Well, it's not like it's holding them back. I just see it as having their schedule backwards from the ACC and Big Ten. Those programs have the tough games in-conference with a couple of tough non-con games and several easier non-con games. Akron has several easy conference games, a couple of somewhat diffiuclt conference games and a bunch of tough non-con games. As long as the top programs agree to play them, being in the MAC isn't a huge deal. But, if they ever have a down-year and need an automatic big to get in, they could be SOL since I don't think the MAC gets one any more.
They still barely do. Thank Florida Atlantic and Hartwick for that. That's right, FAU and Hartwick, who are nowhere near the MAC in any other sport.
Does the ACC have non-member schools "in" the conference in any other non-revenue sports? Because if ever a school would be a perfect fit to join ACC soccer, it'd be Akron. Sure, the road games would be a little far, but no farther - and in some cases closer - than BC. And for Akron they're closer than Boca Raton. Another non-Akron idea I'd like to see would be dropping almost all the non-con games and just playing a double round-robin. The kids - and the fans - would benefit far more from playing each other than for Virginia to play Liberty or or Maryland playing Mount St. Mary's or whatever. A double RR would still leave 2-4 games, depending on how many exhibitions a team plays, for select non-con games but otherwise the focus would be just on playing each other. All the teams would likely end up with a few more losses but their RPI would also likely be sky high.
If the ACC went to RR play it would eliminate the the Quality inter regional games like Akron-NC, Do you really think Elmar would schedule anything other then true cupcakes for non-con games if he had to go through the ACC twice? It might make play for the ACC better but would definitely make the College game worse.
No because it eliminates 8 nonconference games for each ACC school in which those other teams get the opportunity to match themselves against an ACC school, with less opportunities how are those other teams going to up their games? My son plays at a non ACC school who annually plays 3 games against the ACC, they look forward to the opportunity to test themselves against the higher level of competition. With only 18 regular season games, that only leaves 2 Non-conference games, less opportunities for mid-level programs to play them, it eliminates any interesting Inter regional games. The ACC coaches aren't going to be scheduling Akron, Indiana,SLU, UCLA, Tulsa etc. with only 2 non con games. They are going to schedule teams in the bottom 1/4 of the RPI who are willing to play on the road. Now if the NCAA would expand the season to say 24 games it might work but thats not going to happen. Fortunately this concept is only a BS pipe dream. I doubt the Coaches or AD's have any desire to do this
BC scored on a PK and really needs to find some offensive threats. They had Rugg as the lone striker all night so it was 1 vs 4 all night! BC's midfield and defense was solid throughout though.
NC State dominated UNC in the 2nd half. I havent been impressed by the heels, they look great on paper. There defense has huge lapses at times. Midfield and Strikers dont seem to be connecting. If you can't dominate NC State than you have problems.
Heels lost Billy Schuler for the season. Shoulder injury in the Seton Hall game. That hurts a lot. Injuries can kill a season. Thats two starters gone. Now they have to put Eddie up top. Which changes the defense. Crappy luck just like last season. Billy is a game changer.
Wow. I was beginning to worry, albeit prematurely and for no other reason than it has plagued UNC in the past, that goal scoring might be problem this year. With Schuler joining Brown on the sidelines maybe it could become a legitimate problem.
Virginia Tech gets off the schneid with a 7-2 win over Howard. (Robert Alberti with a hattie.) Virginia beat Marist 2-0 Maryland beat Loyola 3-0. Duke beat George Washington 4-0. (Ryan Finley with a hattie – in a FOUR minute span!, per matchtracker) Boston College-Fairfield are tied at 0 heading to OT.
Man, talk about having a team's number. That's not as impressive a result as last year, given all of Wake's personel losses, but still a damn good result for Charlotte. Meanwhile, BC's scoring problems continue as they finish their game with Fairfield scoreless after OT. Despite putting up 17 shots, only 6 required a save. The Eagles haven't scored from the run of play since the 41st minute of the first half of the season opener against Hartford. They didn't score in the second half against the Hawks, only got a PK goal in both a win over Quinnipiac and a tie with Maryland and didn't score at all tonight. Given how they finished last year, I fully expected the Eagles offense to be much more productive. Anyone know the reasons for the scoring woes?