The news Monday that Old Dominion has pulled out of its football game at Charlotte in 2014 seems to have reignited discussion about the chances of the 49ers and Appalachian State establishing a series, possibly beginning in 2014 in the scheduling spot left open by the Monarchs' departure.
It's a rivalry that makes too much sense not to happen. And it will. It's just a matter of when, not if.
Charlotte 49ers athletics director Judy Rose told me recently that the two schools continue to discuss scheduling a football series. Mountaineers spokesman Mike Flynn told me Monday that Appalachian athletics director Charlie Cobb and football coach Scott Satterfield would love to play Charlotte and that 2014 wouldn't be too soon.
Here are a few factors, as they relate to a potential 2014 game and any others in the future:
-- Appalachian, which moves up to the FBS Sun Belt Conference in 2014, has just two of four nonconference games scheduled for that season now -- at Michigan and at home against FCS Campbell. The Mountaineers need another nonconference home game that season against an FBS team and the 49ers wouldn't fill that need anyway since they will still be an FCS program then. So the Mountaineers theoretically could come to Charlotte.
Could it be in Boone? Charlotte obviously would hesitate to give up a home game: losing the ODU game leaves the 49ers with five at Richardson Stadium (Johnson C. Smith, Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, Wesley College, Morehead State).
-- One potential problem, though, is the Oct. 25 date, which presumably will be right in the middle of the Sun Belt's conference schedule. That probably could be worked around, though, right?
-- Another factor working against a 2014 game might be whether Charlotte feels it's yet ready to compete with Appalachian on the field that quickly after starting its program in 2013. But with games already scheduled that season against established BCS programs from the Big South (Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb and Coastal Carolina) and the Southern Conference (The Citadel, Western Carolina and Elon) -- not to mention Old Dominion before it backed out -- the 49ers have already made a statement that they are.
-- What about other years? Charlotte's nonconference schedules are almost completely set through 2016. Charlotte has just one available schedule slot now in 2014 and one non-Conference USA opening in 2015. The 49ers' nonconference schedule is full in 2016. All those schedules, though, are subject to change.
Aside from the 2014 games against Michigan and Campbell, the Mountaineers have no nonconference games set past 2013.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
49ers vs. Appalachian? It'll happen -- sometime
"Down the road, we will play them," said Rose. "We’re in discussions with them. They’d like it to be a longer-team arrangement, and we’re not willing to do that, because we just don’t know what our conference schedules are going to be like. We’ve got to be careful in how far out we schedule."
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31 comments:
"Charlotte 49ers athletics director Judy Rose told me recently that the two schools continue to discuss scheduling a football series."
Impossible! App fans continue to claim that Judy refuses to schedule them, and I believe them!
App fans are going to go nuts that you compared them the Citadel and Charleston Southern. I expect to see a series start in 2017 or 2018.
Not sure why App wants to play Charlotte so bad? From the moment Charlotte announced football, App fans claimed to be so far above Charlotte that it shouldn't be entertained.
Bring on the Hwy 49ers. I can see App playing @ Richardson in 2014 for a home-away-away deal.
Would we have to pay App to come to Jerry Richardson Stadium?
IF the game was played in Charlotte in 2014 (doubtful), App fans would outnumber UNCC fans in their own stadium. I don't think UNCC even has the seating capacity as it stands now for such a game.
Anon 1:42,
I don't think so. Charlotte would probably only provide APP with around 1500 tickets (at most) because the rest of the stadium's 13,500 seats will already be claimed by season ticket holders and students.
Watching the decline of App State Football is going to be fun. Sick of all the obnoxious bandwagon fans. You beat a bad Michigan team years ago and you still haven't shut up about it. Wait until you start losing watch that stadium empty.
^ That's a lot of talk from a team that has no history and has yet to play a down of football. For the record, nobody is bringing up Michigan here, only you. And since you brought it up, that Michigan team went on to beat a Tebow led Florida team in a BCS bowl game.
Wait until you win some games before you talk smack. Your stadium won't even fill up if you can't win, which is highly likely come 2015 when you get beaten up by the CUSA opponents. Charlotte is a huge fairweather city, and you get to experience it firsthand!
App fans calling anyone fairweather is hilarious. As soon as December hits you guys are decked out in baby blue. Even at the football games half of your student section is empty midway through the 3rd quarter.
Anon at 2:03...Don't have a dog in the fight here, as I'm a Gamecock.
Can you tell me though when the Capital One Bowl became a BCS game, since that's the game that Michigan beat Florida in.
Speculation about a future App State game is all well and good - but it kind of diverts attention away from the main story of Old Dominion canceling a game.
Didn't ODU inconvenience C-USA members by making last-minute emergency scheduling requests? Why are they now inconveniencing Charlotte with a cancellation? Did they realize they could get a nice payday with a BCS program due to the notoriety of the ODU QB? Are they compensating Charlotte?
Not that App is anywhere near what they once were, but I will point out that "weak" Michigan team beat Florida in a January 1 Citrus Bowl tilt. Charlotte doesn't even want App on an off year, much less when they are cranking on all cylinders.
Mark me down as a niner fan that wants to see a 2014 game happen.
