Future engagement with WIU & EIU

[StLRedbird]

Just taking a read on how the Redbird Nation view these games.

 

[TBS_20]

why not rotate? Western Home, Eastern Away, Western Away, Eastern Home.

Definitely don't want to play both every year.

 

[crazzymark]

Need to move on the bigger opportunities that will enhance the position of the school in the national rankings. ISU needs to having H/H with MAC, Sun , Patriot,. Colonial or even Ivy league schools. Nothing better than play teams that are equal to the MVFC top teams or high profile schools. Besides EIU and WIU are now payout games.

 

[fourthandshort]

why not rotate? Western Home, Eastern Away, Western Away, Eastern Home.

Definitely don't want to play both every year.

or even, every other year.

Otherwise it will be FBS, WIU, EIU nearly every year. Would be nice to have some variability in the nonconf FCS slate. Though we do get 12 games every 1 in 4 years (I think ?) ... and we can add a 3rd FCS.. So maybe it works.

 

[TBS_20]

Need to move on the bigger opportunities that will enhance the position of the school in the national rankings. ISU needs to having H/H with MAC, Sun , Patriot,. Colonial or even Ivy league schools. Nothing better than play teams that are equal to the MVFC top teams or high profile schools. Besides EIU and WIU are now payout games.

I cant tell if youre kidding but the MAC and SunBelt will never come to ISU...theyre FBS

 

[DaveBird10]

For the next 2 years it literally doesn't bother me. MVFC will take care of itself and next year we are at @Iowa and @ North Alabama as well with EIU and WIU at home.
The following year we get @Oklahoma and North Alabama at home with road games @EIU and @WIU. Next 2 years we get 12 games so it's whatever. Saves on cost because it's a bus ride and more.

 

[fourthandshort]

Need to move on the bigger opportunities that will enhance the position of the school in the national rankings. ISU needs to having H/H with MAC, Sun , Patriot,. Colonial or even Ivy league schools. Nothing better than play teams that are equal to the MVFC top teams or high profile schools. Besides EIU and WIU are now payout games.

My 2 cents ...

Patriot makes no geographic or competitive sense for either team .. H/H is just not a good idea with Patriot.

Colonial makes some sense competitively, but not geographically. The concentration of schools out east, spreads thinner and thinner as you move west.

MAC would be interesting competitively/geographically, but could preclude us from a P5 FBS .. besides MAC would not want to elevate our standing with an H/H. I'm sure smarter people than me would have a better opinion of this option.

Sun Belt seems less likely than MAC because it's worse geographically.

My vote is for more Big Sky games .. there was a pact for a while there, but we don't seem to be getting any traction there ... $$$ ? Not every year, but every other year .. which could work if we didn't do EIU/WIU every year.

BTW, when I say Colonial doesn't make sense geographically, I'm referring to both teams need to be willing to travel/pay more .. Colonial has far more and way cheaper options back east. Plus not many of them like a competitive SOS IMO.

 

[Adunk33]

I voted to continue to play EIU annually H/H mainly because it's tradition. Playing both every year will handcuff into two either bad losses or not quality wins. We don't have much tradition with our school but this would be one I like to see continue. I know they're on the schedule in the coming years but I don't see a point in ever playing Western again once that's done.

 

[MadBird]

I couldn't decipher the option for "play one every year on a rotating basis". So, one year EIU, the next WIU, rotating home and road. Things could/will change, who knows where DI FB is gonna go, but for now, I wouldn't mind having one or the other on the schedule every year. I've always considered WIU the bigger rival, or the team I get more charged up when we beat them, but I respect the long standing traditional rivalry built up with EIU.

 

[isuquinndog]

I'm good with play EIU every year H/H. MAC is never going to come play at Hancock as long as we are FCS.

 

[ISUBU]

EIU 16 FCS/I-AA playoff appearances, 2 in last 10 years.
WIU 11 FCS/I-AA playoff appearances, 2 in last 10 years.

Both of those overall numbers happen to be better than ours. We have gone deeper in the playoffs, however. EIU and WIU have both been down recently, but that is not their history. Things are cyclical.

Of course we want an FBS option regularly.

We need to schedule in a way that makes economic sense and in a way that gets us to 8 wins over Division I opponents. I would expect that WIU on our schedule keeps us from playing a Pioneer team. Isn't that an improvement? There are no good losses. There are wins, good wins and great wins. Mostly you need to get to 8 wins to feel secure about your playoff chances.

 

[fourthandshort]

EIU 16 FCS/I-AA playoff appearances, 2 in last 10 years.
WIU 11 FCS/I-AA playoff appearances, 2 in last 10 years.

