Iowa looking for games

[89rabbit]

The University of Missouri has left Iowa high and dry.  Maybe Fred should give the good folks in Iowa City a call.  

http://www.argusleader.com/sports/Fridayarticle5.shtml


Missouri leaves Iowa schedule

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Iowa will be compensated by Missouri for canceling two scheduled games, but it's far short of what could have been made if the teams met, Iowa athletic officials say.

For weeks, officials from both schools speculated about Missouri's plans to pull out of football games scheduled for the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

On Wednesday, Missouri officials made it official. Instead, the Tigers will use those dates to play Arkansas State .  .  .

"I understand the decision to soften the schedule ... but these are institutional obligations," said Bob Bowlsby, Iowa athletic director. "There's compensation, around $50,000, but the impact in our program is significantly more than $50,000."

Iowa and Missouri signed a contract to play four games in four years, starting Sept. 8, 2005 in Iowa City. The games scheduled for 2007 and 2008 are still planned.

The loss puts Iowa in the difficult position of finding a last-minute replacement.

"We're doing research on looking for a non-conference opponent ... but it's a little late to have a broad range of options," Bowlsby said.


Go State!  ;D

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: Iowa looking for games

I know we've discussed this subject to death over on Bisonville, but I still have questions about the requirements. Do we need to be at a certain scholarship number before we can get a D1A game? How many years do we need to play D1AA to be eligible (N. Colorado has a D1A game this year-FAU) 89Rabbit.. I know you have researched this and are the reigning rule book interpreter ;D I can't wait until we can get a game with a team like the Hawkeyes.

[89rabbit]

Re: Iowa looking for games

I also understand that UC-Davis will be playing Standford in '05.

http://www.fansonly.com/auto_pdf/p_h...df/0405upskeds

The Rule that the Bison are working so hard to meet (certain X# of scholarhips for Y number of years) only matters if the D-I school needs to count the I-AA game towards it's 6 victories to make it bowl eligible.

The way I interpret the Bowl eligibility rules goes like this.  A University that is classified I-A may count one I-AA game towards its 6 victories needed to be Bowl eligble once every 4 years.  To count that I-AA team (that you can only do once every four years) that I-AA team must have avg. X # of scholarships for Y number of years.  

So if the I-A team does not care if the I-AA game counts then the X Y rule does not matter.  Why would a I-A team not care if the I-AA game counts or not.  1.  They will hit their needed six wins without the I-AA game.  2.  They have played a I-AA game that counted within the last four years.

Lets look at examples.  Kansas State usually plays one or two I-AA teams a year.  Last year they played McNeese St. and Umass.  This coming season they will be playing Western Kentucky.  So abviously they don't need the I-AA game to count because they will hit 6 wins and they couldn't count it even if they wanted to because they have counted a  I-AA win in the past 4 years.

Why would K-State play I-AA game that dosen't count?  For the money.  Even after they pay the I-AA a large sum, I want to say $500,000.  K-State pockets more money by getting an extra Home game that they don't have to return.  I want to say something like $1.5 million.

Most I-A teams have an 11 game schedule so it is easy to slip a I-AA game or two into that schedule and still win enough games to be Bowl Eligible.  I can see where it would help to have your team in position to count should the I-A need to count your win.  An example of this would be if K-State hadn't counted any of those I-AA wins and then they fall on hard times and only win 5 I-A games they could then count the I-AA since (in this example) they hadn't counted any in the previous 4 years.  However I don't think the K-State, Iowa, Standfords of the world worry about this scenario.

The other extreme could also come into play.  If a I-A team knew they would not win enough games to be bowl eligible but wanted to build their program with a few wins they could also schedule a I-AA or two.  Troy St. and Buffalo come to mind.  However, this scenario is unlikely because they would rather play the K-States and Iowa of the world themselves for the big "pay days".  Kansas State played Troy last year and plays Louisiana-Lafayette this year, as examples of I-A coming for the $$$.

So long story short.  We could play a I-A as soon as one would schedule us, in my opinion.  I offer up UNC vs FAU and UC-Davis vs Standford as examples.  So lets help out the Hawkeyes, it is the neighborly thing to do!  

Go State!   8)

P.S. anyone going to the Stan Marshall golf classic may want to ask a member of the Athletics Dept. if I am right.  They get payed to understand this, I do it for fun.  Sorry I can't attend this year, but I had to limit my travel, because of the impending birth of my second little rabbit (child).  ;D

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: Iowa looking for games

Thanks Rabbit!! That is the clearest description of that subject I have heard yet. I hope we can get a DIA game ASAP. A $500,000+ payday would be pretty nice for our football program.The exposure would also be great. I was at the LSU vs Western Illinois game last year in Baton Rouge. Hopefully soon that will be us. (WIU gave LSU a better game than most SEC opponets did - just could'nt keep up in the 4th qtr.) By the way... WIU got almost $800,000 for that game!

[JACKGUY]

Re: Iowa looking for games

I think these kind of games will be available to the Jacks down the road. However we have to prove to the Big Schools that we are fielding a team that will at least make the game somewhat interesting. There are no discounts for their fans for a DIAA opponent and the administrations face criticism from season ticket holders if there are too many cupcakes on the schedule and 60-0 blowouts are not that entertaining. I've observed the justifiable abuse that is being handed Univ of Minnesota for their continued easy non-conference football schedule.

[89rabbit]

Re: Iowa looking for games

I guess I wouldn't put Minnesota in the same group as LSU, Standford, Kansas State and others who don't need to worry about getting to 6 wins to be Bowl eligible. Their recent history suggests that they would really need to have ANY I-AA game count so that the Gophers would be Bowl eligible. Getting to 6 wins has proven to be a chore for Minnesota. So I am not sure they are a good example of what we are talking about.

http://www.gophersports.com/history/...port_id=mfball

[JACKGUY]

Re: Iowa looking for games

Point is most major institutions are under pressure to schedule games with opponents that fans can identify with and are competitive enough to bring fans to stadium. The reason Minnesota has been bowl eligible the last few years is because they have scheduled easy non-conference games and that is not bringing fans to the Metrodome. With our regional proximity to Iowa,Iowa State, Nebraska and Minnesota maybe there would be curiosity by our fans and there's to attend the game.

[JACKGUY]

Re: Iowa looking for games

You may want to look at more recent history like the last 4 years.

[89rabbit]

Re: Iowa looking for games

Here is every year since 1950.  I will stand by my statement that it is a chore for the Gophers to get to six wins and be bowl eligible.

http://michigan-football.com/ncaa/f/minnesot.htm

Two seasons does not a juggernaut make.  




P.S. 2002 Season Opener Texas State (I-AA) vs Minnesota. Final Score Texas State 0 - Minnesota 42. 1999 Ill. State (I-AA) vs Minnesota. Final Score Ill. State 7 - Minnesota 55. I think I-A teams play I-AA for the win, I-AA play I-A for the $$$. I feel pretty good that SDSU could put up those kinds of numbers right now.