In today's Democrat Coach BB said there's interest in Nuetral games with Big Time Programs.

[Mr. Porkleone]

He mentioned he'd be interested.  Anybody with insight no which teams hemmight be talking about.

[HogWall Jackson]

This is just a thought. Would Jerry Let Arkansas and A&M out of their Jerrry World Deal if Arkansas replaced A&M with another Big Time Opponent from the Big 10, Big  12 or PAC 12 Team Like USC, Michigan State or OU? A&M and Arkansas would like a Home and Home  game now that they are bot in the SEC. Maybe A&M gets another Dance Partner too for Jerry World?

I don't mention Texas because they already play OU in Dallas, the same could be true of OU? What do you think?

[hawgXi]

I thought we tried home & home with A$M and didn't like it.

the game went back to jerry's world.

[Hawghiggs]

 I would like the hogs to keep playing one game in Little Rock and Dallas. But I wouldn't mind playing someone else in St. Louis. Someone like Iowa or Iowa St. might be fun for a change.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I thought we tried home & home with A$M and didn't like it.

the game went back to jerry's world.

I'd be fine with a home and home with A&M if we rotated major P-5 opponents for the game in Jerry World every year.

But what I think Bielema is indicating is that we will keep the A&M game at Jerry World and then he is looking for one and done games with big time P-5 OOC opponents at neutral sites like New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami or others for kick-off classics or the like. I think he is also seeking big time P-5 opponents for the future for a home and home series.

[Mike Irwin]

Read the last part of this or watch the video:

http://www.nwahomepage.com/fulltextsports/d/story/poor-academics-takes-out-hog-footballs-ramsey/39740/5UZ8dqMlYkWnv79IpsLjIQ

[jdevers]

The game went back to Dallas because he Jones wouldn't let the teams out of the contract, not because we preferred it. 

[Mike Irwin]

The game went back to Dallas because he Jones wouldn't let the teams out of the contract, not because we preferred it.

Jeff Long brought the Jerry World game with A&M back as a part of the compromise to let LSU and A&M play the last week of the regular season. The SEC was jumping through hoops to keep the Aggies happy. Long knew Arkansas was going to lose it's traditional Friday after Thanksgiving game with LSU so he forced A&M to give something up. It was a smart move on Long's part.

Yes Arkansas prefers to keep playing in Dallas. Its a huge boost to Bielema's recruiting in Texas. Also there's no way that Jerry Jones would force Arkansas to play in Dallas if it didn't want to and A&M was not excited about giving up a home game every year in their new $400 million upgraded 104 K seat stadium.

[LZH]

I would like the hogs to keep playing one game in Little Rock and Dallas. But I wouldn't mind playing someone else in St. Louis. Someone like Iowa or Iowa St. might be fun for a change.

Notre Dame in St. Louis (or even the Superdome....which ND may be well represented in the seats; lots of Catholics down that way fwiw).  I've always wanted to play ND.

[hoghiker]

I like home games that are actually home. Two hour drive to Fayetteville. Easy travel, get to watch my Hogs, get some food, fill some  growlers. Great Saturday down south. Sooie.

[OldCoot]

Notre Dame in St. Louis (or even the Superdome....which ND may be well represented in the seats; lots of Catholics down that way fwiw).  I've always wanted to play ND.

That would be a game I would travel to but I'd much rather it be in Dallas.

[Torqued pork]

Every program would like a series with ND. The Irish can pick their opponents.

[The NewEra]

Read the last part of this or watch the video:

http://www.nwahomepage.com/fulltextsports/d/story/poor-academics-takes-out-hog-footballs-ramsey/39740/5UZ8dqMlYkWnv79IpsLjIQ

Like Mike said, watch the video or read this.  It clearly explains what Bielema wants to do with "One" non conference game each year.

[hoghiker]

Anything to upgrade the OOC schedule is a step in the right direction. 

Most years I think tune up games are the best idea. I could be convinced otherwise I guess but I doubt it. No reason to get more beat up.

[The NewEra]

Most years I think tune up games are the best idea. I could be convinced otherwise I guess but I doubt it. No reason to get more beat up.

I don't think coach B agrees with you.  He likes the idea of a season opener "Classic" type game on a major stage at a neutral site for recruiting and publicity reasons.  The other three games he wants to stick with the same type opponents we face now. 

