1 and done

[smazza]

smazz is right on this one.

Leavitt needs to get over this 1aa McNeese Elon ****.

if anything, add some bottom feeding Sun Belt or MAC team or maybe even Duke.

those 1aa games do nothing for us, and the fact that we didn't exactly light Elon up this and last year it took us until the second half to pull away from McNeese only gives people the ability to say "oh they struggled against an FCS team"

Ball State is the kind of school we should be opening with, not giving 1-and-1's to.

:thumbsdown

Look around the college landscape and you'll find that every Division 1A football team plays these 1AA teams.  We're not the only ones.  Even mighty Ohio State and LSU play cupcakes, so why shouldn't we?   We played Auburn, but we still played Elon, see how things work out?

did oregon game teach usf anything

usf needs to play better opponents any chance we get

[smazza]

I think my choice is pretty obvious...

it would be nice for USF fans to come see one of the best gameday experiences in the country

bACK IN 70'S MY DEAR FRIEND ernie grunfeld SHOWED  me a great time when we play ut in basketball

it would be a greaT TRIP

SIGN THE DEAL INSTEAD OF PLAYING  A 1AA IN TAMPA

[Mama_Bull]

smazz is right on this one.

Leavitt needs to get over this 1aa McNeese Elon ****.

if anything, add some bottom feeding Sun Belt or MAC team or maybe even Duke.

those 1aa games do nothing for us, and the fact that we didn't exactly light Elon up this and last year it took us until the second half to pull away from McNeese only gives people the ability to say "oh they struggled against an FCS team"

Ball State is the kind of school we should be opening with, not giving 1-and-1's to.

:thumbsdown

Look around the college landscape and you'll find that every Division 1A football team plays these 1AA teams.  We're not the only ones.  Even mighty Ohio State and LSU play cupcakes, so why shouldn't we?   We played Auburn, but we still played Elon, see how things work out?

did oregon game teach usf anything

usf needs to play better opponents any chance we get

I don't know what scheduling a one 1-AA team has to do with winning or losing to Oregon. We had a top 10 schedule as it was.

The only lesson I drew out of it was NOT to schedule Oregon. LOL

[smazza]

Look around the college landscape and you'll find that every Division 1A football team plays these 1AA teams.  We're not the only ones.  Even mighty Ohio State and LSU play cupcakes, so why shouldn't we?   We played Auburn, but we still played Elon, see how things work out?

There's nothing really wrong with that... But building a program, as we still are, different approaches might be better in the short run. I'm not sure which way we should go, but IF we were to WIN a game against any one of these teams it would do exactly what Auburn did for us last season. On the other hand we could play a cupcake, take a nearly certain victory, and go relatively unnoticed until we win the bigger ones (which seems to be the current strategy). It depends how risky you want to be. I don't think voters would knock us too much if they were to look at our schedule and see a first game loss to a big dog. Heck, they might actually begin to think we can play with them.

perhaps you weren't around when we went through this cycle already.

THese payday games are done by non-BCS teams for the most part. When you are a BCS team, you should expect a fair trade of 1 for 1's with another BCS squad short of them being some mythical giant team that is beyond reproach (which there may be all of about 10-15 of those total). Peraps you also failed to see the numerous home and home series we have signed over the last few years that clearly show we are more than capable of being that equal partner type of BCS team. Yeah-- we aren't quite in the "league" of the perenial monster teams at this point. But if we can start ending up the year in the top 25 all the time-- eventually we will garner that type of respect from the bigger teams that are willing to play a handful of non-conference away games every now and then.

The problem is with college football as a whole-- not just USF scheduling.  MOST of the juggernauts--- the UF's, USCs, Michigan's, Penn States, Ohio States--- they have HUGE capacity stadiums that are built for the maximum number of home games. Those folks have no desire to play any more than the conference minimum of away games-- plain and simple. This is why some of them end up playing cupcake games against 1-AA squads or push for the payday type games you think are so attractive. If it costs USF almost the same as it gets paid out for a bowl game-- how do you figure these payday games are so lucrative (short of the quicker turnaround interms of overall stay)?

The facts are these--- we want more home games just like the big guys. ANYTIME we can sign a home and home with another BCS or even FCS squad (less impressive) that is a big win for the program. Those 1-aa games everyone whines about make it possible in some years for us to have a home opponent who doesn't expect an extra large check. We make serious coin on those.

usc always goes on the road to play tough opponents

they arent afaid and coach carrol instills confidence

[Mama_Bull]

Look around the college landscape and you'll find that every Division 1A football team plays these 1AA teams.  We're not the only ones.  Even mighty Ohio State and LSU play cupcakes, so why shouldn't we?   We played Auburn, but we still played Elon, see how things work out?

There's nothing really wrong with that... But building a program, as we still are, different approaches might be better in the short run. I'm not sure which way we should go, but IF we were to WIN a game against any one of these teams it would do exactly what Auburn did for us last season. On the other hand we could play a cupcake, take a nearly certain victory, and go relatively unnoticed until we win the bigger ones (which seems to be the current strategy). It depends how risky you want to be. I don't think voters would knock us too much if they were to look at our schedule and see a first game loss to a big dog. Heck, they might actually begin to think we can play with them.

perhaps you weren't around when we went through this cycle already.

