Gophers to play FCS school Tennessee Tech in 2020

When the Gophers scheduled BYU, most everyone would have said they were a better program than Iowa St at that point. Unless it's one of the top programs in the country, it's hard to predict where a program will be 4-5 years in the future.

It's hard to compare Iowa vs Iowa St. and say Iowa St. vs anyone else. Iowa St. even when they suck can step up and beat Iowa.

It's a hard thing to compare and makes Iowa's schedule look weird when really you never know what Iowa St. will bring to that game.
 

When the Gophers scheduled BYU, most everyone would have said they were a better program than Iowa St at that point. Unless it's one of the top programs in the country, it's hard to predict where a program will be 4-5 years in the future.


I agree if you are scheduling PAC 12, Big 12 type schools on the bottom of their conference 4-5 years out. But we are scheduling Tennessee Tech two years out...anybody anywhere knows that is a laugher. And Iowa St versus Iowa is rivalry game unlike Minnesota vs Wisconsin, Iowa State competes. Iowa St has won 10 of the last 20 games versus Iowa. That is not a cupcake. The calendar is circled for game day for many folks in Iowa. NOBODY is circling Tennessee Tech versus Minnesota. Any Elite Gopher player is asking: " We just scheduled whooo in two years??? What's that about coach?"
 

It's too bad we can't schedule Tennessee Tech as a late October/early November non conference game like the SEC does. Would love to have a BIG opponent to start the year and have a cupcake later on the schedule.
 

I swear I read the B1G was doing away with playing FCS/D1-AA teams in the future. If not, I wish they would.
 



See here: https://www.argusleader.com/story/b...-lifts-ban-fcs-football-scheduling/505694001/

In July of 2015, the conference set forth guidelines for football scheduling that called for nine league games, a minimum of one non-conference game against a "Power Five" conference opponent, and no further games against FCS teams (games that had already been scheduled before the decree were grandfathered in).

But a schedule that calls for nine conference games leaves half the B1G's teams with only four conference home games in certain years, and finding additional home games to fill the hole proved difficult. So on Monday Delany announced that in years that B1G teams have only four conference home games, they will be allowed to schedule non-conference games vs. FCS opponents if they wish.
 

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I agree if you are scheduling PAC 12, Big 12 type schools on the bottom of their conference 4-5 years out. But we are scheduling Tennessee Tech two years out...anybody anywhere knows that is a laugher. And Iowa St versus Iowa is rivalry game unlike Minnesota vs Wisconsin, Iowa State competes. Iowa St has won 10 of the last 20 games versus Iowa. That is not a cupcake. The calendar is circled for game day for many folks in Iowa. NOBODY is circling Tennessee Tech versus Minnesota. Any Elite Gopher player is asking: " We just scheduled whooo in two years??? What's that about coach?"

I wasn't talking about TN Tech, more like BYU, Iowa St, N Illinois, and Florida Atlantic. Your original quote was "I'd say those non conference schedules send a different message about what the expectations "really" are, than adding Tennessee Tech does for us." I just don't see how Iowa's schedule says that. It would generally be considered a so-so non-conference schedule by most people around the country.
 

Big Ten made a mistake when they rescinded the ban on FCS teams. It's so weak.
 




Big Ten made a mistake when they rescinded the ban on FCS teams. It's so weak.

I believe the issue is the group of five conferences were overcharging on what they charged for scheduling games. they knew the power 5 teams couldn't schedule FCS schools and didn't have a choice and had to pay. I understand your frustration though.

In other words. Group of 5 got greedy with their scheduling fees and B1G schools were having a problem scheduling.
 

This and Alabama and Notre Dame booking games 10 years out is ridiculous. Would the top 64-80 teams just break off from the rest of NCAA football now, and simplify things. Create a way to have conferences and rotating schedule.
 

I believe the issue is the group of five conferences were overcharging on what they charged for scheduling games. they knew the power 5 teams couldn't schedule FCS schools and didn't have a choice and had to pay. I understand your frustration though.

