2007 FB out of Conference game you most want to win

[AstroCajun]

Let's get the 2006 season behind us. We have 2007 to look forward to.

Which one of these OOC games are you most looking forward to?

[CajunNation]

Let's get the 2006 season behind us. We have 2007 to look forward to.

Which one of these OOC games are you most looking forward to?

Tennessee


I've always been a big game hunter.

[AstroCajun]

Tennessee


I've always been a big game hunter.

My initial instinct was the Ohio game, after the backed out on us. But the more that I think about it, I'd rather South Carolina.

If I could force my will on one game this season, it would be to deal "The Visor" a loss.

[Choppie29]

My initial instinct was the Ohio game, after the backed out on us. But the more that I think about it, I'd rather South Carolina.

If I could force my will on one game this season, it would be to deal "The Visor" a loss.

Not to mention starting the season with a huge win, would be a nice change of pace from recent years.

[rhineaux]

Let's get the 2006 season behind us. We have 2007 to look forward to.

Which one of these OOC games are you most looking forward to?

The title of the thread is "which one would you rather win?" The title of the survey is "which one are you most looking forward too?" which one are you guys voting for. I originally READ which game would you rahter win? that is why I voted for UT. I hope you folks voting for the McNeese game are only "looking forward" to it the most, instead of wanting to win that one the most.

[AstroCajun]

The title of the thread is "which one would you rather win?" The title of the survey is "which one are you most looking forward too?" which one are you guys voting for. I originally READ which game would you rahter win? that is why I voted for UT. I hope you folks voting for the McNeese game are only "looking forward" to it the most, instead of wanting to win that one the most.

Yeah, that's my mistake.

It's my first shot at a poll in a while.

I got it right, I think, on the other.

[shof]

The title of the thread is "which one would you rather win?" The title of the survey is "which one are you most looking forward too?" which one are you guys voting for. I originally READ which game would you rahter win? that is why I voted for UT. I hope you folks voting for the McNeese game are only "looking forward" to it the most, instead of wanting to win that one the most.

I'm sure a lot of us "old timers" are looking forward to the McNeese game. I for one sure hope we put it on them good, you know - for old times sake.
I'm sure I'll have to fight heavy traffic as I drive in thru Lake Charles too.

Shof

[Just1More]

Let's get the 2006 season behind us. We have 2007 to look forward to.

Which one of these OOC games are you most looking forward to?

I appreciate your thread... getting our heads out of the past and into the future. I am probably looking forward to the South Carolina game the most... because I look to the first game first. I want to win every one of these, but chose Tenn in the poll. We have a big Vol fan in our company that I will take great pleasure in saying nothing... but giving him that very "I am so sorry for your loss" look. Plus, it would come at the end of their season, and Tenn would have already counted their chickens.

I do like the thought, however, of seeing Spurrier getting spanked by the Cajuns. That rat bassard... when we played him at Florida many moons ago, the Gators thru a forward pass that skipped 5 feet in front of a standing receiver and they called it a catch. Spurrier was laughing and cutting up with the refs after that call. He is a great coach... but I hate that little weasel sneer.

[TillmansNumber1]

Compared to the 2006 OOC schedule, the 2007 schedule is really disappointing.

2006 has LSU and Texas A&M, both of which were money losses. They served their purpose. Both schools got a win and the Cajuns received a large paycheck, and if Bustle played it right, he let some of the opposing team's bench players know they could play in Lafayette immediately.

Then, the Cajuns had NC A&T, which is a great game now that the NCAA is counting 1-AA games every year, as opposed to the original policy, which was every four years. NC A&T was a certain win, partly because they are so bad and if this year proved anything, when trying to get an at-large bid, the number of wins is important.

Eastern Michigan was a good win. It added to the list of schools the Cajuns can now say they've beaten. Remember, an important question recruits ask, "Who have you beaten?" And, the Cajuns are beginning to add to the list.

The Houston win was phenomenal. They're now C-USA Champs, even if they had to go through a silly conference championship game. They're 10-3 and the Cajuns' strongest win. In addition, this win should help recruiting Houston and the entire state of Texas, where most of the best recruits play. Though UL is not going to get a four star or maybe even a three star recruit, it will get interest from athletic players looking for a place to play. The high school players in Texas, especially Houston, are great. It establishes a base - a base the Cajuns desperately need to cultivate.

The Cajuns ended OOC 3-2, which is great and where they want and need to be.

But, this year looks much harder. The UT Knoxville and South Carolina games mirror the LSU and A&M games. Money games for the Cajuns, wins for the other schools, TV exposure, albeit limited in scope, and hopefully a chance for Bustle to say, "You can ride the bench there or come play and dominate here." Even more bothersome though, both those schools have a history of running up the score on OOC opponents from smaller conferences.

The McNeese game is dangerous in part because the chances of losing to McNeese are greater than losing to NC A&T. The Cajuns must look to go 3-2 in OOC, and this game moves them closer to 2-3. If the Cajuns are going to play a 1-aa team, which is a good idea, they must play a team they will, without a doubt, beat by forty points.

