Bowling Green State University Athletics
Write That Down in Pencil
December 23, 2006 | Football
Dec. 22, 2006
By JACK CARLE, Sentinel Sports Editor - Pencil, not pen, is the writing instrument of choice when filling out Bowling Green's non-conference football schedule each year.
And you had better make sure the pencil has a good eraser.
As recently as September, BG athletics director Greg Christopher said the Falcons had contracts with Boise State and Florida International for games at Perry Stadium and a road game at Pittsburgh in 2007.
Now, three months later, it could be that only one of those three teams will face the Falcons next season.
"Football scheduling is a little more interesting than I thought. A lot of time gets spent on football scheduling," said Christopher, who has been BG's athletics director since June. "It's not a very good system and what you find is that people are not always forthright in trying to find games.
"You try to do the best you can. There are a lot of factors, trying to get some home games and trying to schedule something from the fan-perspective and the community-perspective and also from a competitive-perspective," he added.
According to recent published reports, BG has a game scheduled at Minnesota on Sept. 1, the same day the Falcons were set to play Pitt at Heinz Field.
The Falcons could make the trip to Minnesota as part of a plan to help ensure the Golden Gophers would honor their commitment for a game at Perry Stadium on Sept. 6, 2008.
The game with Pitt could be moved to another season.
"It's an old contract," Christopher said about the Pittsburgh game. As part of a 2-for-1 deal, BG played at Pitt in 1999 and the Panthers played at Perry Stadium in 2000. "The last game has been moved back a few times.
"The MAC (Mid-American Conference) is helping us with that," Christopher added about the Pittsburgh or Minnesota opener.
"I know Bowling Green values the Pitt relationship," MAC commissioner Rick Chryst told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I don't know that they're looking to get out of playing Pitt as much as pushing it back."
BG played at Florida International this fall and there was to be a return game at Perry Stadium next fall.
Christopher said the 2007 game with FIU is questionable. FIU was involved in a fight on the field against Miami (Fla.) during a game on Oct. 14. Athletics department officials at both schools are looking to move the game to earlier in the season and that could force FIU to buy out of the return game with BG.
If the game with Florida International falls through, there are "more than a handful" of prospective games, Christopher said.
One possibility has BG hosting Navy in 2007 and playing at Navy in 2009. He likes the opportunity to play a team such as Navy, but added teams from the Sun Belt, including Western Kentucky, and several from the Western Athletic Conference are attractive because those conferences are comparable with the MAC.
"Our first priority would be to try to keep a home game," Christopher said.
The game with Boise State at Perry Stadium on Sept. 29, 2007 is still a go, Christopher said. The Falcons are to play at Boise on Sept. 27, 2008 in the final game of a 2-for-1 contract.
A game at Boston College next fall is also in the works with the MAC helping facilitate that contest, Christopher said.
If BG does play the current proposed non-conference opponents, it will be facing four teams which are playing in bowl games this season and combined for a 36-12 record. Navy (9-3) and Boston College (9-3) play each other in the Meineke Bowl; Minnesota (6-6) is in the Insight Bowl; and Boise State (12-0) is playing in the Fiesta Bowl with its huge BCS payoff.
In other future non-conference games, Christopher said a two-game series with Wyoming is scheduled for 2008 and 2009.
The MAC portion of the schedule also contains a twist as Temple becomes a member for only football starting in 2007. With the addition of Temple, there are seven teams in the MAC East, including BG.
For 2007, the Falcons have home divisional games with Ohio and Akron and road games at Miami, Kent State and Buffalo. From the West, BG is scheduled to host Toledo and Northern Illinois and travel to Eastern Michigan.
BG's 2008 conference schedule lists games with all six MAC East teams. There are home games with Miami, Kent State and Buffalo from the East and Ball State from the West and road games at Ohio, Akron and Temple from the East and the traditional game at Toledo.
In 2009, BG's home conference schedule has games with Akron, Temple, Toledo and Central Michigan and road games at Miami, Kent State, Buffalo and Western Michigan.
The actual dates for the 2007 games are to be completed by Feb. 1, according to the MAC office.
