Scheduling

[Bballer]

I know we have redone our schedule to try and increase attendance, but I think we can do better. The only out of conference game that we have nothing to lose is TCU. But Navy, Tech, and OSU, are all reputable teams that could beat us and hurt our rep.

How is Navy going to help attendance, by the way? Do they travel that many fans? Do that many people in Dallas want to see Navy play?

Back to the subject. Tech and OSU will bring many fans to Ford, in fact, I bet it will be sold out, or close. But wouldn't we sell out Texas, A$M, or even lower caliber top 30 teams like KSU, LSU, or even Auburn? These are tough games, but beating any of the above teams will get us on SportsCenter, CNNSI, etc. Beating Tech or OSU will get us on WFAA or Fox Southwest at best. Losing to teams like A$M, LSU, etc would not hurt us like losing to OSU, or Tech would. Do you see my point? LSU, Auburn, KSU would pack Ford and give us something to play for. Games like that will draw TV and outsiders eyes. Games like would make the expansion of Ford to 45,000 factor a reality.

Bottom line: We have little to gain by playing OSU and Tech. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain by playing top 30 teams. Now maybe we try and schedule these games and they just won't play us, that I don't know. I just hope Bennett sees this possible problem and tries to encourage Copeland to schedule bigger games.

[Charleston Pony]

Actually, the current home schedule is perhaps as attractive a schedule as we can realistically hope for at Ford.

Navy & Tech will both be good draws and may be close to sellouts, as you say. TCU, Okla St & Baylor (all future home opponents) will draw well and should be good match-ups for SMU.

The economic reality is that programs like UT, A$M and LSU will NEVER play at Ford. Even with inflated ticket prices (see Kansas game 9-2-2000), we do well to generate a $7-800,000 gate whereas those programs generate $2 million plus for every home game. LSU is paying I-AA Citadel $425,000 as a visitor this year. We simply cannot compete on that level.

The decision to play regional teams from BCS conferences who can help us pack Ford (and presumably are willing to take a $200,000 visitor's check) is a good decision. Let's see how we fare with this caliber opponent in the next few years.

[Boston Pony]

OOC schedule is a great start - Navy travels well (every alum in SW will be there + every Texas Middie gets to go).
OSU & Tech - Big XXII, travel well plus potential wins.
Top 20 programs generally need large crowds, want 2-1 home/home schedule and games they can win OOC - all difficult with SMU. I however agree, it would be great to take a flyer on one of these type of games per season -- not UT or A&M (they don't want to get near us) but UCLA, USC, Northwestern, or Notre Dame. They all recruit here and probably want to get more exposure in the state...It would bring presence for us in their home grounds as well.

[PK]

I hope we always play TCU, but we need to get back into the same conference with them if we can....that will open up another OOC game for some of the other teams you talk about. I wish we could get Arkansas back on our schedule. They would have Ford filled easily.

[SMUPonyFan]

I would love to see Arkansas back on the schedule.

CP, Bballer has a point. Why play Navy if you could have Arkansas. What is there to gain by beating Navy? That is assuming we could schedule Arkansas.

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Go Red, Go Blue, Go Mustangs, S M U

[This message has been edited by SMUPonyFan (edited 02-02-2002).]

[Boston Pony]

The Hogs dropped us because they want an uneven schedule -- more home games. They can get that with DIAA schools or Southland types. Remember we had a recent string of success against them. Navy is the completion of a long run of games booked years ago. They will draw well and should be a good W (which we need in September). The other OOC games are regional matchups, so I think the AD did a good job on the schedules for the next few years.