Nicholls State schedule finally final

[Za-KEE-uS]

LINK (http://www.colonelsports.com/football%20releases/2007%20schedule%20release.htm)
Looks like the only change is dropping Slippery Rock for Azusa Pacific.:D :D

[GeauxColonels]

LINK (http://www.colonelsports.com/football%20releases/2007%20schedule%20release.htm)
Looks like the only change is dropping Slippery Rock for Azusa Pacific.:D :D
Oh boy! xbangx xbangx xbangx xbangx xbangx xbangx

We dropped a D-II school for an NAIA opponent! That's impressive!

Any word on WHY Slippery Rock didn't happen?

[GeauxColonels]

And I hate to nit-pcik, but Nevada lost to Miami in the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, ID....NOT the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, CA! Boy our sports information department leaves something to be desired. xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx

[TexasTerror]

Not sure what my travel schedule will be like as it relates to Nicholls St games...

Could I pull of a double-dip with Texas St-San Marcos visiting Nicholls and then Sam Houston St playing in Hammond against SELA? That'd be a great Ralph visit...as is October 6th when Nicholls hosts NWST at 2 PM and SELA hosts SFA at 6 PM...a 79 mile trek between cities...worth pondering...

[slycat]

LINK (http://www.colonelsports.com/football%20releases/2007%20schedule%20release.htm)
Looks like the only change is dropping Slippery Rock for Azusa Pacific.:D :D

sounds like a san diego move.

[Za-KEE-uS]

And I hate to nit-pcik, but Nevada lost to Miami in the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, ID....NOT the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, CA! Boy our sports information department leaves something to be desired. xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx
hmmm, I was hoping I was wrong on that, does anyone know if Rice won the CUSA, the winner of the CUSA usually doesnt play in the N.O. Bowl, usually the 3rd or 4th team. I thought they play the winner of the Sunbelt

[Za-KEE-uS]

Oh boy! xbangx xbangx xbangx xbangx xbangx xbangx

We dropped a D-II school for an NAIA opponent! That's impressive!

Any word on WHY Slippery Rock didn't happen?
I have no clue, I just checked Slippery Rock's site, no info there.

[GeauxColonels]

hmmm, I was hoping I was wrong on that, does anyone know if Rice won the CUSA, the winner of the CUSA usually doesnt play in the N.O. Bowl, usually the 3rd or 4th team. I thought they play the winner of the Sunbelt
Rice finished 2nd in the CUSA Western Division behind Houston (and tied for 2nd best conference record with Southern Miss) with a 6-2 record. Overall, they had a 7-6 record which includes the loss to Troy in the New Orleans Bowl.

[BEAR]

LINK (http://www.colonelsports.com/football%20releases/2007%20schedule%20release.htm)
Looks like the only change is dropping Slippery Rock for Azusa Pacific.:D :D


A Who-za specific? who's a azusa pacific? where are they? I have never heard of that team before....if you wanted a W, you could have scheduled any of the Arkansas teams in DII...geez...xthumbsupx xnodx xlolx

[Za-KEE-uS]

A Who-za specific? who's a azusa pacific? where are they? I have never heard of that team before....if you wanted a W, you could have scheduled any of the Arkansas teams in DII...geez...xthumbsupx xnodx xlolx
I have no understanding of who they are, its somewhere in California.... that is a fun word to say though "Azusa......azUSA......aZuSa....xrotatehx

[GeauxColonels]

A Who-za specific? who's a azusa pacific? where are they? I have never heard of that team before....if you wanted a W, you could have scheduled any of the Arkansas teams in DII...geez...xthumbsupx xnodx xlolx
Azusa Pacific is an independent NAIA school...we already have one D-II Arkansas school on the schedule - Southern Arkansas.

[BEAR]

Azusa Pacific is an independent NAIA school...we already have one D-II Arkansas PRACTICE on the schedule - Southern Arkansas.

