Future Boston College Football Scheduling: Finding Room For BYU
by Brian Favat on Jul 14, 2011 12:00 PM EDT
in Boston College Football
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PrintInteresting scheduling tidbit coming out of BYU media day, where Bronco Mendenhall mentions the possibility of the Cougars returning to BC's future schedule:
"Holmoe said he would like to take BYU all over the country, and would like to schedule games against the service academies, possibly even Northwestern or Vanderbilt. Mendenhall mentioned getting games against teams like Boston College, and playing in the Southeast, Midwest and Northwest."
I am a big fan of seeing BYU return to the Eagles' future football schedule, if only for another home-and-home (I doubt BC would get a Texas-like 2-for-1 deal from BYU, but I suppose you never know). The question becomes where would the Cougars fall on BC's future non-conference schedules.
Here is the tentative slate for the Eagles:
| Year | OOC #1 | OOC #2 | OOC #3 | OOC #4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Notre Dame | @ Northwestern | Army | Maine |
| 2013 | @ USC | Syracuse | @ Army | Stony Brook |
| 2014 | USC | @ Syracuse | vs. Army | Rhode Island |
| 2015 | Notre Dame | Syracuse | Army | Buffalo (Location TBD) |
| 2016 | @ Notre Dame | @ Syracuse | Buffalo (Location TBD) | |
| 2017 | Syracuse | |||
| 2018 | @ Notre Dame | Syracuse | ||
| 2019 | Notre Dame | @ Syracuse | ||
| 2020 | @ Syracuse | |||
| 2021 | Syracuse |
Overall, I'm really happy with the way the future BC football schedule is shaping up. I love the fact that Syracuse is on the schedule every year from 2013-2021, and I'm obviously a big fan of the six-game Notre Dame series and the home-and-home with USC.
I'm thinking UMass will accept BC's proposal for a 4-for-2 with the two away games played at Gillette. In all likelihood, that deal would go into effect for the 2016 season and be played every season from 2016-2021. After slotting in the Minutemen, that leaves just three seasons where BC has two scheduling slots remaining -- 2017, 2020 and 2021. Even though BC already has both Notre Dame and Syracuse on the sched in 2018, I'd look to the 2017-18 seasons to slot the Cougars in, with the home date in 2017 and the road trip in 2018 (since BC gets both ND and Cuse at home in 2018). I have no problem playing two BCS-calibre independents and Syracuse in a season and feel the program needs this type of scheduling to continue to build interest in going to the Heights on Saturdays in the fall.
After the jump, a look at the future schedules after slotting in BYU and UMass.
| Year | OOC #1 | OOC #2 | OOC #3 | OOC #4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Notre Dame | @ Northwestern | Army | Maine |
| 2013 | @ USC | Syracuse | @ Army | Stony Brook |
| 2014 | USC | @ Syracuse | vs. Army | Rhode Island |
| 2015 | Notre Dame | Syracuse | Army | Buffalo (Location TBD) |
| 2016 | @ Notre Dame | @ Syracuse | Buffalo (Location TBD) | UMass |
| 2017 | Brigham Young | Syracuse | @ UMass | |
| 2018 | @ Notre Dame | Syracuse | @ Brigham Young | UMass |
| 2019 | Notre Dame | @ Syracuse | UMass | |
| 2020 | @ Syracuse | UMass | ||
| 2021 | Syracuse | @ UMass |
This schedule is set up to guarantee at least six home games in every season going forward, and ideally seven in every season post 2016. I would hope that UMass replaces the I-AA game on the schedule, but GDF will probably slot a Maine, Rhode Island, Stony Brook, Fordham (Jesuit power!) or New Hampshire in the remaining slot in 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021. If we didn't play a I-AA opponent in one of these seasons, I wouldn't mind seeing Navy return to the schedule in any one of these years.
After slotting in Navy / I-AAs, this would leave just two scheduling slots left on the sched in 2020 and 2021, but hopefully by that point Notre Dame decides to re-up its deal and continue the Holy War series with BC.
What do you think of the possibility of scheduling newly independent BYU? General thoughts/impressions on the Eagles' future football schedules?
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Liked the BYU series in 05/06
It clearly helped that we won both games too. The 06 double-overtime game was pretty awesome with Silva ending the game with an instant-replay interception. I wouldn’t be opposed to having a similar home-and-home with the Cougars again. What would be interesting is when the games would be played in the season because of BYU’s status as an independent = finding games later in the season when most other teams are in their conference schedules will be a challenge for them.
And are we really traveling to Buffalo in 2015? Is that another famous 2-for-1 MAC special that Gene loves so much?
BYU fan here
I’d love a series with BC. In fact, I’d even go 1-1-1 (or even better, a 2-2-1) with a neutral-site game at a not-so-neutral Gillette Stadium. I’ve got to think that there are enough people with ties to BYU in the Boston/NE area that we could get a pretty big crowd to the game.
