The Bobcat Nation

Anyone know if the 2005 Griz Schedule has been finalized this year? I'm just curious who they play. I'm assuming since they have 4 'away' conference games that all the nonconference games will be at home? Just a guess

This was posted on Egriz

Away Games

Idaho State
Northern Arizona
Sacramento State
Montana State

HOME GAMES

FORT LEWIS STATE
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
CAL POLY
WEBER STATE
EASTERN WASHINGTON
PORTLAND STATE

Wow....Zero non-conference games on the road, and 2 D-II teams. Hardly a schedule that a self-proclaimed I-AA powerhouse should be proud of. I'm surprised that Belgrade middle school isn't on there....of course it would have to be in Missoula.

Are you serious? SDSU will be way down next year too as they lost all their offense pretty much. 2 Div II teams? Is this correct? Can any Griz fans confirm this?


P.S - Is this the first schedule Don Reed drew up? I had heard he liked to play cupcakes heheeh.

From what I have been reading even most griz fans aren't happy with this schedule. Throwing out the 2 Div. II games leaves only 9 games that "count". It does make it pretty easy to go 9-2 again though which assures a good playoff seeding. That coupled with a few key upsets in your bracket and you are off to Chattanooga.

The only good thing I can say is that it will be a good chance to break in a new QB with CWU and FLS. Ochs was a real stud the last half of the season and through the playoffs. They are really going to miss him.

If that schedule is true, let me be the first to predict playoffs next year for the Grizzlies then. They can go 1-3 on the road and still get in and win all their home games. What a nice way to sandbag. Hopefully Cal Poly/EW will knock them off at home.

CARDIAC_CATS wrote:If that schedule is true, let me be the first to predict playoffs next year for the Grizzlies then. They can go 1-3 on the road and still get in and win all their home games. What a nice way to sandbag. Hopefully Cal Poly/EW will knock them off at home.

Yea, it shouldn't take much to go 9-2 or more likely 10-1 with that schedule. The only negative could be if they were to lose to one of the Div. II schools - that could really hurt come playoff time. But you are right, I just don't see how they could miss the playoffs with that schedule standing in the way.

WYCAT wrote:From what I have been reading even most griz fans aren't happy with this schedule. Throwing out the 2 Div. II games leaves only 9 games that "count". It does make it pretty easy to go 9-2 again though which assures a good playoff seeding. That coupled with a few key upsets in your bracket and you are off to Chattanooga.

The only good thing I can say is that it will be a good chance to break in a new QB with CWU and FLS. Ochs was a real stud the last half of the season and through the playoffs. They are really going to miss him.

Yeah, with MSU's schedule .. its going to come down to conference again this year I think. MSU needs to win the Big Sky to get in. No room for error this year as we only have 2 losses (besided OK ST) to deal with. Once again, it comes down to Cat/Griz game I bet.

I hope you are not right but with our schedule that is entirely likely. Maybe we can break out of our typical preseason funk this year but I still wish Cal Poly wasn't on it again this year - that game has hurt us more in the past few seasons than any other opponent. Like I posted a month or so ago, our easiest game may not come until conference play. Can't say the griz can say the same thing.

Yes - I posted the 2 DII game thing on this board a few weeks ago and I believe some Griz fans confirmed it, although I also heard that they were going to try to switch one of the DII's out for a 1-AA. It's a total sand-bag thing, and in my opinion, it's not a schedule that is good for them in the big scheme. Sure, it makes it more likely that they make the playoffs, but let's be honest here. They've made the playoffs for 11 straight years or something, and odds are they'll be there next year regardless. I think they played a good schedule last year, starting out with Maine and Hofstra. 2 Solid 1AA teams that didn't turn out to be powerhouses, but good teams nonetheless. Those game may have better prepped the team or helped them start to mature quicker, because as we saw, they really improved towards the end. Assuming the Griz make the playoffs, they'll probably win every game they host. If they ever have to travel, we all know how that evens things out. (10-0 at home, 2-3 on the road). At least one thing we have over them no matter what is strength of schedule. I think that will definitely help out when we play that one home game in November!

Face it - they could play 4 DII games and the playoff committee wouldn't care... money talks. (Remember, they made the playoffs, AND hosted a game after LOSING to a DII school.)

