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troystfan
05-18-2005, 12:20 PM
Hope this deal actually works out. Congrats to MTSU if it does.

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Virginia visiting MTSU in 2007
Blue Raider to play Cavalier at Floyd Stadium

By ADAM SPARKS
sparks@dnj.com
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It appears new athletic director Chris Massaro has kept his promise to MTSU fans, and then some.

MTSU will play host to Virginia at Floyd Stadium in a 2007 home football game, according to sources close to the situation.

Those sources say no contract has officially been signed but that the two teams have reached a verbal agreement to play the game in either September or October of 2007.

Massaro could not be reached for comment.

However, his remarks to The Daily News Journal last week, perhaps, hinted at his intentions.

"It is important we bring quality opponents to Murfreesboro," Massaro said Saturday. "It lends value to our corporate sponsors, season-ticket holders, suite holders, students and the residents of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County."

With the addition of Virginia in 2007, the Blue Raiders will entertain their three highest-profile home opponents in program history in consecutive years.

MTSU will play Louisville at The Coliseum in Nashville for a home game in 2006, and Maryland will visit Floyd Stadium in 2008.

The home meeting with Virginia is apparently part of the obvious upside after the Blue Raiders were scratched from Temple's 2005 football schedule, and North Carolina State, likewise, was dropped by the Owls.

MTSU will visit N.C. State Nov. 19 of the upcoming season, receiving only $150,000 for the trip. However, a visit to Murfreesboro from ACC power Virginia would certainly serve as compensation.

Virginia went 8-4 last season, finishing in the top 20.

Massaro has also considered waiving the $100,000 buyout owed MTSU by Temple in exchange for a home-and-home basketball series with the Owls as part of the scheduling pact between the Blue Raiders, ACC and MAC, the league Temple is joining.

Meanwhile, MTSU football will kick off its 2005 season at Alabama Sept. 3, followed by home dates against four-time Sun Belt champion North Texas (Sept. 10) and MAC member Akron (Sept. 17). The Blue Raiders will also renew their rivalry with SEC neighbor Vanderbilt on Oct. 1.


Originally published May 18, 2005

http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050518/SPORTS/505180312/1006
TrojanWar
05-18-2005, 12:30 PM
That's what I call aggressive scheduling well in advance. I hope our administration is taking note and learning a few things from MTSU. I know some of this was a matter of circumstance, but getting Virginia and Maryland to come to Murfreesboro in consecutive years is amazing!
TroyTrojanMan
05-18-2005, 02:14 PM
And the same thing will happen to them. If they beat Virgina,Maryland will buy out their contract. Just like we had Missouri and Iowa State coming in back to back years.
TrojanWar
05-18-2005, 07:33 PM
True, but tradionally Virginia and Maryland are better in football than Mizzou and Iowa State. ISU is historically one of the worst D1A football programs, minus the years when Seneca Wallace was there. Mizzou is not all that great either. They have years where they sneak up on a big team and win, but a losing season is the norm. They have been better the last few years with Brad Smith at QB. Virginia is a good program most of the time, and over the last 5-10 years, Maryland has become a serious football power. I just think it is great that MTSU was able to bring in two heavy-weight programs in consecutive years. I hope Troy is able to do the same in the near future.
tsufl
05-18-2005, 10:58 PM
That's what I call aggressive scheduling well in advance. I hope our administration is taking note and learning a few things from MTSU. I know some of this was a matter of circumstance, but getting Virginia and Maryland to come to Murfreesboro in consecutive years is amazing!

taking notes?
Marshall, Mizzu, both came to Troy and ISU was supposed to. get your head out of your ass. our admin does a helluva job scheduling games. The only set back was possibly the sched. of a 1st game for next season but that falls on ISU for buying out so late. And much like ISU did the Terps and UVA can but out of the games with MTSU. I hope they dont though having those two come to MTSU is huge for their program and makes the SunBelt look even better.
TrojanWar
05-19-2005, 09:08 AM
Taking notes?
Marshall, Mizzu, both came to Troy and ISU was supposed to. get your head out of your ass. our admin does a helluva job scheduling games.

OK, head is now out of ass. Guess what, I still feel the same way! Our administration is reactive, not proactive in scheduling lately. I'm glad we are playing the big boys over the next few years, but all of those games are on the road. We need more home games like Mizzou. I think some of our conference games are better games at MGVS than ISU would have been. My point is, if MTSU can schedule Virginia and Maryland at home in back to back years, we should be able to do the same. Georgia Tech would have been the perfect example. Why could we not work out a 2 for 1 with them?
BMarkey
05-19-2005, 09:43 AM
Iowa (chicken s$!t) State bailed out a year ahead of time. Troy had a year to find a respectable replacement and failed.
tsufl
05-19-2005, 12:05 PM
Iowa (chicken s$!t) State bailed out a year ahead of time. Troy had a year to find a respectable replacement and failed.
a year really isnt enough time to find a game. There is much more to playig a game than calling a school and saying "wanna play?" Most schools early games are set YEARS in advance, just look at UF they have the next 3 or 4 years of schedules already in place. I am disapointed that we didnt get a better game, but it is a home game and Im not going to complain about that. The admin. did everything they could to replace a home game with a home game. Which was very difficult as it was.
TroyTrojanMan
05-19-2005, 01:49 PM
I really do not think people understand how hard it is to schedule a game, even and away game. Like TSUFL said most schools are booked years a head of time. Like we were this time last year we already had the 2005 schedule ready to go. Its not like they can call up a school and say we want you to come to our house, and play in our stadium where we have yet to lose since its been renovated. The better Troy gets the harder it will to be to schedule. And guys 2008 is a long time away when Virginal is going to visit. There is no signed contracted yet. Just like Temple bought out, Iowa State bought out, couples years ago we bought out of Ole Miss to play Nebraska there is no 100% guarantee that Virginal is coming to MTSU. Stop blaming the administration so much. Five years ago we would just be fighting to get to the national championship game in 1-AA to play on National TV. Now we find reason to complain because we are on ESPN + or 2. We play Cal Poly the first game of the year. Our 2,3,4,5 games of the year are going to be rough, we are going to have a very young team starting a new QB. Maybe Cal Poly game is a good thing we can see what we have before we Play UAB and get some confidence.
TrojanWar
05-19-2005, 02:52 PM
You are right, schedules are made years in advance. For some reason, we keep getting our schedule shafted over and over again. And since the schedules are made so far in advance, who is the next BCS school scheduled to play at MGVS? As far as I know, we don't have any verbally committed for any year. Now, if we can't blame the administration, who should we blame? College football is a business, and it has to be run like a business. I just think if MTSU can do it, so can we.