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Originally posted by EastStang:
Who will be our extra OOC opponant (assuming TCU stays)? I think we should schedule a 1-AA opponant so that the team has a chance to win a game. Texas State?

A better choice would be my alma mater, Sam Houston State University, since former A&M QB Dustin Long transferred there.

We have an honest difference of opinion.

If we schedule army and lose, we'd be embarassed. But no more embarassed then we would by another 0'fer season. Moral victories to UT may help our strength of schedule, but they don't help us otherwise. At some point this season, our players forgot how to win-they started pressing or they started playing on their heels or whatnot. They need confidence. They need to win.

would you not agree that we got a lot closer to the Baylor's and UTEP's of the world then to Boise, OSU and TT? - We need as close to a patsy as we can get - enough of the martyr routine - lets build up the program over time, not keep a foot on its neck.

My choice would be an easier opponent in one of the BCS conferences. Duke, Vanderbilt, Indiana, Connecticut (we already schedule Baylor) -- -- what about Penn State given the state of their program now. A win over them would be huge because of their historical cache. That way a win is possible against a BCS school, but if we lose, it's not to Cal-State Fullerton or some other directional school.

I don't think a win over a no name 1-AA school will bring in any more butts in seats in the early part of the season than a loss to a big name school, so I don't see much marginal assistance in that arena.

Originally posted by DiamondM:

...what about Penn State given the state of their program now. A win over them would be huge because of their historical cache.

I am very familiar with Penn State's football program.

Penn State despite 3 losing seasons in the last 4 still has top 15-20 talent and would likely defeat SMU by three or more touchdowns. Penn State averages 110,000 in attendance per game in Beaver Stadium, a very tough place for visiting teams. PSU would not play SMU in Ford Stadium.

A few years back, SMU was on PSU's (2002?) home schedule but the game was cancelled.

There should be no "permanent" games with non-conference opponents, unless TCU heads to the MWC. TCU is our only TRUE rival and that game must be protected. I hope they remain in CUSA which will help both our non-conference scheduling.

I'd like to see us rotate games with someone nearby (Baylor and UNT are good candidates) for one game, then play a regional team with a solid reputation (OSU, TTech, A$M, etc...) and then play either Army or Navy as the 3rd non-conference game. In years where you get 12 games, consider a money game with someone from a BCS conference. We've NEVER played South Carolina or Clemson. I'd love to see us visit one of those stadiums and earn a $3-400k paycheck for doing so.

Of course, this thread started as a question of who we add if TCU becomes a conference opponent next year. I do favor a game with a I-AA opponent and Grambling would be a great choice because they would draw a good crowd and provide an opportunity to win a game.

SMU-Baylor should be played every year they will play us. Really I'd just as soon play Baylor as TCU. There have been about 10 Baylor games over the last 40 years that were better than the best TCU game.

From today's DMN

C-USA

Realignment could happen sooner

Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky said Monday there's a remote possibility that conference realignment involving several universities, including SMU, could happen this year instead of 2005.

Banowsky said he's discussed the topic with several conference commissioners.

SMU athletic director Jim Copeland said, "We'd be open to it. It's a stretch to make it happen given the scheduling and other factors involved."

In November, the Big East took five schools from C-USA, which then took three from the WAC: Tulsa, Rice and SMU.

About scheduling an easy team: take a look at Tulsa playing Texas State early in the year and beating them bad. Their coach said that was the jumpstart to their 8-4 season and trip to a bowl game. People underestimate how much a win boosts confidence and moral no matter who it is against.