Interesting read about Samford-UGA, and FCS-FBS in general

[Catatonic]

Good read. https://sports.yahoo.com/who-is-samford-university-and-why-are-they-playing-the-university-of-georgia-204602871.html

“This isn’t anything close to a fair fight. So how did we get here? The answer, as it always is in college football, comes down to three factors: tradition, spectacle and money. Mostly money.”

[bonarae]

Towards the end of the article, there is a section that may say doom to our beloved "money game". xsmhx

Seems that a G5 or two is going to satisfy our payday for the foreseeable future? xchinscratchx

Perhaps the Ivies will probably constrict themselves to a NESCAC-type schedule if that happens... xbawlingx

[FUBeAR]

Good read. https://sports.yahoo.com/who-is-samford-university-and-why-are-they-playing-the-university-of-georgia-204602871.html
Yep - thanks for posting. Unusually, this article is fairly balanced for the most part & worth the read. Woulda like to see them mention more scalps - gave the impression App State over Michigan is the only one ever - but they did a fair job of covering Samford’s previous near-scalps.

Hope the Homeboys from Homewood shock the world…or at least show well…but Georgia is just SO DANG GOOD, not getting completely blown out (anything <50) should (but won’t) move the BullPups up a few slots in FCS polls/rankings.

[kdinva]

A similar article posted a few days ago in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Coaches Huesmann and Coach Wach want to get more $$$ signed ASAP.

https://richmond.com/sports/college/fcs-games-against-power-five-opposition-running-fade-pattern-coaches-believe/article_0f6c485a-d137-5765-94b7-8032411a2d58.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share

VMI has $$$ games thru 2027, for now...

[FUBeAR]

A similar article posted a few days ago in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Coaches Huesmann and Coach Wach want to get more $$$ signed ASAP.

https://richmond.com/sports/college/fcs-games-against-power-five-opposition-running-fade-pattern-coaches-believe/article_0f6c485a-d137-5765-94b7-8032411a2d58.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share

VMI has $$$ games thru 2027, for now...
1) “FBS teams can have as many as 85 scholarships. FCS teams are limited to 63, and most don’t use that many.” - Huh? Wonder where the writer came up with that research? Maybe…because of Ivies, PFL and NEC (still below 63…right?) if you take the total and divide by the number of Teams, the quotient is < 63, but certainly there aren’t 66 or more (that would be “most”) Teams under 63 schollies…are there?

2) Surprised to see Coach W cite increased injuries as a negative of playing FBS Teams. FUBeAR is much more in Coach Huesman’s camp on this, but for primarily a different reason - those FBS guys just don’t play as hard as FCS kids do.

3) FUBeAR is no fashionista, but Huesman looks horrible in red.

[wcugrad95]

This really shouldn't surprise anybody. The big boys are going to setup the College Football Playoff so they can afford to lose a game and still get in, then they are going to go for more money via TV contracts by only playing themselves in OOC games. The G5 will need games, too. So we should at least still have some money opportunities (just on a much smaller scale).

Going forward, playing a more regionally-based G5 team will probably be the answer. In this case, Birmingham is close to Athens and the pay is so good it wouldn't matter around travel. In the future, if it is $300k for WCU to play at say UTEP or $250k to play at Charlotte or ECU surely we will play in-state. My concern is like everybody else's - can the FCS survive taking a 50% or more cut in pay for the money games? Does it mean we have to play multiple G5 schools instead of a money game and decent OOC game against another FCS school?

[Catatonic]

We’re good through 2028. Fully booked.

[ElCid]

Right now we have two G5 and two P5 for 23-26. Clemson, GaSo, Charlotte, and Ole Miss. Mostly close except for Ole Miss. I am not as pessimistic about P5 going away. Might happen, but I'm not certain it will happen as folks think it might.

[taper]

1) “FBS teams can have as many as 85 scholarships. FCS teams are limited to 63, and most don’t use that many.” - Huh? Wonder where the writer came up with that research? Maybe…because of Ivies, PFL and NEC (still below 63…right?) if you take the total and divide by the number of Teams, the quotient is < 63, but certainly there aren’t 66 or more (that would be “most”) Teams under 63 schollies…are there?

2) Surprised to see Coach W cite increased injuries as a negative of playing FBS Teams. FUBeAR is much more in Coach Huesman’s camp on this, but for primarily a different reason - those FBS guys just don’t play as hard as FCS kids do.

