UNH v. Holy Cross in 2011?

[UNH Fanboi]

http://unhwildcats.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=unhanda10football&action=display&thread=477&page=2

People on the UNH board are reporting that UNH has replaced its game with Central State (Div 2) with a game against Holy Cross @ UNH. I hope it's true. It would be great to have an all Div 1 schedule and a game against a solid NE program.

[smcwildcat]

ya its true

[NHwildEcat]

Yup...looks like a Week 3 bye...game should be on 10/1 in Durham.

Looking forward to more details regarding home and home or what not...

[RichH2]

Thought I hd heard about UNHvHC a while ago. Guess I was right. Great for both schools.

[UNHFan]

Been dying for this game! Sadly its not at Fitton Field... what a great crowd it would be 20K no problem... I love Fitton field... could even sell out HC Fans would flock to this game. Last time I have seen Fitton field packed live (Well real close) about 24,000 for Princeton 90 I think it was?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Not to rain on this party - believe me, I want the HC/UNH game too - but the CAA just released their schedule and it lists Central State (OH) and not Holy Cross in that slot.

[Wildcat80]

I assume an OOC game that does not affect the CAA schedule can be changed....

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I have it from a very good source that it's Holy Cross @ UNH.

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

It's been changed. Announced today. Along with a bunch of other agreements, Dartmouth, URI, HC and Colgate.

http://unhwildcats.com/sports/fball/2011-12/releases/20110411teh2pw

I am very happy

[Wildcat80]

Terrific schedule adds......still need one money game a year....have Minnesota lined up.

[Sader87]

Been dying for this game! Sadly its not at Fitton Field... what a great crowd it would be 20K no problem... I love Fitton field... could even sell out HC Fans would flock to this game. Last time I have seen Fitton field packed live (Well real close) about 24,000 for Princeton 90 I think it was?

The Princeton game is an impossible ticket to get...just ask Fr Brooks.

[Go...gate]

It's been changed. Announced today. Along with a bunch of other agreements, Dartmouth, URI, HC and Colgate.

http://unhwildcats.com/sports/fball/2011-12/releases/20110411teh2pw

I am very happy

That is great for both UNH and Colgate. Thank you, Marty Scarano.

[ngineer]

Hmmm....UNH scheduling a bunch of PL schools of late. Think there may be some 'discussions' going on?? Cue the PL Expansion Marching Band...xwhistlexxsmiley_wix

[Go...gate]

I think it may be more likely that UNH, like a lot of FCS schools, will see its OOC scheduling become as regional as possible. In that connection, PL schools make a lot of sense.

[RichH2]

ngineer stokes the waning embersxeyebrowx, a topic that will not die. If CAA splits, the issue will be whether PL is suitable at that point for any of the possible CAA transfers. Scolliesxconfusedx.

With oil speculation driving gas prices to over 4.25 per gal soon, regional games make a lot of sense. HC and UNH a natural which I hope will continue. I would say the same for LU- Nova. Big East seems more remote a possibilty nowxrolleyesx

[Jackman]

While it's great for UNH, I wonder if this increases the strain on Maine as potential dates against the few teams within 5 hours of them disappear. If URI continues playing UNH but not Maine, that's going to hurt. We know Brown is going to be their other OOC game, but I guess if they're no longer going to play FBS teams they may still have an opening for Maine.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

While it's great for UNH, I wonder if this increases the strain on Maine as potential dates against the few teams within 5 hours of them disappear. If URI continues playing UNH but not Maine, that's going to hurt. We know Brown is going to be their other OOC game, but I guess if they're no longer going to play FBS teams they may still have an opening for Maine.

When UMass leaves for the "big money" of the MAC, an opening for Maine should be created.

xlolx

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

When UMass leaves for the "big money" of the MAC, an opening for Maine should be created.

xlolx

I haven't seen anything from UMass saying they planned to continue playing URI in 2013 so I don't see how what UMass does impacts URI and Maine scheduling? xconfusedx xconfusedx

[NHwildEcat]

While it's great for UNH, I wonder if this increases the strain on Maine as potential dates against the few teams within 5 hours of them disappear. If URI continues playing UNH but not Maine, that's going to hurt. We know Brown is going to be their other OOC game, but I guess if they're no longer going to play FBS teams they may still have an opening for Maine.

