2024 Schedule...

[nyclax]

Anyone know if Fairfield is coming to the Dome this year? Sorry if already mentioned. My son seems to think so.

if so gait has learned nothing. lets add the #57 RPI team, sure why not. oh and their top goal scorer is in the portal

he has the roster now. going .500 should not be an issue. the schedule should be as stacked as possible. no more cupcakes

 

[wgdsr]

I haven't heard anything obviously but I wouldn't be surprised if it looked like the 2019 set up. ACC doesn't like to leave a team put. Previously the 5th place team would play an IVY or another school in a "5th place" type game.

they've experimented briefly with 5 teams in and the 5th catching an ivy. the latter might still happen. but playing extra games against the 5th team dilutes the acc help. it always has, and the 2 games for this run should now make it painfully obvious for them.

as far as your earlier point on army, it'll be interesting to see if uva takes it's normal spot early in the schedule. my guess is they do everyone late as conference tie ups are too much probably, especially with an open weekend for someone every weekend to either find an appropriate opponent or sit out.

that'd make army more likely early. especially if holy cross and maybe maryland are dropped. but alberici might be a bit miffed by now about having to trek to the dome every year and emboldened by their success in 23. might not be the year to drop maryland, tho. they won't be '22 maryland.

 

[JeremyCuse]

if so gait has learned nothing. lets add the #57 RPI team, sure why not. oh and their top goal scorer is in the portal

he has the roster now. going .500 should not be an issue. the schedule should be as stacked as possible. no more cupcakes

I have no idea if Fairfield is on the schedule ( I personally don't see it happening) but almost every team save for Maryland and Hopkins (just this past season) play at least 1 cupcake if not 2. SU's RPI was so bad this past year because they kept on Holy Cross (this was a mistake) but the main issue was that St. Bonaventure was way worse then anticipated (won double digit games the year before) and teams like Albany and Hobart who are usually decent teams and well above .500 both had down years.

Even with all that had SU not lost all 5 games against Duke, Maryland ND and UVA, their RPI would have been decent and probably would have made the tournament. Cornell is likely to be back on the schedule and Army has an outside shot as well. Assuming both are back and Holy Cross is off the schedule playing one cupcake type should be fine as your looking at Albany, Hobart, UVA, Duke, ND, UNC, Princeton, Hofstra, Hopkins, Cornell(I think) plus either Army or Navy. Assuming a 14 game schedule that leaves 2-3 additional games, as long as 1 isn't Holy Cross or Hampton or VMI it shouldn't be a problem. A final 3 of say Binghamton, Boston U and then a true cupcake to open the year would be fine.

 

[PhatOrange]

Anyone know if Fairfield is coming to the Dome this year? Sorry if already mentioned. My son seems to think so.

Maybe to play LeMoyne ;-)

 

[JeremyCuse]

they've experimented briefly with 5 teams in and the 5th catching an ivy. the latter might still happen. but playing extra games against the 5th team dilutes the acc help. it always has, and the 2 games for this run should now make it painfully obvious for them.

as far as your earlier point on army, it'll be interesting to see if uva takes it's normal spot early in the schedule. my guess is they do everyone late as conference tie ups are too much probably, especially with an open weekend for someone every weekend to either find an appropriate opponent or sit out.

that'd make army more likely early. especially if holy cross and maybe maryland are dropped. but alberici might be a bit miffed by now about having to trek to the dome every year and emboldened by their success in 23. might not be the year to drop maryland, tho. they won't be '22 maryland.

I could be wrong but I believe SU and Maryland only signed a 2 year deal. I am sure if both are interested in doing another home and home both schools would probably jump at it but Tillman seems to like to rotate in other top level teams and I am not sure what Gait's plans are right now. I wouldn't mind seeing another home and home with Maryland, top team obviously and would be nice to get a win after losing both.

Good point about Army and I wouldn't be surprised if you were right. I am sympathetic to Alberici about having to always play in the Dome but if he thinks SU is playing at Army in February he's gonna be waiting a long time for that to happen. Army looks like a top 10 team at minimum starting next year so clealry they will be a top opponent but SU has played them for so long I don't really have an issue continuing the break, both teams survived the series taking a hiatus last year. I do expect Cornell back on the schedule, that is one both schools want back asap.