Practice on your schedule??? did you say practice on your schedule?? xwhistlex xnodx xlolx

[GeauxColonels]

Practice on your schedule??? did you say practice on your schedule?? xwhistlex xnodx xlolx
No..I didn't. I said there is a game on the schedule against a D-II Arkansas school...just like you suggested there should be.

[Mr. C]

The San Diego Torero fans are going to be all over your case for scheduling Azusa Pacific.

[GeauxColonels]

The San Diego Torero fans are going to be all over your case for scheduling Azusa Pacific.
That's fine. I have no control over the schedule. I don't think it's any worse that playin Assumption College last year.

But I don't see them playing McNeese State, Sam Houston State, and then 2 FBS schools either.

[BEAR]

No..I didn't. I said there is a game on the schedule against a D-II Arkansas school...just like you suggested there should be.

It was sarcasm my friend....in Arkansas, every game vs any dII school here is considered practice now-a-days...just thought I'd help out your school and save you some gas money going all the way out to Cali..it's a shorter trip to Ark...xsmiley_wix

[89Hen]

Ugh. No offense Colonel fans, but that schedule sucks big time. NO I-AA opponents OOC??? xnonono2x xnonono2x xnonono2x

Most likely, the only chance for playoffs will be winning the Southland.

[GeauxLions94]

A Who-za specific? who's a azusa pacific? where are they? I have never heard of that team before....if you wanted a W, you could have scheduled any of the Arkansas teams in DII...geez...xthumbsupx xnodx xlolx

Just outside of Los Angeles. Alma mater of former NFL bulldozer Christian Okoye.

89Hen, our OOC isn't pretty either with no FCS schools on the list. Just New Mexico State, Kansas and Tulane. Other is DII Kentucky Wesleyan - we should have gone FCS on that one IMO.

[89Hen]

89Hen, our OOC isn't pretty either with no FCS schools on the list. Just New Mexico State, Kansas and Tulane. Other is DII Kentucky Wesleyan - we should have gone FCS on that one IMO.
I just hate to see that with four opportunities. xnonono2x xpeacex

[TexasTerror]

Ugh. No offense Colonel fans, but that schedule sucks big time. NO I-AA opponents OOC??? xnonono2x xnonono2x xnonono2x

Most likely, the only chance for playoffs will be winning the Southland.

That's how it is for several schools -- Nicholls included -- due to the state of things...

[GannonFan]

I just hate to see that with four opportunities. xnonono2x xpeacex

I agree - to have 4 OOC games and not play a single one against an FCS team is just not trying. I understand playing two FBS teams (although I can't imagine that Nevada and Rice are huge money games) but then to dip down to DII and NAIA for the other ones when there are plenty of FCS teams in the area (and the Southland hasn't been shy about travelling or having teams come from distant areas) so that's a bit disappointing.

[89Hen]

That's how it is for several schools -- Nicholls included -- due to the state of things...
What state is that? xeyebrowx

[TColonel]

I agree - to have 4 OOC games and not play a single one against an FCS team is just not trying. I understand playing two FBS teams (although I can't imagine that Nevada and Rice are huge money games) but then to dip down to DII and NAIA for the other ones when there are plenty of FCS teams in the area (and the Southland hasn't been shy about travelling or having teams come from distant areas) so that's a bit disappointing.

From what I have been told by people in the AD, Rice is paying over $200,000 and Nevada is paying $350,000 - the same as Nebraska last year and $130,000 more than Memphis was offering for that same date. All along, the Nicholls coaching staff liked the game with Rice and the Nevada game somewhat fell into their lap. Furthermore, Southern Arkansas was a sub D-I game scheduled for some time and the staff made many calls to try and get a FCS school to travel to Louisiana as Nicholls wanted to have at least 5 home games. None wanted to make the trip. As Coach Thomas told me, many coaches were willing to come, but would ask if Nicholls still ran the option and when told yes, they backed out. It was never the intention to have a NAIA school to come to Thibodaux, but they were the only one willing to make the trip this year.

