Topic: Future Possible HERD Football Opponents, . . . Perhaps,

[coalherd]

Since landing the game at Georgia, have been wondering what other possible game or games AD Spears has been working on!

Looking over the future schedules of some D1 "Major" Schools not all that far from MU and Huntington, can't help but wonder if Spears has approached ACC school, Wake Forest, about a possible game(s)?

I note that both schools need a game in 2026 and both have vacancies on their 2029 schedules.  MU needs another home game in 26, and Wake already has 2 home games plus a road game at Purdue.  Would they come to Huntington in 26 with a return game at Winston-Salem in 29?  I note that they are not against playing a bunch of G5 teams plus FCS schools in OOC play, as they have teams like Louisiana, Army, Akron, ECU, UConn, etc. ALREADY scheduled in the next few seasons!!! Would think that the fact that MU is known to travel WELL, bringing a lot of fans, would be a plus for a school like Wake, given our relative proximity and the fact that their Stadium is comparable in size to the JOAN!!

[Doing it the Herd Way]

The ACC Commissioner has basically laid down the law for his schools to not play nonautonomous conference (G5) teams on the road. So no home-and-home; no 2-for-1; and nothing besides money games they carefully choose for their own home games. They even recently had two ACC teams (Virginia and NC State) schedule each other as an out-of-conference game. Things could change with further realignment as has been rumored, but a weakened ACC may dig their heels in even further in an attempt to hang on to their status.

I would expect more ACC vs ACC non-conference matchups between traditional ACC schools and non-ACC schools before us getting an ACC opponent at home again.

[MUfan08]

Zero percent, heck the WF coach is even vocal about not playing G5 at their place back in May.

https://x.com/ThunderCast_Pod/status/1790791710965948720

[coalherd]

Well, if the "trend" in the future is that "Power" schools will NOT go on the road to play AT a G5 opponent, then MU, and its fans, may be better served by scheduling more and more OOC games, home and home games, with other G5 teams from the MAC, AAC, Conference USA, etc.

Look at one of our 2024 OOC opponents, Western Michigan, whom we play at the JOAN this season.  In 2021, they played Michigan and Pitt on the road; in 2022, it was Mich. St. on the road, Pitt at HOME; in 2023, it was AT Syracuse, Iowa and Miss. State; this season, besides Marshall, the Broncos play at Ohio State and at Wisconsin; in 25, it is at Mich. St. and at Illinois; in 26, at Michigan and at Tenn.; in 2o28, at Mich. State and at Iowa, etc., etc.!!

And whom did Western Michigan, and its fans, get to play, and see, AT HOME in such seasons?  Well, how do teams like Bethune cookman, Monmouth, Rhode Island, etc., float your boat Herd Fans??  Can you see MU's Kelly Green clad Fan Base getting excited and "packing the JOAN", when such "mighty" foes come to Huntington???

[BigJimslade]

Since landing the game at Georgia, have been wondering what other possible game or games AD Spears has been working on!

Looking over the future schedules of some D1 "Major" Schools not all that far from MU and Huntington, can't help but wonder if Spears has approached ACC school, Wake Forest, about a possible game(s)?

I note that both schools need a game in 2026 and both have vacancies on their 2029 schedules.  MU needs another home game in 26, and Wake already has 2 home games plus a road game at Purdue.  Would they come to Huntington in 26 with a return game at Winston-Salem in 29?  I note that they are not against playing a bunch of G5 teams plus FCS schools in OOC play, as they have teams like Louisiana, Army, Akron, ECU, UConn, etc. ALREADY scheduled in the next few seasons!!! Would think that the fact that MU is known to travel WELL, bringing a lot of fans, would be a plus for a school like Wake, given our relative proximity and the fact that their Stadium is comparable in size to the JOAN!!

I would argue MU doesn?t travel nearly as well as it once did?
This Herd fans will travel thinking is not a factor.
Clearly it?s all about TV

[Tim Hensley]

Wake Forest has always been afraid to play us.  Even when Huntington native Jimmy Grobe was their coach, it never happened.  This fear dates back to the 'Forties when they had one of the best football teams in the country and they came in here and we beat them.

[Tim Hensley]

If there is ever a purging of schools by the big boys in these reconfigured conferences, Wake Forest would be among the first to go.  Sometime in the future, they may very well find themselves kicked back down to our level...

[coalherd]

MU is playing at GA in 2025, with a home game against Missouri State and another road game at Middle Tenn.  Probably not likely, but if AD Spears decided to forego another home game next year, Missouri, the SEC one, just cancelled one of their OOC games for 2025.  So, if MU doesn't want to bring in some "ho-hum" FCS foe to the JOAN next year, it could go for another big road payday ($$$$) in 2025 and try to get a game in Columbia, MO.