Scheduling

[UL_Cajuns]

I know we were ranked in the Top 25 the last two years, but does anyone truly believe we were a legitimate top 12 program either year? Does anyone truly believe we're on track to be a legitimate top 12 program in the near future? So why would we blame our schedule on not getting into the playoffs?

This whole argument puts the cart before the horse. If we get to a point where we can legitimately beat 2 good P5 schools every year then by all means let's change the schedule. But right now we can't. Until then, I like Maggard's philosophy of scheduling one winnable P5 school every year so we can shoot our shot and still get 6 home games every year.

Yes

[GeauxCajuns]

Stop this FCS nonsense effective immediately!

you say that, but, there are over 100 fbs/fcs matchups this year. i wouldnt call it nonsense, i would call it common.

[CajunNation]

Over the last several years, the NY6 G5 school had at least 2 P5/Top20 wins. Most years, the number was 3 or higher.

Going forward, if you can't get in-conference Top20 wins, you better have at least 2 P5 games scheduled, or you aren't getting anyway near the playoffs.

The obvious move to make here is to convert 1 of the slots for the non-conference G5 games to a P5 game.

Like I've said before, you keep your P5 payday slot and use the other P5 slot to work P5 home games every 4th year or so.

A serious football program would do this.

[CajunT]

FCS games will always be a part of the schedule and they should be. We need a warm-up game on the schedule. And perhaps even more importantly, we need a FCS game every year to get to 6 home games. And let's be honest, HBCUs and in-state FCS schools are much bigger draws than most Sun Belt schools. We had 25k last year for Nicholls. And the only reason we didn't come close to that for SLU this year is because the weather was atrocious.

Where we really need to improve scheduling is with our two G5 slots. Eastern Michigan and NMSU just don't cut it anymore. Tulane, La Tech, and even Rice are good local matchups, but our focus should be on scheduling top AAC and Mtn. West schools.

Of course we all know it's easier said than done. I'm sure if schools like SMU or Memphis were interested in home/home's with us it would already be on the schedule.

I agree with your assessment. The one area that needs improvement is in playing the Top of the G5. The question is as you stated, are they willing to do a 1-for-1? I'm not against agreeing to 2-for-1 deals for a P5 program to come to Lafayette if the deal is break even at worst. The problem I've heard is that in conversations held with P5 programs, the payout for our two trips were reduced significantly enough that is wasn't worth further discussion. I don't know which programs were involved in those discussions.

[CajunRebel]

Over the last several years, the NY6 G5 school had at least 2 P5/Top20 wins. Most years, the number was 3 or higher.

Going forward, if you can't get in-conference Top20 wins, you better have at least 2 P5 games scheduled, or you aren't getting anyway near the playoffs.

The obvious move to make here is to convert 1 of the slots for the non-conference G5 games to a P5 game.

Like I've said before, you keep your P5 payday slot and use the other P5 slot to work P5 home games every 4th year or so.

A serious football program would do this.

Ok, but if we do a 3 for 1 with a P5 it means one of two things will happen:

1. We’ll lose a home game 3 out of every 4 years.
2. We replace a G5 game for another FCS game every 3 years to keep 6 home games.

———

To put it another way:
-6 home games/yr
-2 G5 games/yr (instead of 2 FCS)
-A series with a P5.
Pick 2 of the above. We can’t have all 3.

[CajunRebel]

I agree with your assessment. The one area that needs improvement is in playing the Top of the G5. The question is as you stated, are they willing to do a 1-for-1? I'm not against agreeing to 2-for-1 deals for a P5 program to come to Lafayette if the deal is break even at worst. The problem I've heard is that in conversations held with P5 programs, the payout for our two trips were reduced significantly enough that is wasn't worth further discussion. I don't know which programs were involved in those discussions.

Wow, we agree on something, lol???

I don’t doubt it. 2-1 deals on the P5 side were mostly about saving money. But today these schools are making so much money they just don’t need to schedule them. Why take away a home game when you don’t have to? Why put your team reputation at risk by playing a G5 on their home turf where they have the advantage?

