[CrazedZooChimp]

I hate, Hate, HATE series with perennial football also-rans like Duke, Rice, Tulane or Vanderbilt for this reason: there is no upside. Lose and they can claim a recruiting advantage when they really have no ability to claim one right now.

Northwestern is definitely a step above that list. Fortunately, their program seems on a pretty firm foundation with Fitzgerald, but I don't think it's wise to play them more than a few years in a row (they have more potential to be crappy than, say, Michigan State).

You know a lot of football schools could say the same thing about us, right?  I mean, 4 years ago we were worse than Northwestern is.

I also would be wary thinking of Vandy as a weak football school, I seem to recall seeing quotes from their coaches saying they're basically modelling themselves after our recent re-surgence, they play in the best conference in the country, and they came damn close to beating several highly respected SEC teams last year (their losses to Georgia, Arkansas and Florida were all by less than a touchdown, and they lost to Tennessee in OT).  I could see them getting steadily better in the near future, and getting more of those bright Southern recruits we've been snagging lately.

It should also be noted that teams like 'Bama or tOSU don't like to schedule home-and-homes, especially not with teams on the West Coast.  It's not as easy as just saying "we should play a football power!"

Anyway, I'm happy to be playing Northwestern, as Chicago is one of my favorite cities to visit (particularly in September).  And since the Notre Dame series isn't currently set to continue into the second half of the decade, I'd be happy to just replace them with NW...

[CrazedZooChimp]

I hate, Hate, HATE series with perennial football also-rans like Duke, Rice, Tulane or Vanderbilt for this reason: there is no upside. Lose and they can claim a recruiting advantage when they really have no ability to claim one right now.

Northwestern is definitely a step above that list. Fortunately, their program seems on a pretty firm foundation with Fitzgerald, but I don't think it's wise to play them more than a few years in a row (they have more potential to be crappy than, say, Michigan State).

You know a lot of football schools could say the same thing about us, right?  I mean, 4 years ago we were worse than Northwestern is.

I also would be wary thinking of Vandy as a weak football school, I seem to recall seeing quotes from their coaches saying they're basically modelling themselves after our recent re-surgence, they play in the best conference in the country, and they came damn close to beating several highly respected SEC teams last year (their losses to Georgia, Arkansas and Florida were all by less than a touchdown, and they lost to Tennessee in OT).  I could see them getting steadily better in the near future, and getting more of those bright Southern recruits we've been snagging lately.

It should also be noted that teams like 'Bama or tOSU don't like to schedule home-and-homes, especially not with teams on the West Coast.  It's not as easy as just saying "we should play a football power!"

Anyway, I'm happy to be playing Northwestern, as Chicago is one of my favorite cities to visit (particularly in September).  And since the Notre Dame series isn't currently set to continue into the second half of the decade, I'd be happy to just replace them with NW...