For the most part this is old news, as scheduling that last OOC game has been a frequent talking point here in the Dungeon since last year.
-UCF really did want a Power Five home game. Looking at the road games to South Carolina and Stanford, one might think UCF was aiming to schedule light for the final vacancy, but that was not the case.
-UCF was engaged with deep discussions with 3-4 schools for that date, so much so that they thought a deal was done and contracts were sent by UCF to be signed. They obviously never were. Boston College was the latest team rumored. Given the fact they already had 7 home games, plus an eighth game to be played at Fenway at Notre Dame, their coach was on board with dumping one of their two FCS games for a game at UCF. Their administration wasn't so keen. I see the ACC did go ahead and scheduled their FSU game for that Friday night, Sept. 18, but apparently before the ACC schedule came together that date would have been an option.
Last year, Syracuse had a contract on their desk for a home/home series, stalled, then suddenly inked the same deal with USF. They thought USF provided a better chance for a victory.
North Carolina, which scheduled two FCS teams in 2015, also rebuffed UCF's advances.
The rationale is always said that these teams are more interested in wins and becoming bowl eligible than schedule competitive games against a non-Power Five team.
-Given no Power Five team was willing to come to UCF in 2015, UCF thought they'd do the next best thing - schedule an instate FCS team that might sell a few tickets. Bethune-Cookman. Administration was on board for the small payday, just like they got last year, but their new head coach nixed the deal. He wasn't interested in a second FBS game. They already open the year at Miami. Playing at UCF would have only given them four games in Daytona Beach, though they always have the finale in the Citrus Bowl vs. FAMU.
-When BCU backed out of a verbal agreement several weeks ago, UCF reached out to what was described as "non-Power Five" team - the inclination I got was Sun Belt but I'm not positive - and offered them a home/home if they would come to UCF this year. They declined.
-Furman became available when the State of SC announced they were shutting down South Carolina State for two years. UCF was lucky they got them.
-UCF's goal is to host a Power Five team every year. That obviously won't happen in 2015, but at least there's USF and ECU. They do have Maryland scheduled to come to Orlando in 2016. I was told UCF hopes to sign agreements for other Power Five teams that would visit in 2017 and 2018. I wasn't given names, but teams that have long been rumored to be on the verge of signing contracts are Georgia Tech and Miami.
-As for this year's selection of ESPN weeknight primetime games, I'm still investigating how the selection process works. I will be asking the conference office in a few minutes. There's a thought that maybe other league schools thought UCF was being showcased too much, so the exposure should be spread around to other teams.
-tl; dr: UCF tried real hard to get a P5 home game for 2015, but nobody who had availability wanted to play UCF. BCU backed out. A lower tier FBS team wasn't interested, even when UCF made the generous offer of playing a home/home. UCF has Maryland coming next year, and hope to announce 2017/18 games soon (Miami or GT?). No answer yet on the ESPN TV scheduling, but there's a thought that maybe other AAC schools pressured the league to spread the exposure around.
-UCF really did want a Power Five home game. Looking at the road games to South Carolina and Stanford, one might think UCF was aiming to schedule light for the final vacancy, but that was not the case.
-UCF was engaged with deep discussions with 3-4 schools for that date, so much so that they thought a deal was done and contracts were sent by UCF to be signed. They obviously never were. Boston College was the latest team rumored. Given the fact they already had 7 home games, plus an eighth game to be played at Fenway at Notre Dame, their coach was on board with dumping one of their two FCS games for a game at UCF. Their administration wasn't so keen. I see the ACC did go ahead and scheduled their FSU game for that Friday night, Sept. 18, but apparently before the ACC schedule came together that date would have been an option.
Last year, Syracuse had a contract on their desk for a home/home series, stalled, then suddenly inked the same deal with USF. They thought USF provided a better chance for a victory.
North Carolina, which scheduled two FCS teams in 2015, also rebuffed UCF's advances.
The rationale is always said that these teams are more interested in wins and becoming bowl eligible than schedule competitive games against a non-Power Five team.
-Given no Power Five team was willing to come to UCF in 2015, UCF thought they'd do the next best thing - schedule an instate FCS team that might sell a few tickets. Bethune-Cookman. Administration was on board for the small payday, just like they got last year, but their new head coach nixed the deal. He wasn't interested in a second FBS game. They already open the year at Miami. Playing at UCF would have only given them four games in Daytona Beach, though they always have the finale in the Citrus Bowl vs. FAMU.
-When BCU backed out of a verbal agreement several weeks ago, UCF reached out to what was described as "non-Power Five" team - the inclination I got was Sun Belt but I'm not positive - and offered them a home/home if they would come to UCF this year. They declined.
-Furman became available when the State of SC announced they were shutting down South Carolina State for two years. UCF was lucky they got them.
-UCF's goal is to host a Power Five team every year. That obviously won't happen in 2015, but at least there's USF and ECU. They do have Maryland scheduled to come to Orlando in 2016. I was told UCF hopes to sign agreements for other Power Five teams that would visit in 2017 and 2018. I wasn't given names, but teams that have long been rumored to be on the verge of signing contracts are Georgia Tech and Miami.
-As for this year's selection of ESPN weeknight primetime games, I'm still investigating how the selection process works. I will be asking the conference office in a few minutes. There's a thought that maybe other league schools thought UCF was being showcased too much, so the exposure should be spread around to other teams.
-tl; dr: UCF tried real hard to get a P5 home game for 2015, but nobody who had availability wanted to play UCF. BCU backed out. A lower tier FBS team wasn't interested, even when UCF made the generous offer of playing a home/home. UCF has Maryland coming next year, and hope to announce 2017/18 games soon (Miami or GT?). No answer yet on the ESPN TV scheduling, but there's a thought that maybe other AAC schools pressured the league to spread the exposure around.
