I know we are a few months away, but I was taking a gander at the 2014 home slate of our new DI Mountaineers and can anyone look at that list of opponents and say our home schedule is any better than what we had in the So Con? I know it will get better, but this year is awful. Campbell, Liberty, South Alabama, Ga State, La Monroe, and Idaho. That is no better than the opponents we've been facing, in my humble opinion.

With the exception of Liberty and Campbell, every singe game is better than what we had in the SmallCon (IMHO). Next year's schedule gets my rocks off.

Seattleapp , Just a friendly word or two. Make no mistake ...the Sunbelt is a significant step up from the Socon. You may be more familiar with the Socon names but they will not be easier to defeat. USA and UL-Monroe will be better than any Socon team this year. Never mind our away games in Nov. Ark St and UL- L. The 2015 Home schedule is much better and will be plenty difficult. But I can't wait for the Fall camp then on to UM.

UL-Monroe beat Wake Forest in Winston Salem last year.

I think you can put those games into 3 categories:

Poopy: Campbell & Liberty
Not Much of An Upgrade: GA State & Idaho
Legit Games: S. Alabama & UL-M

UL-M is a good middle of the Sun Belt pack type team. S.Ala is my sleeper pick in the Sun Belt. I get your point… underwhelming compared to the potential 2015 Home Schedule… but it unquestionably beats the 2013 Home Schedule (NC A&T, Chaztown Southern, Samford, G.Southern, WCU and Chatty)

AppFan11 wrote:Seattleapp , Just a friendly word or two. Make no mistake ...the Sunbelt is a significant step up from the Socon. You may be more familiar with the Socon names but they will not be easier to defeat. USA and UL-Monroe will be better than any Socon team this year. Never mind our away games in Nov. Ark St and UL- L. The 2015 Home schedule is much better and will be plenty difficult. But I can't wait for the Fall camp then on to UM.

I have no doubt that the teams will be better, I just laugh because they are just the FCS teams on steroids. I know over time these will become our rivalries, but 2014 is a weak list of teams. I know, I know, I'm still coming around to the sunbelt. I will miss Furman and Wofford. Im not gonna lie.

Gonzo wrote:With the exception of Liberty and Campbell, every singe game is better than what we had in the SmallCon (IMHO). Next year's schedule gets my rocks off.

I disagree, Idaho is not a more fun game than Furman or Wofford. No way. I see what your point is, but if that schedule gets your rocks off, you are tryin too hard to convince yourself.

There's no doubt most of the Sun Belt teams are better than those in the SoCon. The question is, will fans care about watching App play teams from several states away who we have no history with and that only diehard football fans are familiar with?

I sort of equate it to a bad NFL game vs. a good college rivalry game. Everybody knows that, say, Browns vs. Jaguars is a higher level of football than, say, Ohio State vs. Michigan. Yet NFL games like that are played in front of thousands of empty seats, while big college games sell out 100,000 seat stadiums.

Seattleapp wrote:

Gonzo wrote:With the exception of Liberty and Campbell, every singe game is better than what we had in the SmallCon (IMHO). Next year's schedule gets my rocks off.

I disagree, Idaho is not a more fun game than Furman or Wofford. No way. I see what your point is, but if that schedule gets your rocks off, you are tryin too hard to convince yourself.

Pretty sure he was referring to 2015.

There is a legit article on the internet that places Sun Belt as the #3 G5 conference in football over MAC and CUSA. If that is not an upgrade I don't know what is.

BTW, the Sun Belt baseball has been ranked #4 OVERALL in NCAA this year. That is an upgrade.

Face it anti-FBS crowd ASU is moving up in the world to a higher level of competition across the board. This move to a new conference is in the best interest of our university. Every University in the country is interested in improving their position and that is what we did, moved UP. I am so looking forward to the next 10 yrs in all sports.

EastHallApp wrote:There's no doubt most of the Sun Belt teams are better than those in the SoCon. The question is, will fans care about watching App play teams from several states away who we have no history with and that only diehard football fans are familiar with?

I sort of equate it to a bad NFL game vs. a good college rivalry game. Everybody knows that, say, Browns vs. Jaguars is a higher level of football than, say, Ohio State vs. Michigan. Yet NFL games like that are played in front of thousands of empty seats, while big college games sell out 100,000 seat stadiums.

IF 27k+ on average (in a down year) showed up to see this past years schedule I GUARANTEE at least that many will adorn the aluminum in KBS this fall.

