H&H with any team, who ya got?

[HtownOrange]

This isn't to schedule for next year when we're still "sucking". This is for in a dream scenario where we're cranking out top 25 seasons again with Babers and we have 1 marquee OOC matchup a season. Who would you want that team to be?

For various reasons, I like any of the following, assuming we are back to our winning ways (in no particular order):

U of Arizona: Stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB (a.k.a. The Boneyard, long before UConn ever dreamed of being the boneyard) As good of a reason to visit the area again.
Arizona State U: Only 90 miles or so from my old stomping grounds
U of Texas: 3 hours from my house
Baylor: 3 hours from the house
TCU: 3 hours from the house
LSU: 4.5 hours from the house
Oklahoma: My daughter and son-in-law live 10 minutes from the stadium, great venue, great tailgating (Bench seating on hard metal seats with no backs, crammed in together in the older portions of the stadium - whoever heard of such a thing!)
PSU: Only because they are close. Before the PedStateU discovery, I wanted this series back as much as possible, not so much since then.
WVU: Great games
Maryland: Close enough to Syracuse for fans to travel
the Ohio State University: Big name, not too far for a weekend excursion, NFL HoF in Canton, USAF Museum in Dayton (Wright-Patterson AFB - you can spend several days in that place! - I was stationed there)
Michigan: Would enjoy the Big House on a September afternoon catching a game
Hawaii: Who wouldn't love that road trip? Texan Mark would have to work some outstanding travel/ticket deals, though.
Alabama: Always liked them, especially when Auburn is playing them. Watched Bear Bryant as a kid
U of Florida: Not far from Tampa, Orlando, Jax, Daytona, etc. Great weekend trip.
U of Tennessee: Mountains in the fall screams football

 

[javadoc]

This isn't to schedule for next year when we're still "sucking". This is for in a dream scenario where we're cranking out top 25 seasons again with Babers and we have 1 marquee OOC matchup a season. Who would you want that team to be?

Folks need to reread the OP.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Folks need to reread the OP.

nah.

we read it, dismissed it, and amended it...to make posting in it...worthwhile.

 

[721Comstock]

Folks need to reread the OP.

IF we never schedule smart, we will NEVER get to that level of being consistently good.
Period.
Which renders the OP moot.

There's exactly zero bonus points awarded for "degree of difficulty" in OOC scheduling.
None. Zip. Nada.

Even IF we were somehow miraculously in the hunt for the BCS Playoffs.
(let's cross that bridge if and when we ever come to it - which with the way we've scheduled for the past 2 decades, we never will)

The goal is to go 4-0 (or at least 3-1) in the OOC, so that we have the best possible chance of a bowl-eligible record each and every year.

And there are no "moral victories" - only real ones. Or not.
Yay, we played LSU tough a few years ago!

Our 2012 team likely would have been RANKED and playing in a REAL bowl game, had we not scheduled losses to USC, Northwestern (whom we really should have beaten anyway), & Minnesota. Oh Lord
Imagine us only losing 2 games that year, instead of 5, had we scheduled games vs easily winnable opponents.

Instead, we continue to be mired in mediocrity, at best.

And as great as Dino is - even HE is already telling us that the schedule this year is against us, and will make it very hard to show improvement in the W-L columns because of how stupidly hard it is. Again. :bang: :bang: :bang:

 

[Scooch]

1) Florida State
2) Clemson
3) Rematch with whomever we beat in the 2020 national title game

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Folks need to reread the OP.

YOU THINK THE OP CAN CONTROL ME?!?!?!?!

 

[Killdozer]

UNC Charlotte.....I live 5 miles from campus.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I do like the Stanford idea, actually. Oregon St could be more practical and a better chance of not being embarrassed. I like the WVU popular response as well. Youngstown State? That would be a TOUGH game, actually.

 

[OrangePA]

West Virginia or KSU

K-State.

Three bowl games - SU leads the series 2-1.

Bring the Cats to the Dome.

 

[JKinPhilly]

I vote for either BYU or Utah - I'll host the tailgate out here.

 

[Chip]

Rutgers.

It makes sense for scheduling for success.

It makes sense if we get good again, because their conference affiliation isn't changing.

It makes sense for recruiting.

It makes sense for our fanbase to get to see the away game, whether local or NYC or Philly or DC.

It makes sense no matter what, so it will probably never happen.

Much of our fanbase spends enough energy opposing it to actually mean they're interested in it.

 

[tipphill]

Maryland has won more than 7 games only twice in the past decade. I would be fine playing Maryland since it's a short drive from my house, but are they really considered "hard?"

not really historically hard and we have a slight lead in all time wins.however we recruit that area heavily. they have quietly had good to very good recruiting classes and have a good coaching staff. they will be making noise pretty soon,and i suspect this year will be one of them

 

[SUfaninAZ]

Rutgers.

It makes sense for scheduling for success.

It makes sense if we get good again, because their conference affiliation isn't changing.

It makes sense for recruiting.

It makes sense for our fanbase to get to see the away game, whether local or NYC or Philly or DC.

It makes sense no matter what, so it will probably never happen.

Much of our fanbase spends enough energy opposing it to actually mean they're interested in it.

Too much sense to make sense. I hope that didn't come across as senseless.

 

[HtownOrange]

Rutgers.

It makes sense for scheduling for success.

It makes sense if we get good again, because their conference affiliation isn't changing.

