Just curious...

[Eric15]

There have been a handful of threads in the past about people not wanting to play a team like LSU right now, due to the fact if we lose to them and finish 5-7, it would prevent us from going to a bowl and developing as a program.

I'm just curious, has anyone who felt that way changed their mind? Would you really rather be playing some hum-drum game against say Buffalo or Temple this week on ESPN3 in front of 25K in the dome, instead of the opportunity to square off against this national power on national TV, while welcoming thousands of their vibrant fans to town?

 

[Macky44]

I don't understand the logic of not wanting to play good teams. I DO however understand people not wanting to schedule major games in the first two games of the year because it starts the team off on a bad foot essentially if you do not win, and turns off the "casual" fan too easily.

 

[Faegan]

I think we have struck the right balance this year.

 

[Jake]

You have to look at the schedule in its entirety and not cherry pick one game. I love the LSU series. But if this schedule had replaced central Michigan with somebody like Penn State, then yeH, I'd rather be playing buffalo this week. Schedule to win, because that will ultimately get more asses in the seats...not games against LSU. Go read the other FB board. #1 demand of fans is wins, not marquee opponents.

In my mind, this year's schedule is perfect.

 

[orange_in_VA]

There have been a handful of threads in the past about people not wanting to play a team like LSU right now, due to the fact if we lose to them and finish 5-7, it would prevent us from going to a bowl and developing as a program.

I'm just curious, has anyone who felt that way changed their mind? Would you really rather be playing some hum-drum game against say Buffalo or Temple this week on ESPN3 in front of 25K in the dome, instead of the opportunity to square off against this national power on national TV, while welcoming thousands of their vibrant fans to town?

I never had a problem with it. I like this years 3 winnable, 1 top team non-con. It helps having the easy games to start the year too. Gives the team a chance to work things out, gain some confidence, and shows a better record to the casuals.

Will try like hell to get down there for the game at LSU.

Their fans have been pretty cool, knowledgeable and entertaining. Really wish I could afford to get back to the Dome again this week. I'll be at home screaming at the TV instead, and praying to the football gods.

 

[AAM62]

There have been a handful of threads in the past about people not wanting to play a team like LSU right now, due to the fact if we lose to them and finish 5-7, it would prevent us from going to a bowl and developing as a program.

I'm just curious, has anyone who felt that way changed their mind? Would you really rather be playing some hum-drum game against say Buffalo or Temple this week on ESPN3 in front of 25K in the dome, instead of the opportunity to square off against this national power on national TV, while welcoming thousands of their vibrant fans to town?

i dont want to be on national tv with a walk on qb (still bitter about the cheap shot).

 

[Orangello]

Temple is a pretty good FB team and their coach is someone I would want to talk to if the SU job ever became available.

I think it's important to have at least one P5 opponent every year on the schedule going forward so I am fine with LSU. I agree that this year's schedule is close to perfect. We just need to be able to win more within the conference to turn the corner and get back to 8-9 win seasons consistently.

 

[Macky44]

You have to look at the schedule in its entirety and not cherry pick one game. I love the LSU series. But if this schedule had replaced central Michigan with somebody like Penn State, then yeH, I'd rather be playing buffalo this week. Schedule to win, because that will ultimately get more asses in the seats...not games against LSU. Go read the other FB board. #1 demand of fans is wins, not marquee opponents.

In my mind, this year's schedule is perfect.

I agree, the timing of games which are considered difficult is actually perfect this year. The 2nd half is going to be brutal..but at least it wasn't in the beginning of the season which could kill team moral.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think we have struck the right balance this year.

I agree with that.

 

[igor]

we have our qb and were every bit as good as lsu

 

[Macky44]

I think people that haven't truly recognized what a difference maker Dungey is should re-watch the CMU game before he was hurt. They literally didn't have an answer for him, and his ability to throw passes on the run is on the level as a true freshman that we havent had on The Hill since McNabb. If we have him in the LSU game i think its winnable with some turnovers on D and a stout run defense, because he is able to move the chains and keep their offense off the field longer. Hopefully the captain can do the same Saturday.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

I don't mind going with an easier schedule (ala Rutgers' rise to mediocrity) until we can get back on solid footing. Our ACC home games provide us with solid opponents. The hard part is, when you schedule the games years in advance, you won't know if the team will be on solid footing yet. Had we not gone 3-9 last year and had continued an upward trend, I'd probably feel better about having LSU on the schedule.

