Home Opener Sept 4th

[GP1]

This just in: Akron vs Malone, Friday Oct 1, 5 pm at Infocision Stadium @ Summa Field. On ESPN 360.com.GP-1 to be joined by Ray Bentley in the broadcast booth.

I just heard Gerry Faust would be the sideline reporter.

By golly that makes sense to me.....

[xu9697]

Good news...it's official(according to Mike Rasor):9/4/10 vs. Syracuse9/11/10 vs. Gardner-Webb9/18/10 at Kentucky9/25/10 at Indianahttp://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/zips/2010/02/4833/

Additional good news about this= we should not be going up against OSU in either of the 1st 2 weeks.Marshall at OSU is on Thursday the 2ndMiami (FL) at OSU should be an 8 PM ABC game on the 11th.I could make good arguments for a starting time on 9/4 anywhere ranging from Noon to 7:30. The 11th..let's start no later than 2 PM.Hoping for 25,000+ for the 4th, and 18,000+ for the 11th.

[RowdyZip]

Good news...it's official(according to Mike Rasor):9/4/10 vs. Syracuse9/11/10 vs. Gardner-Webb9/18/10 at Kentucky9/25/10 at Indianahttp://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/zips/2010/02/4833/

four winnable games to start the season? I like it.

Who are we replacing UK with so that we have 4 winnable games, or did we get permission to play 15 on 11?

Kentucky is the poster child for mediocre "Big 6" "Just get bowl-eligible" teams. They haven't finished above .500 in the SEC in the last decade, and have won more than 7 games exactly twice in the 2000s (8, twice). Are they as bad as they used to be? Nah. But hardly a powerhouse imposibility.Syracuse sucks (no offense TexanMark). Sure, they beat us last year, but that is an absolute winnable game at home. We'll likely even be favored to win that one.Gardener Webb should be in the same neighborhood as the Morgan State game this year.Indiana is also awful. Yes, I know we lost to them too, but this is an IDEAL "turn heads" schedule. If Ianello and co. turn around and run an offense/defense that actually allows for a chance to win (read: no sideways pass or incredibly slow developing draw plays and no 3-3-5), we could set up for a 4-0 non conference. Am I saying we'll win these games? NO. But what's a better chance? A trip to Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Connecticut, Cincinnati etc. or jetting off to Kentucky or Indiana? Build confidence THIS year, use it next year for a gauntlet of a non-conference @ OSU and Cinci.

[Zipmeister]

Good news...it's official(according to Mike Rasor):9/4/10 vs. Syracuse9/11/10 vs. Gardner-Webb9/18/10 at Kentucky9/25/10 at Indianahttp://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/zips/2010/02/4833/

four winnable games to start the season? I like it.

Who are we replacing UK with so that we have 4 winnable games, or did we get permission to play 15 on 11?

Kentucky is the poster child for mediocre "Big 6" "Just get bowl-eligible" teams. They haven't finished above .500 in the SEC in the last decade, and have won more than 7 games exactly twice in the 2000s (8, twice). Are they as bad as they used to be? Nah. But hardly a powerhouse imposibility.Syracuse sucks (no offense TexanMark). Sure, they beat us last year, but that is an absolute winnable game at home. We'll likely even be favored to win that one.Gardener Webb should be in the same neighborhood as the Morgan State game this year.Indiana is also awful. Yes, I know we lost to them too, but this is an IDEAL "turn heads" schedule. If Ianello and co. turn around and run an offense/defense that actually allows for a chance to win (read: no sideways pass or incredibly slow developing draw plays and no 3-3-5), we could set up for a 4-0 non conference. Am I saying we'll win these games? NO. But what's a better chance? A trip to Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Connecticut, Cincinnati etc. or jetting off to Kentucky or Indiana? Build confidence THIS year, use it next year for a gauntlet of a non-conference @ OSU and Cinci.

Now I'm going to feel even worse when we finish OOC 1 and 3.

[Blue & Gold]

This year's OOC schedule is ideal. No Top 15 butt whippings. No Wisky's or Penn States, thank you very much.We may go 1-3, but even if we do, this year it's not the schedule's fault.Though I think this season is ideal, I agree with the fact that we MUST STOP scheduling payday games, especially for the first game of the year. No more kicking off the season @ Penn State - heck, if we'd never go back to Penn State or Wisconsin I wouldn't complain. Those essentially unwinnable games just kill all the hope that had been springing eternal since spring football. We need to cultivate a culture of winning within this program (and in the community) and playing Penn State is not going to do that.I like this year's schedule.

