Future Opponents

[isuarch80]

Is it possible to set up a conference vs. conference challenge like we have in basketball vs. the Pac-10?

This was written in terms of the Big 10 vs SEC - and the guy even came up with schedules and such.
A challenging proposition - Cleveland Sports News – The Latest Breaking News, Game Recaps and Scores from The Plain Dealer
Per Mandel at SI.com:
College basketball has the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, so I wanted to know what you would think of something like that for college football? Obviously it would be very difficult since teams don't play 30-plus games, but what would you think of some similar arrangement like that in college football?
-- Jarrett Yingling, Bellevue, Ohio
I'd love to see one, particularly between the Big Ten and SEC, since their fans are always yapping at each other. As a matter of fact, Doug Lesmerises, the fine Ohio State beat writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, actually penned a detailed proposal for this very concept last season. As you can see, his plan involves an entire weekend of Big Ten-SEC doubleheaders played at neutral sites throughout both the Midwest and South. He even scheduled it for eight years down the road to account for non-conference deals teams may have already made for upcoming seasons.
Predictably, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany shot it down.

 

[Steve]

My vote is for other - i.e. none of the above. Recruiting is vital to building the program and the proper non-conference schedule can be a recruiting tool. Minnesota is pretty much worthless as a recruiting draw to the guys that Gene is targeting from the Gulf Coast states.

 

[flander1649]

I would still like to see a three game series set up with someone like Arkansas or Colorado St. at Arrowhead. That game down there was so much fun.

 

[ISUFan22]

I know we played the ISU-FSU game in '02 - but when was the game actually scheduled? Was that done before or after the 2000 or 2001 seasons?

 

[GoSTATE71]

id like to play wisconsin because i would go up to madison because those games are fun plus id be a fun road trip either that or id like to play minnesota

 

[Rogue52]

Why is everyone picking Minnesota???

We already play a Big 10 team every year. Expanding outside the midwest to the coasts would be good.

 

[ISUFan22]

Why is everyone picking Minnesota???

We already play a Big 10 team every year. Expanding outside the midwest to the coasts would be good.

I agree.

MN is the "cool pick" right now. Plus, they're someone most people think we can beat but still say "it's a BCS team".

Not bad rational, but like you - I'd like us to expand.

 

[cloneu]

I know we played the ISU-FSU game in '02 - but when was the game actually scheduled? Was that done before or after the 2000 or 2001 seasons?

I would think at the beginning of the 2001 season from this article.

ISU in Eddie Robinson Classic, 2002 - News

 

[ISUFan22]

Thanks.

So, that kinda says - we need to do something worth talking about before we can expect a return trip to KC and/or playing someone of FSU's caliber anytime soon.

And in looking at our future schedules - unless we break contracts - we're set through at least 2013 I think. I may have missed an open date or two in there though.

 

[BigSkyCy2]

I picked Arizona because I thought it would be a good matchup and a good travel destination.

Since we play Iowa every year in Football, I don't see any reason to schedule a second Big 10 opponent.

 

[jackrabbit21]

Arizona...and make it the last non-conference game (weather, not quite as hot). Basically so I could wrap the game around a golfing trip with the buddies!

 

[Indyclone]

I've said it before, and now I'll say it again: having Iowa on the schedule every year kills any chance of us playing another team from a major conference.

Why?

Iowa has us on their schedule every year and it seems like they have another BCS team on their schedule. Just from recent memory here is what they have had in addition to playing us.

Arizona St
Syracuse
Pitt
Nebraska
They even had an agreement with Missouri to play.
I believe they even have Arizona scheduled either next year or the year after.

They may not be the top teams in BCS conferences but to me playing them is still better than us scheduling 2 MAC teams and a 1AA team.

 

[superfan]

I voted Minnesota because it's close to home for me and I'd love to see us stomp them in that new stadium of theirs.

One other thing, you guys are acting like exposure in Minnesota won't help our recruiting. MN puts out three to four big-time prospects per year and have a lot of NFL players to their name. Here's a little Rivals "Top 5" history from MN:

2003:
#1: Trevor Laws (Notre Dame): Drafted in Round 2 by Eagles
#2: John Carlson (Notre Dame): Drafted in Round 2 by Seahawks
#3: Ryan Harris (Notre Dame): Drafted in Round 3 by Broncos
#4: Marcus Coleman (Wisconsin): 1st-team all Big-10

2004:
#1: Lydon Murtha (Nebraska): Starts for Nebraska, Hon. Mention All Big-12
#2: Brandon Robinson (BC): Starts for BC, Hon. Mention All-ACC
#3: Nathan Swift (Nebraska): Probably will break NU's all-time reception record

2005:
#1: Walker Ashley (Minnesota): Signed with USC, transfered back to MN
#2: Rafael Eubanks (Iowa): 2nd-team all Big-10, Rimington Watch
#4: James Laurinaitis (Ohio State): Do I have to say anything?