Per the tourney I do agree that #5 team is problematic but if the #1 team gets a bye I don't see a huge disadvantage, the winner of 4/5 is still getting a probably top 2 or 3 team.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Per the tourney I do agree that #5 team is problematic but if the #1 team gets a bye I don't see a huge disadvantage, the winner of 4/5 is still getting a probably top 2 or 3 team.

#1 getting a bye means we would have to start our tourney a week before everyone else and stretch it two weeks.

I'd rather play a regular season game at the end of April, and send only 4 teams to Charlotte.

Make a deal with the Ivy to match their 5th place team up against ours during ACCT weekend.

 

[wgdsr]

Per the tourney I do agree that #5 team is problematic but if the #1 team gets a bye I don't see a huge disadvantage, the winner of 4/5 is still getting a probably top 2 or 3 team.

the margins are super small on rpi, sos, etc. if one of the goals now (it wasn't when they started the tournament) is to leverage the acc for viable teams, the 5th place team (likely) needs to be minimized. 2 extra games for... cuse in this case... in '22 was if not a killer, not helpful.

of course, the 5th place acc record team MAY not hurt in given years, may even be a benefit. but it's more likely nowadays that it will come back to bite them again. identify just the top 4, it's more likely to help those squads, presumably # 3 and/or 4.

 

[JeremyCuse]

#1 getting a bye means we would have to start our tourney a week before everyone else and stretch it two weeks.

I'd rather play a regular season game at the end of April, and send only 4 teams to Charlotte.

Make a deal with the Ivy to match their 5th place team up against ours during ACCT weekend.

You could have the 4/5 game on Tuesday and then the 1/4 and 2/3 games take place on Thursday or you could play them Fri/Sun.

I do like the idea to matchup with the IVY for the 5th place teams to meet.

 

[Hoo's That]

Yes, I've thought it would make sense to schedule either Michigan, PSU or OSU. Geographically none of them are that far away and right now any of them appear to be a good win assuming UM and PSU at least are trending upward. I don't know if Rutgers would be a possibilty again but I'd prefer the other 3 schools.
Also regarding a Patriot League opponent I wonder if Loyola would be a possibility? Syracuse has a real nice rivarly with them in the late 90's/early 2000's.

UVa played Michigan this year. No one outside the Athletic Department knows whether this is a one-off or that we'll be playing a return game in Ann Arbor in 2024.

 

[JeremyCuse]

the margins are super small on rpi, sos, etc. if one of the goals now (it wasn't when they started the tournament) is to leverage the acc for viable teams, the 5th place team (likely) needs to be minimized. 2 extra games for... cuse in this case... in '22 was if not a killer, not helpful.

of course, the 5th place acc record team MAY not hurt in given years, may even be a benefit. but it's more likely nowadays that it will come back to bite them again. identify just the top 4, it's more likely to help those squads, presumably # 3 and/or 4.

I think your second point is more likely though, in most years playing the #5 team is likely to be a net positive (though 2022 it would not have been).

I just don't see the ACC leaving out the 5th place team, it isn't their MO historically. Matching up the 5th place team with the Ivy's 5th place makes a lot of sense though.

 

[Hoo's That]

they've experimented briefly with 5 teams in and the 5th catching an ivy. the latter might still happen. but playing extra games against the 5th team dilutes the acc help. it always has, and the 2 games for this run should now make it painfully obvious for them.

as far as your earlier point on army, it'll be interesting to see if uva takes it's normal spot early in the schedule. my guess is they do everyone late as conference tie ups are too much probably, especially with an open weekend for someone every weekend to either find an appropriate opponent or sit out.

that'd make army more likely early. especially if holy cross and maybe maryland are dropped. but alberici might be a bit miffed by now about having to trek to the dome every year and emboldened by their success in 23. might not be the year to drop maryland, tho. they won't be '22 maryland.

I think that the UVa-SU game has taken a permanent slot toward the end of the season. That early season slot was created because it was an OOC game.

 

[JeremyCuse]

UVa played Michigan this year. No one outside the Athletic Department knows whether this is a one-off or that we'll be playing a return game in Ann Arbor in 2024.

Seems unlikely Michigan would agree to a one-off as that game was at UVA wasn't? I'd anticipate a return game.

 

[Hoo's That]

Seems unlikely Michigan would agree to a one-off as that game was at UVA wasn't? I'd anticipate a return game.

Yes, it was in C'ville. I would anticipate a February return game in a right-cool Ann Arbor.