NC A&T, Chuck Southern, Samford, GSU, UTC, WCU. Only GSU comes in over SA, Ga St., Idaho, Monroe,....now Campbell is a different story!, Liberty is a equal to all of last years home opponents.

If you don't like the 2014 schedule I can see why. But there is a remedy to your problem.

Step 1 go look at Wofford's 2014 home schedule
Step 2 go look at our 2015 schedule

You should feel much better now.

Seattleapp wrote:

Gonzo wrote:With the exception of Liberty and Campbell, every singe game is better than what we had in the SmallCon (IMHO). Next year's schedule gets my rocks off.

I disagree, Idaho is not a more fun game than Furman or Wofford. No way. I see what your point is, but if that schedule gets your rocks off, you are tryin too hard to convince yourself.

Do you remember how upset our fans were when Wofford came into the SoCon? They were a joke for a few years until they beat us. Now we have a bunch of fans saying they'll miss WoCo. The same thing will happen with Sun Belt teams except this time we're the new guys on the block, and losses to the SB teams will come much sooner. Like it or not every team in the SB is an upgrade over our old foes.

Only speaking of students here... I ask this: How many true freshmen that come to App knew about Samford or Wofford or Furman or UT--Chattanooga football? I doubt many. The point is they learn quickly who is who, I think all of our fans will do like the students, quickly learn who is who and buy in. AtlAppMan was right a while back when he pointed out that if you threw out the whole question of FCS vs FBS and just asked should Appalachian play in as strong of a conference as we could, imo, the answer is quite clear.

Seattleapp wrote:

Gonzo wrote:With the exception of Liberty and Campbell, every singe game is better than what we had in the SmallCon (IMHO). Next year's schedule gets my rocks off.

I disagree, Idaho is not a more fun game than Furman or Wofford. No way. I see what your point is, but if that schedule gets your rocks off, you are tryin too hard to convince yourself.

Yeah 2015 is what gets my rocks off.

And Wofford? Really? Now I'll miss Furman. We had a nice rivalry with them for years. But have you ever been to Spartanburg for a game? It was literally a child's playground with a football game as a backdrop.

If you can become that attached to a school as insignificant as Wofford after just a few competitive games I think you are going to fall in love with the Sunbelt rather quickly.

AtlAppMan wrote:There is a legit article on the internet that places Sun Belt as the #3 G5 conference in football over MAC and CUSA. If that is not an upgrade I don't know is.

I don't doubt the article exists but face it perception is reality. The Sun Belt is perceived as the weakest FBS conference. This is evidenced by the number of teams that got snubbed last bowl season. Benson lobbied even offered payouts and could not get another bid for the other three bowl eligible Sun Belt teams. I am not arguing any of them deserved it but they did not get it because their wins were in a percieved weak conference.

I am excited abouth the future. I think this is a conference that will be good for us. I just hope we don't lose ULL or A State to another conference. Seems less likely now than before so hopefully UMass can be more competitive in the Sun Belt (Idaho is dumped) and the rest get up speed. Finally I agree 2014 a little Blah, 2015 looks real interesting at home. I have my season tickets renewed for 2014 and once I get to the Rock the Blahs will be gone!!

I will not miss playing Wofford or Samford at all. Anyone who has every been to a road game there knows why. I am not greatly excited for the 2014 home schedule but can't wait til 2015 with home games against Souhern Miss, UL-L, Arkansas State, Troy, GA Southern.

2014 Schedule sucks
2015 will solve that
SB sucks
Addition of APP and GS will solve that

AtlantaMountaineer wrote:I will not miss playing Wofford or Samford at all. Anyone who has every been to a road game there knows why. I am not greatly excited for the 2014 home schedule but can't wait til 2015 with home games against Souhern Miss, UL-L, Arkansas State, Troy, GA Southern.

That's a tough home schedule, agree can't wait.

For those that have the opinion that some how the SB is less or not as good as the Socon, please. That may have been true three years ago but not anymore. Please don't be so arrogant. Evidence you say, how about the performance bonus that the conference won last year (2013 w/out us or the stink). The SB was the top conference out of the group of five(really four). Please reference the post from 1/24 under Sunbelt news. There's a link to the cbssports article that walks through all the calculations. Yes the Sunbelt had teams bowl eligible that did not go anywhere but they got paid baby.... Yes average college fans may not know this.... but we are not average fans... read the article... be informed and spread the word about the Sunbelt ... our new home.