Non-Conference Scheduling rumors

[shoganai]

It's already been stated the difficulties Nebraska will have in scheduling BYU. In order to be "worth it" from Nebraska's viewpoint, more revenue will have to be garnered via a guaranteed payout to Nebraska from the pockets of ABC/ESPN that will exceed the value of a home game in Memorial Stadium - an amount that is substantial because Memorial Stadium sells out even when Chattanooga comes to town. Maybe the pockets of ABC/ESPN are that deep but I have my doubts.

Nebraska is far from the only team that sells out worthless non-conference home games. That doesn't put them in some kind of elite financial stratosphere relatively speaking. In fact I think Oklahoma is probably fairly competitive with Nebraska along those lines.

Yet the Sooners still decided to take the payout ESPN offered for a neutral game against BYU...

[jay santos]

Nebraska is far from the only team that sells out worthless non-conference home games. That doesn't put them in some kind of elite financial stratosphere relatively speaking. In fact I think Oklahoma is probably fairly competitive with Nebraska along those lines.

Yet the Sooners still decided to take the payout ESPN offered for a neutral game against BYU...

Nebraska's probably a top 5 financially secure team. Oklahoma's close, but that game can't really be compared. It's in Dallas, Oklahoma's most fertile recruiting area, it's a short drive away, it's a place where their fans already routinely travel to every year, it's the first game in Jerry World.

[shoganai]

Nebraska's probably a top 5 financially secure team. Oklahoma's close, but that game can't really be compared. It's in Dallas, Oklahoma's most fertile recruiting area, it's a short drive away, it's a place where their fans already routinely travel to every year, it's the first game in Jerry World.

I guess that depends on how you define "secure," because its revenue isn't even close to the Top 5 based on the last numbers I saw. It does manage to turn a profit, however.

Even so, let's not forget that the Denver area is...

-A short drive away by Nebraska standards
-A place where many of its fans have routinely traveled every other year
-A place where Nebraska actually has a pretty large fan base of its own

Look, I'm not saying this game will or won't happen, but there are plenty of reasons why Nebraska could be interested in making it happen.

Oh, and just some more food for thought regarding Nebraska's OOC scheduling philosophy, remember this?

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports...ion-to-play-us

If they're willing to talk about a 1:1 with Boise State...

[LA Ute]

The docs must not have watched him play.

[LiveCoug]

I guess that depends on how you define "secure," because its revenue isn't even close to the Top 5 based on the last numbers I saw. It does manage to turn a profit, however.

Even so, let's not forget that the Denver area is...

-A short drive away by Nebraska standards
-A place where many of its fans have routinely traveled every other year
-A place where Nebraska actually has a pretty large fan base of its own

Look, I'm not saying this game will or won't happen, but there are plenty of reasons why Nebraska could be interested in making it happen.

Oh, and just some more food for thought regarding Nebraska's OOC scheduling philosophy, remember this?

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports...ion-to-play-us

If they're willing to talk about a 1:1 with Boise State...

What are the Nebraska standards of distance for road trips?

[shoganai]

What are the Nebraska standards of distance for road trips?

This may give you some idea...

[Portland Ute]

This may give you some idea...

That has to be photoshopped. It looks fake and I find it very hard to believe that Nebraska fans could find that many tickets available for a Notre Dame/Nebraska game in S. Bend.

[shoganai]

That has to be photoshopped. It looks fake and I find it very hard to believe that Nebraska fans could find that many tickets available for a Notre Dame/Nebraska game in S. Bend.

It's totally genuine, and there are multiple pictures of it from a lot of different people. Do a quick google image search. It's from the game in September of 2000 where NU went in as a huge favorite, but only ended up winning by 3.

Kirk Herbstreit was on the sidelines and commented that it felt more like Lincoln than South Bend.

[shoganai]

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l3...aea0o1_500.jpg

Here's another one from the adjacent corner.