[TexasTerror]

What state is that? xeyebrowx

Louisiana...the schools are more hard-pressed to bring in the $$$.

With four OOC games...NWST has two FBS foes with one FCS. SELA has three FBS foes with no FCS. Nicholls St has two FBS foes with no FCS.

McNeese is only school in Louisiana with favorable schedule - one FBS, two FCS. They too are able to draw very well and offer better guarantees, etc that allow them to do this.

[GannonFan]

From what I have been told by people in the AD, Rice is paying over $200,000 and Nevada is paying $350,000 - the same as Nebraska last year and $130,000 more than Memphis was offering for that same date. All along, the Nicholls coaching staff liked the game with Rice and the Nevada game somewhat fell into their lap. Furthermore, Southern Arkansas was a sub D-I game scheduled for some time and the staff made many calls to try and get a FCS school to travel to Louisiana as Nicholls wanted to have at least 5 home games. None wanted to make the trip. As Coach Thomas told me, many coaches were willing to come, but would ask if Nicholls still ran the option and when told yes, they backed out. It was never the intention to have a NAIA school to come to Thibodaux, but they were the only one willing to make the trip this year.

That's actually a good point - you see that often in college basketball where some teams are avoided because they do something fairly unique and it only makes sense that you see it in football too. The spread option isn't that common, nor is any brand of option football any longer, and you could see some teams avoid it. Although, both the SoCon and the CAA have now or in the very recent past teams that ran that - you wouldn't think they'd be gun-shy.

[Za-KEE-uS]

Louisiana...the schools are more hard-pressed to bring in the $$$.

With four OOC games...NWST has two FBS foes with one FCS. SELA has three FBS foes with no FCS. Nicholls St has two FBS foes with no FCS.

McNeese is only school in Louisiana with favorable schedule - one FBS, two FCS. They too are able to draw very well and offer better guarantees, etc that allow them to do this.
xrulesx
True If you look at the athletic funding for schools in the SLC, you'd think they listed them by west to east, Texas schools on top, Louisiana schools on the bottom.

[GeauxColonels]

It was sarcasm my friend....in Arkansas, every game vs any dII school here is considered practice now-a-days...just thought I'd help out your school and save you some gas money going all the way out to Cali..it's a shorter trip to Ark...xsmiley_wix
I figured that. I'm just upset that the schedule looks the way it does...but they don't travel to California at all. Azusa Pacific comes to Thibodaux.


I understand the need for the 5 home games. Believe me, I would HATE to only have 4 home games or even less than that. I also think that part of the problem is deeper than just "Do you guys still run the option?" I would be willing to bet at least a few of those schools wanted a return trip from the Colonels. As it's already been stated, with the current funding situation, the program NEEDS the $$ games to be competitive. And I'm pretty sure the situation will be the same in the near future.

So I can't really fault them for wanting 5 games....but at least give me a D-II game over NAIA. I think they need to look ahead a little more in terms of scheduling and try to get some things situated maybe even a year in advance. Then you wouldn't have things happenning like Slippery Rock backing out and needing to be replaced at the last minute.

[Go...gate]

And I hate to nit-pcik, but Nevada lost to Miami in the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, ID....NOT the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, CA! Boy our sports information department leaves something to be desired. xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx

Pretty good Bowl upgrade for Miami.....xrotatehx

[GeauxLions94]

xrulesx
True If you look at the athletic funding for schools in the SLC, you'd think they listed them by west to east, Texas schools on top, Louisiana schools on the bottom.

Louisiana schools that are in the UL System (SLU, Nicholls, McNeese, NW State, etc.) are at a disadvantage to the Texas schools by having a spending cap imposed by the Board of Regents.

Schools have to pay the bills and most have had to do so by scheduling a murderer's row of FBS opponents. Hopefully the Louisiana legislature will lift the cap (at least approve increases based on inflation) so that ULS schools are able to compete.