I really liked the home/Superdome deal Farmer made with Miss. State. I know it didn’t work out financially for us (only because us fans didn’t do our part,) but it gave us a national TV game in a marquee stadium against a winnable P5 school. I feel like there could be more room for creativity like this in the future.

[Turbine]

Ok, but if we do a 3 for 1 with a P5 it means one of two things will happen:

1. We’ll lose a home game 3 out of every 4 years.
2. We replace a G5 game for another FCS game every 3 years to keep 6 home games.

———

To put it another way:
-6 home games/yr
-2 G5 games/yr (instead of 2 FCS)
-A series with a P5.
Pick 2 of the above. We can’t have all 3.

Louisiana has only been playing 6 home games since 2011 so for the bulk of the current crowd, this would not seem totally out of the norm.

Make it happen.

[CajunNation]

Ok, but if we do a 3 for 1 with a P5 it means one of two things will happen:

1. We’ll lose a home game 3 out of every 4 years.
2. We replace a G5 game for another FCS game every 3 years to keep 6 home games.

———

To put it another way:
-6 home games/yr
-2 G5 games/yr (instead of 2 FCS)
-A series with a P5.
Pick 2 of the above. We can’t have all 3.

I reject your premise.

We DO NOT need 6 home games for the sake of having home games.

We DO need to schedule to grow the program and put ourselves in position for the playoffs.

Hanging on to that 6th home game like a woobie does neither.

[Million$Mullet]

I really liked the home/Superdome deal Farmer made with Miss. State. I know it didn’t work out financially for us (only because us fans didn’t do our part,) but it gave us a national TV game in a marquee stadium against a winnable P5 school. I feel like there could be more room for creativity like this in the future.

That deal was garbage. Should have been 2 games in Starkville, 1 game in Lafayette and 1 game in the dome. Mississippi St only paid us 500k for the first game and then the superdome game they got 43 percent of the ticket revenue. On top of that UL was responsible for game day costs since it was a “home” game. It was a terrible deal.

[Turbine]

Wow, we agree on something, lol???

I don’t doubt it. 2-1 deals on the P5 side were mostly about saving money. But today these schools are making so much money they just don’t need to schedule them. Why take away a home game when you don’t have to? Why put your team reputation at risk by playing a G5 on their home turf where they have the advantage?

I really liked the home/Superdome deal Farmer made with Miss. State. I know it didn’t work out financially for us (only because us fans didn’t do our part,) but it gave us a national TV game in a marquee stadium against a winnable P5 school. I feel like there could be more room for creativity like this in the future.

I agree.

Calling the Superdome game a home game for the sake of a home game cost UL big bucks.

Realizing that the 6th home game carrot is valueless will generate millions while enhancing the overall schedule.

[ultracajun]

We gave up too soon on opening the season in the Dome. You want a better OOC opponent, open the season in the dome and learn from past mistakes.

[Turbine]

We gave up too soon on opening the season in the Dome. You want a better OOC opponent, open the season in the dome and learn from past mistakes.

I agree just call it a neutral sight and split expenses.

[RaginDave]

Been saying that for 2 seasons. (1) SEC; (1) Big12 and (1) AAC team in Non conference. The 4th game should be in-state school

Not a bad idea in theory. But you could not guarantee 6 home games this way. This would almost mean every other year you would only play 5 home games. The P5’s even if agreed to would at best come here for a 2 for 1 probably a 3 for 1 and the AAC game would be every other year. We can’t play 7 road games at best every other year and that is what this would add up to.

[Turbine]

5 home games (every year) in that scenario, would be awesome.

jmo

[cajun4life]

If we didn’t need the money then there would be no reason to play a P5 program.

The goal of the SBC should be to be the 5th or 6th best league to get an auto qualifier. You do that by beating the leagues, in every head to head matchups, that are traditionally +/-1 ranking ahead of you.

Get H&H with the MWC and the AAC. Play the ACC or PAC12 if you want a P5 game.