Last time Elon played us at Bridgeforth, they were the Fighting Christians. I remember they actually brought a few fans.

But, now we're "rivals".

Updated with Elon. http://www.digtriad.com/sports/article/3...l-Schedule

(11-05-2013 11:54 AM)Pitz Wrote:  Updated with Elon. http://www.digtriad.com/sports/article/3...l-Schedule

Wow...new guy gets no bye week from the conference.

It's looking like 11/8 will be either Towson, Villanova, Stony Brook, or a bye. I think that would account for everyone. URI & UNH play each other. W&M plays Elon. Albany plays Delaware. Richmond plays Maine.

We do not play UNH in 2014.

With Elon on the schedule I'm guessing we'll miss one of the other old Southern schools. I'd be stunned if it was W&M (JMU's longest running series) and we missed Towson a year or two ago. So maybe no Nova?

I seriously doubt that even if we announce a move to fbs, that we're going to see an odu-like transition schedule next season. why would all of these schools begin to announce us on their conference schedule without us playing a caa schedule?
If we announce before June 1, I would say it'll be this order of likelihood:
1) 2014 First Transition year with a CAA schedule
2) 2015 First Transition year with a 1/3 FBS/ 2/3 FCS schedule (like odu in 2013); 2014 still FCS and playoff eligible
3) 2014 First Transition year with a non-caa schedule

I just really hope we wouldn't continue to act like we're staying in the caa in 2014 and then make every caa team find a new opponent for that week at the last minute.

(11-05-2013 12:31 PM)Potomac Wrote:  I seriously doubt that even if we announce a move to fbs, that we're going to see an odu-like transition schedule next season. why would all of these schools begin to announce us on their conference schedule without us playing a caa schedule?
If we announce before June 1, I would say it'll be this order of likelihood:
1) 2014 First Transition year with a CAA schedule
2) 2015 First Transition year with a 1/3 FBS/ 2/3 FCS schedule (like odu in 2013); 2014 still FCS and playoff eligible
3) 2014 First Transition year with a non-caa schedule

I just really hope we wouldn't continue to act like we're staying in the caa in 2014 and then make every caa team find a new opponent for that week at the last minute.

Next year, we're playing a CAA schedule no matter what. It may just not be for the auto bid.

2015's schedule would be more telling.

(11-05-2013 12:36 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(11-05-2013 12:31 PM)Potomac Wrote:  I seriously doubt that even if we announce a move to fbs, that we're going to see an odu-like transition schedule next season. why would all of these schools begin to announce us on their conference schedule without us playing a caa schedule?
If we announce before June 1, I would say it'll be this order of likelihood:
1) 2014 First Transition year with a CAA schedule
2) 2015 First Transition year with a 1/3 FBS/ 2/3 FCS schedule (like odu in 2013); 2014 still FCS and playoff eligible
3) 2014 First Transition year with a non-caa schedule

I just really hope we wouldn't continue to act like we're staying in the caa in 2014 and then make every caa team find a new opponent for that week at the last minute.

Next year, we're playing a CAA schedule no matter what. It may just not be for the auto bid.

2015's schedule would be more telling.

I would hope that in 2014 we aren't even playoff eligible. There is no point that I see in delaying the transition any further than we already have. It would only put us further behind our peers.

(11-05-2013 01:21 PM)Potomac Wrote:  I would hope that in 2014 we aren't even playoff eligible. There is no point that I see in delaying the transition any further than we already have. It would only put us further behind our peers.

There's two transition years regardless. I don't think it makes any sense football-wise (scholarship ramp-up) to artificially speed up the process.

(11-05-2013 01:21 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(11-05-2013 12:36 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(11-05-2013 12:31 PM)Potomac Wrote:  I seriously doubt that even if we announce a move to fbs, that we're going to see an odu-like transition schedule next season. why would all of these schools begin to announce us on their conference schedule without us playing a caa schedule?
If we announce before June 1, I would say it'll be this order of likelihood:
1) 2014 First Transition year with a CAA schedule
2) 2015 First Transition year with a 1/3 FBS/ 2/3 FCS schedule (like odu in 2013); 2014 still FCS and playoff eligible
3) 2014 First Transition year with a non-caa schedule

I just really hope we wouldn't continue to act like we're staying in the caa in 2014 and then make every caa team find a new opponent for that week at the last minute.

Next year, we're playing a CAA schedule no matter what. It may just not be for the auto bid.

2015's schedule would be more telling.

I would hope that in 2014 we aren't even playoff eligible. There is no point that I see in delaying the transition any further than we already have. It would only put us further behind our peers.

Unless CUSA offers us, we're not doing anything prior to 6/1. At that point, you have missed the football recruiting window, and it really makes ZERO sense to declare for 2014.