We'd be pretty young and likely at a disadvantage, but it'd give our fanbase an idea of what big time football feels like. It'd be a damn near impossible ticket to get and the atmosphere would be incredible.
Even if we lost, it would be a win for the program IMO.
3:07,
To answer your questions about ODU canceling, it is being reported that they will have to pay us $60,000 as part of their contract with us. Seems like they wanted to be able to add more FBS opponents, since they will become FBS that season.
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/07/odu-cancels-2014-football-game-vs-charlotte
Bring it on. Charlotte needs to play more in-state rivals other than Davidson.
Yes. Charlotte is being compensated by ODU for this. I guess it is too much for David Scott to actually do some research and give us more information. If you want more info on this and an example of good coverage of sports by a local paper, check out odublitz.com.
Thanks 434 & 505.
They should replace the ODU crown with a scumbag steve hat. They have no problems asking for scheduling favors but when it comes to keeping a promise, it's all about what's best for them. They don't even have an opponent lined up yet, I don't think.
The comparison was UNCC to those schools. ASU will play a FCS game in Boone every year. Since UNCC has scheduled numerous FCS schools are saying they will be good enough to play at that level. A 2014 game would not be played in Charlotte. SunBelt doesn't allow its members to play at FCS schools. BTW,it will only be a big time environment if the game is played in Boone.
Now, I see why everybody is anonymous - too much trouble to go back and sign in. That said - I'm an App Alum. All this mouthing is why we are taking over the title of most obnoxious fan base from long time title holder Ga. Southern. Shut up and let's play. I remember when people commented on loving to come to Boone because even though they got their tails spanked folks were polite and welcoming. All of you people out there running your traps on both sides need to hush and let your teams show us something. UNCC - You guys are the newbies and should probably expect to be beaten a good bit for the first few seasons. Why would you not? New team, new coaches, a school with no experience with football. You need to pack that flippin' stadium every game and support that team like your life depends on it. I will tell you that pre-Michigan I could walk up to every player after the games and they would recognize us because we were ALWAYS there until the team prayer was over and then we went to the field house - win or lose. Best years of App Football ever. The new facilities are nice. You can't really spend much time with the players anymore. Coach is gone. I'm not a fan of the step up to BCS. Enjoy these years while you have them. App fans - please act like you have some decorum and let the boys play the game. I love App more than most. I've been to every home game for years and years. I sat in the snow and sleet to watch our guys win AND lose. I never leave before it's over - no matter what. I bleed Black and Gold. My heart beats to the Mountaineer Band cadence. You don't have to be obnoxious to be a great fan. I hope UNCC grows a hugely successful program. Football in Charlotte will be fun. The only reason you don't want your opponents to be good is if you think you can't be better. So everybody HUSH and let's play some football!
Subbing App for ODU would be about even. oDU was going to be no picnic so scheduling us would be the same. But let's move it to Panthers Stadium . I think the fans of both schools would put 60,000 in that stadium. If it weren't for Charlotte my Apps would still be hoping for a regional conference. Judy we all know how much you are enjoying this especially after you stonewalled football at UNCC for years .
APP? Oh, that team that thinks beating a garbage Michigan squad is a lifetime achievement. hahahahahahaha. Stay in the Mountains while we take over the Western Carolinas.
Anon 9:22 PM, You hit the nail on the head. It's easy to see there are enough fans from both schools to put a dent in the carolina blue press coverage around here, and I'm looking forward to a possible rivalry with the Appys. Be it next year or 4 years from now, there's already heated dialogue between the two fan bases, and I think it could make for some incredibly fun Saturday afternoons here and up on the mountain!
I have a difficult time believing any 49er fan would want to give up a home game to travel to Boone. At least play an established FBS team if you give up a home game. App State has already said they will not play in Charlotte.
A rivalry with Appalachian State is a great way for the Niners to never develop into a full fledged program. Rivalries with a small time Sun Belt Conference team will do nothing but keep us small time too. I think that is Appalachian's goal.
The real story here is why did ODU throw your boys under the bus?? Makes me wonder why we..App State would want to play you period.
Touchdown Citadel!!
The funny thing here is the game can only be in Boone at the moment since UNCC's stadium that hasn't even hosted a down of football cannot logistically support the App State folks who would show up the watch the beating of the fledgling 49ers. Maybe in 2016 or 17 both teams would be on par with each other and worth the viewing for both sides, but there is no way the Niners would want to take on a App State team that early on.
11:47---you're an idiot. Charlotte can hold ~25,000 in its stadium with temp seating IF NEEDED. App currently plays multiple teams (SoCon) in stadiums holding less than 10,000. Get over yourself.
12:34, App State has NOT said they wouldn't play in Charlotte. In fact, quite the opposite is true.
You really think this game would be able to be played in the 49er stadium that hasn't hosted a down of football yet? Expandable to 25,000? What a mess it would be to hold the game in that little hole in the ground in Concord. Not enough seats as it is (you can estimate the App State crowd to be over 15,000 who would find a way to buy tickets, likely off 49er fans and PSLs looking to make a few bucks), maybe in a few years the game can be played there after your first CUSA losing season might be a good time. By then the helmets might be used, the uniforms washed, and the fans start to waver because football isn't new anymore.
Yeah App brings 15,000 people watching to watch a spring schrimage in Charlotte!
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