The Non-Conference Schedule

[ORGopher]

I will be the first to say that adding Texas and USC is a good move. But outside of that, the non-conference schedule has not changed that much. UNC is a good addition to the schedule and did they replace Colorado? I remember Colorado being added before Brewster got to the U, but I don't see them anymore.

2010
at Middle Tennessee State (really!!!! This has to be because of the State Fair rule)
vs. South Dakota
vs. USC
vs. Northern Illinois

2011
at USC
vs. New Mexico State
vs. Miami (Ohio)
vs. North Dakota State

2012
at UNLV
vs. TBA
vs. New Hampshire
vs. Syracuse

2013
vs. UNLV
at North Carolina
vs. Western Illinois
vs. San Jose State

2014
vs. Eastern Illinois
at Miami (Ohio)
vs. North Carolina
vs. San Jose State TCF Bank Stadium

2015
vs. South Dakota State
at Colorado State
vs. Texas
vs. Ohio

2016
vs New Mexico State
vs. Indiana State
at Texas
vs. Colorado State

 

[RodentRampage]

Reminds me of the old joke, "aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?" We have BCS opponents every year for the forseeable future. That is a dramatic change from non-conference schedules of the past.

 

[GophBen]

BCS

Reminds me of the old joke, "aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?" We have BCS opponents every year for the forseeable future. That is a dramatic change from non-conference schedules of the past.

Not just that, but recognizable BCS opponents. USC and Texas are elite programs, and North Carolina has a solid coach in Butch Davis. The atmosphere should be spectacular at the Bank for these games.

 

[Monty519]

Well of course you still have cupcakes. You'd have to be out of your mind to schedule teams like USC, Texas, and UNC and then add 3 more high quality opponents to those schedules. Even the top teams don't do that to themselves.

 

[Maximus]

North Carolina is only ranked 19th in the country.....wasn't North Carolina A&T available?

Texas hasn't won a national title in three plus years...wasn't Texas State available?

USC hasn't won a national title in four plus years....can't Cal Poly get out of its schedule with Wisconsin?

 

[gopherguy05]

The Colorado games got postponed until 2020 and 2021 due to Colorado having scheduling issues with Colorado State in the years we were to play them....

We also have Oregon State in 2017 and 2018 as well....not exactly weak BCS teams...

 

[metrolax]

Just remember....

.....we never know just how strong or weak these teams will be down the road.
When Cal was scheduled, nobody thought they'd be where they are today.
And it goes the other way as well.

I wouldn't mind a cupcake about now, though. The good thing about
having a cupcake is that it gives you a chance to get some newer players
some very important PT. Playing Syracuse, USAF, and Cal in a row isn't
really going to allow Gray very many snaps, barring injury. If he has to
come in against Wisky or Iowa, I would hope he's have more snaps than he does.

In any event, it'll be interesting.

 

[ORGopher]

I guess the other thing that I should point out is that including a BCS team on the schedule was Maturi's doing and not really something Brewster or Mason came up with. Mason agreed and Brewster embraced it more and wanted Texas and USC...the point being that the change in scheduling began a few years ago with Maturi. He should get most of the credit.

I agree completely...these are good non-conference schedules.

 

[UptownMaroon&Gold]

Having one good Non conference game is all you can ask for...no one in the country usually plays more than one or two.

 

[FishingMN]

Having one good Non conference game is all you can ask for...no one in the country usually plays more than one or two.

More importantly, there's no way to have 3 home non-conference games every year unless you schedule lesser teams that don't insist on home & home series. Money still rules and every major program is going to go out of their way to get 7 home games.

 

[highwayman]

I will be the first to say that adding Texas and USC is a good move. But outside of that, the non-conference schedule has not changed that much. UNC is a good addition to the schedule and did they replace Colorado? I remember Colorado being added before Brewster got to the U, but I don't see them anymore.

2010
at Middle Tennessee State (really!!!! This has to be because of the State Fair rule)...

I guess the other thing that I should point out is that including a BCS team on the schedule was Maturi's doing and not really something Brewster or Mason came up with. Mason agreed and Brewster embraced it more and wanted Texas and USC...the point being that the change in scheduling began a few years ago with Maturi. He should get most of the credit.

I agree completely...these are good non-conference schedules.

I was going to give you an 0-2, but I'm changing to 0-3.

It has been published repeatedly that Brewster wanted the upgrade in schedule and Maturi agreed. Maturi had a "gentlemen's agreement" with the MAC to schedule as many games as possible.

The MTS game is the "College Football Opener" and will likely be a National Game on ESPN. Good recruiting tool.

They will play Colorado later in order to play Colorado State. Our schedule has changed RADICALLY and will year in and year out be one of the toughest of any Big Ten team

 

[GoAUpher]

The MTS game is the "College Football Opener" and will likely be a National Game on ESPN. Good recruiting tool.

I hadn't noticed that! Maybe not ESPN, but certainly the Deuce. They usually have a SEC/ACC matchup on ESPN that night.

 

[gophersfan]

it up on Gophersports.com.

 

[Iceland12]

I was going to give you an 0-2, but I'm changing to 0-3.

It has been published repeatedly that Brewster wanted the upgrade in schedule and Maturi agreed. Maturi had a "gentlemen's agreement" with the MAC to schedule as many games as possible.

The MTS game is the "College Football Opener" and will likely be a National Game on ESPN. Good recruiting tool.

They will play Colorado later in order to play Colorado State. Our schedule has changed RADICALLY and will year in and year out be one of the toughest of any Big Ten team

Kinda, sorta highwayman. Maturi talked about going to a one BCS, two non-BCS and one regional 1-AA non-conference schedule during the last years of Mason's tenure. Do you remember the "hissy-fit" Wren, Loon and yep, Mason through before the first game against Cal in Berkeley? Maturi said he needed the new stadium revenue to pay for some of these games. He did have an "informal agreement" with the MAC but that was superseded by a formal agreement between the Big Ten and the MAC.

Brewster seems to have been the driving force behind going after Top Ten teams but Maturi pissed Mason off be going for BCS teams period.