Complete agreement with this. If, and it's a big if , we want to schedule a couple " lesser teams " , what about Ga. State, Kennesaw , Ga. Southern ? But no more than 2 patsies every year. The other OOC would have to be a home and home with Auburn , or USCe, Vandy, Tenn., or the like. I think , Alcorn AND BGSU + USF is crap for 3 of our games. Not that USF is a bad team , but they are not a familiar foe for us.
YES ++++++ visibility and excitement for the players and the fans. Like I said before , the only notice we get when we play teams like Alcorn is if we would lose. Otherwise, ho hum .....
Yes, and all 75, 000 saw us play a VERY exciting game against a well known team. We got way more visibility and excitement doing that even in a loss, than we did last Saturday, IMO.
Winner! Tech gets little notice from our local TV & radio outlets as it is. Paying Alcorn $375 K to play us and lose doesn't move the needle either. Play legit P5 teams that football fans will pay to see. Thanking you in advance Mr. Stansbury.
I haven't read thru every page of this thread but this is the most logical and realistic opinion I've read. Some people on here are acting like scheduling these series is just TStan calling up a guy at Ole Miss or Auburn and telling them he's putting them on the schedule for 2024/2025, so deal with it. The ADs at most of these factory schools want series that are advantageous to them. They typically want to play someone that will either be a high-profile opponent or a P5 they believe they can beat. As noted by Alcorn State's head coach during the broadcast, he said he'd rather play the Mutts on Friday and then Bama on Sunday before playing GT on any random Saturday. The factory schools no that we are nightmare to prepare for and it's a no-win situation for many of them, therefore, they don't want to play us. There's a reason we've had multiple series either get rescheduled or cancelled during PJ's tenure.
I would agree with all your points...except the basketball team being trash! How in the name of hell could you even think that! The BB program with JP as coach will bring a Championship to Tech before this sad FB program will, you can take that to the bank!!
It would obviously attract more opponents' fans, but I think it would also attract more Tech fans. Old time rivalries are still big and important in the minds of the older Tech fans among us and, I think, highly desirable even among the younger fans or potential fans. Although this isn't the 50s and 60s, in those days Grant Field was packed every time we played one of those opponents, although in those days, the vast majority of those in attendance was Tech fans. Although that might not initially be the case now, if those old-time rivals were scheduled, then I believe the Tech fan base would grow and grow fast, and season ticket sales would increase. Win those games, and the sky's the limit.
With the notable exception of Sep 12, 1981. that one game kept my hopes alive for years
I really don't think any one is afraid to play us. That is a fantasy we have created in our own minds, IMO. I also believe the nightmare to prepare for was true maybe 7-8 years ago, but that ship has sailed too. We are different, but hardly a nightmare, IMO. I think it goes more to ticket sales, or lack thereof. Our fans have not shown that they travel very well, probably comparable to the FCS schools that they already play with minimal to no chance of losing to them.
We have had several series like this scheduled, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss but none have ever actually happened. So maybe they considered it and then they or we had second thoughts? Right now we have Ole Miss in 22 and 23, but I wouldn't hold my breath about that happening.
Somewhere above someone mentioned 80-83 and it being a blast. I can tell you as a ten year tech fan old living in dwag central, it was anything but
Do you guys really think that the GTAA doesn’t want to schedule more series with regional P5 opponents, say from the SEC? Like I said, playing us doesn’t provide enough upside for most of the P5 schools. I think it’s similar to us playing down at USF this week. The proof is in the scheduling pudding. As someone else noted, let’s see if the SEC series we have coming in the next few years get postponed or cancelled.
How is this any different than the way it's been over the last 40 plus years? We've always been the school with the small fanbase. Even in 1990.
Was in school during those years and at that game.....it was a grim time.We have had several series like this scheduled, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss but none have ever actually happened. So maybe they considered it and then they or we had second thoughts? Right now we have Ole Miss in 22 and 23, but I wouldn't hold my breath about that happening.
Somewhere above someone mentioned 80-83 and it being a blast. I can tell you as a ten year tech fan old living in dwag central, it was anything but