[NU Sports] 10 league games? Not likely

[Brad Wilson]

I wouldn't mind, but: NU and Minnesota and Indiana need the league games to fill stadiums. Penn State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan do not. From their point of view, why play a tougher league game in front of 106,000 people when you can schedule a sure win and boost bowl hopes? (esp. now with FCS games counting towards bowls each season)

Also, Delany raied a point in a story about the Big Ten's disgraceful non-league scheduling: he mentioned four teams that, over the long term historically, don't go to bowls all that often (NU, Indiana, Minnesota and Purdue) (he phrased it somewhat differently, but you get the idea) and said those teams would rather play in a bowl than play, say, non-league slates against USC, Oklahoma and Miami. In other words, 4 ifty non-cons plus a 3-5 BT record and you're going bowling! Call it the Glen Mason Formula.

So here's the question: most years in a 10-game BT schedule, or against a much tougher non-league slate, does NU go to a bowl? I'd have to say no. Of course you could argue NU doesn't go now that often anyway and you'd rather have a better home sked. 

I suspect this comes down to whether you go to Dyche or don't. As a season ticket holder, I can understand why Penn State or Wisconsin is more attractive than Southern Illinois or Ohio. As a fan who lives 800 miles from Dyche sees 1-2 games a season, I'd rather go bowling. 

bw   
 


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