To those LSU fans that had so much to say

[MDM4AU 338]

Appalachian State fills out LSU football schedule

[Auburn85 438]

Well, remember, the year they won the NC, they had La Monroe, and D 1-AA Western Illinois,and LA TECH,

Boy does that sound familiar

[GeauxTigers 0]

Well, remember, the year they won the NC, they had La Monroe, and D 1-AA Western Illinois,and LA TECH,

Boy does that sound familiar

146700[/snapback]

I'm sure some LSU fans made some comments but LSU fans certainly weren't at the forefront of criticising Auburn for the AA team. You can thank your best buddies at USC for that attack. As Auburn85 pointed out, we had one the year we took home the crystal.

Believe me, LSU fans are pissed as hell about this. They couldn't find one damn D-1A team to play?? Despite the Apalachian state high school, we do play a hell of a tough slate though. We play Arizona St, Auburn, Tennessee, Florida, Bama in addition to Arkansas, Ole Miss and Miss St. Hopefully the voters won't penalize us too much for the AA team.

USC needs an azz kicking to bring them back down to reality. I hope it's from us in the Rose Bowl. It will be very difficult though to make it through our schedule as well as the SECCG. USC will have their usual Sunday cruise to the BCSCG without having to play a championship game.

[AUHansel 0]

Well, remember, the year they won the NC, they had La Monroe, and D 1-AA Western Illinois,and LA TECH,

Boy does that sound familiar

146700[/snapback]

I'm sure some LSU fans made some comments but LSU fans certainly weren't at the forefront of criticising Auburn for the AA team. You can thank your best buddies at USC for that attack. As Auburn85 pointed out, we had one the year we took home the crystal.

Believe me, LSU fans are pissed as hell about this. They couldn't find one damn D-1A team to play?? Despite the Apalachian state high school, we do play a hell of a tough slate though. We play Arizona St, Auburn, Tennessee, Florida, Bama in addition to Arkansas, Ole Miss and Miss St. Hopefully the voters won't penalize us too much for the AA team.

USC needs an azz kicking to bring them back down to reality. I hope it's from us in the Rose Bowl. It will be very difficult though to make it through our schedule as well as the SECCG. USC will have their usual Sunday cruise to the BCSCG without having to play a championship game.

146711[/snapback]

a pretty tough slate? all of your hard games are at home except bama. north texas isn't a team that has a chance, but the i guess the media doesn't really look at it like that. i just hope you make az state look like the crappy pac 10 team they are.

[AUBURNTIGERFAN 0]

LSU also played the Citadel I can't remember when maybe a couple of years ago

[AuNuma1 1]

When you're banking several million dollars for a home game, you wouldn't care what people thought about it either...it's all about the money. Afterall, these nice facilities and stadiums aren't free.

Besides, it was the media that put us down for our so called "weak" #5 ranked schedule...USC plays in the Pac10. They have to schedule big name teams like Notre Dame to make up for their IN-conference short-comings.

[AuNuma1 1]

LSU also played the Citadel I can't remember when maybe a couple of years ago

146724[/snapback]

2002 35-10

Is Western Carolina a 1AA? If so, LSU played them in 2000.

[StatTiger 3,188]

LSU also played the Citadel I can't remember when maybe a couple of years ago

146724[/snapback]

Since 1999, here are the total number of Division 1A opponents each team has faced and the average number of wins per opponent.

Auburn: 67 opp with an average win total of 6.78

Miami: 67 for 6.64

Oklahoma: 72 for 6.33

USC: 69 for 6.32

Texas: 71 for 6.29

[aucorner 0]

Well, remember, the year they won the NC, they had La Monroe, and D 1-AA Western Illinois,and LA TECH,

Boy does that sound familiar

146700[/snapback]

and a loss and still won a MNC.........this is why it will always be mythical until there is a playoff because it is a popularity contest of the teams with the biggest fan bases

[Tigermike 3,792]

all the grief and bad press AUBURN received over scheduling WESTERN KENTUCKY? It seems AU is not alone. Where is the out cry against LSU?

The announcement Tuesday that LSU has completed its 2005 football schedule was accompanied by more explanation than fanfare.

The school filled the final slot on the Tigers' 11-game schedule with a game against Appalachian State, an NCAA Division I-AA opponent.

The game will be played Nov. 5 in Tiger Stadium.

Athletic Director Skip Bertman and senior associate athletic director Dan Radakovich -- who handles LSU's football scheduling -- both said an extensive search for an acceptable Division I-A opponent came up empty.

"We sent out letters to 30 schools and I talked by phone to 14 more," Radakovich said.

Radakovich said LSU entered into serious negotiations with four schools: Appalachian State and three others he declined to name.

"It got to the point where we were ready to go to the contract" with the four, Radakovich said. "One got someone closer to play geographically. The other two had to move some games to play us, but their opponents put up a road block."

