LSU vs. An Easy Win

[Shark90210]

Long time lurker, great site. Just curious if those who have been firmly in the camp that we must schedule cupcakes out of conference still feel this way? I think this past LSU game shows exactly why that can be flawed thinking. This was a loss, but we gained so so so much more from it than we would have if we beat Buffalo instead. This has created a national buzz and has recruits taking notice. I think thats kind of the biggest thing about playing a big boy, you WILL be on national TV. These kids that are juniors and seniors in high school live football. They watch as many games as possible and this happened.

I feel that this year's schedule setup is perfect. I hope we continue it and yes, when we play Wisconsin down the road we will get the same perks as we did from this.

Future is trending up !!

 

[Timonen]

I loved the buildup and the lsu game as much as anyone. If we get to 6 wins this year, I agree with you. If we don't, you can make the same case that recruits notice as you're prepping and playing in bowl games. I think consistently getting to six wins a year is the immediate goal. Upping competition comes after that. Again, hope we can pull both off!

 

[NKR1978]

If we need four wins against cupcakes and only go 2-6 in the ACC, I don't think a bowl matters. Definitely want to play one big OOC game a year.

Unlike NC State, we know we can play with everyone left on our schedule. Now we just need to follow up strong with a good win against USF.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Ideally you catch a big name program on an off year but you'll never know that when scheduling games. Would have been fantastic to have Auburn or Texas on the schedule instead of LSU this year and be sitting at 4-0 and ranked.

 

[BlazeOrange]

I don't think many are advocating an all creampuff schedule, just something in line with most other schools. No need to schedule three P5 teams OOC when it's rare for our peers to even play two, for example.

Seems that the general consensus is :
1) a 1-AA tuneup game;
2) a MAC type team in an area of recruiting interest;
3) a 2nd MAC/AAC type or a lower echelon P5; and
4) a name program measuring stick game.

A 3-1 OOC record should be the intention when establishing the schedule, with 2-2 being about as common as 4-0 (during rare rebuilding or contending years).

 

[Finwad32]

Love a top tier OOC opponent. Loved having LSU here.

Not as fired up about Wisconsin. Very nice program, very successful, just not the same cache imo.

OOC scheduling on the whole? I think this year is the blueprint. I like the caliber of opponent and how the schedule ramped up as we got closer to the conference slate.

 

[TheCusian]

Love a top tier OOC opponent. Loved having LSU here. Not as fired up about Wisconsin. Very nice program, very successful, just not the same cache imo. OOC scheduling on the whole? I think this year is the blueprint. I like the caliber of opponent and how the schedule ramped up as we got closer to the conference slate.

Agreed. Just don't schedule like NC State. National media has caught up with those jokers.

 

[Shark90210]

Love a top tier OOC opponent. Loved having LSU here.

Not as fired up about Wisconsin. Very nice program, very successful, just not the same cache imo.

OOC scheduling on the whole? I think this year is the blueprint. I like the caliber of opponent and how the schedule ramped up as we got closer to the conference slate.

this is pretty much what i was getting at. if we schedule like this every year and go 3-1 every year before the conference schedule... and still miss bowl games? well, we have bigger issues in that case and probably several new coaches.

 

[Briancuse]

I think scheduling a team like Lsu only backfires if you get beat 48-7, and your team's confidence gets completely deflated. Playing a team like Lsu not only helps your team get better, but our kids now believe we can play with the big boys.

 

[Eric15]

If we don't, you can make the same case that recruits notice as you're prepping and playing in bowl games.

I just have trouble believing that a recruit cares whether a program goes 5-7 and misses a bowl vs. whether they go 6-6 and play in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit in front of 20k people on a weekday afternoon in late December.

 

[bcubs9497]

I just have trouble believing that a recruit cares whether a program goes 5-7 and misses a bowl vs. whether they go 6-6 and play in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit in front of 20k people on a weekday afternoon in late December.

I hear what you're saying, but it actually does matter, at least somewhat. How much? That depends on the recruit.

 

[TheCusian]

I just have trouble believing that a recruit cares whether a program goes 5-7 and misses a bowl vs. whether they go 6-6 and play in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit in front of 20k people on a weekday afternoon in late December.

Are you kidding? They definitely notice. And probably more important than all that is the perception among fans and the media. Just take the end of 2013 compared to the end of 2014 - just on this board.