[ZachTheZip]

No top-15 butt whippings, but three bottom-30 butt whippings.If we go 1-3, it is very much the schedule's fault. Three BCS teams in the first four games has to stop. I don't care if they're the three worst BCS teams or the three best. The worst BCS teams are on par with very good non-BCS teams like CMU and Troy. Sure, you might get one win in three if you're lucky, but you're more likely to start off the MAC season demoralized and beat up.

[Blue & Gold]

No top-15 butt whippings, but three bottom-30 butt whippings.If we go 1-3, it is very much the schedule's fault. Three BCS teams in the first four games has to stop. I don't care if they're the three worst BCS teams or the three best. The worst BCS teams are on par with very good non-BCS teams like CMU and Troy. Sure, you might get one win in three if you're lucky, but you're more likely to start off the MAC season demoralized and beat up.

I don't know...I don't really agree with this. We should beat Indiana. We should beat 'Cuse. I don't know anything about Kentucky. We may lose all three, but if we're afraid of playing schools like this then we should just drop football.

[johnnyzip84]

By trading one Blue and White for another, the 2010 OOC schedule is certainly a step in the right direction. Don't forget, Kentucky is breaking in a new HC too (Joker Phillips). Sure, we could easily be 1-3 out of the gates all the same. You have to look at the 'Cuse game as being the key for two reasons. First and most obvious it is the opener, not just to the season, but to RI's head-coaching career. But SU also looks to be, at this point, the one BCS opponent who is closest to the Zips in talent and program development (after all, the aggregate score the last two years for these schools is all square at 56-56). IF the Zips come out of the gate fast, maybe G-Webb becomes a blowout and UA could steal one of two in Kentuckiana. On the other hand, if the Zips are slow to respond to the new staff, even the G-Webb game could be a struggle and dare I say a winless record heading into the MAC wouldn't be completely out of the question. These are the extreme scenarios of course, so somewhere in between is most likely. I simply can't get a pulse on this myself until I see the product on the field.

[zipboy]

We replace an IU or Kentucky with a sunbelt home and home like FAU or whoever would be perfect as GP1 said. But I also like as Blue and Gold said no top 15 team. We may start 1-3, but all 4 games should be competitive. I also like the 1st 2 games at home. That has not happened ever from what I remember. This is the most favorable OOC schedule that I can remember over the last 20 years. Best chance for great weather the 1st 2 weeks of the year as well. Hopefully we get 2 more home games by Oct 15th. Have the bye week in Nov when the weather is crappy anyway.

[Zipgrad01]

We replace an IU or Kentucky with a sunbelt home and home like FAU or whoever would be perfect as GP1 said. But I also like as Blue and Gold said no top 15 team. We may start 1-3, but all 4 games should be competitive. I also like the 1st 2 games at home. That has not happened ever from what I remember. This is the most favorable OOC schedule that I can remember over the last 20 years. Best chance for great weather the 1st 2 weeks of the year as well. Hopefully we get 2 more home games by Oct 15th. Have the bye week in Nov when the weather is crappy anyway.

No FAU home and home. We HAVE TO PLAY AND BEAT the Indiana's, Syracuses and Purdue's of the world. I for one do not want to spend my hard earned money to watch us play the FAU's and MTSU's of the world. If I want to watch small time football I will drive to Baldwin Wallace, YSU or Mount Union. We are a D1 program in a talent rich state. We need to be able to play with and beat low to mid level BCS schools. I had people asking me to go the the Indiana game, etc... When we play those crap teams I cant pay people to come with me. If people do not recognize the teams you play it will always be considered pee wee ball whether we go undefeated or not. We play enough garbage in the MAC home games....I want to at least watch one or 2 games a year against BCS schools. If we can't sign up for that then tear down the stadium and call it a day.

[GP1]

No top-15 butt whippings, but three bottom-30 butt whippings.If we go 1-3, it is very much the schedule's fault. Three BCS teams in the first four games has to stop. I don't care if they're the three worst BCS teams or the three best. The worst BCS teams are on par with very good non-BCS teams like CMU and Troy. Sure, you might get one win in three if you're lucky, but you're more likely to start off the MAC season demoralized and beat up.

Well said. The once every few years win is not worth the endless beatings. I just don't see how this schedule is a good one.....why can't we guarantee wins at the beginning of the season like BCS schools do with their schedules?College football has changed drastically in the past few years. It is now a system designed to support BCS level schools. The gap between BCS schools and non-BCS schools is greater than ever by design.The Zips will start out next year 1-3. Coachers will dust off their tired chiches (ie: "The coach has lost this team"). The Zips will be right back to where they have been the past few years. The stadium will be empty, the EMU game empty, for the remainder of the season. My worst nightmare is after the two consecutive road games against IU and UK, the MAC will have us playing a road MAC game.....again. Our AD needs to make certain this doesn't happen.

