No reason to continue playing UNT

[mustangxc]

If we are going to play games against the likes of Texas State, Arkansas State, Houston Baptist, etc. then I don't see the harm in playing UNT. We could lose to any team we play against if we are not prepared to play and it would be just as harmful so until we manage to schedule annual home and homes against TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech, and another power conference opponent and are able to compete to the extent where we can reasonably expect 2-2 as a worst case scenario for our non-conference schedule I have no problem having UNT be our lesser opponent.

[WordUpBU]

SMU vs Rice attendance post DP:
1989 (home)- 23,277
1990 (away)- 17,900
1991 (home) - 13,100
1992 (away) - 15,100
1993 (home) - 14,177
1994 (away) - 17,800
1995 (home) - 11,524
1996 (away) - 20,100
1997 (home) - 20,124
1998 (away) - 42,674
1999 (home) -16,272
2000 (away) - 11,418
2001 (home) - 14,820
2002 (away) - 10,845
2003(home) - 11,856
2004 (away) - 15,367
2005 (home) - 15,236
2006 (away) - 12,867
2007 (home) -13,902
2008 (away) - 23,164
2009 (home) - 18,277
2010 (away) - 14,981
2011 (home) - 14,472
2013 (away) - 20,710

Outside of the “operation sellout” that Rice did in 1998 do the fans of either school really cares out playing each other?



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Rice won’t give you attendance. Their living alumni base literally fits inside their stadium.

However they are a historical foe and might be solid in a couple years once Bloomgren gets his guys.


I’d love for BU to schedule SMU more. Arkansas is a school that should be H&H or 2/1 with SMU given where they need to recruit better.

[East Coast Mustang]

I’d be all for an OOC that included TCU and Baylor.

[WordUpBU]

If we are going to play games against the likes of Texas State, Arkansas State, Houston Baptist, etc. then I don't see the harm in playing UNT. We could lose to any team we play against if we are not prepared to play and it would be just as harmful so until we manage to schedule annual home and homes against TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech, and another power conference opponent and are able to compete to the extent where we can reasonably expect 2-2 as a worst case scenario for our non-conference schedule I have no problem having UNT be our lesser opponent.

I think the goal here should be balancing a couple things:

1- Wins. More pony fans will come to the game when you win around 10+.

2- Relevant opponents- Recongnizable names both regionally and nationally. However go too crazy with it (2013) and you can defeat goal 1.

3- Exposure- You want to be seen playing home & away.

So assuming TCU is on the schedule every year you have one relevant game regionally already and a typically tough one.

The AAC west does a decent job adding two historically frequent opponents (UH/Navy) as well and Tulane/Tulsa aren’t usually exciting but make sense as regional schools with similar profiles.

UNT is a bit different as it can make sense for UNT as a balance of the 1st & 2nd goals but has some drawbacks. UNT’s brand is so weak and “they are FBs? Really?” In the mind of casual fans that a loss really harms casual fanbase views of the program.

Also their tv deal via CUSA is basically invisible for those who don’t get lucky to get limited cable viewers via NFL network or CBS Sports. If you miss those two it’s internet only.

It’s arguable that a school with more limited recruiting options like UTEP (geography) or Rice (academic hurdles) would be better CUSA Texas teams to schedule from the wins perspective and possibly grabbing a home and home with P5’s like KU, Rutgers, etc that are likely weaker teams with recognizable names and decent tv deals make sense. Possibly scheduling Indiana too.

Scheduling where you have visibility and an annual shot at likely getting 7-8+ wins will build attendance more than a H&H with Tech /BU/ATM/UT would.