Most people would have to admit, Bielema does a great job of marketing this program and gaining favorable publicity.

[ricepig]

Anything to upgrade the OOC schedule is a step in the right direction. 

Yeah, TCU and Michigan are cupcakes.....

[The NewEra]

Yeah, TCU and Michigan are cupcakes.....

It's going to be interesting to see which two teams approached him about an opening day classic game.

[hoghiker]

I don't think coach B agrees with you.  He likes the idea of a season opener "Classic" type game on a major stage at a neutral site for recruiting and publicity reasons.  The other three games he wants to stick with the same type opponents we face now. 

Most people would have to admit, Bielema does a great job of marketing this program and gaining favorable publicity.

If he can back it up with more wins, I'll come around. I'll await the results. Easy metric. More wins -more better, fewer wins-not better.

[ricepig]

It's a start.. many more steps to be taken to rid the Nichols State's, Toledo's and UTEP's from the OOC games.

Why? I guess you think we should play FSU, TCU, USC, and ND? You think $300 is expensive for a season ticket, what do you think that would cost? Oh, wait, let me guess, you watch them all from your couch??

[Jborohog09]

And while you scoff, consider how much exposure would Arkansas get from such a schedule..
and how many recruits would place Arkansas on their radar...

That is exactly what Florida State did to help in their rise to prominence.  Worked pretty well for them I'd say...

FSU also wasn't in the SEC.

[ricepig]

And while you scoff, consider how much exposure would Arkansas get from such a schedule..
and how many recruits would place Arkansas on their radar...

That is exactly what Florida State did to help in their rise to prominence.  Worked pretty well for them I'd say...

Surely you don't want me to bring up their schedules with conference games and non-cons in it? They played Florida and Miami on an annual basis, nothing similar to us.

Texas St and Chattanooga should be challenges this season.

[ricepig]

FSU also wasn't in the SEC.

Correct, they were an independent until 1992 when they joined the ACC.

[Jborohog09]

And Arkansas hasn't won a SEC title since they joined the conference. 
It's time to go big and pull out all the stops. 

I'm all for challenging non-conference slates and opponents, but playing all four slots against power 5 teams isn't going to help win the SEC.  There might be a slight bump in recruiting, but not enough to warrant having an insanely physical 12 game schedule.  I do agree that FCS opponents need to be phased out though, Jeff Long has even said that himself.

[ricepig]

I'm all for challenging non-conference slates and opponents, but playing all four slots against power 5 teams isn't going to help win the SEC.  There might be a slight bump in recruiting, but not enough to warrant having an insanely physical 12 game schedule.  I do agree that FCS opponents need to be phased out though, Jeff Long has even said that himself.

I'll believe it when I see it. You can't schedule 7-8 home games without them, Bama admitted to it to.

[Jborohog09]

I'll believe it when I see it. You can't schedule 7-8 home games without them, Bama admitted to it to.

Which Long did say it's very hard to fill out the non-conference without them and he just does it because he has few other options.  I think the only way it happens is if the SEC goes to nine-conference games or the regular season goes back to 11 games.  No way in hell it goes back to 11 however.

[ricepig]

Which Long did say it's very hard to fill out the non-conference without them and he just does it because he has few other options.  I think the only way it happens is if the SEC goes to nine-conference games or the regular season goes back to 11 games.  No way in hell it goes back to 11 however.

And according to reports from Destin, no way it goes to a 9 game league schedule.

[LZH]

That would be a game I would travel to but I'd much rather it be in Dallas.

So would I.

[psooie]

I would love for the hogs to move the texas A&M game back to campus. Hopefully, Jerry will let both school's out of the deal in exchange for both school's playing a non-conference game in dallas. Bring in Texas tech, baylor or whoever and let arkansas and texas A&M play them in a non-confererence game in Jerry's place for the rest of the contract, about 10 years. Jerry will make x2 the money from 2 games.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I'm all for challenging non-conference slates and opponents, but playing all four slots against power 5 teams isn't going to help win the SEC.  There might be a slight bump in recruiting, but not enough to warrant having an insanely physical 12 game schedule.  I do agree that FCS opponents need to be phased out though, Jeff Long has even said that himself.

