row. How does that happen? When does one of the Montana schools have to play us back to back with the other Montana school?
Next year we have both Idaho and WSU so how do we get home games next year?
Roos Field to hot for home games.

 

[clawman1]

How about the last game of the year?? Does anyone know the playoff schedule for this year, specifically the championship game?

 

[EWURanger]

How about the last game of the year?? Does anyone know the playoff schedule for this year, specifically the championship game?

I don't know if it's published yet, but it will be the same format for the playoffs/championship game, with the exception that I've heard they're trying to schedule around the Cotton Bowl from now on.

Ron, the Montana games have been played back to back for as long as I can remember, nothing new. But good point in that neither one plays us and the other back to back. Bottom line is everyone has to play play everyone anyway (until 2012). Yes, this is a very difficult schedule, but I say bring 'em on. We have the talent to beat every FCS team on this schedule, and to make things interesting at UW.

 

[EdubAlum]

How about the last game of the year?? Does anyone know the playoff schedule for this year, specifically the championship game?

I don't know if it's published yet, but it will be the same format for the playoffs/championship game, with the exception that I've heard they're trying to schedule around the Cotton Bowl from now on.

Ron, the Montana games have been played back to back for as long as I can remember, nothing new. But good point in that neither one plays us and the other back to back. Bottom line is everyone has to play play everyone anyway (until 2012). Yes, this is a very difficult schedule, but I say bring 'em on. We have the talent to beat every FCS team on this schedule, and to make things interesting at UW.

it was the cotton bowl that scheduled over the fcs championship game, not the other way around.

 

[clawman1]

It was my understanding that the 3 week delay before the NC game was due to the way the holidays fell in 2010. This year the holidays fall on Sunday rather than Sat so the NC game could move up one or two weeks if the NCAA so chooses.
Sounds like that decision has not been made yet.

 

[kalm]

Two road games before a road game to UofM and then Montana State. Plus the travel to SD will cost the team a practice day. AD says it is the best that can be done. WOW! Home and Home with Cal Poly. why are we traveling first with only 4 home games? I can not see a harder way to get a high seed than this schedule.quote]

Example: 9-2 with an all DI schedule versus 8-2 DI, 1-0 DII. Or 9-2 with an all DI schedule versus 8-3 with two FBS games. Unless anyone knows for a fact that we had other options, this really is the best track to getting a high seed.

Also, the kids aren't in school yet, so can't we schedule our days off around the travel schedule or does that count toward the alloted practice hours?

This isn't directed at you in general Ron, but one of the recurring themes in this thread is that because we're now national champions we should expect our scheduling challenges to go away. It's unfortunate, but I can't see any real leverage the championship brings to the table for us in trying to get a DI team to play here.

 

[EWURanger]

How about the last game of the year?? Does anyone know the playoff schedule for this year, specifically the championship game?

I don't know if it's published yet, but it will be the same format for the playoffs/championship game, with the exception that I've heard they're trying to schedule around the Cotton Bowl from now on.

Ron, the Montana games have been played back to back for as long as I can remember, nothing new. But good point in that neither one plays us and the other back to back. Bottom line is everyone has to play play everyone anyway (until 2012). Yes, this is a very difficult schedule, but I say bring 'em on. We have the talent to beat every FCS team on this schedule, and to make things interesting at UW.

it was the cotton bowl that scheduled over the fcs championship game, not the other way around.

Yep, but either way, they need to de-conflict next year to help out ratings.

 

[FreeBird]

This isn't directed at you in general Ron, but one of the recurring themes in this thread is that because we're now national champions we should expect our scheduling challenges to go away. It's unfortunate, but I can't see any real leverage the championship brings to the table for us in trying to get a DI team to play here.

The bottom line is that if being National Champions convinces folks in Spokane to step up and accept this team as it's own, it makes a difference. That kind of support makes it financially impossible not to have 6 or more home games. The first step is filling the end zone bleachers. These are actually really good seats for watching a game. You're right on top of the action. This justifies building visitor side seating that Ranger has shown. Filling this to capacity makes it financially impossible not to have more home games.

Come on now Spokane, step up! It's really fun to be a part of a winning football tradition. Tailgate, yell, scream, piss off NDSU fans with your cowbells, all that.

Come on now Spokane, college football rocks, you should try it.

 

[LDopaPDX]

I just can't buy into the fact that we can't get home/home arrangements out of other FCS teams. That doesn't even make sense. We've played home and homes with the likes of Stephen F. Austin and Texas State in the past. We had a home/home arrangement with Nicholls State and never got a return trip? We once paid Illinois State just to play us at home. I don't understand why these scheduling options weren't better than taking a one-time shot on the road with a lesser team.

If we're going to travel all the way to Vermillion, why not find someone like Drake or some easier FCS opposition that basically guarantees us a win? Why do we always match up with power conference teams? I get it for a home/home, but if we're just filling a game for minimal money, that makes little sense.

Lastly, why is Cal Poly even considered a home/home? If they are a conference opponent starting in 2012, wouldn't that game be dictated by the conference? I mean, saying were taking Cal Poly on a home/home arrangement with a home game in 2012 is like saying we're taking Idaho State on a home/home and playing them at home in 2012.

 

[Screamin_Eagle174]

I just can't buy into the fact that we can't get home/home arrangements out of other FCS teams. That doesn't even make sense. We've played home and homes with the likes of Stephen F. Austin and Texas State in the past. We had a home/home arrangement with Nicholls State and never got a return trip? We once paid Illinois State just to play us at home. I don't understand why these scheduling options weren't better than taking a one-time shot on the road with a lesser team.

If we're going to travel all the way to Vermillion, why not find someone like Drake or some easier FCS opposition that basically guarantees us a win? Why do we always match up with power conference teams? I get it for a home/home, but if we're just filling a game for minimal money, that makes little sense.

Lastly, why is Cal Poly even considered a home/home? If they are a conference opponent starting in 2012, wouldn't that game be dictated by the conference? I mean, saying were taking Cal Poly on a home/home arrangement with a home game in 2012 is like saying we're taking Idaho State on a home/home and playing them at home in 2012.

Because the home and home with CP was scheduled before CP was invited to join the BSC.