[Sergeant Zip]

College football has changed drastically in the past few years. It is now a system designed to support BCS level schools. The gap between BCS schools and non-BCS schools is greater than ever by design.

Are you sure? According to the BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock announced: “Because of the BCS, all 11 conferences have more access, more revenue and more opportunity from post-season football than before the creation of the BCS." Maybe I am taking that out of context... But the MWC and WAC will divide money between five non-automatic qualifying conferences, leaving the MWC with $9.8 million and the WAC with $7.8 million. The Big Ten and SEC will each receive $22 million. The other four automatic qualifying conferences (ACC, Big East, Big 12 and PAC 10) will each receive $17.7 million. Seperate but equal? Hancock spins this by suggesting that the MWC and WAC receive less than the other conferences because they chose to distribute the money in a certain way (“the expected allocation is a result of their decision.”). I gues that is why the BCS has hired a PR firm and created http://www.playoffproblem.com/.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

We replace an IU or Kentucky with a sunbelt home and home like FAU or whoever would be perfect as GP1 said. But I also like as Blue and Gold said no top 15 team. We may start 1-3, but all 4 games should be competitive. I also like the 1st 2 games at home. That has not happened ever from what I remember. This is the most favorable OOC schedule that I can remember over the last 20 years. Best chance for great weather the 1st 2 weeks of the year as well. Hopefully we get 2 more home games by Oct 15th. Have the bye week in Nov when the weather is crappy anyway.

No FAU home and home. We HAVE TO PLAY AND BEAT the Indiana's, Syracuses and Purdue's of the world. I for one do not want to spend my hard earned money to watch us play the FAU's and MTSU's of the world. If I want to watch small time football I will drive to Baldwin Wallace, YSU or Mount Union. We are a D1 program in a talent rich state. We need to be able to play with and beat low to mid level BCS schools. I had people asking me to go the the Indiana game, etc... When we play those crap teams I cant pay people to come with me. If people do not recognize the teams you play it will always be considered pee wee ball whether we go undefeated or not. We play enough garbage in the MAC home games....I want to at least watch one or 2 games a year against BCS schools. If we can't sign up for that then tear down the stadium and call it a day.

I agree with you EXCEPT that the Zips really have been one of the worst handful of D-1 teams in the entire country. They have to start becoming the winner among losers before we can expect them to become actual winners. When this program begins to emulate the MAC-Marshalls I will start to support them stepping up. Until then they need every pathetic team you've never heard of on that schedule. The way this team has performed the last few years, to say we shouldn't be playing the Sun Belt teams, the MTSUs and the FAUs of the world is entirely denigrating to the Sun Belt, MTSU and FAU. There aren't three or four D-1 teams in the entire country who I would bet on the Zips to beat. I surely hope that changes starting this year, but it's a sad joke to believe otherwise.

[GP1]

There aren't three or four D-1 teams in the entire country who I would bet on the Zips to beat.

I can think of several, but they are all in the MAC. It isn't just the Zips, the MAC has become so bad that the best we can hope for each year is to not be run off of the field during bowl season. CMU saved the MAC from another disaster of a bowl season. I hate to say never, but I don't think there will be another Marshall-like MAC school again. I always tell you guys my wife makes really good points about the MAC and she made one last night that made me think about your comment. Where have all the great MAC players gone? And by great, where are the Roethlisbergers, Leftwiches, Penningtons? Lefevour was not the player these guys were, but his team won a lot because there just are not any stars in the MAC to take another school to a higher level. Specifically, she was talking about technology contributing to the change in college football. Players are no longer flying under the radar because of all the film on the internet. A guy like Roethlisberger would not go unnoticed regardless of his not playing QB until his senior year in HS. I know it hasn't been that long since he was in college, but try to think about nine years ago and what little information a fan/team could get about a player compared to today. That time period goes back even more for Leftwich and Pennington. I don't know what you guys think, but the world/college football has changed much faster than I expected.

[xu9697]

Blogger vs. Blogger..http://www.nunesmagician.com/2010/2/4/1293...n-november-justRead later in the article..has SU @ Akron on 9/18.Can't wait until we get some official notice.Good news is ACC schedule is out. Typically ACC sets their schedule (and arrangements with TV), followed by Big East. Then the non-BCS schools can start firming up some things.EDIT: Scrap everything I wrote about SU @ Akron. Who knew that I could get confirmation from FCS Maine's site?!?!!?!?http://goblackbears.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/main-m-footbl-sched.htmlSo, looks pretty solid for the 4th. Sorry to have wasted ZN members and non-members time.