Although the McNeese game pleases the oldtimers, the game does nothing for recruiting, while a game at, say, SMU would do wonders for recruiting. The Cajuns must play winnable away OOC games in fertile recruiting grounds (Memphis, SMU, Rice, Tulane, San Diego State).

The game at Ohio is good, but more difficult to win than Eastern Michigan. In just his second year, Zolich had Ohio 7-1 in conference and 9-3 overall. There's not a whole lot of recruiting in Athens, Ohio either. In addition, a game against Cincinatti, if the Cajuns need to go to Ohio for some reason, would be better because it's easier and cheaper to get to Cincinatti than Athens.

This game could be embarassing if the Cajuns lose. The Cajuns should not suffer their third loss until conference, though fans obviously hope not to suffer a third loss. Again, the Cajuns must be 3-2 rolling into conference. That record is good for local morale, it generates interest and it creates some sense of confidence in the players.

The game at UCF is good. It might be winnable, but it will be very difficult, and it gives the staff a chance to recruit a fertile area for jr. college and transfer students who can immediately help the Cajuns. The recruits in Florida are, like recruits everywhere, simply looking for a place to play and the Cajuns need to promote themselves accordingly.

The correct answer to the poll is not UTK, USC, McNeese, but Ohio and/or UCF. In the last two years, both have won their divisions in their conference. They are both realistic wins, though McNeese should be, too.

The Cajuns roll into conference 1-4 with losses to UTK, USC, UCF and Ohio.

While the OOC schedule looks bleak, I offer the following suggestions as far as OOC scheduling goes.

1 at Texas (tons of money, and Brown often schedules teams from weak conferences)
2 at Mississippi State/Northwestern (winnable SEC/Big 10 game, gives payout and chance for the team to grab a win)
3 1-AA team (get team first win in first home game)
4 at SMU (Winnable game in an area with more recruits than any other area of Texas)
5 Memphis/Army/Air Force (winnable C-USA game against a team from an area where many recruits leave to out of state colleges; the service academies are great because they are winnable games and it gives the Cajuns a great attendance game, too.)
1 WEEK BREAK
CONFERENCE

Again, the goal has to be 3-2. It gives the team confidence, gets people talking, which generates interest. Plus, it gets Cajuns closer to 7-5 or 8-4, which is the number of wins they'll need to get an at large bid to a bowl game.

[Turbine]

Again, the goal has to be 3-2. It gives the team confidence, gets people talking, which generates interest. Plus, it gets Cajuns closer to 7-5 or 8-4, which is the number of wins they'll need to get an at large bid to a bowl game.

3 posts and you blow me away.

Great analysis

[rhineaux]

Compared to the 2006 OOC schedule, the 2007 schedule is really disappointing.


Again, the goal has to be 3-2. It gives the team confidence, gets people talking, which generates interest. Plus, it gets Cajuns closer to 7-5 or 8-4, which is the number of wins they'll need to get an at large bid to a bowl game.

I am not sure that I agree or disagree. mostly because you say 07's schedule is disappointing, but then say the games are good. We will get our two money games. I know that the UT game will pay out at least 750k (although I am pretty sure its 800k). And no doubt that we are gonna get right at SC as well.

But, I think that the rest of the ooc schedule is pretty good. We only played NCAT last year because of the Ohio game being cancelled. We tried to get MCNeese, but they couldn't get clearance from teh NCAA, so that opened talks for the game in 07. Otherwise, i don't think we would have scheduled that one. I think it is good for the area, and a certain oppurtunity to have a great crowd. Sure they are tougher than NCAT, but we should still beat them, emphasis on should. It could very easily be a letdown game. that can't come close to happening

As for the others, Ohio and UCF are decent mid-major type programs. those are games that we can easily win if we play well. they could go down as wins against other conferences, which is what the SBC needs. As we grow, and as we continue to win games, I would still like to see the money games, although maybe only one every other year or something, and start to play better ooc mid-majors than we see now. Start playing more So Miss, TCU, Central Michigan (this year), teams like that that are at the top of their respective conferences. But, right now, we need to stick to a few ooc games that we have a chance to compete with, and not upset, the teams. I don't think that we are on the same level as the better mid-majors right now, so playing them would most likely result in a loss and we might as well sign up for more money games if that were the case.

There'll constantly be issues with trying to balance the competition of our schedule for the main reason that its usually done so far in advance. How good are the teams we are scheduling gonna be? How good will we be? How many money games will we need? Can we find enough D1A's so we don't need any D1AA's. Its a forecasting type thing that is kinda tough. Be competitive with the schedule, but keep it to where we can come away with a nice season if we have a down year, etc.

But you are right about playing all around the country to get yourself out there and noticed. Go to different schools in TX, FL, PA, etc.

[BILLB]

What is the schedule for this coming year? I haven't been able to find it anywhere yet.