THese payday games are done by non-BCS teams for the most part. When you are a BCS team, you should expect a fair trade of 1 for 1's with another BCS squad short of them being some mythical giant team that is beyond reproach (which there may be all of about 10-15 of those total). Peraps you also failed to see the numerous home and home series we have signed over the last few years that clearly show we are more than capable of being that equal partner type of BCS team. Yeah-- we aren't quite in the "league" of the perenial monster teams at this point. But if we can start ending up the year in the top 25 all the time-- eventually we will garner that type of respect from the bigger teams that are willing to play a handful of non-conference away games every now and then.

The problem is with college football as a whole-- not just USF scheduling.  MOST of the juggernauts--- the UF's, USCs, Michigan's, Penn States, Ohio States--- they have HUGE capacity stadiums that are built for the maximum number of home games. Those folks have no desire to play any more than the conference minimum of away games-- plain and simple. This is why some of them end up playing cupcake games against 1-AA squads or push for the payday type games you think are so attractive. If it costs USF almost the same as it gets paid out for a bowl game-- how do you figure these payday games are so lucrative (short of the quicker turnaround interms of overall stay)?

The facts are these--- we want more home games just like the big guys. ANYTIME we can sign a home and home with another BCS or even FCS squad (less impressive) that is a big win for the program. Those 1-aa games everyone whines about make it possible in some years for us to have a home opponent who doesn't expect an extra large check. We make serious coin on those.

usc always goes on the road to play tough opponents

they arent afaid and coach carrol instills confidence

Maybe you forgot, but we DID play @Auburn and with NO return game.

USC had a VERY weak schedule last year.

I should hope with a team loaded with all four and five star recruits, they would be confident. LOL

BTW, I read a thread somewhere that four ACC teams, including FSU, are playing TWO 1-AA opponents. I don't know if all of that is true, but there is no doubt that teams use that as a tune up game for the season to break in new systems, new players and such. 

[RSSMOOTH]

Look around the college landscape and you'll find that every Division 1A football team plays these 1AA teams.  We're not the only ones.  Even mighty Ohio State and LSU play cupcakes, so why shouldn't we?   We played Auburn, but we still played Elon, see how things work out?

There's nothing really wrong with that... But building a program, as we still are, different approaches might be better in the short run. I'm not sure which way we should go, but IF we were to WIN a game against any one of these teams it would do exactly what Auburn did for us last season. On the other hand we could play a cupcake, take a nearly certain victory, and go relatively unnoticed until we win the bigger ones (which seems to be the current strategy). It depends how risky you want to be. I don't think voters would knock us too much if they were to look at our schedule and see a first game loss to a big dog. Heck, they might actually begin to think we can play with them.

perhaps you weren't around when we went through this cycle already.

THese payday games are done by non-BCS teams for the most part. When you are a BCS team, you should expect a fair trade of 1 for 1's with another BCS squad short of them being some mythical giant team that is beyond reproach (which there may be all of about 10-15 of those total). Peraps you also failed to see the numerous home and home series we have signed over the last few years that clearly show we are more than capable of being that equal partner type of BCS team. Yeah-- we aren't quite in the "league" of the perenial monster teams at this point. But if we can start ending up the year in the top 25 all the time-- eventually we will garner that type of respect from the bigger teams that are willing to play a handful of non-conference away games every now and then.

The problem is with college football as a whole-- not just USF scheduling.  MOST of the juggernauts--- the UF's, USCs, Michigan's, Penn States, Ohio States--- they have HUGE capacity stadiums that are built for the maximum number of home games. Those folks have no desire to play any more than the conference minimum of away games-- plain and simple. This is why some of them end up playing cupcake games against 1-AA squads or push for the payday type games you think are so attractive. If it costs USF almost the same as it gets paid out for a bowl game-- how do you figure these payday games are so lucrative (short of the quicker turnaround interms of overall stay)?

The facts are these--- we want more home games just like the big guys. ANYTIME we can sign a home and home with another BCS or even FCS squad (less impressive) that is a big win for the program. Those 1-aa games everyone whines about make it possible in some years for us to have a home opponent who doesn't expect an extra large check. We make serious coin on those.

usc always goes on the road to play tough opponents

they arent afaid and coach carrol instills confidence

back that up with specific information---- what TOUGH OUT OF CONFERENCE opponents did USC play last season ON THE ROAD? How about the year before? ANd the year before?

yeah--- I expect you will answer this with some BS flippant remark instead. You are so ******* predictable

I may not agree with Smazza a lot of the times but he's absolutely dead on, USC schedules anyone anytime any place, Do you not remember they thrashed the SEC runner-ups last year on the road 50-14, they also thrashed Nebraka and Notre Dame. They have thrashed Notre Dame the last 6 years

They have beaten Auburn and Virginia Tech comfortably in recent years too,