Yep, all of this.BallantyneApp wrote: ↑Tue Sep 08, 2020 7:35 amI think there's a lot of issues with making this an annual game:ah59396 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:35 pmIs there a good reason here? Obviously the history is tremendous. It’s also meaningful for all of the western portion of the state.
I’d like to think we aren’t too high and mighty that we can’t appreciate our past.
What would be so bad about playing Western Carolina and keeping the Old Mountain Jug going?
1. we can't pay WCU what they need from their FBS game (generally an SEC team)
2. WCU doesn't want to go from having their rival on an equal ground to traveling to Boone every year to be our "warm up game", their fans who remember App playing in the whee aren't going to accept that.
3. From Apps point of view, the FCS game is about working out kinks and getting a relatively easy win, we would always get WCUs best shot every year, as knocking us off would make their season.
4. Also, i'm not sure that the optics work with essentially having a rivalry with an FCS program.
All that being said, I would love to have them every so often to rekindle the rivalry. I think every 4-5 years makes sense. Maybe once their AD turns over 100%, and their fans get more used to being on a different level with App, we can make it happen.
My personal view since moving up has been "who cares who our FCS game is?" If you're looking at it as some sort of rivalry, or scheduling someone who will provide "a good game," IMO you're doing it wrong. FCS games should provide a glorified scrimmage, a chance to tailgate and one win toward bowl eligibility. If they'll buy a decent number of tickets, that's a nice bonus.