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This game always whips me...it's a tough game to win for most teams in the country, largely because of their unique offense...they upset a decent BCS team every year. If you beat them however, people just downplay the victory because they're a service academy. I know they bring a lot of fans but I don't see that it mitigates the above.

Why not schedule the New Mexicos or the Iowa States of the world? They're closer, they probably bring as many fans, might be more winnable and we'd probably get a little more street cred if we beat them and we wouldn't have to prepare for a really unique offense.

From what I remember back in 02 they brought alot of fans to Ford. Could be a reason for scheduling them.

I don't think people discount a Navy win for the very reasons you articulated: they have a difficult offense to defend, they have beaten several BCS teams in the past few years, not to mention the fact that they have had at least 8 win seasons and gone to bowl games the last few years.

A Navy win would be an excellent win for us, and I don't think people would dismiss it as a bad win.

Alaric wrote:This game always whips me...

Besides we can't set our end zone on fire for just anybody!!!!!!!

every team we played last year was hard to defend... not sure the type of offense mattered

We sign Navy because Anchors Aweigh is a damn cool fight song.

-CoS

Should we really be worried about how people would perceive a win by this team? Don't we need to actually win games first?

Service academies are excellent opponents for any program. They have a national following, they bring long traditions, their players are actually real students who graduate, they play hard and well and they draw media attention. I believe our schedule should have at least one service academy team scheduled every year as they are generally comproble to SMU acdemically and athletically. In additon, for those of us who live on the East coast it gives/would give us a chance every few years to see the Ponies at West Point or Annapolis. Lastly, a service academy on the schedule sure looks better to a prospective recruit than SFA, New Mexico State or who cares Iowa State.

What Pocono said

Because they bring jets for flyovers. And flyovers are way too cool. Especially when they do a slow pass, then turn around over White Rock Lake and buzz the stadium at high speed.



That is reason enough.

Maybe because my Dad SMU 50 flew NAVY PBYs out of Corpus Christi
during WWII, and probably sunk a German sub in the gulf.

Hopefully their next trip here will work out for SMU better than it did last year...........ouch!!!!

Can I suggest we not set the hill on fire this time?

I dunno. Just a thought.

"Can I suggest we not set the hill on fire this time?"

I am hoping the June Jones Air Force will start
burning the place down on a regular basis!