Per the new CUSA championship rules, Marshall will more than likely need to get in another conference game this season.

We now have two whole weeks before our next game, thanks to Rice.

So my questions are, will Rice man up and play their season? if not, they need to do the right thing and tell everybody on Monday morning that they have no intentions, because otherwise it's screwing us over.

So if not, are we able to schedule a conference game in that open date?

What would make sense is if the conference makes an amendment to their rules. They need to clarify a few things.

I think they need to make a special amendment saying basically if a CUSA team is ranked, and they are the highest ranked CUSA team, they would get the nod.

Let's say Marshall doesn't play on that opened Rice date, then FIU gets snake bitten with Covid. Then that game gets canceled for Marshall, then the Charlotte game as well....down the line.

Then you've got Marshall with only four conference games, and they would probably still be a ranked top 25 team if they maintained their undefeated status.

Through no fault of its own, Marshall could be left holding the bag.

Not sure if this was posted elsewhere, but the Rice AD clarified this week.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/...r-BB199Pnl

I suggest Marshall follow the lead of MTSU and UTSA and schedule a game. I don’t see the CUSA office stopping these schools.

(09-20-2020 09:55 AM)ESE84 Wrote:  Not sure if this was posted elsewhere, but the Rice AD clarified this week.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/...r-BB199Pnl

I suggest Marshall follow the lead of MTSU and UTSA and schedule a game. I don’t see the CUSA office stopping these schools.

That's not clarification, it's not postponement.

That's a forfeit. If that's the stance you're weak administration wants to take, then that should be counted as a win for UAB and Marshall.

We won't have the luxury of rescheduling those games at later dates, we have no availability later on down the line.

Let me be clear, I realize the Rice fans have no say in their admins making these decisions. Just like the ODU fans have no say in it.

However, respectfully, that's a crappy situation to leave your conference mates in.

(09-20-2020 10:01 AM)rileylives Wrote:  Let me be clear, I realize the Rice fans have no say in their admins making these decisions. Just like the ODU fans have no say in it.

However, respectfully, that's a crappy situation to leave your conference mates in.

I agree with you. This is all on Rice President David Leebron. But It does not appear that C-USA will force his hand. They should.

(09-20-2020 10:10 AM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(09-20-2020 10:01 AM)rileylives Wrote:  Let me be clear, I realize the Rice fans have no say in their admins making these decisions. Just like the ODU fans have no say in it.

However, respectfully, that's a crappy situation to leave your conference mates in.

I agree with you. This is all on Rice President David Leebron. But It does not appear that C-USA will force his hand. They should.

I hate that for the Rice and ODU fans. Not your fault.

Now we need some immediacy. We need a clear yes or no.

UTEP and FIU have open dates on Saturday October 3.

could we schedule a game with either of those schools?

(09-20-2020 09:55 AM)ESE84 Wrote:  Not sure if this was posted elsewhere, but the Rice AD clarified this week.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/...r-BB199Pnl

I suggest Marshall follow the lead of MTSU and UTSA and schedule a game. I don’t see the CUSA office stopping these schools.

I LOVE it!

The very first question the article asks of the Rice AD is: "Why did Rice postpone its' first two C-USA games?

The Rice AD gave a very long winded political BS answer, "We have campus restrictions around testing and behaviors blah, blah, blah....with the advent of rapid antigen tests, blah, blah, and even more blah"

The honest answer would have been: "Because we would have gotten our azzzes beat."

(09-20-2020 11:12 AM)rileylives Wrote:  UTEP and FIU have open dates on Saturday October 3.

could we schedule a game with either of those schools?

UTEP has a full 12 game schedule so far. Someone would have to cancel on UTEP before they could schedule another game.

Okay then FIU, step up to the plate. I think we are able to play two in division games this year.

This is that time, we need to get this done.

UAB and Marshall both have an open date on 11/7.

(09-20-2020 01:24 PM)blazerjay Wrote:  UAB and Marshall both have an open date on 11/7.

That one needs to be scheduled too, but that still leaves us vulnerable.

If we have any more cancellations going forward, it's done for Marshall.

Unless CUSA makes an amendment, there is the likelihood that we have a top 25 CUSA team that would be ineligible for the conference championship.

If that happens, a ranked undefeated Marshall ineligible for the CUSA championship, you can guarantee that will be the end of our time in this conference.

What happened to old school? I used to wrestle as a kid. If we had a match in a tournament, and the other opponent didn't appear, it was a forfeit and a win for you.

I think Marshall needs to fly out to Houston and show up on October 3rd at Rice's Stadium to force CUSA's hand, and give us the forfeit win. Then when we are scheduled to go to ODU, we do the same thing.

That's old school.

(09-20-2020 01:35 PM)rileylives Wrote:  What happened to old school? I used to wrestle as a kid. If we had a match in a tournament, and the other opponent didn't appear in the ring it, was a forfeit and a win for you.

I think Marshall needs to fly out to Houston and show up on October 3rd at Rice's Stadium to force CUSA's hand, and give us the forfeit win. Then when we are scheduled to go to ODU, we do the same thing.

That's old school.

Rice hasn’t started practice yet because our president is an idiot and says football violates the social distancing guidelines.

I don't blame rice for avoiding two sure losses, but it's bull****. We may be able to get a nice OOC game the next two weeks scheduled now with top 25 clout, with some random p5, maybe UNC has been mentioned but they need to hammer it out. Lets go beat down the tarheels. Hopefully hamrick is on the phone.

(09-20-2020 03:42 PM)goherd24herdfans Wrote:  I don't blame rice for avoiding two sure losses, but it's bull****. We may be able to get a nice OOC game the next two weeks scheduled now with top 25 clout, with some random p5, maybe UNC has been mentioned but they need to hammer it out. Lets go beat down the tarheels. Hopefully hamrick is on the phone.

This has nothing to do with who the first two Rice conference opponents were. It has everything to do with the political position that David Leebron has taken. Rice not even practicing yet is opposite of the decision that every other Texas FBS program, plus several Texas FCS programs, have made given the same data.

At least ODU made a decision and announced it. This action by the Rice President is just detrimental to everyone. The conference should announce that at this point Rice is ineligible to participate and redo the schedule to help the teams playing have as full a season as possible.

(09-20-2020 08:15 PM)banker Wrote:  At least ODU made a decision and announced it. This action by the Rice President is just detrimental to everyone. The conference should announce that at this point Rice is ineligible to participate and redo the schedule to help the teams playing have as full a season as possible.

I agree Bank.

This is worse. Stop waffling, we need action yesterday.

I'm sure Hamrick is working in the background, but it's a tough spot for sure