OLD VandyMania.com (ARCHIVE)

https://fbschedules.com/vanderbilt-to-h ... n-in-2023/

Theoretically completes the non-conference schedules for those years, although VU could still add one other game in 2022 since it is traveling to Hawaii.

https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/vanderbilt/

I wonder why we don't add Rice to the schedule as much as we love to recruit in Texas. Tulane would be good also.

I've always wondered how it aids recruiting to play in a particular location - not arguing the point or saying there isn't a connection - just that I've not understood the connection. I guess I don't think of recruits saying, "Ah, Vanderbilt is playing Tulane (or whoever) - I think I might be interested in learning more about them." - but maybe they do.

I hate this sort of scheduling. Those games are either super dull, or they are unexpectedly tight and therefore infuriating. Either way, I get no pleasure from them. There is a mild exception for the very first game of the year when you'd really like to see multiple players, but honestly I'd rather we never played a team worse than a SunBelt equivalent.

These are FCS teams. We schedule one FCS team every year, as do almost all SEC teams and, in fact, almost all FBS teams. I'm not crazy about it, but so long as you can have one win over an FCS team count toward bowl eligibility, it's going to be a standard feature and not worth quibbling about. As for Rice and Tulane, I agree that they would be good teams to schedule, but we only have 2 slots per year for non-power 5 FBS schools, and those get filled pretty quickly.

Georgiadore wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2019 2:07 pm I've always wondered how it aids recruiting to play in a particular location - not arguing the point or saying there isn't a connection - just that I've not understood the connection. I guess I don't think of recruits saying, "Ah, Vanderbilt is playing Tulane (or whoever) - I think I might be interested in learning more about them." - but maybe they do.

I feel the exact same way and have always been baffled by this as well. Does it allow us to host recruits at the away game who might not be able to travel to Nashville for a home game? It's not like there is a ton of media coverage for Rice football in Houston or Tulane in New Orleans. There are several more important things going. Both have NFL teams and several college teams that are ahead of them in the pecking order. Vandy is an SEC school and still has to play fourth fiddle to the Titans, Preds, and Vols.

I like the schedules as posted on https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/vanderbilt/

7 home games per year 2019-2022 (assuming we add a home game in 2022) and no (nearly) automatic losses such as playing at Notre Dame).

JCVandyman wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2019 4:22 pm

Georgiadore wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2019 2:07 pm I've always wondered how it aids recruiting to play in a particular location - not arguing the point or saying there isn't a connection - just that I've not understood the connection. I guess I don't think of recruits saying, "Ah, Vanderbilt is playing Tulane (or whoever) - I think I might be interested in learning more about them." - but maybe they do.

I feel the exact same way and have always been baffled by this as well. Does it allow us to host recruits at the away game who might not be able to travel to Nashville for a home game? It's not like there is a ton of media coverage for Rice football in Houston or Tulane in New Orleans. There are several more important things going. Both have NFL teams and several college teams that are ahead of them in the pecking order. Vandy is an SEC school and still has to play fourth fiddle to the Titans, Preds, and Vols.

I can answer. There is the local media coverage that your team gets. You're right in that its not huge for schools like Rice and Tulane, but its there. Secondly, its a selling point for recruits in that area. If a kid is from Houston, you can tell him, "hey, we're going to be playing in Houston your junior year. You'll get to play in front of all of your family and friends". That kind of thing matters to a kid when they think about leaving home. Knowing that opportunity is down the line is nice. It also helps if the kid is choosing between us and another school that is away from home but doesn't have that game in their hometown/home area.

Mrcommodore wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2019 2:09 pm I hate this sort of scheduling. Those games are either super dull, or they are unexpectedly tight and therefore infuriating. Either way, I get no pleasure from them. There is a mild exception for the very first game of the year when you'd really like to see multiple players, but honestly I'd rather we never played a team worse than a SunBelt equivalent.

I get what you're saying - they're kind of like no-win games because if you crush them, it's only them, and if you don't crush them, you look bad.

