Central Connecticut Makes 2007 Schedule Official

[BigApp]

officially released 3/29


08/30 @ Towson
09/08 Merrimack
09/15 Southern Connecticut State (b/a note: this game was on the 5-games list last year!)
09/22 @ Western Michigan
09/29 OPEN
10/06 @ Saint Francis (PA)
10/13 Robert Morris
10/20 @ Wagner
10/27 Monmouth
11/03 Sacred Heart
11/10 @ Stony Brook
11/17 Albany


http://ccsubluedevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/ccon-m-footbl-sched.html

[89Hen]

08/30 @ Towson
11/10 @ Stony Brook
A little disappointing to me given their past schedules. Only two I-AA's OOC.

[Dane96]

Yeah, but they are playing Western...so it is 3 up games, one major.

[Dane96]

BTW, the Merrimack game must die.

[Seawolf97]

No way to get a game with Yale? Merrimack at one end and Western Michigan on the other. Yale could start local rivalry at least.

[appfan2008]

No way to get a game with Yale? Merrimack at one end and Western Michigan on the other. Yale could start local rivalry at least.
it sure seems like a natural thing to me

[aceinthehole]

Yale actually has been receptive to a game vs. CCSU, but they are booked for years. CCSU will likely make a trip to the Yale Bowl sometime, but it won't be for a few seasons.

Rumor was CCSU was scheduled to play Maine, however the Black Bears had a chance to play UConn instead so we were forced to find a last minute replacement - Merrimack, a D-II playoff team was the best available.

Its not a bad schedule, considering:
The game at I-A Western Mich is unheard of for a "non-counter" and the first for an NEC team.
Towson and Stony Brook are quality FCS foes.
Both D-II teams made they playoffs last season, they aren't "Dixie State" or "Azuza Pacific" caliber.
If CCSU finished 10-1, I think they would be CONSIDERED for an at-large and that's all you can ask for.

[Seawolf97]

Made Your Case. Hopefully you will get Yale in the future ! Good potential local rivalryxthumbsupx xthumbsupx

[89Hen]

If CCSU finished 10-1, I think they would be CONSIDERED for an at-large and that's all you can ask for.
Agreed, although at 8-1 in the eyes of the committee it may be tough. BTW, I hope you realize I was disappointed for CCSU because they have done a tremendous job in scheduling in past years. It's not so much that I don't like the I-A game it's that with 5 OOC opportunities, to only have 2 I-AA's really makes it hard to judge the actual strength of CCSU. A loss to WMU really doesn't tell us much, nor do wins over the two DII's even if they are playoff teams. UD has beaten West Chester in years when they were a playoff team, but the Hens weren't. xtwocentsx

[aceinthehole]

Agreed, although at 8-1 in the eyes of the committee it may be tough. BTW, I hope you realize I was disappointed for CCSU because they have done a tremendous job in scheduling in past years. It's not so much that I don't like the I-A game it's that with 5 OOC opportunities, to only have 2 I-AA's really makes it hard to judge the actual strength of CCSU. A loss to WMU really doesn't tell us much, nor do wins over the two DII's even if they are playoff teams. UD has beaten West Chester in years when they were a playoff team, but the Hens weren't. xtwocentsx

89 - you are right. This certainly isn't ideal at all. Even at 10-1 (with a loss to WMU) we'd have some ??? for the committee. Its nice to continue the games with Stony, but the committe may not even conisder them a playoff caliber program unless they do really well this year. Its also likely Monmouth won't be as strong as last year. Albany is likely the only "resume builder" in the NEC. And you are totally right, the D-II games mean nothing (except in a loss), but I'd argue on the field they will both be tougher than SFPA or even Wagner (sorry Red Flash and Seahawk fans).

Going forward CCSU has indicated they will try to split their 4 game OOC schedule as follows:
1) $$$ game at a I-A program
2) $ game at I-AA playoff contender
3) "home/home" deals with I-AA opponent
4) Buy a home game vs. "lower tier" I-AA or D-II team

[downbythebeach]

I wonder some times if Saint Francis had a really good year (and it was just that a really good year and not because the rest of the conference was down) how dramatically that would change the GPI of the whole conference. We had such huge problems last year with way to many injuries and our OC who was doing a great job quitting that I wonder if had the ball bounced our way, how the GPI would have ranked.

If you take away the bottom, because we are pretty low, how much would that change everything?

[UAalum72]

Actually SFUPA, Wagner and Sacred Heart were pretty close last year. Bringing up the bottom probably goes more to raising the conference rank, and is easier, than raising the top, but the same could be said about almost every conference - most have one or two who are well below the rest of the league.

For the last few years I've been thinking this is the year SFU puts it all together, but they've never quite done it.

[89Hen]

Its also likely Monmouth won't be as strong as last year.
I hope I hope I hope :p

[aceinthehole]

Actually SFUPA, Wagner and Sacred Heart were pretty close last year. Bringing up the bottom probably goes more to raising the conference rank, and is easier, than raising the top, but the same could be said about almost every conference - most have one or two who are well below the rest of the league.

For the last few years I've been thinking this is the year SFU puts it all together, but they've never quite done it.

UA - I agree. ALthough I expect SHU to be much better this year, and Wagner has a great coach and some talent, but not enough depth to take on the top tier teams or weather injuries to starters.

I drank SFPA kool aid entering last year. I really thought they'd actually compete for the NEC title with UA Monmouth, and CCSU. They were recruiting big linemen from the South Pacific and stole some decent talet in Western PA. Of course they had a great QB and the best WR duo in the conference, who both could have played at a high level in tougher conference too. That also opened up the rushing game a little too.

However, that D was bad, in fact awful. They couldn't tackle and had no speed or size. I'd bet some HS teams could have put up 21 on the Red Flash last year.

I wish SFPA well. I think if they could step up and be a .500 team that would help the NEC a lot. They need to beat the PFL and MAAC teams on their schedule and steal a few from the NEC teamshaving a down year. Then they'd be in much better shape.

[JMG1MON]

89 - you are right. This certainly isn't ideal at all. Even at 10-1 (with a loss to WMU) we'd have some ??? for the committee. Its nice to continue the games with Stony, but the committe may not even conisder them a playoff caliber program unless they do really well this year. Its also likely Monmouth won't be as strong as last year. Albany is likely the only "resume builder" in the NEC. And you are totally right, the D-II games mean nothing (except in a loss), but I'd argue on the field they will both be tougher than SFPA or even Wagner (sorry Red Flash and Seahawk fans).

Going forward CCSU has indicated they will try to split their 4 game OOC schedule as follows:
1) $$$ game at a I-A program
2) $ game at I-AA playoff contender
3) "home/home" deals with I-AA opponent
4) Buy a home game vs. "lower tier" I-AA or D-II team


I still have faith we can win the NEC. Glad we have 4 games before we start the conference slate. Brett Burke appears to be the heir apparent to Boland. I'm still not 100% sure who is coming back (5th year seniors) and who isn't. Hard to tell from the current roster.