 

[wgdsr]

I think your second point is more likely though, in most years playing the #5 team is likely to be a net positive (though 2022 it would not have been).

I just don't see the ACC leaving out the 5th place team, it isn't their MO historically. Matching up the 5th place team with the Ivy's 5th place makes a lot of sense though.

2019 is the only year that they did it. 2014-2018 were 4 teams, even in '14 when they had 6 teams, and '15 when they had 5 and both years had an aq.

i was pretty vocal when coaches decided to maintain the covid 6 game schedule. because it was going to likely be more negative than positive. it's just how those calculations work. glad they nixed it without following on the last "contracted" year of it. they did that because they figured out in practice evening out games with the lower and especially lowest team(s) doesn't work. if they had a number cruncher advising them, they maybe would've known that ahead of time.

 

[DoctahLexus]

Gait literally talked about reevaluating the schedule due to importance of rpi. Either the Fairfield thing is a false rumor (my vote) or it is in exchange for taking Bonnie’s holy cross and others off the schedule. Ain’t no way he discussed changing up the schedule and then we play Bonnie’s holy cross and Fairfield next year. No need to worry in any way shape or form.

 

[JeremyCuse]

2019 is the only year that they did it. 2014-2018 were 4 teams, even in '14 when they had 6 teams, and '15 when they had 5 and both years had an aq.

i was pretty vocal when coaches decided to maintain the covid 6 game schedule. because it was going to likely be more negative than positive. it's just how those calculations work. glad they nixed it without following on the last "contracted" year of it. they did that because they figured out in practice evening out games with the lower and especially lowest team(s) doesn't work. if they had a number cruncher advising them, they maybe would've known that ahead of time.

Didn't they have an agreement in 14-18 that the 5th place team would play an IVY team?

I agree on the 6 game ACC schedule, it's awkward and didn't do much good for anyone.

 

[wgdsr]

Didn't they have an agreement in 14-18 that the 5th place team would play an IVY team?

I agree on the 6 game ACC schedule, it's awkward and didn't do much good for anyone.

from 15-17. in 14, the 5 and 6 played. the dreaded acc showcase. sadly, the wahoos were an annual participant and wouldn't miss it for the world.

 

[Powellfan]

Good point about Army and I wouldn't be surprised if you were right. I am sympathetic to Alberici about having to always play in the Dome but if he thinks SU is playing at Army in February he's gonna be waiting a long time for that to happen. Army looks like a top 10 team at minimum starting next year so clealry they will be a top opponent but SU has played them for so long I don't really have an issue continuing the break, both teams survived the series taking a hiatus last year. I do expect Cornell back on the schedule, that is one both schools want back asap.

Maybe I am naïve, but do some programs, like Army, actually like playing in the Dome every year? If the schedule is going to start in February, and if you are northern based school, doesn't the idea of playing indoors seem pretty appealing? I think one year the Dome hosted a double header of an SU game and Cornell vs Hobart early in the year. Army especailly has found a lot of success by recruiting in CNY. I could be very wrong of course, I thought Scott Marr was okay playing in the Dome every year, but that obviously wasn't the case.

The one team we haven't' talked much about is Vermont. Can't imagine they will play up in Burlington outdoors in February. Are they coming back to the Dome or was that a one time thing? Since SU doesn't do a lot of strict Home and Away deals its hard to know who is due back on the schedule. I don't think the Catamounts project to be very good next year.

I really hope they don't move the Princeton game to Long Island. I absolutely think they should try and play once a year on the Island, but not at the expense of a home game with a team like Princeton, who hasn't been in the Dome for a long time. Furthermore, if they don't want to play teams like Hofstra and Stony Brook, hard to see them adding a team like Fairfield.

UNC, Notre Dame and Hopkins will be on the road I believe. The last time they played Cornell was in Syracuse so I assume that game would be in Ithaca. That would leave Virginia and Duke as the big home games. That doesn't seem like a lot unless there is another major add to the schedule, like Maryland coming back.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Maybe I am naïve, but do some programs, like Army, actually like playing in the Dome every year? If the schedule is going to start in February, and if you are northern based school, doesn't the idea of playing indoors seem pretty appealing? I think one year the Dome hosted a double header of an SU game and Cornell vs Hobart early in the year. Army especailly has found a lot of success by recruiting in CNY. I could be very wrong of course, I thought Scott Marr was okay playing in the Dome every year, but that obviously wasn't the case.