(11-05-2013 01:24 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(11-05-2013 01:21 PM)Potomac Wrote:  I would hope that in 2014 we aren't even playoff eligible. There is no point that I see in delaying the transition any further than we already have. It would only put us further behind our peers.

There's two transition years regardless. I don't think it makes any sense football-wise (scholarship ramp-up) to artificially speed up the process.

Yes, when is signing time? Feb? If we pass that point, you may as well give yourself more time for recruits to learn the news. If we can announce before jan/feb, as unlikely as it is, you might as well make next year the first transition year.
That's what app and ga so are doing this year. Announce in April and immediately transition beginning in July 2013.

(11-05-2013 01:24 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(11-05-2013 01:21 PM)Potomac Wrote:  I would hope that in 2014 we aren't even playoff eligible. There is no point that I see in delaying the transition any further than we already have. It would only put us further behind our peers.

There's two transition years regardless. I don't think it makes any sense football-wise (scholarship ramp-up) to artificially speed up the process.

Don't ASU and GSU have only 1 transition yr, this yr? Aren't they Slum Belt and Bowl eligible in 2014?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't App & GSU artificially up their schollies by giving some walk-on scholarships? I'd prefer to avoid a disaster season (read: losing) during the transition.

(11-05-2013 01:27 PM)Potomac Wrote:  Yes, when is signing time? Feb? If we pass that point, you may as well give yourself more time for recruits to learn the news. If we can announce before jan/feb, as unlikely as it is, you might as well make next year the first transition year.
That's what app and ga so are doing this year. Announce in April and immediately transition beginning in July 2013.

I think you need a full recruiting cycle with the FBS announced to do it successfully. Announcing in Jan & Feb is a recipe for disaster if we rush the process IMO.

(11-05-2013 02:31 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(11-05-2013 01:27 PM)Potomac Wrote:  Yes, when is signing time? Feb? If we pass that point, you may as well give yourself more time for recruits to learn the news. If we can announce before jan/feb, as unlikely as it is, you might as well make next year the first transition year.
That's what app and ga so are doing this year. Announce in April and immediately transition beginning in July 2013.

I think you need a full recruiting cycle with the FBS announced to do it successfully. Announcing in Jan & Feb is a recipe for disaster if we rush the process IMO.

I would rather see a larger time frame for recruiting and it would put a transition in 2015 and 2016. Given the snails pace of our admin, I doubt they'd rush the transition anyways.
I know I'm somewhat contradicting myself here. We will be behind peers with 2-3 years of a head start.

Why is the CAA announcing their football schedule so early this year? Is it some kind of way to try to force us into staying in the CAA an extra year even if we do announce we're moving up? It would be awkward for JMU to have to try back out of all of these games once they've been announced and shown to the public. So either way it appears we'll be playing a CAA schedule next year.

I'd have no problem playing a CAA schedule during the transition year. Assuming of course that either way (CAA sched or not) we'd be a lame duck (no playoffs FCS, no bowls/official competition FBS) it would be fine. This year has turned into a real mixed bag for ODU. It's obviously exciting they've had so many quality games against FBS competition, but they also had to go back and schedule more dogs. Either way, I'm sure fans will be much more excited next year than they were this year, especially when they start getting "real" teams at home. That said, I doubt the CAA is going to be so accomodating as to make scheduling easy on us if we leave.

(11-05-2013 04:41 PM)PurpleStreamers Wrote:  I'd have no problem playing a CAA schedule during the transition year. Assuming of course that either way (CAA sched or not) we'd be a lame duck (no playoffs FCS, no bowls/official competition FBS) it would be fine. This year has turned into a real mixed bag for ODU. It's obviously exciting they've had so many quality games against FBS competition, but they also had to go back and schedule more dogs. Either way, I'm sure fans will be much more excited next year than they were this year, especially when they start getting "real" teams at home. That said, I doubt the CAA is going to be so accomodating as to make scheduling easy on us if we leave.

Well, the CAA did allow us to play Rhode Island and Albany

(11-05-2013 02:30 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't App & GSU artificially up their schollies by giving some walk-on scholarships? I'd prefer to avoid a disaster season (read: losing) during the transition.

Yes. We announced on March 27th, which was after signing day. We're at 70 schollies this year by upping some partials to fulls since FBS doesn't allow partials. Through some JUCO's and a recruiting class of 30+, we'll be at 85 for 2014.

All you have to do is average 76 schollies for the two-year transition period, which we'll do.

Our losing season has more to do with this being a train wreck which has been building steam since 2009. We've been at the edge the last two years with close wins. Now with a rookie head coach, no playoffs to play for, it was the tipping point and those one-score victories are now going against us. If there was a couple of things going our way this year, we could very well be 7-2.

Also, we're red-shirting 25 players this year. The only true freshman who are playing are in positions we absolutely needed players at and they've shined big time.

According to Towson's schedule they come to Bridgeforth on Oct. 11.