Perception is huge. Getting kids to buy into a an up and coming team is much easier than a team in a downward spiral. How do you judge that as a 17 year old? Perception.

 

[Eric15]

Are you kidding? They definitely notice. And probably more important than all that is the perception among fans and the media. Just take the end of 2013 compared to the end of 2014 - just on this board.

Perception is huge. Getting kids to buy into a an up and coming team is much easier than a team in a downward spiral. How do you judge that as a 17 year old? Perception.

I'll rephrase... I think recruits care more about the opportunity to play in showcase regular season games on national TV (i.e. vs LSU) than they do the opportunity to play in a low-level bowl game.

 

[TheCusian]

I'll rephrase... I think recruits care more about the opportunity to play in showcase regular season games on national TV (i.e. vs LSU) than they do the opportunity to play in a low-level bowl game.

I really think it depends on the kid. But I'd bet sure as anything that they'd like to do both.

That's why the schedule as it is this season is close to perfect (don't want to play CMU Headhunters ever again).

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

That's why the schedule as it is this season is close to perfect (don't want to play CMU Headhunters ever again).

Don't think too much about our home game against them in 2017 then.

 

[Janner]

While 6-6 and an appearance in the International Bowl (don't think it even exists anymore) is not to glamorous it is still very important for continued player development. The additional practices that result from this bowl birth can really aid in a young teams development, especially one with a true freshman QB. In addition to the extra practices it provides a sense of accomplishment as well as provides yet another "big game" type feel in a foreign environment. Going to a bowl, even a minor one, can really do wonders for a team as young as ours.

 

[HtownOrange]

Just another Orange opinion:

Rutgers and VATech were built on beating cream puffs. te benefit of a decades long run and now people are really beating them down. Beamer has run his course and the house of cards is falling. Only a couple of significant wins, no championships, a history of falling flat against big boys and important bowl games. Sure, they can beat up the little guys, but they have never truly been championship caliber.

Rutgers run was too short to give them any credibility. Now look at them, the laughingstock of the east, B1G and NCAA. Everyone has forgotten how impressive it was that the ESB was lit in red one night. No significant victories, no significant bowls, never a perception of a real player.

Syracuse has a history, everyone knew they were down. Syracuse played big names anyway, they always have. Syracuse plays LSU tough following a 3-9 season and now everyone has a decent opinion of Syracuse.

I know this is anecdotal but the reality is that people that know football know Syracuse has been and will be a player. VATech was/is a paper tiger and Rutgers was/is a has never been.

 

[Yegorange]

Janner, few would argue that. But Eric is talking about a recruit's perception. If we get to a low level bowl at 6-6 by going 4-0 without playing an "LSU" and going 2-6 in ACC, they'll never see us on TV. And that bowl, even if they watch it, won't impress them too much. That opponent won't be anywhere near LSU's caliber.

So the only solution is this year's setup with 3-1 OOC (if we beat USF). Then 3-5 or better in ACC. Problem solved. And this year it seems doable.

 

[Eric15]

Just another Orange opinion:

Rutgers and VATech were built on beating cream puffs. te benefit of a decades long run and now people are really beating them down. Beamer has run his course and the house of cards is falling. Only a couple of significant wins, no championships, a history of falling flat against big boys and important bowl games. Sure, they can beat up the little guys, but they have never truly been championship caliber.

Rutgers run was too short to give them any credibility. Now look at them, the laughingstock of the east, B1G and NCAA. Everyone has forgotten how impressive it was that the ESB was lit in red one night. No significant victories, no significant bowls, never a perception of a real player.

Syracuse has a history, everyone knew they were down. Syracuse played big names anyway, they always have. Syracuse plays LSU tough following a 3-9 season and now everyone has a decent opinion of Syracuse.

I know this is anecdotal but the reality is that people that know football know Syracuse has been and will be a player. VATech was/is a paper tiger and Rutgers was/is a has never been.

Virginia Tech has been excellent over the past two decades. Multiple conference championships, many AP Top 15 finishes, multiple BCS games, and played very well in a national title game. I think you may be selling them short. You could actually make the argument that they are very similar to Syracuse basketball in the 80s and 90s - lots of success but not quite getting over the hump.

And is Rutgers really a laughingstock? They have gone to bowl games 9 out of the past 10 seasons and won 6 of them.

