Southern Miss fan here. I've been a closet Sun Belt fan for years though. I'm stoked about the future of the Belt. I'm really excited about regional rivalries.

Speaking of, I have noticed that the Sun Belt appears to schedule year-end rivalry match-ups. With the new adds, what do you think the week 13 schedule will look like? Based on the current schedule, it looks like they'd match up Southern Miss w/ USA.

It's a cool idea, but I have mixed feelings about this. I think that our matchup would be a better draw earlier in the year and not on Thanksgiving weekend with so many things competing for people's attention. Besides, with Fun Belt midweek games, it doesn't get much easier than a 1.5 hour trip for these teams and fans. The students would turn out for both teams. Again, I'm conflicted. How do you guys prefer to schedule rivalry games? How do you guys see rivalries scheduled in the future?

It's nice to make the last weekend mean something but for App, Thanksgiving Weekend and the first weekend in December has always been a tough draw. 1st round playoff games would generally see between 14,000 and 16,000 fans for App.

With Georgia Southern coming, I'd assume App gets 22,000 to 25,000 fans there but it's hard to say. Students have to come back a day early to get there and maybe they will since it's the last home game of the season for sure.

I'd prefer this game be played in October, on a Saturday, but in the future when both schools are playing for something, it may increase the intrigue.

I know it looks like we do, but the SBC really doesn't have a rivalry week this next weekend. Rivalry game dates are driven by ESPN choosing which game it wants to televise.

If possible, The SBC always wants instate matchups this weekend. Troy/South is always selected for TV so they never get to play this weekend. Southern usually plays Georgia State if possible around this time, but that changed when ESPN left App/Southern unselected for TV.

The rest of the matchups are largely just whose left. AState and Texas State have no rivalry at all, but we usually play this weekend because ULM almost always plays ULL, taking out our two closest options for games each. Similar situation for South/Coastal, which got thrown this weekend because there were no viable options for either this weekend once their main rivalry games were picked for TV.

My reasonable guess at this point is the last weekend in the future will be set aside for USM/USA if that game isn't picked for TV.

We aren't playing Troy this late in the year to compete against the Iron Bowl.. UAB isn't playing on Saturday either.

(11-22-2021 12:14 PM)kevinwmsn Wrote:  We aren't playing Troy this late in the year to compete against the Iron Bowl.. UAB isn't playing on Saturday either.

Nor should we. At least playing in early November or late October we can get the state's attention some.

I imagine South Alabama and Southern Miss could end up playing the final week annually.

Our games with ULM usually come down to the wire and it’s nothing against them but personally hope our new “rivalry end of year game” will be southern miss

I'd prefer to see these games that could draw higher attendances be played in the later weeks of October and/or earlier weeks of November. The attendance at Southern Miss drops off considerably both the week before and after Thanksgiving.

I want App in October and Gast on Thanksgiving weekend.

(11-22-2021 01:39 PM)Eagleholic Wrote:  I'd prefer to see these games that could draw higher attendances be played in the later weeks of October and/or earlier weeks of November. The attendance at Southern Miss drops off considerably both the week before and after Thanksgiving.

I’ve a.ways said rivalry games should come early before fans head to the deer woods or say it’s too cold to watch a team not doing well.

Well I know it will be JMU and ODU on this last weekend in November. It will be the other Commonwealth Cup. UVA and VT own the other in state Rivalry.

(11-22-2021 10:07 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(11-22-2021 01:39 PM)Eagleholic Wrote:  I'd prefer to see these games that could draw higher attendances be played in the later weeks of October and/or earlier weeks of November. The attendance at Southern Miss drops off considerably both the week before and after Thanksgiving.

I’ve a.ways said rivalry games should come early before fans head to the deer woods or say it’s too cold to watch a team not doing well.

Kentucky and Louisville used to play in the first game.

(11-22-2021 12:16 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  

(11-22-2021 12:14 PM)kevinwmsn Wrote:  We aren't playing Troy this late in the year to compete against the Iron Bowl.. UAB isn't playing on Saturday either.

Nor should we. At least playing in early November or late October we can get the state's attention some.

I imagine South Alabama and Southern Miss could end up playing the final week annually.

I wouldn't mind playing Troy or Southern Miss later part of the year - but it shouldn't be same week at Alabama vs Auburn or Alabama vs LSU or Auburn vs Georgia.

I could see MU v App as the rivalry week game if the past couple years have been a sign of what's to come.

(11-23-2021 10:13 PM)Surbadger Wrote:  I could see MU v App as the rivalry week game if the past couple years have been a sign of what's to come.

You're going to be disappointed. If both programs stay up more often than not this is going to be a Tuesday or Wednesday night game based upon viewership numbers.

(11-24-2021 08:46 AM)Saint3333 Wrote:  

(11-23-2021 10:13 PM)Surbadger Wrote:  I could see MU v App as the rivalry week game if the past couple years have been a sign of what's to come.

You're going to be disappointed. If both programs stay up more often than not this is going to be a Tuesday or Wednesday night game based upon viewership numbers.

Probably Thursday. That's what they liked to do with stAte- Louisiana and stAte- App when we were winning. Come to think of it they still do.

(11-24-2021 09:28 AM)OsageJ Wrote:  

(11-24-2021 08:46 AM)Saint3333 Wrote:  

(11-23-2021 10:13 PM)Surbadger Wrote:  I could see MU v App as the rivalry week game if the past couple years have been a sign of what's to come.

You're going to be disappointed. If both programs stay up more often than not this is going to be a Tuesday or Wednesday night game based upon viewership numbers.

Probably Thursday. That's what they liked to do with stAte- Louisiana and stAte- App when we were winning. Come to think of it they still do.

Hopefully. Thursday for Marshall would be palatable.

For TV and recruit exposure the Thursday games are solid.

(11-24-2021 11:05 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  For TV and recruit exposure the Thursday games are solid.

Agreed. First as an independent then in CUSA, Southern Miss played in quite a few Thursday night games before CUSA turned its back on ESPN. This was before the NFL decided to play every Thursday night, and it was great exposure.