Lest we forget, Alexander Robinson was the #9 prospect in 2006. Recruiting the coasts is important, but you can never forget about what's in your own backyard.

 

[cloneu]

I voted Minnesota because it's close to home for me and I'd love to see us stomp them in that new stadium of theirs.

One other thing, you guys are acting like exposure in Minnesota won't help our recruiting. MN puts out three to four big-time prospects per year and have a lot of NFL players to their name. Here's a little Rivals "Top 5" history from MN:

2003:
#1: Trevor Laws (Notre Dame): Drafted in Round 2 by Eagles
#2: John Carlson (Notre Dame): Drafted in Round 2 by Seahawks
#3: Ryan Harris (Notre Dame): Drafted in Round 3 by Broncos
#4: Marcus Coleman (Wisconsin): 1st-team all Big-10

2004:
#1: Lydon Murtha (Nebraska): Starts for Nebraska, Hon. Mention All Big-12
#2: Brandon Robinson (BC): Starts for BC, Hon. Mention All-ACC
#3: Nathan Swift (Nebraska): Probably will break NU's all-time reception record

2005:
#1: Walker Ashley (Minnesota): Signed with USC, transfered back to MN
#2: Rafael Eubanks (Iowa): 2nd-team all Big-10, Rimington Watch
#4: James Laurinaitis (Ohio State): Do I have to say anything?

Lest we forget, Alexander Robinson was the #9 prospect in 2006. Recruiting the coasts is important, but you can never forget about what's in your own backyard.

Was Ryan Harris that ND guy who was on MTV Made: I want to be a college football player or something like that?

 

[frontrangeclone]

I'd like to take Wyoming out behind the woodshed for what they did to the Clones in the mid-90s, including that kick-in-the-ding dong OT win in Ames my senior year.... plus laramie is right up the road!

considering bowl games aren't usually a given with this program, opponents in far away places that are interesting to visit would be cool.... with washington- you're in seattle... rutgers.. NYC is nearby... Aridzona... the desert... or the chance to play in an SEC stadium would be cool as well...

 

[pujolsman]

Why don't we get into a few big bowls, Cotton, Gator, etc., and then start playing two-year home-away setes with USC, Ohio State, and LSU, maybe even Michigan and Florida.

 

[cycloneryan]

I like the idea of playing a major mid-western school so Minnesota would be great. I know it would never happen, but I would love to see us play Notre Dame in Ames once. I went there for a game a couple years ago and it was like walking around the middle of college football history.

 

[hiwhatis]

How about the battle of the I State.

Iowa State vs. Indiana State, Idaho State, Illinois State.

We are playing Noth Dakota State and South Dakota State so why not play our ISU brethern in logos.

this reminds me of a weird kansas state fan trying to convince me and some of my friends to root for all of the state teams at the big 12 b-ball tourny this year. he wore the same clothes, foam finger, and hat to the first two games (until they got eliminated) and was probably about 70 years old.

 

[Steve]

I voted Minnesota because it's close to home for me and I'd love to see us stomp them in that new stadium of theirs.

One other thing, you guys are acting like exposure in Minnesota won't help our recruiting. MN puts out three to four big-time prospects per year and have a lot of NFL players to their name. Here's a little Rivals "Top 5" history from MN:

2003:
#1: Trevor Laws (Notre Dame): Drafted in Round 2 by Eagles
#2: John Carlson (Notre Dame): Drafted in Round 2 by Seahawks
#3: Ryan Harris (Notre Dame): Drafted in Round 3 by Broncos
#4: Marcus Coleman (Wisconsin): 1st-team all Big-10

2004:
#1: Lydon Murtha (Nebraska): Starts for Nebraska, Hon. Mention All Big-12
#2: Brandon Robinson (BC): Starts for BC, Hon. Mention All-ACC
#3: Nathan Swift (Nebraska): Probably will break NU's all-time reception record

2005:
#1: Walker Ashley (Minnesota): Signed with USC, transfered back to MN
#2: Rafael Eubanks (Iowa): 2nd-team all Big-10, Rimington Watch
#4: James Laurinaitis (Ohio State): Do I have to say anything?

Lest we forget, Alexander Robinson was the #9 prospect in 2006. Recruiting the coasts is important, but you can never forget about what's in your own backyard.

Walden tried the leftover talent from neighboring states recruiting strategy - let's not go there again. Chizek will get an occasional guy from MN, but not enough to build the program to what he wants. Likewise, Brewster doesn't spend sleepless nights watching video of recruits from Iowa.

I trust that Jamie and Gene will find the best options for non-conference opponents to help achieve the program's objectives. They are not in the travel agent or homecoming planning business.

 

[CycloneErik]

I would like to play the Badgers before any of these teams, but Minnesota is a close second

I havea lot of good friends from Wisconsin (maybe not if we played that game, but now, at least.). That game could be a blast for me!