 

[MikeSU02]

There have been a handful of threads in the past about people not wanting to play a team like LSU right now, due to the fact if we lose to them and finish 5-7, it would prevent us from going to a bowl and developing as a program.

I'm just curious, has anyone who felt that way changed their mind? Would you really rather be playing some hum-drum game against say Buffalo or Temple this week on ESPN3 in front of 25K in the dome, instead of the opportunity to square off against this national power on national TV, while welcoming thousands of their vibrant fans to town?

Two things:

1) You need games like these to anchor your ticket sales and show that the program is committed to making the Dome a place where high profile games are played.

2) None of the teams left on our schedule will be as good as LSU is, imo. And there won't be a better player than Fournette. This experience of playing this type of elite team will be necessary experience to help us beat the teams that we have a real shot at beating.

It's just too bad Dungey isn't playing. I think we could have put a real scare into LSU.

I really like our schedule this year.

 

[KaiserUEO]

the issue is, Syracuse is clearly getting the short end of the stick here and its quite comical.

people bitched forever that the level of opponent wasnt up to their standards.

then people bitched even louder when games were perceived to have been moved to Giants Stadium, but in reality only 1 was.

then people jumped for joy when LSU was announced as a 1 & 1.

then people never bothered to buy a ticket.

playing a national program is great for tv and exposure, but at present we need Ws and another 15 practices with the end of season exposure and cache that a bowl game provides.

Syracuse needs a W.

Syracuse needs to play on ESPN in late Dec, not late Sept.

LSU, is going to a bowl.

LSU is potentially going to the F4.

LSU is playing a P5, on the road, north of the mason/dixon line on national tv.

LSU is going to have more fans than Syracuse there.

LSU is going to win.

sadly, this didnt need to happen.

pull an NFL and schedule mirror image programs till you want to break the mirror and move up in class.

 

[Macky44]

the issue is, Syracuse is clearly getting the short end of the stick here and its quite comical.

people bitched forever that the level of opponent wasnt up to their standards.

then people bitched even louder when games were perceived to have been moved to Giants Stadium, but in reality only 1 was.

then people jumped for joy when LSU was announced as a 1 & 1.

then people never bothered to buy a ticket.

playing a national program is great for tv and exposure, but at present we need Ws and another 15 practices with the end of season exposure and cache that a bowl game provides.

Syracuse needs a W.

Syracuse needs to play on ESPN in late Dec, not late Sept.

LSU, is going to a bowl.

LSU is potentially going to the F4.

LSU is playing a P5, on the road, north of the mason/dixon line on national tv.

LSU is going to have more fans than Syracuse there.

LSU is going to win.

sadly, this didnt need to happen.

pull an NFL and schedule mirror image programs till you want to break the mirror and move up in class.

"LSU is going to have more fans than Syracuse there"....

cute

 

[Eric15]

LSU is going to have more fans than Syracuse there.

Let's not go off the deep end here...

 

[jekelish]

I don't mind going with an easier schedule (ala Rutgers' rise to mediocrity) until we can get back on solid footing. Our ACC home games provide us with solid opponents. The hard part is, when you schedule the games years in advance, you won't know if the team will be on solid footing yet. Had we not gone 3-9 last year and had continued an upward trend, I'd probably feel better about having LSU on the schedule.

I'm in the same boat. I understand the appeal of scheduling LSU, especially if you can get them to come to the Dome. But I'd love to see us set up a schedule that would allow us to realistically win all of our OOC games and put us in a great position to get to 8 wins per year. Then we start rolling, getting recruiting going and bring in the talent to compete a little more, and THEN you start scheduling the LSUs of the world. We're punching too far out of our weight class right now with these games. Still schedule a P5 opponent, but maybe if you want to play the SEC, schedule Vanderbilt. Or hell, even Tennessee. They're still a name program but have been down, similarly to us. Casual fans will say, "Ooh, Tennessee!" without realizing they aren't the same Tennessee they're used to.

