I’m not buying into that train of thought. Bowl games were different in 1985. There were only 18 bowl games. It meant more. Today there are over 40 bowl games. It means nothing to be selected to a lower tier bowl playing against a .500 team from a non P5 conference.
As far as the brutal conference schedule, that’s an issue that needs to be handled by the ACC. The conference needs to be realigned to balance it out.
Again, it’s just my opinion.
We've pulled off some upsets and played some other ranked teams close. The next step is to make a bowl game, then go on to bigger things. Would you rather be 5-7 and stay home or be 6-6 and got to a bowl game? That's a no-brainer. I see a pattern similar to Art Briles at Baylor, (on the field, not off it):
Art Briles - Wikipedia
Here's who they played out of the Big 12:
2010 Sam Houston State, Buffalo, Rice
2011 Texas Christian, (not yet in the cofnerence), Stephen F. Austin, Rice
2012 Southern Methodist, Sam Houston State, Louisiana-Monroe
2013 Wofford, Buffalo, Louisiana-Monroe
2014 Southern Methodist, Northwestenr Louisiana, Buffalo
2015 Southern Methodist, Lamar and Rice
Baylor Historical Scores
They went 3-3 vs. Oklahoma and 4-2 vs. Texas so it didn't hurt them when they played powerhouses. I think If Babers duplicated Briles' success here, there's be a statue of him outside the Dome.
I'm not saying we should schedule Sam Houston State, (I'm embarrassed we are playing Wagner - I remember my brothers alma mater Hamilton used to play them). But I don't think our non-conference schedule has to include national powers on top of the national powers we are already playing in conference to build a program. Until the conference realigns, we have to "control the controlables".