Army likes the annual paycheck we give them.

 

[nyclax]

I have no idea if Fairfield is on the schedule ( I personally don't see it happening) but almost every team save for Maryland and Hopkins (just this past season) play at least 1 cupcake if not 2. SU's RPI was so bad this past year because they kept on Holy Cross (this was a mistake) but the main issue was that St. Bonaventure was way worse then anticipated (won double digit games the year before) and teams like Albany and Hobart who are usually decent teams and well above .500 both had down years.

Even with all that had SU not lost all 5 games against Duke, Maryland ND and UVA, their RPI would have been decent and probably would have made the tournament. Cornell is likely to be back on the schedule and Army has an outside shot as well. Assuming both are back and Holy Cross is off the schedule playing one cupcake type should be fine as your looking at Albany, Hobart, UVA, Duke, ND, UNC, Princeton, Hofstra, Hopkins, Cornell(I think) plus either Army or Navy. Assuming a 14 game schedule that leaves 2-3 additional games, as long as 1 isn't Holy Cross or Hampton or VMI it shouldn't be a problem. A final 3 of say Binghamton, Boston U and then a true cupcake to open the year would be fine.

binghamton, hofstra, albany, and hobart are all true cupcakes. if you're losing to any of those teams you're not making the tournament anyway. you shouldn't play more than one or two of that group and definitely shouldn't add fairfield on top of that. hobart and hofstra are going to stink to high heaven again. part of the scheduling game is seeing a year or two into the future. don't sign a home-and-home with a hofstra team that is going to be very bad for the foreseeable future. they can just drop some of these games, they dont have to replace them

this is what the schedule should look like

ACC x 4 (+ conf tourney)
Army
Cornell
Hopkins
Maryland
Princeton
A third Big Ten team
A Patriot League team
Albany
Hobart

Go 8-5 against that schedule and you're in. Maybe even 7-6. dont play anyone worse than albany/hobart. vermont wouldn't be a bad game to keep if you want to get it to 14 reg season games + playoffs. they're usually top 30 RPI and won't hurt you

 

[JeremyCuse]

binghamton, hofstra, albany, and hobart are all true cupcakes. if you're losing to any of those teams you're not making the tournament anyway. you shouldn't play more than one or two of that group and definitely shouldn't add fairfield on top of that. hobart and hofstra are going to stink to high heaven again. part of the scheduling game is seeing a year or two into the future. don't sign a home-and-home with a hofstra team that is going to be very bad for the foreseeable future. they can just drop some of these games, they dont have to replace them

this is what the schedule should look like

ACC x 4 (+ conf tourney)
Army
Cornell
Hopkins
Maryland
Princeton
A third Big Ten team
A Patriot League team
Albany
Hobart

Go 8-5 against that schedule and you're in. Maybe even 7-6. dont play anyone worse than albany/hobart. vermont wouldn't be a bad game to keep if you want to get it to 14 reg season games + playoffs. they're usually top 30 RPI and won't hurt you

Ya I pretty much agree but I think if you have that schedule and replace say the third Big 10 team with an opening game cupcake to get your teams feet wet I think most teams would be fine. The Fairfield rumor has only been reported by one person and I have a hard time believing its accurate to be honest. Albany is usually a fairly decent team ala Vermont save for the last 2 years but I get your point about them and Hobart currently.

Looking ahead is key and SU should do that more but it can also backfire. St. Bonaventure won like 12 games in 2022 and then fell of the face of the earth this past season. Clearly getting them and Holy Cross off the schedule is a must especially with Hobart and Albany having some issues.

I think a schedule next year of a Cupcake, Vermont, Albany, Hobart, Cornell, Hopkins, Army, Princeton, Duke, UVA, ND, UNC, Navy or Army and one more middle of the road type maybe say Loyola or Penn or something would be perfect.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Maybe I am naïve, but do some programs, like Army, actually like playing in the Dome every year? If the schedule is going to start in February, and if you are northern based school, doesn't the idea of playing indoors seem pretty appealing? I think one year the Dome hosted a double header of an SU game and Cornell vs Hobart early in the year. Army especailly has found a lot of success by recruiting in CNY. I could be very wrong of course, I thought Scott Marr was okay playing in the Dome every year, but that obviously wasn't the case.