[Lee Adams]

There aren't three or four D-1 teams in the entire country who I would bet on the Zips to beat.

I can think of several, but they are all in the MAC. It isn't just the Zips, the MAC has become so bad that the best we can hope for each year is to not be run off of the field during bowl season. CMU saved the MAC from another disaster of a bowl season. I hate to say never, but I don't think there will be another Marshall-like MAC school again. I always tell you guys my wife makes really good points about the MAC and she made one last night that made me think about your comment. Where have all the great MAC players gone? And by great, where are the Roethlisbergers, Leftwiches, Penningtons? Lefevour was not the player these guys were, but his team won a lot because there just are not any stars in the MAC to take another school to a higher level. Specifically, she was talking about technology contributing to the change in college football. Players are no longer flying under the radar because of all the film on the internet. A guy like Roethlisberger would not go unnoticed regardless of his not playing QB until his senior year in HS. I know it hasn't been that long since he was in college, but try to think about nine years ago and what little information a fan/team could get about a player compared to today. That time period goes back even more for Leftwich and Pennington. I don't know what you guys think, but the world/college football has changed much faster than I expected.

sure wish Akron would have a run like CMU...don't you?

[Lee Adams]

No top-15 butt whippings, but three bottom-30 butt whippings.If we go 1-3, it is very much the schedule's fault. Three BCS teams in the first four games has to stop. I don't care if they're the three worst BCS teams or the three best. The worst BCS teams are on par with very good non-BCS teams like CMU and Troy. Sure, you might get one win in three if you're lucky, but you're more likely to start off the MAC season demoralized and beat up.

I don't know...I don't really agree with this. We should beat Indiana. We should beat 'Cuse. I don't know anything about Kentucky. We may lose all three, but if we're afraid of playing schools like this then we should just drop football.

tell us why the zips SHOULD be syracuse...please

[ZachTheZip]

There will be no lack of things to do in the area on Labor Day weekend. I think we'll get a lot of Cuse fans at the game.

[xu9697]

There will be no lack of things to do in the area on Labor Day weekend. I think we'll get a lot of Cuse fans at the game.

Eh..that is tough to say. While I hope you are right, not sure if they were getting more than 35,000 for their HOME games last year. Might possibly travel better than Indiana though. Indians are not at home, not sure if the Air Show in Cleveland is enough of a draw. Plus, Syracuse fans might be more apt to take the trip the next week to Seattle to see Syracuse @ Washington.

[TexanMark]

There will be no lack of things to do in the area on Labor Day weekend. I think we'll get a lot of Cuse fans at the game.

Eh..that is tough to say. While I hope you are right, not sure if they were getting more than 35,000 for their HOME games last year. Might possibly travel better than Indiana though. Indians are not at home, not sure if the Air Show in Cleveland is enough of a draw. Plus, Syracuse fans might be more apt to take the trip the next week to Seattle to see Syracuse @ Washington.

I expect upwards of 500-1000 Cuse fans. Really hard to tell how many.

[Blue & Gold]

No top-15 butt whippings, but three bottom-30 butt whippings.If we go 1-3, it is very much the schedule's fault. Three BCS teams in the first four games has to stop. I don't care if they're the three worst BCS teams or the three best. The worst BCS teams are on par with very good non-BCS teams like CMU and Troy. Sure, you might get one win in three if you're lucky, but you're more likely to start off the MAC season demoralized and beat up.

I don't know...I don't really agree with this. We should beat Indiana. We should beat 'Cuse. I don't know anything about Kentucky. We may lose all three, but if we're afraid of playing schools like this then we should just drop football.

tell us why the zips SHOULD be syracuse...please

Good question. Simply, If we don't think this way, we should just mail in the entire season.

[RACER]

i have to agree with gp.people forget how bad this team was last year.i don't care how good the coach is you are not going to turn things around in one year.can they be better than last year yes.but to think we can beat three bcs teams is insane.they need to win games to build confidence,and get people in the seats.the schedule sets us up to be 1-3.kentucky is an sec team.we would not win a game in the sec.i don't have a problem opening with cuse at home,or gardner web.this team needs to play winnable home games.go find a sunbelt team to play home & home and i would feel alott better about the schedule.how many people are going to show up if we are 2-2,or 1-3.it's the same crap every year.go on the road against bcs schools and lose.we have a new stadium yet we are going on the road for two bcs teams.