Obviously playing Purdue this year could be a more interesting game and would be a more memorable win (if VU wins). But it's probably a tossup game, and if we lose and finish 5-6 we might be looking back at that scheduling decision and regretting it.

The xCJF formula - easy OOC games, and feast on whatever SEC teams are having a downswing - is the best formula for moving the program forward.
For that matter, Alabama has New Mexico State, Southern Miss, and Western Carolina on their schedule this year.
For a small private school to try and compete in the SEC, scheduling teams we're likely to beat is pretty much mandatory.

The long lead times involved in college football non-conference scheduling mean that it's such a crap shoot for schools like Vandy looking to slate winnable OOC games other than the FCS foe. In early 2016, when Purdue was announced as a non-conference opponent, the Boilermakers were coming off a 2-10 season.

But even this year's Purdue is the kind of game, as alathIN notes, that Vandy could and perhaps should win. My biggest beef is the timing of games on the schedule. How does a three-game opening slate like Vandy's even happen?

vandy05 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 17, 2019 11:41 am

JCVandyman wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2019 4:22 pm

Georgiadore wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2019 2:07 pm I've always wondered how it aids recruiting to play in a particular location - not arguing the point or saying there isn't a connection - just that I've not understood the connection. I guess I don't think of recruits saying, "Ah, Vanderbilt is playing Tulane (or whoever) - I think I might be interested in learning more about them." - but maybe they do.

I feel the exact same way and have always been baffled by this as well. Does it allow us to host recruits at the away game who might not be able to travel to Nashville for a home game? It's not like there is a ton of media coverage for Rice football in Houston or Tulane in New Orleans. There are several more important things going. Both have NFL teams and several college teams that are ahead of them in the pecking order. Vandy is an SEC school and still has to play fourth fiddle to the Titans, Preds, and Vols.

I can answer. There is the local media coverage that your team gets. You're right in that its not huge for schools like Rice and Tulane, but its there. Secondly, its a selling point for recruits in that area. If a kid is from Houston, you can tell him, "hey, we're going to be playing in Houston your junior year. You'll get to play in front of all of your family and friends". That kind of thing matters to a kid when they think about leaving home. Knowing that opportunity is down the line is nice. It also helps if the kid is choosing between us and another school that is away from home but doesn't have that game in their hometown/home area.

Contrary to what some may think, Vanderbilt is not a household name. Playing schools in hotbed recruiting areas gets your name and team out there as well as telling some recruits they may play in their town/area during their time at Vandy.

Play more Magnolia League teams.

Magnolialeague wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2019 12:56 am Play more Magnolia League teams.

I'll be dipped! Magnolia is back!

Where you been at? Everything OK in your world?

Sorry I missed your reply. Just being a Dad and years of taking care of elderly parents. Made our first trip back to Nashville since 2008 in April. All I can say about downtown is wow. What a difference. Wish I lived there now.

Hope all is well with you

Historically, Tulane leads the series with Vanderbilt by a 28-17 margin. We've lost three straight to them. Plus, I have no doubt Willie Fritz's team is better than VU's. I'd rather beat Elon than lose another game to the Green Wave.

Take the easy wins when you can. There's plenty of hard ones.

Troy and/or South Alabama would be good games. Maybe Southern Mississippi.

buffy wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 2:53 pm Take the easy wins when you can. There's plenty of hard ones.

Yep.
Let's revisit this discussion when weak scheduling is keeping out of higher tier bowls. When people say, "Yeah, Vanderbilt is 10-2, but that's just their soft schedule."

This Fall, Alabama will play Mercer, Southern Miss, and New Mexico State. Miami is their strong-ish OOC opponent.
We have UConn, Colorado State, ETSU, and Stanford.
If Bama fans can face rhe humiliation of their OOC schedule, we should be able to cope with ours.

The other thing about scheduling “easy win” games is that it gives players a chance to learn what can happen when you disrespect an opponent.