 

[Yegorange]

Hey, at 6-6 we'd be plaing them in the Quick Lane Bowl. While it'd certainly generate tons of excitement on this board, I doubt recruits would bother to even watch. Would have to agree that avoiding LSU hoping for a chance at Rutgers doesn't make sense.

 

[TheCusian]

Virginia Tech has been excellent over the past two decades. Multiple conference championships, many AP Top 15 finishes, multiple BCS games, and played very well in a national title game. I think you may be selling them short. You could actually make the argument that they are very similar to Syracuse basketball in the 80s and 90s - lots of success but not quite getting over the hump. And is Rutgers really a laughingstock? They have gone to bowl games 9 out of the past 10 seasons and won 6 of them.

Proof that a soft schedule can do wonders.

 

[HtownOrange]

Virginia Tech has been excellent over the past two decades. Multiple conference championships, many AP Top 15 finishes, multiple BCS games, and played very well in a national title game. I think you may be selling them short. You could actually make the argument that they are very similar to Syracuse basketball in the 80s and 90s - lots of success but not quite getting over the hump.

And is Rutgers really a laughingstock? They have gone to bowl games 9 out of the past 10 seasons and won 6 of them.

Sort through VATech's records and identify the big boys they beat and when they beat them (beating Miami of late is not really impressive). VATech has never really been impressive. I have lived outside of Syracuse...and NY...for more than 20 of the last 25 years. VATech is laughed at by the LSUs, Texas, OUs, Alabamas, tOSUs (last season aside), and the list goes on. Most know that VATech fails to live up to the hype, they have no fear or respect for VATech. Overrated, not as advertised, paper tiger.

As for Rutgers, nobody respects them whatsoever, regardless of the number of bowls. Beating creampuffs does that to a team's credibility.

I know this is my point of view, but it is also the most prevalent point of view when you get away from Syracuse, Blacksburg and Piscataway.

 

[BlazeOrange]

Hey, at 6-6 we'd be plaing them in the Quick Lane Bowl. While it'd certainly generate tons of excitement on this board, I doubt recruits would bother to even watch.

Probably true for underclass recruits who are just starting the process, but players approaching signing day who have SU as a finalist will definitely be checking it out. Those that aren't interested enough probably aren't going to end up committing here anyway.

As others mentioned, the current team benefits from the extra practices, plus there will be more energy (and something football-related to see) during the crucial official visit period. Would much rather have the recruits spend time on the football field with motivated players and coaches than hanging out in the dorms playing X-box with depressed players while they wait for the basketball game to start.

Finally, it's nice to be able to pitch that we've played in bowl games for the last X years (in our case, we'll have to make X out of Y sound good for a while). To maintain that perception of sustained quality, we'll have to mix a dreg bowl in from time to time.

 

[Bayside44]

Virginia Tech has been excellent over the past two decades. Multiple conference championships, many AP Top 15 finishes, multiple BCS games, and played very well in a national title game. I think you may be selling them short. You could actually make the argument that they are very similar to Syracuse basketball in the 80s and 90s - lots of success but not quite getting over the hump.

And is Rutgers really a laughingstock? They have gone to bowl games 9 out of the past 10 seasons and won 6 of them.

Agree 100% on the Hokies...I posted their final standings here not that long ago, and they've played off the top of my head in the last few seasons tOSU, LSU, Nebraska, USC, Boise in season...and the Rutgers thing is is weird. They've had success.

 

[GoSU96]

Long time lurker, great site. Just curious if those who have been firmly in the camp that we must schedule cupcakes out of conference still feel this way? I think this past LSU game shows exactly why that can be flawed thinking. This was a loss, but we gained so so so much more from it than we would have if we beat Buffalo instead. This has created a national buzz and has recruits taking notice. I think thats kind of the biggest thing about playing a big boy, you WILL be on national TV. These kids that are juniors and seniors in high school live football. They watch as many games as possible and this happened.

I feel that this year's schedule setup is perfect. I hope we continue it and yes, when we play Wisconsin down the road we will get the same perks as we did from this.

Future is trending up !!

The issue isn't cupcakes, it's been overscheduling out of conference year in and year out.

Before this season since 1991 there have been only three other seasons where only one FCS + ND & BYU have been on the out of conference schedule.

Twice, in 1991 and 2012, four P5 teams have been on the OOC schedule. 11 seasons it has been three, 8 seasons have had two.

That's nuts.