You know the problem with that? Getting rid of the FCS opponents by FBS teams doesn't penalize the P-5 teams, but it certainly hurts the FCS teams. Yeah they come in and more than likely take a beating of epic proportions, but these aren't schools with the financial stature of a P-5 school so relying on that pay day vs. P-5 schools helps them keep all of their athletic programs afloat, not just football.

So while we go, "ho-hum' when we see an FCS opponent scheduled and whine about it not helping our SOS, I think we need to stop and realize how we are helping collegiate athletics at a level below us and enabling a lot of other smaller programs to continue to provide a place for athletes who aren't good enough or big enough to play in a P-5 conference. I have no problem helping these programs out because it is good for collegiate athletics at other levels than our own. But that's JMO.

[Jborohog09]

Ricepig's hyperbole aside, I've pushed for a better OOC schedule to include:

1 gimmie game (a Texas State kind of game)
1 game against a name Texas opponent (A&M at the time wasn't in the SEC, but now TCU, Rice, SMU) played in Dallas to keep the Dallas based portion of the fanbase involved
1 game against a middle level team in a name conference (played on a home/home) to open recruiting possibilities (Ariz State, Oregon State, Cal, Pitt, Syracuse, Ok State, etc)
1 top level OOC game (the Michigan game of 2018 fits this bill).

As it appears that BB is looking to move toward this description is a positive development in my opinion.   

I could get behind that.

[Mike Irwin]

I would love for the hogs to move the texas A&M game back to campus. Hopefully, Jerry will let both school's out of the deal in exchange for both school's playing a non-conference game in dallas. Bring in Texas tech, baylor or whoever and let arkansas and texas A&M play them in a non-confererence game in Jerry's place.

Where do you guys come this notion that Jerry Jones is holding Arkansas to the contract to play A&M in Arlington? Jeff Long negotiated the deal. He wasn't forced to do it. He wanted it and so did Bielema. They do not want out of the contract. if you would bother to listen to Bielema's presser on Friday you would know that he's interested in playing ONE nonconference game each year against a power conference school at a neutral site in recruiting areas OTHER THAN TEXAS. Namely, Florida, Louisiana or somewhere in the Midwest.

He is also opposed to a nine game conference schedule. Says it's not going to happen.

[Jborohog09]

You know the problem with that? Getting rid of the FCS opponents by FBS teams doesn't penalize the P-5 teams, but it certainly hurts the FCS teams. Yeah they come in and more than likely take a beating of epic proportions, but these aren't schools with the financial stature of a P-5 school so relying on that pay day vs. P-5 schools helps them keep their all of their athletic programs afloat, not just football.

So while we go, "ho-hum' when we see an FCS opponent scheduled and whine about it not helping our SOS, I think we need to stop and realize how we are helping collegiate athletics at a level below us and enabling a lot of other smaller programs to continue to provide a place for athletes who aren't good enough or big enough to play in a P-5 conference. I have no problem helping these programs out because it is good for collegiate athletics at other levels than our own. But that's JMO.

Good points.  A lot of people, including myself from time to time, tend to forget it helps fund those programs.  There have been some coaches pushing for spring games to actually be scrimmages against other schools, maybe FCS teams could fill that void?

[maxhog5]

And while you scoff, consider how much exposure would Arkansas get from such a schedule..
and how many recruits would place Arkansas on their radar.

None.  Nobody looking for an NFL payday is going to take that kind of week in week out physical pounding in college.

[Locutus_of_Boar]

He mentioned he'd be interested.  Anybody with insight no which teams hemmight be talking about.

Probably the folks who run the Chuck Fil A kickoff classic are talking to Arkansas to fill the SEC slot in the 2018 or 2019 game.

The opponent is always either an ACC team or Boise State.  Given that Arkansas would draw fewer fans than an SEC East team I expect they would try and match Arkansas with Clemson, VaTech, or Louisville.

[LAHogfan123]

I'd be fine with a home and home with A&M if we rotated major P-5 opponents for the game in Jerry World every year.

But what I think Bielema is indicating is that we will keep the A&M game at Jerry World and then he is looking for one and done games with big time P-5 OOC opponents at neutral sites like New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami or others for kick-off classics or the like. I think he is also seeking big time P-5 opponents for the future for a home and home series.

This idea I would like.  All hotbeds for recruiting purposes, but I really think just the one game at Jerry's World already would suffice, but Atlanta, New Orleans, Miami and other such areas where there's plenty of recruiting opportunities I'd be all in for that.

