The Bobcat Nation

Was hoping we wouldn't be having these discussions for a few more weeks but oh-well... $hit happens!

We'll have 8 leagues games with the inclusion of Northern Colorado (Their initiation into the Big Sky will be fairly painful for them I have a feeling...)

So that leaves only 3 other games unless we expand to a 12 game season (Anyone have the word on that?)

I've heard Cal Poly is on the schedule again - ugh. (Coming to Bozo though, so that helps.)

I guess we're playing Colorado.

Leaves one game maybe two. I'm guessing they won't be easy games. I might be premature here but it's very likely we'll need to win the Big Sky to make the playoffs...

I heard that UM is playing another DII school, AND possibly Carroll as well??? WTF? I've heard of padding a schedule but that is ridiculous if true...

It's UC Davis, not Cal Poly coming to Bozeman next year. When the Davis game was reported, it said they were still trying to schedule one more home game for the 11th game.

MSU01 is right, we currently have two of our OOC games scheduled, home against UC-Davis and at Colorado. Haven't heard anything on the third.

As for the 12th game, that was put down for I-AA so except for those years where there are 13 Saturdays before thanksgiving(from NCAA's allowed start date) I-AA will only be allowed to schedule 11 games.

I think I speak for all Griz fans when I say we are pissed about our schedule. The fact that we are going to play Central Washington is bad enough but this rumor about playing Carroll is ridiculous. What happened to the years when we opened w/Maine, Hofstra or SFA. Even playing Albany is better than CWU. It is at least a win that counts for something.

I saw the reference to UC-Davis, as well.

I'm assuming this means Poly won't be on the schedule. Guess they're getting tired of handing us our a$$es. Hopefully, they saved a little lovin' for Montana this weekend.

I haven't seen anything about a 12th game, but I have heard talk of scheduling Minnesota sometime in the future.

It is UC Davis not Poly next season. Here is my best guess:

Home:
Northern Colorado, Portland State, Weber State, Eastern Washington, UC Davis, and ??????

Away:
Montana, Sac. St., Northern Arizona, Idaho State, and Colorado

Maybe Poly is the ????? but I don't think so and I really hope not. I like the addition of Northern Colorado because it balances out the league schedule every year. Everyone will now have 4 at home and 4 away each season instead of 4-3 or 3-4.

For that last home game, would someone like Southern Utah or South Dakota State be a possibility? Or would it be a situation like Gardner-Webb a few years back when they came out here just once and we didn't have to return the favor. Anybody got any potential opponents?

I thought our multi-year deal with Poly was over?

As much as I hate to say it, I am going to say that we just say "screw it" and schedule a patsy. Maybe a terrible I-AA school or a D-II school, but a patsy. I much prefer to watch competitive games played against good teams, but the playoff selection committee has made it clear that there are no rewards for a difficult schedule. Instead, they hand out seeds to schools that play in totally inferior conferences (Hampton) and schools that pad their record with 2 D-II schools (Texas State). Then they give at-large to inferior teams from inferior conferences (Lafayette) and give preference to teams based on money rather than on-field performance (Montana).

I hate playing crap games against inferior schools, but I hate not being in the playoffs even more. It is time that we concede and work the system just like the other perennial playoff contenders.

Given the schedule WYCAT just posted, I wholeheartedly agree with bozbob; our 3rd non-con game should be against a middle- or lower-tier I-AA team like SDSU or USU.

IMO, we MUST go 2-1 in non-con games in order to MAXIMIZE our chances for the post-season if we don't win the Big Sky's autobid. UC Davis has almost everyone back from a very good football team, so that game is by no means a cake-walk and given the # of ?'s we'll have on offense next September, I'd say we'll likely be the underdog. SO, with 2 non-con losses looking at least LIKELY, it is imperative that our 3rd non-con game be against a I-AA team that we SHOULD beat.

A 2-1 non-con mark allows us to go 6-2 in the Big Sky AND make the playoffs without the autobid, similar to what the Griz did this season. IF we sellout 5 or 6 games next year, an 8-3 mark would also give us an excellent chance to host a first round game.

If we only win 1 non-con game, however, we are pretty much forced to go 7-1 in the Sky OR win the auto-bid with a 6-2 mark, which would be a crap-shoot at best. If we go 7-4 next year without the autobid, we will again miss the playoffs.

The bottom line, IMO, is that THE PLAYOFFS SHOULD BE OUR GOAL (and has been for 3 years now...). If we create a schedule that HURTS our chances of achieving that goal, then we only have ourselves to blame.

anacondagriz wrote:I think I speak for all Griz fans when I say we are pissed about our schedule. The fact that we are going to play Central Washington is bad enough but this rumor about playing Carroll is ridiculous. What happened to the years when we opened w/Maine, Hofstra or SFA. Even playing Albany is better than CWU. It is at least a win that counts for something.

Hey, that soft schedule is what got you in the playoffs this year. I wouldn't knock it

El_Gato wrote:Given the schedule WYCAT just posted, I wholeheartedly agree with bozbob; our 3rd non-con game should be against a middle- or lower-tier I-AA team like SDSU or USU.

IMO, we MUST go 2-1 in non-con games in order to MAXIMIZE our chances for the post-season if we don't win the Big Sky's autobid. UC Davis has almost everyone back from a very good football team, so that game is by no means a cake-walk and given the # of ?'s we'll have on offense next September, I'd say we'll likely be the underdog. SO, with 2 non-con losses looking at least LIKELY, it is imperative that our 3rd non-con game be against a I-AA team that we SHOULD beat.