LSU was originally going to play Arkansas State on Nov. 5. But the Indians agreed to play LSU last season to fill a spot vacated by the University of Houston.

LSU beat Arkansas State 53-3 on Sept. 11.

Radakovich said he hopes fans, some of whom shell out up to $652 for some prime season tickets and thousands for club and suite level seats, will focus on the big picture instead of one game.

An LSU news release touted the fact that the Tigers' home schedule includes four teams in early preseason top 20 rankings: Arizona State, Tennessee, Florida and Auburn.

"We look at the totality of the schedule and think we're not devaluing the product with the teams we're playing in Tiger Stadium or on the road," Radakovich said.

LSU opens Sept. 3 against North Texas, a perennial power in the Sun Belt Conference. Arizona State comes to Baton Rouge on Sept. 10 for the first football game ever between the Tigers and the Sun Devils.

LSU will return the game in Tempe, Ariz., in 2008.

After an open date, Tennessee invades Tiger Stadium on Sept. 24. Following games at Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, LSU returns home to play Florida on Oct. 15 and Auburn on Oct. 22.

Another open date precedes the Appalachian State game. Road games at Alabama and Ole Miss follow, with the regular season and home finale set for Nov. 26 vs. Arkansas.

The LSU-Arkansas game is typically selected by CBS and moved up to the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Whether the game will be moved to Friday, Nov. 25 won't be determined until this summer, Radakovich said.

A member of the Southern Conference, Appalachian State went 6-5 overall in 2004 and tied for third in the conference at 4-3.

The Mountaineers will receive a $400,000 guarantee for playing their first-ever game against LSU, Bertman said.

Playing Appalachian State could impact LSU's bowl eligibility.

Division I-A teams must win six games in an 11-game season to be bowl eligible. They are only allowed to count one I-AA win toward that total every four years.

LSU has never had to count a I-AA win toward its bowl eligibility.

Radakovich said he hoped the NCAA Management Council would approve permanently extending the football season to 12 games. The vote will come in April and the extra game could be added as early as 2006, he said.

A 12-game schedule could allow schools like LSU to be able to afford to play more quality opponents on a home-and-home basis.

Schools were allowed to schedule 12 regular season games in 2002 and 2003 because those years contained an extra playing date.

In other football scheduling news, Radakovich said negotiations are continuing for a home-and-home series between LSU and Oklahoma.

Radakovich said the contract is now in Oklahoma's hands. The games wouldn't be played until late in the next decade (before 2020), provided the 12-game schedule is approved.

Radakovich also said Notre Dame's restructuring of its football scheduling and demands of several of its traditional home-and-home series likely means the Tigers and Fighting Irish won't be playing again in the regular season any time soon.

LSU also won't consider playing any in-state I-AA teams like Southern, which Radakovich said was not contacted about this game.

"If you play one (in-state) you've got to do them all," Bertman said.

http://louisianastate.scout.com/2/352296.html

2005 LSU Football Schedule

Sept. 5, North Texas...................Baton Rouge

Sept. 10, Arizona State............... Baton Rouge

Sept. 17...................................Open

Sept. 24, Tennessee..................Baton Rouge

Oct. 1, at Mississippi State...........Starkville, Miss.

Oct. 8, at Vanderbilt.....................Nashville, Tenn.

Oct. 15, Florida............................Baton Rouge

Oct. 22, Auburn...........................Baton Rouge

Oct. 29.........................................Open

Nov. 5, Appalachian State..............Baton Rouge

Nov. 12, at Alabama......................Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Nov. 19, at Ole Miss........................Oxford, Miss.

Nov. 26, Arkansas...........................Baton Rouge

http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/schedul...foot_sked.shtml

[AUesquire 1]

I imagine there's some debate on the LSU boards about it. I think Geaux even vented about that a little earlier. I'm not happy about the WKU Cookie Monsters but I also wasn't in on negotiations with other teams. I don't know who was or IF anyone else was beating down our door to fill the open date for us. It seems logical to just say, "Hey, this team has an open date then. Why don't we play them?" I imagine there's a little more involved in setting a game on short notice than we all know about.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

all the grief and bad press AUBURN received over scheduling WESTERN KENTUCKY? It seems AU is not alone. Where is the out cry against LSU?

I think I heard more grief here on WEN than anywhere

Check out some LSU boards and you will see lots of posters complaing about them scheduling Appy State.

[Gorilla 0]

Nobody is happy with it at all. Most LSU fans realize its probably not something that will matter, but why even provide an opportunity for it to factor in? It also opens the door for criticism like some of the stuff on this thread. LSU fans heard some of that in 2003 and ya'll heard it last year about the Citadel. I think its largely stupid criticism b/c the games that matter when assessing a season are the big ones, not the easy ones, but why even give people a chance to spout off?

