MAC Football Scheduling Update

So the MAC released game times for the first 3 weeks of the season, along with some other stuff.

First, how much do you love that they illustrate the story with this...

A lot.

Anyway, here is how the first 3 weeks shape up for BG.

August 29, @WKU...8 pm Eastern (CBS Sports)
September 6, VMI, 3:30 (ESPN 3, or The Trey)
September 13, Indiana, 12 noon (the U)

I think that's good.  Look, I am not sure I understand why you don't fire the VMI game up at night under the lights, since you have them and all and it would be a gorgeous night (probably) and all that.  Could be electric.  Anyway....

On a more global scale, the MAC has 11 home games this year against FBS opponents outside the MAC.  I don't know where that ranks, but it is a pretty good number.  Home games are always the struggle.  The bigger schools are thrilled to have us come there, but getting them into our stadiums is tougher.

Boston College (ACC) at UMass on Aug. 30 at 3:00 pm ET (ESPN3);
Marshall (Conference USA) at Miami on Aug. 30 at 3:30 pm ET (ESPN3);
Missouri (SEC) at Toledo on Sept. 6 at Noon ET (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2); -
Colorado (PAC-12) at UMass on Sept. 6 at 3:00 pm ET (ESPN3); -
South Alabama (Sun Belt) at Kent State on Sept. 6 at 2:00 pm ET (ESPN3); -
Baylor (Big-12) at Buffalo on Sept. 12 at 8:00 pm ET (ESPN); -
Syracuse (ACC) at Central Michigan on Sept. 13 at Noon ET (ESPNU/ESPNews);
Indiana (Big Ten) at Bowling Green on Sept. 13 at Noon ET (ESPNU/ESPNews);
Idaho (Sun Belt) at Ohio on Sept. 20 at TBA;
Marshall (Conference USA) at Akron on Sept. 20 at TBA;
Army (Independent) at Kent State on Oct. 18 at 3:30 pm ET (TBA); -

Now, only six of those are against AQ opposition...by far the biggest is Missouri (and Gary Pinkel) returning to the Glass Bowl.  Probably the next biggest is Baylor coming to Buffalo.   Of the remaining 4, Boston College and Syracuse both played in bowl games.  The BC @UMass game in Foxboro is more or less a neutral site game and you'd expect to have about 10x as many BC fans as UMass fans there.

Boston College (ACC) at UMass on Aug. 30 at 3:00 pm ET (ESPN3);
Missouri (SEC) at Toledo on Sept. 6 at Noon ET (ABC/ESPN/ESPN2); -
Colorado (PAC-12) at UMass on Sept. 6 at 3:00 pm ET (ESPN3); -
Baylor (Big-12) at Buffalo on Sept. 12 at 8:00 pm ET (ESPN); -
Syracuse (ACC) at Central Michigan on Sept. 13 at Noon ET (ESPNU/ESPNews);
Indiana (Big Ten) at Bowling Green on Sept. 13 at Noon ET (ESPNU/ESPNews);

Indiana will be only the second Big 10 team to play at the Doyt.  The other was Minnesota, and they defeated BG.  Little hint---expect a big crowd that day.  Plan accordingly.

The final thing is just a general question...which is that it will be interesting to see how the playoff effects this scheduling.  Under the BCS system, you needed undefeated and a team in a big conference wouldn't worry about non-conference scheduling.  Under this system, there are likely to be a handful of 1-loss teams and schedule could count more, which would cost the MAC payday games.  Under that scenario.

Which might be wrong.