We’re not the only ones commenting on the continued poor non-conference scheduling (more background here).
Pat Forde has some general comments about the scheduling in 2014, with several of those comments either specific to or relating to State. SFN has noted recently that the trend shows declining attendance across college football, even in the SEC and places like Michigan, where poor non-conference scheduling means decreased fan interest.
2. At Michigan, student ticket-sales projections are way down for 2014, and there may not be a strong enough market among other fans to pick up that slack and fill nearly 110,000 seats. While soft student attendance is a growing national trend, there is a specific reason why Big Blue fans are likely uninterested in shelling out big bucks at the Big House: the home schedule is awful. It consists of Appalachian State (yes, everyone remembers 2007, but that brand of lightning doesn’t strike twice), Miami of Ohio (coming off its first winless season since 1940), Utah, Minnesota, depleted Penn State, Indiana and Maryland. How much would you pay for that season-ticket package?
8. Most cowardly non-conference schedule for a power-five team: North Carolina State, which plays Presbyterian (No. 231 in the Sagarin Ratings last year), Georgia Southern (No. 148), Old Dominion (No. 133) and South Florida (No. 143).
22. South Florida gives itself a chance to reverse its alarming slide from relevance early with four straight home games. The Bulls open by hosting Western Carolina, Maryland, North Carolina State and Connecticut – and if the program has made major strides heading into its second year under Willie Taggart, a winning record is not out of the question heading to Wisconsin Sept. 27.
