[terry]

My non-conference scheduling principles would be:  play one traditionally strong opponent, one doormat, and one rotating winnable "wild card" from a good conference preferably in a recruiting hot-bet and/or interesting fan/alum destination.    As long as ND is on the schedule, I see no reason to load up with another traditional power.  SJSU fills the doormat role (though I would prefer a doormat without a "little brother" motivation).  Some candidates I would throw out for #3 would be Virginia, Miami, BC, SMU, Illinois, Hawaii. 

That's not too different from what we've been doing. The rotating third opponent has been North Carolina (1997-98), Texas (1999-00), Boston College (2001-02), BYU (2003-04), Navy (2005-06), TCU (2007-08), Wake Forest (2009-10), Duke (2011-12), Army (2013-14), Northwestern (2015-16), Virginia (2017-18), Northwestern (2019-22).

San Jose State is on the schedule through this year. It's not clear who will fill the "doormat" slot after that. We do have Rice on the schedule in 2016-17, probably in the doormat slot, though I think we have to travel to Rice for one of the games, which isn't ideal. The doormat game should always be a home game.

NotreDame is on the schedule through 2019.

It's not clear how BYU fits into the schedule in 2020 and later. I don't know whether BYU will replace NotreDame or San Jose State. They don't really fit in either category. . .

[terry]

My non-conference scheduling principles would be:  play one traditionally strong opponent, one doormat, and one rotating winnable "wild card" from a good conference preferably in a recruiting hot-bet and/or interesting fan/alum destination.    As long as ND is on the schedule, I see no reason to load up with another traditional power.  SJSU fills the doormat role (though I would prefer a doormat without a "little brother" motivation).  Some candidates I would throw out for #3 would be Virginia, Miami, BC, SMU, Illinois, Hawaii. 

That's not too different from what we've been doing. The rotating third opponent has been North Carolina (1997-98), Texas (1999-00), Boston College (2001-02), BYU (2003-04), Navy (2005-06), TCU (2007-08), Wake Forest (2009-10), Duke (2011-12), Army (2013-14), Northwestern (2015-16), Virginia (2017-18), Northwestern (2019-22).

San Jose State is on the schedule through this year. It's not clear who will fill the "doormat" slot after that. We do have Rice on the schedule in 2016-17, probably in the doormat slot, though I think we have to travel to Rice for one of the games, which isn't ideal. The doormat game should always be a home game.

NotreDame is on the schedule through 2019.

It's not clear how BYU fits into the schedule in 2020 and later. I don't know whether BYU will replace NotreDame or San Jose State. They don't really fit in either category. . .