What year did we actually make the decision to add USM to our schedule?

[blacklistedbully]

These things are typically done years in advance. GB responsible for this?

I ask because we get a lot of crap thrown our way for scheduling this crappy team, yet weren't they just coming off their best season in history (or close to it) when we made the move? We know they were 12-2 and #20 in the nation in 2011, then 2 seasons later we were playing them.

Was it a case of us scheduling them when they were a quality opponent, just to see them take that unprecedented nose-dive?

[Really Clark?]

Sept 2009 is when the two sides announced the agreement.

[Bothrops]

I thought it was 2011, but I remember USM finished like #25 that year.

[MidTNDawg]

It was Greg Byrne who scheduled them.

[Really Clark?]

No it was 2009 and they had just come off a 7-6 year and finished 2009 season 7-6. 2011 was the year they finished so high but we had already scheduled the series prior.

[Todd4State]

These things are typically done years in advance. GB responsible for this?

I ask because we get a lot of crap thrown our way for scheduling this crappy team, yet weren't they just coming off their best season in history (or close to it) when we made the move? We know they were 12-2 and #20 in the nation in 2011, then 2 seasons later we were playing them.

Was it a case of us scheduling them when they were a quality opponent, just to see them take that unprecedented nose-dive?

Pretty much. They were 7-6 the year we scheduled them, but they were a perennial bowl team at that time and then as someone else said won 12 games after we scheduled them in 2011. What happened to their program was beyond our control.

[Liverpooldawg]

We get nothing for playing them whatsoever. It's a no win situation for us even if they ARE good. They would still be USM. If we beat them we get blasted for even playing them. If we lose it's what's wrong with us, an SEC team, losing to a nobody from CUSA (even if they are ranked). It really isn't fair to us or them but that is the way it is and always has been. Any AD of ours that schedules a game with them needs to be fired. I said that when Byrne did it.

[Todd4State]

We get nothing for playing them whatsoever. It's a no win situation for us even if they ARE good. They would still be USM. If we beat them we get blasted for even playing them. If we lose it's what's wrong with us, an SEC team, losing to a nobody from CUSA (even if they are ranked). It really isn't fair to us or them but that is the way it is and always has been. Any AD of ours that schedules a game with them needs to be fired. I said that when Byrne did it.

We used to get blasted for not playing them because we were "scared". The best thing we could do is blow them out again- we take care of business and then move forward. And then gain complete unquestioned control of south Mississippi and the Gulf Coast- which we already have.

At the same time, we have to quit worrying about what other people are "saying" about us and kick ass- we played USM last year and that didn't stop us from getting to number one in the polls.

[War Machine Dawg]

It was done in '09 as a favor for then presumptive, now sitting Governor Phil Bryant. He's a Mustard Buzzard and wanted the game to happen. It was a political favor. We should never have done it and we should never do it aGAIN. Look no further than the ticket shenanigans. But it's done, so we might as well whip that ass just as badly as we can on Saturday. Then never...ever...EVER.....play them aGAIN. They'll drop down to D-IAA or D-II soon enough.

[Jack Lambert]

We get nothing for playing them whatsoever. It's a no win situation for us even if they ARE good. They would still be USM. If we beat them we get blasted for even playing them. If we lose it's what's wrong with us, an SEC team, losing to a nobody from CUSA (even if they are ranked). It really isn't fair to us or them but that is the way it is and always has been. Any AD of ours that schedules a game with them needs to be fired. I said that when Byrne did it.

You would think we would get them to shut their mouths but I doubt it.

[Johnson85]

We should never have done it and we should never do it aGAIN.

We probably were right to do it, and if Bryant called Keenum tomorrow and said "I'm looking for some input on my next appointment(s) to the IHL, but before we get into that, when do you think you'll schedule another home and home with USM?", we probably would, and should, do it again.

Not sure if Bryant really cared that much or if he put any pressure on us the first time, but if he did, it's probably best to accommodate him. I do think now that we've given a home and home, we should be able to reasonably holdout for a 2 for 1 in the future.

[Maroonthirteen]

We get nothing for playing them whatsoever. It's a no win situation for us even if they ARE good. They would still be USM. If we beat them we get blasted for even playing them. If we lose it's what's wrong with us, an SEC team, losing to a nobody from CUSA (even if they are ranked). It really isn't fair to us or them but that is the way it is and always has been. Any AD of ours that schedules a game with them needs to be fired. I said that when Byrne did it.

I agree that it is a no win situation for us. However, college football is about entertainment (and making ESPN and the school a lot of money). Opening with USM, Memphis, Tulane and UAB is much MUCH more interesting than opening with NW State or JSU or Alcorn State.

[blacklistedbully]

We get nothing for playing them whatsoever. It's a no win situation for us even if they ARE good. They would still be USM. If we beat them we get blasted for even playing them. If we lose it's what's wrong with us, an SEC team, losing to a nobody from CUSA (even if they are ranked). It really isn't fair to us or them but that is the way it is and always has been. Any AD of ours that schedules a game with them needs to be fired. I said that when Byrne did it.

We get to play an away game versus a D1 team that is a short bus-ride away, and allows for good MSU support. As others have said, by whipping them we solidify our recruiting position in South Mississippi.

Untll very recently they were one of the more solid non-P5 teams out there. That USM would not have been a bad knock on our schedule any more than Houston was in 2009.