3) FUBeAR is no fashionista, but Huesman looks horrible in red.
If you want to be technically correct about <63 schollies, he's probably right. Even NDSU doesn't always have 63 at a time. Various reasons including transfers out(even worse with the new portal), saving a few for a promising upcoming class, rebalancing after a particularly large or small class, etc.

[FUBeAR]

If you want to be technically correct about <63 schollies, he's probably right. Even NDSU doesn't always have 63 at a time. Various reasons including transfers out(even worse with the new portal), saving a few for a promising upcoming class, rebalancing after a particularly large or small class, etc.
Yep - that’s fairly technical and not at all what FUBeAR inferred the writer was implying

[Sandlapper Spike]

I tend to agree with you about the "most don't use that many" bit, but to be fair the writer is not someone just parachuting into the world of FCS. Perhaps he knows something we don't, although I would be very surprised if that were true.

There was a similar article on Samford-Georgia in The Athletic. It appears that Kirby Smart is on the same side as Jimbo Fisher when it comes to FCS and its place in the college football universe, which is good -- the subdivision needs all the advocates at the P5 level that it can get.

[CockyGeek]

Georgia could score 100 on Samford if they wanted to but will probably get 7 or 8 quick touchdowns and then just lay down. Sanford gets a nice check and Georgia thought they were getting a break after Oregon. Everybody wins.

[Catamount87]

The P5 schools will continue their quest to dominate every aspect of college athletics and absorb every last dollar. Once they hit a real inflection point, they'll stop P5 vs FCS games altogether. We've already seen this idea rear it's ugly head with the big ten. It's only a matter of time until the remaining P5 conferences take the same stand and 'ban' games against lower divisions. Don't be surprised if it includes a shadow ban on 'lower' FBS conferences too.

[Catatonic]

The P5 schools will continue their quest to dominate every aspect of college athletics and absorb every last dollar. Once they hit a real inflection point, they'll stop P5 vs FCS games altogether. We've already seen this idea rear it's ugly head with the big ten. It's only a matter of time until the remaining P5 conferences take the same stand and 'ban' games against lower divisions. Don't be surprised if it includes a shadow ban on 'lower' FBS conferences too.

Georgia pays 500k to Samford but gets a bonus home game that’s tacked onto the price of season tickets. The charge is the same for Auburn or Samford. There is revenue to be made from on campus parking and concessions. Local businesses make buckets of money from home games. Hotels double their rates and require two or three night minimums. Off campus parking makes money for local churches and others.restaurants are bars are packed. Everyone wins. Not just the FCS school.

[ElCid]

The P5 schools will continue their quest to dominate every aspect of college athletics and absorb every last dollar. Once they hit a real inflection point, they'll stop P5 vs FCS games altogether. We've already seen this idea rear it's ugly head with the big ten. It's only a matter of time until the remaining P5 conferences take the same stand and 'ban' games against lower divisions. Don't be surprised if it includes a shadow ban on 'lower' FBS conferences too.

Maybe, but don't forget the political side of things. I am almost certain I've heard about some politicians in statehouses who have hinted to FBS programs to spread it around to instate schools as appropriate. I don't have definite confirmation or evidence, but it fits. Otherwise, maybe some funding gets transferred from one budget to another. Especially if the legislature isn't dominated by the FBS grads. I think it would be hard to cut off FCS games in states with both public FBS and FCS teams. At least in places where there is history of interaction. The privates can do what they want.

And it's been said here as well. The FBS's get something from these games. Especially the in-state or close ones. Example: Clemson is hosting Furman this week. They are but 36 miles from each other. It is the 57th meeting between Clemson and Furman. Lots of families in SC probably have grads from both schools. Who do you think would garner most interest as an opponent? Who would bring more fans? Furman, or say, someone like Kansas as at least a P5 or even a Southern Miss as a G5? Folks may think they know, but I can guarantee you it is probably Furman. They would bring many more fans to the game than either of the other two for starters. And Furman is private.

I know there is a faction of talking heads and sports writers who absolutely hate FBS playing FCS games. Not sure the basis for their hate. I ignore them. Besides, FCS game are cheaper payout for P5 FBS than G5 games.

[JALMOND]

Good read. https://sports.yahoo.com/who-is-samford-university-and-why-are-they-playing-the-university-of-georgia-204602871.html

“This isn’t anything close to a fair fight. So how did we get here? The answer, as it always is in college football, comes down to three factors: tradition, spectacle and money. Mostly money.”





Classic quote from Smokey and the Bandit fits here.

Bandit: "For the money, for the glory, and for the fun. Mostly for the money."