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You greatly overestimate how much people care to play YSU or CSU. We played them in the past as part of the Coaches vs Cancer event the 4 NEO schools took part in. Attendance wasn't good. Joe Akron doesn't care about those programs. Hell, CSU hosted a Horizon League tournament game in their home arena in March, which I watched on ESPN+ as I'm a college basketball junkie, and it looked like there were only a few dozen fans in attendance. If CSU "fans" don't even care about CSU basketball why would Akron? Make it make sense. Now you want Akron to play H&H with YSU football? Yeah, no point in continuing this discussion if that's how you really feel.

Create an event based on the winningest programs in the last X amount of years. Call it the Mid Major Blue Bloods or something like that. Year to year doesn't matter when it's programs people care about. The issue with the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge is outside of James Madison, Marshall, and MAYBE a couple other programs, fans don't care about the Sun Belt. Same with Sun Belt fans about most MAC programs. I don't know what the exact solution is, but giving the P4s the middle finger is the best path the mid majors can take.

that's an even worse idea

Which is why scheduling home games against local teams that might interest a few people versus "maybe [insert SoCon team here] is good this year but no one knows what state they're in" is more important than worrying whether being in the fourth tier of mid-majors means we shouldn't play fifth-tier teams like Youngstown State or Cleveland State. None of it matters much if the athletic department doesn't significantly upgrade its marketing, but giving them as many bullets as possible to generate interest is all I'm asking for. And yes I am firmly in the camp of "YSU should be on the football schedule every year" as well.

Because there is clearly a hierarchy outside of the P6 despite you trying to claim one doesn't exist.

FYI the RALLY HOUSE and DTLR in Beachwood place has akron zips apparel.

I feel part of the problem is with between NIL, freedom of players to move frequently, and realignment there are just fewer top ~75 mid-major programs than there was 5-10 years ago. It makes it challenging to find Q1 match-ups against other mid-majors unless you have a crystal ball to know specifically who will be good.

If we're not good enough to get Dayton to come to Akron, then why are we trying to big time Youngstown State and Cleveland State?

That would be a better use of it. A handful of the non-P6 leagues getting together to make sure the best matchups happen (especially in the case one of the conferences is down in a two-league conference challenge).

I think there is merit to this idea: Add another conference to the mix either C-USA or Missouri Valley. The key game in the two-game series is the February game as that one puts the highest ranked KENPOM teams at that time in a pool the creates hed-to-hed matchups. The challenge will be figuring out home vs. away. Of course, just like Bracket Buster the back end teams won't want to be bothered with playing these ... BUT FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME/MID-MAJORS this could be a plus.

If that was remotely true then we wouldn't have trouble getting getting programs like Saint Louis, Memphis, Wichita State, Dayton, etc. to come to the JAR.

This upcoming season is the last year of the agreement. Will be curious to see if there's an extension announcement over the summer. If not, it's likely over after this season. Quite frankly, I wouldn't hate to see it end. I don't know how much it benefits either conference as the top matchups have typically been lopsided NET wise. It would be better if they expanded it to include other mid major conferences to put more big fish in the pond. The goal should be for the top matchups to be Q1/high-end Q2 opportunities and that isn't happening enough.

Eh, you're either P6 or you're not. And we're not.

There very well could have been.

Exactly, OSU, as a high major, would never agree to a H&H with us since we're a mid-major. It doesn't make sense for us to schedule one with a low major like CSU or YSU.

Wasn't there a rumor that the challenge has a questionable future?

From a purely selfish perspective, I'd like to attend away games at CSU or YSU. I'm not going to to Wright State or Marshall for a game. That being said, I trust the staff to figure out what is best for the program. They know a hell of an lot more than us when it comes to scheduling and the impact it can have on the program. As such, I have to assume there are valid reasons certain teams are not on the regular season schedule.

Let me break this down for you. We are very clearly a tier or two or three above csu and ysu. We're all fighting for scraps when it comes to support and fanbase after the big dogs like OSU, and maybe competing for some recruits here or there though I'd like to think we're recruiting a different tier than them as well. Playing them home and home legitimatizes them in the eyes of the local crowd and puts us a little more on the same tier in their eyes. Not to mention if we happen to lose once or twice. It's just not worth that, there's more to lose than gain by scheduling away games there

3 home MAC losses? When was the last time that happened?

@catdaddyp thanks for all the position reviews. What players (all positions), if any, do you feel have potential to receive any All MAC recognition this year?

With 22 league games ... hopefully 2-3 high-major road games ... 2 Sun Belt games .. 1 DIII ... the rest should be 250-plus KENPOM games. If a couple of those are Horizon League road wins, that improves the metrics along with the W-L column. Looking at it another way; that's 11 home MAC games, 1 home Sun Belt game, 1 home D111 and at least 2-3 HBCU/Horizon home games. That's 16 home games which should be worth a minimum 13 wins in a down year and 16 in a good year. That leaves four road wins for a 20-win season. That down year means 3 home MAC losses but along with a .500 MAC road season still means 19 wins going into the MAC Tournament. AND THAT'S A DOWN YEAR. If YSU/CSU helps get more Joe Akrons to by a few more tickets. That's worth it.

Xavier will play at Akron on October 24 https://goxavier.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule

It's so hilariously bad that if it were $15 and not $35, I'd probably have bought one.

That is awesome. I'd like one of those. 😂 One "football" coach, two players who are no longer playing and one actor who played a youth soccer coach. I'm not that worried about AI taking over just yet.

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