One of the things mentioned at BYU’s media day was that there are BYU fans all over the country and how they’d like to be able to have more of those fans see live games. I think a game a Gillette would fit.
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Love the Sound Of This
As Brian said you have to give credit when credit is due, Gene has done a great job securing a solid out of conference schedule. Army, Notre Dame, USC and Syracuse all are intriguing matchups, which most of all should bring fans into the stadium. As Hoya said I loved the BYU series, they are an exciting team, our teams always match up well. Come on Gene, they want it, we want it. Let’s do it baby!
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Gillette Stadium
Would love another home-and-home with BYU, but not particularly crazy about a neutral site game at Gillette. That’s going to be UMass’ home as they make the transition to IA.
BC-BYU in 2006 drew 40,233.
Editor, BC Interruption
looking at this OOC schedule
only further confirms how little we need to play UConn
As far as names go
As far as names go, you’re right, because most college football programs avoid playing too many dangerous non-conference games.
Most of the time, you’ll have ND and Syracuse— two “respectable names” appears to be the going rate for ballsy non-conference scheduling (with a blend of “hey, they are technically FBS” and “it’s FCS, but I’ll still call them 1-AA” for the rest, because you have to have some gimmes).
Playing UConn would pit BC against a hungry program tired of being called Little Brother. I’m sure that’s a prospect most people would like to avoid.
Syracuse
’Cuse is a much more historical rival to BC than UConn. The two programs played each other in 34 consecutive seasons from 1971-2004 — well before our Big East football days — and 46 times in all. The only other program BC has faced more in its history is Holy Cross (82 times).
You’re right. There’s no incentive for BC to schedule UConn, but that’s not the only reason.
1. No incentive to prop up a local BCS program
2. Not a historical rival
3. You’d be hard-pressed to find any BCS AQ program that schedules three BCS AQ programs in non-conf play (and that includes Big East programs who have 5 non-conf dates every year)
Editor, BC Interruption
If you count ND...
… then USC does this a lot (3 times since 2005, anyway). And SU has as well (though admittedly we’ve got 5 OOC games to fill until TCU starts Big East play, and Marrone has ended the GERG-era suicidal scheduling going forward even if it stuck us with two FCS games last year). But that’s probably about it.
Pac-12
The Pac-12 has done this until recently since they have refused to play Division I-AA schools until only very recently. The Big East has an extra date until TCU joins the fold.
But as you pointed out, these are fringe cases and certainly not the majority case for the rest of the BCS.
Editor, BC Interruption
The Pac10 never had a rule against playing D-1AAs
Some of it’s members were frequent users of those schools, particularly the Arizona and Oregon schools. Only UCLA, USC, UW and Cal refused, with the last two changing their minds in the last few years. On a side note, USC played four BCS conference schools in their 2002 OOC: Colorado, Auburn, K-St and ND. Still your point is valid, it’s rare for any school to play more than two.
by ev on Jul 14, 2011 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Not a rule; rather a preference to avoid scheduling these teams, as you point out. I knew UCLA, USC and Washington were among the programs with this school of thought. Didn’t know about Cal.
Editor, BC Interruption
Cal had not played one until 2005
Of course they have now become a staple of their diet, counting this season will make five in seven years
by ev on Jul 14, 2011 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions
home and home
I am very happy to see that USC is a “home and home” situation. In the near past, ND would only schedule BC on a 2 for 1. I do not know what the situation is now.
Home-and-home
BC and Notre Dame agreed to a six-game series starting in 2011. Three in Chestnut Hill, three in South Bend.
http://www.bcinterruption.com/2010/6/8/1507767/boston-college-notre-dame-agree-to
Editor, BC Interruption
USC plays home/home series almost exclusively
It helps the rotation as they have fewer openings. The last time they played a two for one was with Hawaii and they were the “one”. Of course with Hawaii that is the way you want it to be.
by ev on Jul 14, 2011 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions
The 13th regular season game
Always a plus, though this gave USC one more W to vacate in 2005.
Editor, BC Interruption
Small Point
But 2018 is @ND. I don’t think that changes the calculus much, as BYU is certainly legit enough to warrant a home and home and the occasional 6 game home schedule is acceptable (especially in even years when the ACC schedule is better).
Thanks.
I had caught that error in the first table, but forgot to change this in both tables. Thanks.
Editor, BC Interruption
2018
The 2018 schedule already looks awesome with BYU thrown in there. I’m all for scheduling three solid programs (like ND, Syracuse, and BYU) and a UMass for our non-conference schedule.
Get the FCS programs off the schedule and just use UMass as our “gimme” game!
Agreed. +1. Like. RT
Whatever the current way of saying it is.
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