Everyone would also rather see a more competitive game in return for the surcharges and ticket prices they have to pay.

[WarTim 3,529]

Who cares WHO lsWHO plays?

Not me. (Except for the butt whippin' they will recieve at the hands of the defending SEC CHamps ! ! !)

[GeauxTigers 0]

The real issue is not so much who you play at the bottom of the barrel but at the top.

Is there much difference between the 78th ranked Div 1-A team and a highly ranked Div 1_AA team? Nope. Either team is going to get a BEAT-DOWN and the SEC team is going to get some playing time for their 3rd string.

Is there a difference between the a top 5 ranked Div 1-A team and a 39th or 40th ranked team? HUGE.

The Top 20 are VERY good football teams. 20-30 are quality teams. 30-40? Just show up and you'll win. Anyone think there is much difference between 40th and 90th? Not much.

[AuNuma1 1]

The real issue is not so much who you play at the bottom of the barrel but at the top.

Is there much difference between the 78th ranked Div 1-A team and a highly ranked Div 1_AA team? Nope. Either team is going to get a BEAT-DOWN and the SEC team is going to get some playing time for their 3rd string.

Is there a difference between the a top 5 ranked Div 1-A team and a 39th or 40th ranked team? HUGE.

The Top 20 are VERY good football teams. 20-30 are quality teams. 30-40? Just show up and you'll win. Anyone think there is much difference between 40th and 90th? Not much.

146992[/snapback]

Hi...welcome to a month and a half ago when we were all screaming this at the top of our lungs only to get screwed out of a chance at a MNC.

[GeauxTigers 0]

The real issue is not so much who you play at the bottom of the barrel but at the top.

Is there much difference between the 78th ranked Div 1-A team and a highly ranked Div 1_AA team? Nope. Either team is going to get a BEAT-DOWN and the SEC team is going to get some playing time for their 3rd string.

Is there a difference between the a top 5 ranked Div 1-A team and a 39th or 40th ranked team? HUGE.

The Top 20 are VERY good football teams. 20-30 are quality teams. 30-40? Just show up and you'll win. Anyone think there is much difference between 40th and 90th? Not much.

146992[/snapback]

Hi...welcome to a month and a half ago when we were all screaming this at the top of our lungs only to get screwed out of a chance at a MNC.

147001[/snapback]

Welcome to 2003 when I said the same thing explaining why USC didn't (and doesn't) deserve a share of our NC.

[AuNuma1 1]

Welcome to 2003 when I said the same thing explaining why USC didn't (and doesn't) deserve a share of our NC.   

147004[/snapback]

At least you got the chance to play for it...whiney babies.

[AFTiger 282]

The real issue is not so much who you play at the bottom of the barrel but at the top.

Seemed to be an issue for Auburn last year. BTW, in looking at So Cal's schedule last year, their bottom four opponents had a much worse win/loss result than did Auburn's

[Bama My Heart 5]

The real issue is not so much who you play at the bottom of the barrel but at the top.

Seemed to be an issue for Auburn last year. BTW, in looking at So Cal's schedule last year, their bottom four opponents had a much worse win/loss result than did Auburn's

147063[/snapback]

I don't see what the big deal is about schools picking small schools to put on their schedules. Especially at the beginning of the season. I think that it helps the players get all the gitters out of their system before starting the regular season. Football is not given the luxury that basketball has, and that is for playing exhibition games at the beginning of the season to work out all of the kinks and get the players use to the big game atmosphere. We have to remember that some of these players may be freshman and have never played in front of this large of a crowd. Also there are so many new coaches, and the players have had to learn entire new game plans. I don't think that these games should reflect on the rankings of said schools. The small schools need the big programs to help them with their budgets to get to move up to Division 1 status. Troy has had to play a large of big schools to get money to be even able to qualify for Division 1 status. If Larger schools are penalized in the rankings for scheduling small schools

and they stop playing them, look what it will do to these schools.

[AUesquire 1]

BMH makes some good points. Also, I hate to rehash the whole argument again, but I truly feel there was never any possible way they were going to vote USC and OU out of the top spots unless they lost and regardless of who we played. We still came out with a tougher ranked schedule than both of them even with the Citadels of the world on there.

I'm in agreement with getting someone better than WKU and Spitadel on the schedule. But for me, the only reason I care about it is so I'll have a more attractive matchup to watch when I drive to the Plains on Saturday. We're just spinning our wheels if we're scheduling better teams just to impress the voters. Again, we had a tougher schedule than USC or OU and it just didn't matter to them anyway. Look, we were #3 and going down the stretch we played, AND BEAT, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Va. Tech. Did it matter? NO! The voters wanted USC/OU and they were damn well gonna' make sure it happened.