 

[MartyCuse]

I think we have scheduled pretty well this year. Though we already have a tough in conference schedule and maybe did not need a LSU team on it in the beginning. I rather have been playing an away game this week so the kids got there feet wet in someones else's back yard... but that just may be the fourth weekend of heading to the Dome in September talking...
I think my frustration lies not in playing LSU and only getting to 5-7... My frustration is that fact that a 5-7 season means no extra practices. I think a system that allows almost 50% of their teams to attend a bowl and get that practice, should allow teams that do not make it, to choose to get some extra reps in, to schedule some late season time with their kids. We need that time to improve and teach... The team shouldn't have to choose between challenging itself and improving. They should get both! IMHO:noidea:

 

[Eric15]

I'm in the same boat. I understand the appeal of scheduling LSU, especially if you can get them to come to the Dome. But I'd love to see us set up a schedule that would allow us to realistically win all of our OOC games and put us in a great position to get to 8 wins per year. Then we start rolling, getting recruiting going and bring in the talent to compete a little more, and THEN you start scheduling the LSUs of the world. We're punching too far out of our weight class right now with these games. Still schedule a P5 opponent, but maybe if you want to play the SEC, schedule Vanderbilt. Or hell, even Tennessee. They're still a name program but have been down, similarly to us. Casual fans will say, "Ooh, Tennessee!" without realizing they aren't the same Tennessee they're used to.

But how do you reconcile what you're suggesting with the fact that out-of-conference games are often scheduled years in advance? How can you predict ahead of time whether you'll be ready to play an LSU-caliber program 5 years down the road?

Isn't it better to just have the same scheduling philosophy every single year, using this year as the template? 1-AA + two mid-majors + one showcase game that excites the fanbase.

 

[jekelish]

But how do you reconcile what you're suggesting with the fact that out-of-conference games are often scheduled years in advance? How can you predict ahead of time whether you'll be ready to play an LSU-caliber program 5 years down the road?

Isn't it better to just have the same scheduling philosophy every single year, using this year as the template? 1-AA + two mid-majors + one showcase game that excites the fanbase.

That's an excellent point. Take the Wisconsin series - we HOPE that we'll be on more equal footing by then, but obviously we can't know for sure.

 

[KaiserUEO]

But how do you reconcile what you're suggesting with the fact that out-of-conference games are often scheduled years in advance? How can you predict ahead of time whether you'll be ready to play an LSU-caliber program 5 years down the road?

Isn't it better to just have the same scheduling philosophy every single year, using this year as the template? 1-AA + two mid-majors + one showcase game that excites the fanbase.

well, we scheduled this game in april of 2014.

thats scheduling a little too big for our britches with the 'success' they had in 2 Pinstripes and a state bowl.

 

[Eric15]

well, we scheduled this game in april of 2014.

thats scheduling a little too big for our britches with the 'success' they had in 2 Pinstripes and a state bowl.

In 2011 and 2012 we destroyed teams (WVU and Louisville) that went on to win BCS games. We don't need to be afraid of the big boys.

 

[KaiserUEO]

In 2011 and 2012 we destroyed teams (WVU and Louisville) that went on to win BCS games. We don't need to be afraid of the big boys.

wv & lville are mirror inconf programs.

dont need to be afraid of anyone, especially when they are always on the schedule ie: fsu, clemson & lville.

but there is no need to add more when Ws are at a premium.

 

[K Otto XLIV]

As a fan I like the LSU series but it is not good for the program. We should be playing no better than mid level P5 teams.

 

[Scooch]

At worst after this game SU will be 3-1. That gives us 8 more games to find 3 wins. If SU can't find 3 wins amongst the likes of USF, Pitt, BC, NC State and Louisville then I don't know how much easier we can possibly make our schedule. This year's OOC schedule is exactly what we should be doing -- 2 layups (URI, CMU), 1 highly likely win assuming we don't totally suck (USF), and 1 challenging P5 opponent. It's also in the correct order, waiting until game 4 to play the challenging OOC team.