The one team we haven't' talked much about is Vermont. Can't imagine they will play up in Burlington outdoors in February. Are they coming back to the Dome or was that a one time thing? Since SU doesn't do a lot of strict Home and Away deals its hard to know who is due back on the schedule. I don't think the Catamounts project to be very good next year.

I really hope they don't move the Princeton game to Long Island. I absolutely think they should try and play once a year on the Island, but not at the expense of a home game with a team like Princeton, who hasn't been in the Dome for a long time. Furthermore, if they don't want to play teams like Hofstra and Stony Brook, hard to see them adding a team like Fairfield.

UNC, Notre Dame and Hopkins will be on the road I believe. The last time they played Cornell was in Syracuse so I assume that game would be in Ithaca. That would leave Virginia and Duke as the big home games. That doesn't seem like a lot unless there is another major add to the schedule, like Maryland coming back.

I don't think Alberici minds but I am assuming he maybe getting some alumni pushback much like Marr was getting from Albany. Apparently Marr approached SU about playing at Albany again and was essentially told maybe but not anytime soon. Same was told to Hobart as well even though we have a history home and away matchups. The army game is almost always played in February and SU isn't playing at Army then so unless they can agree to move the game to late March or April (which seems unlikely) game is unlikely to be played away from the Dome.

Would seem odd to move the Princeton game to LI especially with a light home schedule this year. I wouldn't be surprised if SU asked Cornell to play here to re-start the series to mix up them hop being on the same schedule home/away. I suspect another big name will be added if its not Maryland, who that is I can't say.

 

[DoctahLexus]

UNC, Notre Dame and Hopkins will be on the road I believe.

Think there is a chance Hop is at home again this year since we played them two times in a row on the road before this.

 

[Powellfan]

binghamton, hofstra, albany, and hobart are all true cupcakes. if you're losing to any of those teams you're not making the tournament anyway. you shouldn't play more than one or two of that group and definitely shouldn't add fairfield on top of that. hobart and hofstra are going to stink to high heaven again. part of the scheduling game is seeing a year or two into the future. don't sign a home-and-home with a hofstra team that is going to be very bad for the foreseeable future. they can just drop some of these games, they dont have to replace them

this is what the schedule should look like

ACC x 4 (+ conf tourney)
Army
Cornell
Hopkins
Maryland
Princeton
A third Big Ten team
A Patriot League team
Albany
Hobart

Go 8-5 against that schedule and you're in. Maybe even 7-6. dont play anyone worse than albany/hobart. vermont wouldn't be a bad game to keep if you want to get it to 14 reg season games + playoffs. they're usually top 30 RPI and won't hurt you

I definitely agree with the above strategy. If you look at what the other ACC teams schedule in terms of quality, its pretty obvious Syracuse went overboard with "easier" competition last year. I looked at the "cupcakes" that all ACC teams scheduled last year and Syracuse and UNC stand out for having the most amount of "lesser" teams on the schedule. Syracuse especially.

Duke: Bellarmine (34), High Point (36), Air Force (25), Merrimack (48)
Notre Dame: Marquette (38), Cleveland State (56),
North Carolina: Mercer (54), High Point (36), Providence (46), Dartmouth (47)
UVA: Towson (41), Lafayette (49)
Syracuse: Albany (35), Holy Cross (73), Hofstra (58), St Bonaventure (67), Hobart (51)

It seems pretty clear that they have to at least try and schedule only two or so cupcakes, and that might already be filled by the likes of Albany and Hobart.

Jeremey is right that it's hard to predict these things in the future. I can't seem to find last years RPI, but I would not have expected Bellarmine to be ranked in the 30s this year, or Air Force at 25. That said it was pretty easy to tell that teams like Holy Cross and Hofstra were going to be on the lower end of things. And while St Bonaventure was not expected to be quite so bad, I don't think anyone would have expected them to be in the top half of RPI.

SU was in a different place at the start of last year than they are this year. They were very young and were trying to bounce back from an incredibly disappointing season. I get why they scheduled things the way they did (Gait had to be able to build confidence). That said, if they can grab a fogo I don't think there's any reason to think they can't take on a schedule as challenging as UVA or Notre Dame. I think you need some breaks in there but Syracuse can't have the same amount they had last year.

 

[Powellfan]

Not sure if it’s true or not. Better than having to play at Homewood. If they are playing UNC in a neutral site game as well, I can’t imagine they are also playing Princeton in a neutral site game as well.