INTO THE BREACH: FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL

by Orson on Jun 3, 2009 11:12 AM EDT

When you've got only four non-conference games to make the rent, you have to make them count. The way Sun Belt teams do this is by knocking on doors and asking larger, richer neighbors if they'd like pay them for the pleasure of punch them in the face. More often than not, larger teams are happy to pay for the privilege of doing that for three or four hours, paying a generous sum--sometimes just a whisker under seven figures--to book a home game's ticket sales and other bennies for a sure win. Think of them as college football's Begbies, willingly starting fights they likely can't win.

Some teams are ballsier about the amount of punishment they're willing to take, with an early leader being Florida International University's out of conference schedule. The Golden Panthers (it's third tier college football because you have to clarify which color of panther we're dealing with here) have Alabama, Florida, and Phil Steele's Big East favorite Rutgers on the beatings docket this year, with only Toledo offering something like a winnable game in their out of conference schedule.

They will be rewarded handsomely for the effort, but good God will they take a beating. Remember, though: FIU might not win the fight, but they sure as hell will start it.

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So what does a hard cunt do? Or a so called hard cunt?

Shites It!!!

by haybeav on Jun 3, 2009 11:19 AM EDT reply actions

Michigan thought Toledo was winnable too. Maybe they should have paid more. Come to think of it, Appy State was 400k of fun for them too. While tOSU paid YSU a mil per visit and got a win each time. This year tOSU gets Toledo in a “neutral” site in Cleveland. My money says we won’t duplicate UM’s fate.

by Crabapple Buck on Jun 3, 2009 11:49 AM EDT reply actions

Anything to bring good ole A’Mod Ned into the conversation. A hero to all crutch-wielding badasses!

by Limedust on Jun 3, 2009 12:02 PM EDT reply actions

Does that “third tier” rule apply to the CRIMSON Tide as well?

by zzgator on Jun 3, 2009 3:24 PM EDT reply actions

Will we all remember this post when everyone is bitching about OOC shcedules come November? Probably not.

by Touchdown74 on Jun 3, 2009 3:26 PM EDT reply actions

Limedust – and it brings back fond memories of that wonderful blow-by-blow commentary brought to us by Lamar Thomas. You have to be pretty bad to be fired by Comcast.

by hobeg8r on Jun 3, 2009 3:42 PM EDT reply actions

No, in the same way that University of Southern California isn’t a “Directional School”. It was grandfathered out.

Bastards.

by Not You on Jun 3, 2009 3:45 PM EDT reply actions

Err, my last should have had a “@ zzgator #4:” in there.

by Not You on Jun 3, 2009 3:46 PM EDT reply actions

@4,7,8

It’s a funny comment, but it doesn’t really hold up. Alabama Crimson Tide, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Cal Golden Bears, Stanford Cardinal (the entire name is a color!), Syracuse Orange (also just a color!), Rutgers Scarlet Knights, etc etc.

I only thought of Cal and Minnesota initially, but there are a surprising number of BCS programs with color-inclusive names.

by Erik on Jun 3, 2009 4:12 PM EDT reply actions