The only downside I'd see is losing a home game.

[Torqued pork]

Every program schedules a cupcake or three. Anyone wanting to go big with ooc games with our schedule better be ecstatic going bowling in Shreveport, Memphis, or Houston every year.

[ricepig]

This idea I would like.  All hotbeds for recruiting purposes, but I really think just the one game at Jerry's World already would suffice, but Atlanta, New Orleans, Miami and other such areas where there's plenty of recruiting opportunities I'd be all in for that.

The only downside I'd see is losing a home game.

I suspect this game will be played in year where we were scheduled to play an away game in our home and home series.

[Pudgepork]

I thought we tried home & home with A$M and didn't like it.

the game went back to jerry's world.

yeah,   aNm thought they'd have an overwhelming home presence at JerryWorld.  Hasn't really turned out that way and will only get worse as this team gets stronger and wins more.    They truly would have had a much larger crowd percentage at home but they wanted their cake too,  playing at JerryWorld.  They have been fooled in crowd percentage and pretty much have been out played at JerryWorld in all but the Manziel games and the score of last year.

[Professor Psychosis]

I think this year's schedule is good.  One FCS opponent (TN-Martin), one typically bad lower end FBS opponent (UTEP), one typically good lower end FBS opponent (Toledo), and one power 5 FBS team (Texas Tech).

I just wish that TN-Martin game wasn't so late in the year.  I don't mind gimmes at the beginning of the season, because I'm just excited that football is back, but late in the year, they're tough to watch.  As that game comes two weeks after our bye, it's just not a good place to put it.

Then again, we get a bye to prepare for Auburn, then the week after Auburn, we get TN-Martin to help us rest up again and prepare for back-to-back road games vs. Ole Miss & LSU, so maybe it'll work out fine.

Also, in addition to being a huge chunk of the FCS school budgets, games like TN-Martin are the only time some of our players buried in the depth chart might actually see the field in a real game, so those games are good for that too.  I always enjoy it when we're blowing someone out big time and we get to see the backups play more than just a series or two.

As for a neutral site game, bring on Wisconsin.  Time to shut them up.

[ricepig]

I think this year's schedule is good.  One FCS opponent (TN-Martin), one typically bad lower end FBS opponent (UTEP), one typically good lower end FBS opponent (Toledo), and one power 5 FBS team (Texas Tech).

I just wish that TN-Martin game wasn't so late in the year.  I don't mind gimmes at the beginning of the season, because I'm just excited that football is back, but late in the year, they're tough to watch.  As that game comes two weeks after our bye, it's just not a good place to put it.

Then again, we get a bye to prepare for Auburn, then the week after Auburn, we get TN-Martin to help us rest up again and prepare for back-to-back road games vs. Ole Miss & LSU, so maybe it'll work out fine.

Also, in addition to being a huge chunk of the FCS school budgets, games like TN-Martin are the only time some of our players buried in the depth chart might actually see the field in a real game, so those games are good for that too.  I always enjoy it when we're blowing someone out big time and we get to see the backups play more than just a series or two.

As for a neutral site game, bring on Wisconsin.  Time to shut them up.

Yeah, but the SEC scheduling guy said the other day the reason we have two back to back road SEC games was because we open with three non-cons and our trip to Dallas, we did it to ourselves.

[Chic-Hog-Oh]

Jeff Long brought the Jerry World game with A&M back as a part of the compromise to let LSU and A&M play the last week of the regular season. The SEC was jumping through hoops to keep the Aggies happy. Long knew Arkansas was going to lose it's traditional Friday after Thanksgiving game with LSU so he forced A&M to give something up. It was a smart move on Long's part.

Yes Arkansas prefers to keep playing in Dallas. Its a huge boost to Bielema's recruiting in Texas. Also there's no way that Jerry Jones would force Arkansas to play in Dallas if it didn't want to and A&M was not excited about giving up a home game every year in their new $400 million upgraded 104 K seat stadium.

Mike: Do you mean every other year?

Always appreciate your insights and willingness to share them....