And a youtube highlight video that focuses on the crowd.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfvFIXsuSUk"]YouTube - ‪2000: Nebraska- 27 Notre Dame- 24 (OT)‬‏[/nomedia]

[TripletDaddy]

It's totally genuine, and there are multiple pictures of it from a lot of different people. Do a quick google image search. It's from the game in September of 2000 where NU went in as a huge favorite, but only ended up winning by 3.

Kirk Herbstreit was on the sidelines and commented that it felt more like Lincoln than South Bend.

Actually, iirc, that game resulted in ND slightly changing how they sold their ticket allotment to the general public. It was a huge embarrassment for the Irish to have so many of the tickets gobbled up by Nebraska fans. It definitely happened.

The only other time that Notre Dame was so disrespected in their own stadium was when Utah went there and their band rudely interrupted the 1812 Overture and subsequent pun to play for that ridiculous dancing lady.

[YOhio]

The only other time that Notre Dame was so disrespected in their own stadium was when Utah went there and their band rudely interrupted the 1812 Overture and subsequent pun to play for that ridiculous dancing lady.

That seriously happened? Wow. Stay classy, Utes.

[Paperback Writer]

Nebraska is far from the only team that sells out worthless non-conference home games. That doesn't put them in some kind of elite financial stratosphere relatively speaking. In fact I think Oklahoma is probably fairly competitive with Nebraska along those lines.

Yet the Sooners still decided to take the payout ESPN offered for a neutral game against BYU...

While Oklahoma and Nebraska are very similar in many respects, a difference is that Nebraska bases its althletic budget on 7 home games. Oklahoma regularly plays 6 home games and plays UT every year in the Cotton Bowl, thus giving up a home game every-other year. And I suspect most Sooner fans are more discerning when it comes to quality football games then Husker fans. In other words, Oklahoma is more apt to play a neutral game at a prime location then Nebraska. Owen field may not sell out against a crappy OOC schedule. Also, the Sooners have more realistic BCS championship considerations where strentgh of schedule might make the difference between getting a BCS championship invite and playing in the Fiesta Bowl.

Nebraska will take the ABC/ESPN payout provided they don't have to give up a home game. That is a possibility in 2016. Nebraska will play BYU on a 2:1 though I don't think BYU should have to accept those terms. Nebraska will not play BYU on a 1:1 unless they can't schedule a program in an area where they recruit - and that hasn't been a problem.

[shoganai]

While Oklahoma and Nebraska are very similar in many respects, a difference is that Nebraska bases its althletic budget on 7 home games. Oklahoma regularly plays 6 home games and plays UT every year in the Cotton Bowl, thus giving up a home game every-other year. And I suspect most Sooner fans are more discerning when it comes to quality football games then Husker fans. In other words, Oklahoma is more apt to play a neutral game at a prime location then Nebraska. Owen field may not sell out against a crappy OOC schedule. Also, the Sooners have more realistic BCS championship considerations where strentgh of schedule might make the difference between getting a BCS championship invite and playing in the Fiesta Bowl.

Nebraska will take the ABC/ESPN payout provided they don't have to give up a home game. That is a possibility in 2016. Nebraska will play BYU on a 2:1 though I don't think BYU should have to accept those terms. Nebraska will not play BYU on a 1:1 unless they can't schedule a program in an area where they recruit - and that hasn't been a problem.

Yeah, seems like a long-winded way to say the neutral game will be in 2016.

[LA Ute]

That seriously happened? Wow. Stay classy, Utes.

We did it intentionally. I am told that some people spent hours documenting this right here on this board. We don't care about any silly ND traditions. Goat has taught us that class is a pointless concept in any event, so why do you care?

[Paperback Writer]

Yeah, seems like a long-winded way to say the neutral game will be in 2016.

There's a big difference between will be and could be. 2016 is the only opening in Nebraska's published OOC schedule through 2017. But that even hinges on whether the Big Ten goes to a 9-game conference schedule in 2015 or stays at the current 8-game schedule. Right now, it appears many Big Ten ADs want to stay at 8 games and the Big Ten usually doesn't make a change like this unless they have a firm consensus.