Outside of the last 2 years there is no tradition of UC playing UL on the last game of the season. If UC fans think there is they are fooling themselves. Get over it... I'd be happy to play all away games on TV and no home games on TV (although that won't happen) just to get people in the stands. Personally, while in college, I enjoyed it when UC played the Thursday night games because I was going out to the bar anyway. As a season ticket holder, it doesn't bother me to play during the week as well, even with my 1 hour drive to get to Clifton. I can see where that would be a problem for families though.

Cat's_Claw Wrote:UC will earn their way on T.V. Remember when UC got hot last year and ESPN scrambled to put UC and Louisville on television. Build it and they will come.

A lot of it has to do with who you're playing, if Tulane were in the spt of Louisville on the schedule it doesnt get picked up. But yes, if you get hot they will look to get you on the tube.

But WVU vs Syracuse is not the key rivalry for either team.

UL vs UC has been. (end of the season or not, it still has been the key rivalry for both teams)

What I think is involved with this is that Syracuse lacked a natural rival for the end of season finale. The last weekend (Rivalry Week) in the BEast looked like this:

WVU and Pitt
UC and UL
Rutgers and Connecticut

which left... Syracuse and USF.

I think Syracuse balked at that and said "we need a better season finale than South Florida."

So, with UL's blessing, Cincy and Syracuse trade spots. So, Cincy's end of season "Rival" is a school one thousand miles away. But that's okay, because it's better to rob a team that's struggling to establish credibility, than it is to expect Syracuse to live up to it's (tarnished) national stature.

Just my opinion, but it sounds like UC's been sold down the river, by the folks down the river.

Our schedule now probably looks something like this:

9/3 Eastern Michigan
9/10 @ Penn State
9/17 @ Miami OH
9/24 Western Carolina
10/8 @ Syracuse
10/15 @ Pitt
10/22 West Virginia
10/29 @ Rutgers
11/12 Connecticut
11/19 Louisville
11/26 @ South Florida

This would at least make Louisville our final HOME game of next year, so that's something, I guess. 2006 South Florida would be the home finale. Sadly, not something people will get fired up about.

2006 probably looks like this:

9/2 @ Miami FL
9/9 TBA
9/16 @ Ohio State
9/23 Miami OH
9/30 Syracuse
10/7 open
10/14 Pitt
10/21 @ West Virginia
10/28 Rutgers
11/4 open
11/11 @ Connecticut
11/18 @ Louisville
11/25 South Florida

Further, to say, well, the weather is not so great in Cincy in November... well no kidding. It can be nice. It can be crappy. But if you're playing a top ten Louisville on the day after Thanksgiving your chances of getting a good crowd are better than playing USF.

Well, hopefully, if we're having a decent year, people will come out to see us beat up South Florida. (2006, 2008, 2010, etc.)

Heading down to Tampa doesn't sound so bad during Thanksgiving weekend though! :) I agree, we might have been sold out by UL, but like I said before it really doesn't bother me.

In the long run it looks like there will be at least 1 more team added to the BE, and there is a good possibility Memphis will be the team (if only 1). Memphis vs. UC to end the year would be fine with me as well.

If we added Memphis and ECU, then UC could play Memphis and USF could play ECU.

That wouldn't be too bad.

Looking at the schedules as they are currently known, and looking at the available dates and who needs to play who home and away, I project the following conference schedules....

9/3
WVU at SYR

10/8
CT at CIN
SFL at PIT
RUT at SYR

10/15
CIN at PIT
LOU at RUT
SYR at CT
WVU at SFL

10/22
PIT at RUT
SFL at LOU
WVU at CIN

10/29
CIN at SYR
LOU at WVU
SFL at CT
Navy at RUT

11/5
LOU at CT
RUT at SFL
SYR at PIT

11/12
CIN at RUT
CT at WVU
PIT at LOU
SFL at SYR

11/19
CT at PIT
LOU at CIN
SYR at Notre Dame
WVU at RUT

11/26
CIN at SFL
PIT at WVU
RUT at CT
SYR at LOU

Just my best guesses.

Again...I wouldn't be to concerned over the UL/Syracuse game...this could very easily be a one year affiar because of the Cardinals high ranking and SU has a lot of players coming back

Quote:If we added Memphis and ECU, then UC could play Memphis and USF could play ECU.
That wouldn't be too bad.

-- Y'all took the words right out of my mouth.....if Memphis and ECU are added and the UL/SU thing is perminant...then this really isn't too bad for rivlary week

Pitt/WVU
UL/Syracuse
Memphis/UC
Uconn/Rutgers
USF/ECU


Jackson

Jackson1011 Wrote:Again...I wouldn't be to concerned over the UL/Syracuse game...this could very easily be a one year affiar because of the Cardinals high ranking and SU has a lot of players coming back

Quote:If we added Memphis and ECU, then UC could play Memphis and USF could play ECU.
That wouldn't be too bad.

-- Y'all took the words right out of my mouth.....if Memphis and ECU are added and the UL/SU thing is perminant...then this really isn't too bad for rivlary week

Pitt/WVU
UL/Syracuse
Memphis/UC
Uconn/Rutgers
USF/ECU


Jackson

Exactly--no one said SU/UL was a permanent deal to close out the season. They are doing it this year for TV. Given my druthers I would love to end the year with USF personally. An excuse for a trip after T-giving to Tampa every other year.