[Atlhogfan1]

It has been my opinion since the A&M series in Dallas was first announced that the series was too long and too schedule limiting especially when you want to consider an ooc neutral site game.  I've wanted to see the Hogs play in Atlanta or Houston especially considering our getting forced into playing Mizzou every year reducing our opportunities to play in the eastern part of the SEC.   The bowl worked out well this past season.  Our ooc schedule does not need to get tougher though than already planned.  One marquee opponent and the rest cupcakes are a necessity for us as we aren't able to recruit the depth most of our SEC competition can.  Traveling to two neutral sites in addition to the SEC road games makes less sense.  I would be more for taking advantage of having a media friendly coach and getting into one of the ooc neutral site games if we would rotate A&M back to campuses for a couple of seasons.

FSU was used as an earlier example of a program that built a brand partially by scheduling.  Our world in the current in the SEC is very different than a 70s-80s independent.  Not sure it would be a smart thing for an SEC team like Arkansas, or Mizzou, who doesn't recruit as much depth to try that path.  Our other major sport could use the schedule upgrading for brand purposes. 

[ThisTeetsTaken]

How about playing Nebraska in Miami?   Virginia Tech in New Orleans?

[Inhogswetrust]

Where do you guys come this notion that Jerry Jones is holding Arkansas to the contract to play A&M in Arlington?

They probably got it out of thin air.................or one of those fictional infamous sources!

[HogPound]

I like home games that are actually home. Two hour drive to Fayetteville. Easy travel, get to watch my Hogs, get some food, fill some  growlers. Great Saturday down south. Sooie.

Not necessarily a Saturday "down south". More like a Saturday in the Midwest in regard to home games.

[Mike Irwin]

The A&M game is Dallas is here to stay. The recruiting advantage is obvious.

It's also obvious to me where Bielema is going with the idea of playing a power conference opponent at a neutral site. It would be a replacement for the one game a year in LR.

The truth is non conference games in Fayetteville are a horrible draw. So you minimize the problem by going with a big game at a neutral site. You're already giving up a home game a season to LR. All you do is transfer it to a national stage with a name opponent.

[Locutus_of_Boar]

The A&M game is Dallas is here to stay. The recruiting advantage is obvious.

It's also obvious to me where Bielema is going with the idea of playing a power conference opponent at a neutral site. It would be a replacement for the one game a year in LR.

Good thought about them using the neutral site OOC game as a bone to throw at the remaining LR crowd who might make noise about pulling out of WMS.

He mentioned the Superdome, probably because one can see his recruiting focus on south Louisiana getting bigger as time goes on especially after Les leaves Baton Rouge.

I could also see them trying to set up something in St Louis which would both appeal to LR & east Arkansas and might be easy to arrange with a B1G opponent.

If Memphis would ever replace the Liberty Bowl that would be a good site but in the mean time they might consider Nashville.

[hawg66]

Thanks Mike for reminding folks about what I thought was common knowledge concerning the A&M series in Jerry World.  I know the original contract was 10 years, and A&M wants out of the deal.  Is there any guarantee that the contract will be extended beyond the current deal?

[Mike Irwin]

Mike,

Since you are closer to this than anyone else here, allow me to ask you if you have a sense on Coach B's long(er) term philosophy with respect to OOC scheduling.  Will we see an upgrade from the Troy State / UTEP / Toledo / Texas State type of games?

Bielema made it very clear that there will continue to be one power conference school and three mid majors for the four non confefence games. That's not going to change and there will not be a ninth SEC game. The SEC is too tough as it is.

It continues to astound me that fans think you got to play a tough opponent every week.

Those fans would be the first to complain if they dropped mid majors and started losing a couple or three non conference games a year.

[Mike Irwin]

Thanks Mike for reminding folks about what I thought was common knowledge concerning the A&M series in Jerry World.  I know the original contract was 10 years, and A&M wants out of the deal.  Is there any guarantee that the contract will be extended beyond the current deal?

No. I'm guessing that the Aggies will end it at that point. When you spend as much money as they did to upgrade their stadium you want to play as many games there as possible. As of now they are close to filling it every week. The revenue from 104 thousand is hard to argue against.

However I personally think they overbuilt. HDTV has hurt live attendance. Ultra HD is just down the road. More and more fans are discovering that the visuals available these days on TV minus the pain in the butt of parking, bad weather, crowded restrooms and bad concession stand food make it more than worth it to throw a tailgate party at home.

We'll see if the Aggies are filling those seats five and six years down the road.