If teams continue to jump from the CAA maybe UNH and Maine will just play 11 games against each other! That would sure cut down on travel :)

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

While it's great for UNH, I wonder if this increases the strain on Maine as potential dates against the few teams within 5 hours of them disappear. If URI continues playing UNH but not Maine, that's going to hurt. We know Brown is going to be their other OOC game, but I guess if they're no longer going to play FBS teams they may still have an opening for Maine.

Right now URI has had two consistent OOC games, Brown and Fordham. If they continue to schedule UNH, they could be all set for OOC games. Maine has had a series with Albany. Maybe UNH and Maine just swap series with URI and Albany every two years? But UNH made it very clear in their release that they hope to continue series with URI, Holy Cross, Colgate and Dartmouth. If we continue to play a FBS and I don't have any reason to think we won't, then in eleven game seasons, we can only play two of those four in a season. Plenty of wiggle room for Maine to still schedule some of them too.

FWIW, according to Mapquest driving times, the only FCS schools within five hours of UMaine are UNH, Harvard and Holy Cross. UMass, URI, Bryant, CCSU and Dartmouth are within than six hours of driving from Orono. A Maine fan would have to tell us if Maine did bus trips to Long Island (Hofstra (8:10) and Stony Brook (8:45)) and New Jersey (Monmouth (9:05)). I understand your point and I'd have to think that due to the long history with URI that Maine would like to continue it, but I think Maine's threshold is more than five hours. If you go out as far as Long Island and Northern NJ, then you also add Yale, Sacred Heart, Fordham, Wagner, Columbia and Marist as potential OOC mates.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

If teams continue to jump from the CAA maybe UNH and Maine will just play 11 games against each other! That would sure cut down on travel :)

Don't forget that Dartmouth, Harvard, Holy Cross, Bryant, URI, Brown, UMass and Central CT are all a shorter drive from Durham than Orono!! xwhistlex

[aceinthehole]

FWIW, according to Mapquest driving times, the only FCS schools within five hours of UMaine are UNH, Harvard and Holy Cross. UMass, URI, Bryant, CCSU and Dartmouth are within than six hours of driving from Orono. A Maine fan would have to tell us if Maine did bus trips to Long Island (Hofstra (8:10) and Stony Brook (8:45)) and New Jersey (Monmouth (9:05)). I understand your point and I'd have to think that due to the long history with URI that Maine would like to continue it, but I think Maine's threshold is more than five hours. If you go out as far as Long Island and Northern NJ, then you also add Yale, Sacred Heart, Fordham, Wagner, Columbia and Marist as potential OOC mates.

CCSU and Maine need to sign contract starting next season! Central hasn't had a FCS non-conference team vist Arute Field since 2006*(Marist). I would really welcome a 4-year home/home deal with the Black Bears.

*In 2008, CCSU did host a 2 schools transitioning to FCS. We hosted Bryant on campus before they started NEC play, and we hosted another transitioning FCS member, NC Central off-campus in the Harmony Classic.

[Jackman]

FWIW, according to Mapquest driving times, the only FCS schools within five hours of UMaine are UNH, Harvard and Holy Cross. UMass, URI, Bryant, CCSU and Dartmouth are within than six hours of driving from Orono. A Maine fan would have to tell us if Maine did bus trips to Long Island (Hofstra (8:10) and Stony Brook (8:45)) and New Jersey (Monmouth (9:05)). I understand your point and I'd have to think that due to the long history with URI that Maine would like to continue it, but I think Maine's threshold is more than five hours. If you go out as far as Long Island and Northern NJ, then you also add Yale, Sacred Heart, Fordham, Wagner, Columbia and Marist as potential OOC mates.

No, I know Maine is willing to go 8+ hours. The problem is finding an opponent willing to do that in return. Nobody else in this area needs to put themselves through that if they don't want to, because there are so many other teams to play in this area. Even the NEC finally getting its AQ hurts Maine a little bit, because now those teams don't need to schedule Maine to satisfy the "bridge" requirement of beating 2 teams from AQ conferences.

I suppose there's still Bryant, and CCSU might see it as an attractive series worth the distance. And I'm sure the Big Sky teams would love to have Maine's travel problems. It just has to be frustrating to them if it turns out that even Rhode Island will pass on playing Maine if they're not required to by their conference schedule. But if URI only has one opening, playing UNH makes more sense.

[Wildcat80]

So long as you play them in september its not half bad. Don't worry black bears...UNH LOVES to play ya!