It makes sense for recruiting.

It makes sense for our fanbase to get to see the away game, whether local or NYC or Philly or DC.

It makes sense no matter what, so it will probably never happen.

Much of our fanbase spends enough energy opposing it to actually mean they're interested in it.

The OP required us to play a football team. Does Rutgers play football? No one in the B1G seems to think so, see 2016 scores. Anyway, I agree with the recruiting purpose and playing near the NYC fans but unless Ash has changed their Flood-era scheduling policy, they will not schedule Syracuse.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

I like the UCLA suggestion. Screw what's practical or good for the program. I want to see SU play in the Rose Bowl.

 

[Chip]

The OP required us to play a football team. Does Rutgers play football? No one in the B1G seems to think so, see 2016 scores. Anyway, I agree with the recruiting purpose and playing near the NYC fans but unless Ash has changed their Flood-era scheduling policy, they will not schedule Syracuse.

B1G makes them schedule one P5 school non conference. But I think they've filled most of them for the near future.

 

[Eric15]

Our 2012 team likely would have been RANKED and playing in a REAL bowl game, had we not scheduled losses to USC, Northwestern (whom we really should have beaten anyway), & Minnesota. Oh Lord

USC went 7-6 and Minnesota went 6-7 that year. They were each mediocre teams.

Our 2012 schedule wasn't a big deal -- it was the 45th hardest schedule in the country. We played a total of two teams that finished in the Top 25 at the end of the year (Louisville and Northwestern). The Big East was abysmal that year having replaced West Virginia with Temple.

 

[HtownOrange]

B1G makes them schedule one P5 school non conference. But I think they've filled most of them for the near future.

That, too. And they dumped Miami for BC to soften their schedule. If HCDB proves his mettle - and I believe he will - we can be assured we will not play Rutgers anytime soon.

 

[Chip]

USC went 7-6 and Minnesota went 6-7 that year. They were each mediocre teams.

Our 2012 schedule wasn't a big deal -- it was the 45th hardest schedule in the country. We played a total of two teams that finished in the Top 25 at the end of the year (Louisville and Northwestern). The Big East was abysmal that year having replaced West Virginia with Temple.

Yeah, @ Mizzou was always the tougher game on paper than either of the B1G games. And we won. But... ranking aside, playing 4 P5 schools in 5 non conference games is a result of horrific schedule planning. Even if they weren't world beaters.

I'm glad we don't have life in an 8 team conference anymore. Even thought we were thrown in the deep end of the ACC.

 

[sutomcat]

Stanford would be fine with me. Give me a reason to play Pebble Beach along with going to the game.

Wisconsin because of the environment at Camp Randall and Whistling Straights.

Mississippi because of the campus and environment.

Florida because I haven't been there and for recruiting purposes.

Navy because I love the history and the cool location.

Maryland. See Navy.

West Virginia. Could be a 75-73 game someday.

Bad teams I want to play:

Rutgers
Army
Buffalo
Illinois
UConn
UMass
Temple
Akron
Miami (Ohio)
Kent
Eastern Michigan

 

[NJCuse97]

B1G makes them schedule one P5 school non conference. But I think they've filled most of them for the near future.

Yeah, with another regional rival, BC giving them and our old staff better access to NY/NJ

 

[NJCuse97]

not really historically hard and we have a slight lead in all time wins.however we recruit that area heavily. they have quietly had good to very good recruiting classes and have a good coaching staff. they will be making noise pretty soon,and i suspect this year will be one of them

Also lately ... they've beaten us. Tough not to look at them as a shoulder to shoulder peer.

 

[gbo]

You either schedule to get to a bowl or you schedule to get to the playoffs. Going undefeated in the P5 gets you in (unless you're in the Big12). My question - is the ACC Atlantic + Championship game enough for a 1 loss Syracuse team to get in without a name p5 opponent in the OOC?

I don't know. So I think you skip the Penn States/Michigans in favor of a mediocre regional p5 like Maryland or WVU. Obviously Rutgers would be fun to destroy and net some recruiting wins - but I think it's likely that the playoff committee won't ever see them as a good win when looking at playoff contention.

If we're really, really close to being the best team and one of our division mates goes from very good to crapping the bed - and we need to add a marquee OOC give me Penn State.

Syracuse would be in the playoff without a name P5. I say that because Washington made it in with the 124th out of 126th ranked OOC schedule. Syracuse would have won the best division in football (with a win over FSU and/or Clemson) and then beaten a (more than likely) pretty good Coastal team. As long as you don't go the NC State route and schedule trash heaps, a 1 loss team from the Atlantic is pretty much always getting in the playoff in my opinion.

 

[Eric15]

Rutgers.

It makes sense for scheduling for success.

It makes sense if we get good again, because their conference affiliation isn't changing.

It makes sense for recruiting.

It makes sense for our fanbase to get to see the away game, whether local or NYC or Philly or DC.

It makes sense no matter what, so it will probably never happen.

Much of our fanbase spends enough energy opposing it to actually mean they're interested in it.

I think it would be fun to do some type of annual game (or at least few times per decade) against Rutgers at Yankee Stadium.

 

[Eric15]

a 1 loss team from the Atlantic is pretty much always getting in the playoff in my opinion.

1-loss Louisville was the odd man out for much of the playoff rankings last year behind you guys. But then they lost a couple more games and it became a moot point.