Both of those overall numbers happen to be better than ours. We have gone deeper in the playoffs, however. EIU and WIU have both been down recently, but that is not their history. Things are cyclical.

Of course we want an FBS option regularly.

We need to schedule in a way that makes economic sense and in a way that gets us to 8 wins over Division I opponents. I would expect that WIU on our schedule keeps us from playing a Pioneer team. Isn't that an improvement? There are no good losses. There are wins, good wins and great wins. Mostly you need to get to 8 wins to feel secure about your playoff chances.

Not so sure WIU will be able to recover much, if any. But EIU showed a little spark this season, albeit and very weak SOS ... but they are winning.

 

[fdbird83]

I cant tell if youre kidding but the MAC and SunBelt will never come to ISU...theyre FBS

I get what your saying, but who would have guessed that Iowa State would agree to go play at Arkansas State in 2025.

 

[StLRedbird]

I couldn't decipher the option for "play one every year on a rotating basis". So, one year EIU, the next WIU, rotating home and road. Things could/will change, who knows where DI FB is gonna go, but for now, I wouldn't mind having one or the other on the schedule every year. I've always considered WIU the bigger rival, or the team I get more charged up when we beat them, but I respect the long standing traditional rivalry built up with EIU.

Ask and ye shall receive. Anyone can change their vote at any time.

 

[Dmills]

I don't have a strong opinion on it but I like the idea of playing one of the two every year alternating between home and away.

 

[TBS_20]

I get what your saying, but who would have guessed that Iowa State would agree to go play at Arkansas State in 2025.

They're are exceptions but they usually involve a new stadium or buying the higher school which usually means multimillions

 

[ISUBird]

I want to play EIU every year and WIU every other year unless we have 4 OOC games.

 

[StLRedbird]

My 2 cents ...

Patriot makes no geographic or competitive sense for either team .. H/H is just not a good idea with Patriot.

Colonial makes some sense competitively, but not geographically. The concentration of schools out east, spreads thinner and thinner as you move west.

MAC would be interesting competitively/geographically, but could preclude us from a P5 FBS .. besides MAC would not want to elevate our standing with an H/H. I'm sure smarter people than me would have a better opinion of this option.

Sun Belt seems less likely than MAC because it's worse geographically.

My vote is for more Big Sky games .. there was a pact for a while there, but we don't seem to be getting any traction there ... $$$ ? Not every year, but every other year .. which could work if we didn't do EIU/WIU every year.

BTW, when I say Colonial doesn't make sense geographically, I'm referring to both teams need to be willing to travel/pay more .. Colonial has far more and way cheaper options back east. Plus not many of them like a competitive SOS IMO.

My biggest gripe about the EIU game was that it prevented brand awareness games against teams in the power conferences in FCS. If we carve out a non-con game for EIU/WIU, we can't schedule any of these kind of games outside of the 12 game years.

I would love to see us have the flexibility to follow up epic playoff games like Appy St, GA So, EWU, UNH with a H&H in the next available openings. The way we construct our schedules now we have no such flexibility.

 

[Reggie Redbird]

I believe with the strength of our conference, we will go the route of most P5 teams. Non-con with one tough (FBS match-up) and the rest EIU/WIU/similar game and then a non-schollie buy game (likely a PFL team - Dayton, Valpo, Butler)

In terms of EIU and WIU, I would try to work out some 2-1 arrangements, even if that means buy money on our side to do it. Doing H-H shows we aren’t doing well enough with home games. I would figure WIU might be interested for the payday and much cheaper travel costs of coming to Normal.

Going to the OVC, their FB budget certainly isn’t increasing, so it will stay the same or they’ll use it as a way to save costs.

In terms of FBS games for us, I would really like to see TCU or SMU. Get us into Texas and in front of our Dallas contingent.

 

[fourthandshort]

I believe with the strength of our conference, we will go the route of most P5 teams. Non-con with one tough (FBS match-up) and the rest EIU/WIU/similar game and then a non-schollie buy game (likely a PFL team - Dayton, Valpo, Butler)

In terms of EIU and WIU, I would try to work out some 2-1 arrangements, even if that means buy money on our side to do it. Doing H-H shows we aren’t doing well enough with home games. I would figure WIU might be interested for the payday and much cheaper travel costs of coming to Normal.

Going to the OVC, their FB budget certainly isn’t increasing, so it will stay the same or they’ll use it as a way to save costs.

In terms of FBS games for us, I would really like to see TCU or SMU. Get us into Texas and in front of our Dallas contingent.

I like this approach the most, but would add a competitive Big Sky game occasionally, especially the year we get 4 nonconf games.