In other words. Group of 5 got greedy with their scheduling fees and B1G schools were having a problem scheduling.


That is correct. I'm ok with one FCS game here and there
 

Can we get the Coyotes on the schedule?

still by far the most embarrassing loss
 



Big Ten made a mistake when they rescinded the ban on FCS teams. It's so weak.

Agree wholeheartedly. Who cares if midnajors won't schedule us. How about some more home and home series against power 5 teams? Heaven forbid we schedule games against teams at our level.
 

Big Ten made a mistake when they rescinded the ban on FCS teams. It's so weak.

I think there were legit scheduling issues when moving to more conference games and only being able to possibly schedule a handful of teams who ... knew that.
 


Agree wholeheartedly. Who cares if midnajors won't schedule us. How about some more home and home series against power 5 teams? Heaven forbid we schedule games against teams at our level.

We do schedule teams at our level.
 

Agree wholeheartedly. Who cares if midnajors won't schedule us. How about some more home and home series against power 5 teams? Heaven forbid we schedule games against teams at our level.

Again, we play BYU plus 9 conference games. You're really not OK with us scheduling two teams we should beat in the remaining games?
 

Agree wholeheartedly. Who cares if midnajors won't schedule us. How about some more home and home series against power 5 teams? Heaven forbid we schedule games against teams at our level.

We can't just schedule home-and-home series because we have an odd number of conference games. Pretty much every Power 5 team strives to schedule 7 (if not 8) home games every season to maximize gate revenue - and have more games on their conference network. In the years we have 4 home conference games, we schedule all 3 nonconference games at home. There's no way to do that without scheduling some FCS games - the math doesn't work.
 

We can't just schedule home-and-home series because we have an odd number of conference games. Pretty much every Power 5 team strives to schedule 7 (if not 8) home games every season to maximize gate revenue - and have more games on their conference network. In the years we have 4 home conference games, we schedule all 3 nonconference games at home. There's no way to do that without scheduling some FCS games - the math doesn't work.

That's a good point as usual. Understanding that, imo we could still do better than Tennessee Tech, I'd think?

One poster said he wasn't buying tickets this season because we don't play anybody....
2018 Home Games:
Aug. 30 vs. New Mexico State
Sept. 8 vs. Fresno State -
Sept. 15 vs. Miami (OH) -
Oct. 6 vs. Iowa - Homecoming
Oct. 26 vs. Indiana -
Nov. 10 vs. Purdue -
Nov. 17 vs. Northwestern -

I still believe it's philosophy predominantly, and I grant you there are different ways to be successful. I believe you need to challenge your players, show them you believe in them, That it's not just words. Because we are changing our best every day we scheduled _______ fill in the blank...somebody that tells my team " I expect us to be good!" Tennessee Tech in 2020 pokes holes in my culture. I'm not walking the talk. Again, just my opinion, I'd find a way to do it different.
 

We do schedule teams at our level.

Change your level. Change the expectations. Schedule teams better than you. Force your players to compete. Mistakes are how we learn. Not let's give us the best chance to be sure we win 6 games. That's not expecting to win the West. Players are not dumb. Fans are not dumb. Don't tell me, show me you really think you can coach. Believe in yourself and your players. PJ has his way...there is not just one way...just saying what it says to me.
 

Maybe I'm being naive, but I really doubt that many season ticket holders factor in the strength of schedule when deciding whether or not to renew (I certainly don't). Maybe the casual fan, but not the diehard. Isn't it fun to watch wins?? We have a chance to go 5-2 or even 6-1 at home this season which would be fun for me...
 

Change your level. Change the expectations. Schedule teams better than you. Force your players to compete. Mistakes are how we learn. Not let's give us the best chance to be sure we win 6 games. That's not expecting to win the West. Players are not dumb. Fans are not dumb. Don't tell me, show me you really think you can coach. Believe in yourself and your players. PJ has his way...there is not just one way...just saying what it says to me.

You have no idea why Tennessee Tech is on the schedule. Who knows what else they might have tried to schedule on the date and it didn't work out.