There was talk awhile back on the AGS boards that the NCAA rule("reccomendation") for playoff consideration that reads something to the effect of "more than 3 losses will put a team in jeapardy of not being selected for an at-large berth" was going to be changed for next year to be something like "less than 7 Div 1 wins will put a team in jeapardy of not being selected for an at-large berth." Haven't heard anything more about that to know if it is true or not, but if in fact they do implement that, and the Griz do have two Div II games on the schedule, they actually have less wiggle room than we do in our schedule. Basically, the Griz would have to go 9-2(assuming wins over the two DII teams) or win the big sky, whereas the Cats playing an all Div I schedule could finish at 7-4 and still be considered.

kmax wrote:There was talk awhile back on the AGS boards that the NCAA rule("reccomendation") for playoff consideration that reads something to the effect of "more than 3 losses will put a team in jeapardy of not being selected for an at-large berth" was going to be changed for next year to be something like "less than 7 Div 1 wins will put a team in jeapardy of not being selected for an at-large berth." Haven't heard anything more about that to know if it is true or not, but if in fact they do implement that, and the Griz do have two Div II games on the schedule, they actually have less wiggle room than we do in our schedule. Basically, the Griz would have to go 9-2(assuming wins over the two DII teams) or win the big sky, whereas the Cats playing an all Div I schedule could finish at 7-4 and still be considered.

Thats probably why they are now rumored to be taking 1 DIV II team off the schedule now. They finally read that and go UH OH! we can't sand bag and get away with it

Our schedule has not been confirmed yet, but that is the talk.

Personally as a Griz fan I think this schedule is a joke. There seemed to be an overall negative reaction to this schedule as well on egriz.

Some posters have mentioned that Don Read did like to schedule a few "pushovers" each year and this is probably more of the same. Of course I cannot officially call these two teams pushovers due to what happened in Wa Griz 2 years ago, ugh...

I do believe that we will play Central Wash, but are actively looking for someone else to fill the Ft Lewis St game, possibly traveling to a 1A team (Wyoming would be fun!) or to some A-10 team, to continue this Big Sky / A-10 rivalry thats jumped up in the playoffs this year.

Some fans have mentioned that if we do book 2 home games against Div II teams they will not go to those games, esp those who travel to Missoula for game day. I would also suspect many of the students would skip games like those too. I do believe that Griz fans in general would rather see quality teams in Washington Grizzly Stadium rather than some Div II teams.

On the other side,

We are trying to rebound from a budget shortfall. Looking at our current road schedule we could easily take busses rather than planes to Bozo and Pok-a-Fellow. Then we'd only fly to two games next year in the regular season, that saves us a couple bucks I'm sure.

If that is our schedule.......

Get ready for some empty seats during the D-II games. Oh well, I guess if they go through the season and get a top 4 seed, and win the National Championship on some crappy field in Chattano-sod, I'll look back at that schedule and say it was perfect. Meanwhile, it sucks.

Meat just think of the tan you'll be able to get stretching out at Wash-Griz on a Sunny Sept afternoon watching a 40 point blow out. The Girls, think of the Girls, on a sunny Sept afternoon.

Jag, would you quit monopolizing this board!

I thought I was monopolizing this Board!!

Simple Math
Attendence
23,400 seats @ 15.00 per = $351,000
Consecions/parking
23,400 people @7.50 per = $175,500

Possible DIRECT take per game = $526,500

Current UM red Ink $1,000,000

They actually did talk with Belgrade High school about a game, but found out thet they had 18 returning starters on offence and defence next year, so they took a pass.

Hell with their new "double booking" seating plan I guess you could add another 10% on to that!(':twisted:')

2005 Griz football schedule

Sept. 3 FT. LEWIS STATE

Sept. 10 CENTRAL WASHINGTON

Sept. 17 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE

Sept. 24 open

Oct. 1 WEBER STATE

Oct. 8 at Idaho State

Oct. 15 EASTERN WASHINGTON

Oct. 22 CAL POLY

Oct. 29 PORTLAND STATE

Nov. 5 at Northern Arizona

Nov. 12 at Sacramento State

Nov. 19 at Montana State

What a joke. Two D-II teams. But Bobby said they wer tough D-II teams