A 2-1 non-con mark allows us to go 6-2 in the Big Sky AND make the playoffs without the autobid, similar to what the Griz did this season. IF we sellout 5 or 6 games next year, an 8-3 mark would also give us an excellent chance to host a first round game.

If we only win 1 non-con game, however, we are pretty much forced to go 7-1 in the Sky OR win the auto-bid with a 6-2 mark, which would be a crap-shoot at best. If we go 7-4 next year without the autobid, we will again miss the playoffs.

The bottom line, IMO, is that THE PLAYOFFS SHOULD BE OUR GOAL (and has been for 3 years now...). If we create a schedule that HURTS our chances of achieving that goal, then we only have ourselves to blame.

I don't think MSU is an underdog at home to UC-Davis. Even without Lulay, I don't they are an underdog to anyone at home these days. 50-50 is about the worst odds. But, yes, a bottom-feeder I-AA team at home is the right way to do it. Stay away from Div. II. MSU has just as good a chance of going 10-1 next year as it did this year, but not if it travels to a good I-AA.

El Gato is right. MSU needs to maximize its chances to get in and host in the playoffs. A decent showing vs. Colorado and eight wins vs. I-AA teams will do that. Throw in another I-AA at home and MSU can easily go 6-0 at home, then it just needs to split its four I-AA road games. The drop off in offense will be more than offset by the improvement on defense.

The problem is if we play another 1-AA school that school will demand either a return trip in a future season or a high$$ guarantee. A D-2 school won't require a return trip and will demand a smaller guarantee. The problem is there are no close by low 1-AA's that don't need a lot of money to get to Bozeman. I'd prefer someone like Gardner-Webb like we had a few years ago, but I won't turn up my nose at a Rocky Mountain Conference team (Adams State, Chadron State, Western New Mexico etc.). A lower level opponent might be what we need to fine tune things after the Colorado game (I'm assuming CU is our first game).

iaafan wrote:The drop off in offense will be more than offset by the improvement on defense.

I dont see a drop off in offense next season, I see a different offense next season. To be honest with you all, I think we will be more balanced, well rounded, and a better team next year.

The goals going into 2006 should be as such:

1. Go undefeated at home
2. Play .500 on the road
3. Beat Griz
4. Win Big Sky Conference (this should guarantee playoffs)
5. Host (win) playoff game

Put these in any order you want, but if you accomplish #1 and #2, you set yourself up to win conference. To win conference, you pretty much have to beat the Griz (and vice versa for UM, and beat both MT schools for everyone else). Win conference by accomplishing goals 1-3 and we should be assured to meet goal #5. If the Cats are hosting a playoff game, I dont see how they lose.

catatac wrote:I heard that UM is playing another DII school, AND possibly Carroll as well??? WTF? I've heard of padding a schedule but that is ridiculous if true...

With that type of scheduling you get to have your cake and eat it too. You get lots of wins, and you get that 1-AA non-conference home game...as a home playoff game.

Two non-1-AA teams is a littel risky if you ask me. Even if you win them both they wont go toward your playoff resume.

BelgradeBobcat wrote:The problem is if we play another 1-AA school that school will demand either a return trip in a future season or a high$$ guarantee. A D-2 school won't require a return trip and will demand a smaller guarantee. The problem is there are no close by low 1-AA's that don't need a lot of money to get to Bozeman. I'd prefer someone like Gardner-Webb like we had a few years ago, but I won't turn up my nose at a Rocky Mountain Conference team (Adams State, Chadron State, Western New Mexico etc.). A lower level opponent might be what we need to fine tune things after the Colorado game (I'm assuming CU is our first game).

This was talked about this morning at the coach's corner. I wasn't familiar with the team he mentioned, but he spoke of a San Diego school (D-II?). Also, UC Davis is scheduled for like September 17th. But, they have a commitment to play another team at that time as well. So, they want to play us the weekend before Cat/Griz. Kramer said no way to that. He wants his bye weekend to be before Cat/Griz. So, I don't know what that means in terms of the UC Davis game. Evidentally we play EWU fairly early in the season next year. I wasn't aware of it, but there is a two year cycle in terms of where conference teams are played during the season. The only exception to this is rivalry games which can be moved to the last game of the regular season. Coach K absolutely hates playing the Griz this weekend. He says that unless you can guarantee yourself a top four seed every year, you need two weeks of preparation in order to win a playoff game on the road, should you not get the bid. But, it is what it is as he said.

I don't understand why Kramer would EVER want a bye week. He's 1-for-forever in games after a bye week.

BozoneCat wrote:I don't understand why Kramer would EVER want a bye week. He's 1-for-forever in games after a bye week.

I was thinking the same thing-has Kramer lost his mind?

barechestcat wrote:
This was talked about this morning at the coach's corner. I wasn't familiar with the team he mentioned, but he spoke of a San Diego school (D-II?). Also, UC Davis is scheduled for like September 17th. But, they have a commitment to play another team at that time as well. So, they want to play us the weekend before Cat/Griz. Kramer said no way to that. He wants his bye weekend to be before Cat/Griz. So, I don't know what that means in terms of the UC Davis game. Evidentally we play EWU fairly early in the season next year. I wasn't aware of it, but there is a two year cycle in terms of where conference teams are played during the season. The only exception to this is rivalry games which can be moved to the last game of the regular season. Coach K absolutely hates playing the Griz this weekend. He says that unless you can guarantee yourself a top four seed every year, you need two weeks of preparation in order to win a playoff game on the road, should you not get the bid. But, it is what it is as he said.

San Diego is a IAA school, and they went 11-1. They had a hell of a team this year, but play in an extremely weak conference. I think they would be a perfect choice.

Did I mentioned they are coached by Jim Harbaugh?