Trying way to hard to make it some PJ Fleck issue.
 

Maybe I'm being naive, but I really doubt that many season ticket holders factor in the strength of schedule when deciding whether or not to renew (I certainly don't). Maybe the casual fan, but not the diehard. Isn't it fun to watch wins?? We have a chance to go 5-2 or even 6-1 at home this season which would be fun for me...

I considered the schedule when I was making the decision whether or not to renew. This year's schedule is bad. Really bad, to the point I am not sure I can convince others to take my extras. It's a hard sell when I am not that fired up about going either.

Ultimately, I decided to renew anyway. If I am still a season ticket holder in 2020, I will likely be golfing rather than watching Tenn Tech.
 

I considered the schedule when I was making the decision whether or not to renew. This year's schedule is bad. Really bad, to the point I am not sure I can convince others to take my extras. It's a hard sell when I am not that fired up about going either.

Ultimately, I decided to renew anyway. If I am still a season ticket holder in 2020, I will likely be golfing rather than watching Tenn Tech.

Interesting, thanks for the chime in.

Even as someone who is obsessed with golf (play 60+ rounds a year), there is no chance I'd skip one of our 7 homes games to tee it up.
 

Change your level. Change the expectations. Schedule teams better than you. Force your players to compete. Mistakes are how we learn. Not let's give us the best chance to be sure we win 6 games. That's not expecting to win the West. Players are not dumb. Fans are not dumb. Don't tell me, show me you really think you can coach. Believe in yourself and your players. PJ has his way...there is not just one way...just saying what it says to me.

Football scheduling can happen many years in advance. They've recently scheduled Colorado and Mississippi St who have both been better than the Gophers. That just doesn't start until 2021.

They can only schedule who is available too. It's not like they can call Notre Dame or Alabama and get them on the schedule for 2020.
 

Change your level. Change the expectations. Schedule teams better than you. Force your players to compete. Mistakes are how we learn. Not let's give us the best chance to be sure we win 6 games. That's not expecting to win the West. Players are not dumb. Fans are not dumb. Don't tell me, show me you really think you can coach. Believe in yourself and your players. PJ has his way...there is not just one way...just saying what it says to me.
Excellent use of clichés. [emoji41]
 

Interesting, thanks for the chime in.

Even as someone who is obsessed with golf (play 60+ rounds a year), there is no chance I'd skip one of our 7 homes games to tee it up.

I would almost always agree, but when the Gophers hosted Indiana St a couple of years ago (an awesome September day) I was sitting in the less than half full TCF Bank stadium wishing I was on the course instead. I got a call at halftime to tee it up, and I was gone.
 

Again, we play BYU plus 9 conference games. You're really not OK with us scheduling two teams we should beat in the remaining games?

I'm certainly not ok with us scheduling a team as bad as Tennessee Tech. I don't have much sympathy for the notion that we need a certain number if glorified scrimmages in a 12 game regular season. I have a little more sympathy for dpod's argument that the teams want more home games. I'd be curious to see what the overall difference would be for revenue between a home and home with a legitimate opponent rather than two consecutive home games against FCS (with presumably lower attendance) and 7 figure payouts to get them to come. From a season ticket holder perspective, I would gladly trade two home games against FCS for a home game against another power 5 team and watching a road game against that same team on tv.
 

I'm certainly not ok with us scheduling a team as bad as Tennessee Tech. I don't have much sympathy for the notion that we need a certain number if glorified scrimmages in a 12 game regular season. I have a little more sympathy for dpod's argument that the teams want more home games. I'd be curious to see what the overall difference would be for revenue between a home and home with a legitimate opponent rather than two consecutive home games against FCS (with presumably lower attendance) and 7 figure payouts to get them to come. From a season ticket holder perspective, I would gladly trade two home games against FCS for a home game against another power 5 team and watching a road game against that same team on tv.

In what season do we play two home games against FCS teams? I don't see that anywhere on the future schedules.
 




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