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2022 OOC
Dec 14, 2021 14:25:50 GMT -5
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Post by cmo on Dec 14, 2021 14:25:50 GMT -5
Bucknell or Fordham at Polar Park ?
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Post by hchoops on Dec 14, 2021 15:10:56 GMT -5
Bucknell or Fordham at Polar Park ? October 8 vs Oct 29 |
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 14, 2021 15:11:17 GMT -5
The Polar Park game should sell out regardless of opponent. Important to keep that once a year tradition going to continue to rebuild a local following. Would rather have the evening game three weeks earlier vs Bucknell to be hopefully a few degrees warmer.
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 14, 2021 15:17:31 GMT -5
3 of our 5 home games in chilly Nov conditions - not ideal At least Buffalo, Colgate and Merrimack - three locations that can be colder than Worcester are all scheduled early. |
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Post by alum on Dec 14, 2021 15:30:38 GMT -5
A few days before the Villanova game, a very reliable source sent me the tentative schedule. I don't have exact dates, but I do have the order of games. The schedule I was sent was this: @ Merrimack @ Buffalo vs Yale @ Colgate @ Harvard vs Bucknell Bye @ Lafayette vs Fordham vs Lehigh vs Bryant @ Georgetown Based on this, I would guess Yale is likely Homecoming. I doubt a game is scheduled for Move-In weekend (Aug 28th), so Merrimack would likely be Sep 3rd. In that scenario, Yale would in fact be the 17th and Bucknell would be October 8th at the start of fall break. This is only a tentative schedule though, so it's subject to change. It must have taken some serious strategery  on your part to get this information. Well done. Playing in a league with only 7 teams, not having a natural rival, and having to deal with the students being off campus for two weekends in the middle of the season makes scheduling Homecoming and Family Weekends a bit tricky. I would suggest that HC combine them into one. Given our anemic (but better than many schools) attendance, it might make for a more festive atmosphere. |
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Post by bfoley82 on Dec 14, 2021 15:34:48 GMT -5
3 of our 5 home games in chilly Nov conditions - not ideal At least Buffalo, Colgate and Merrimack - three locations that can be colder than Worcester are all scheduled early. Merrimack colder than Worcester??? |
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 14, 2021 15:41:08 GMT -5
At least Buffalo, Colgate and Merrimack - three locations that can be colder than Worcester are all scheduled early. Merrimack colder than Worcester??? You've been to both, you are the expert, but it's north of Worcester. I never heard of a Gulf stream or trade winds going through the Merrimack Valley making it warmer than Worcester. |
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Post by bfoley82 on Dec 14, 2021 16:45:39 GMT -5
Merrimack colder than Worcester??? You've been to both, you are the expert, but it's north of Worcester. I never heard of a Gulf stream or trade winds going through the Merrimack Valley making it warmer than Worcester. It is about the same in both...Worcester is in the hills too. Andover right now is 44 degrees and Worcester is a balmy 45 ;-) |
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Post by thecrossisback on Dec 14, 2021 21:00:04 GMT -5
As long as we have Merrimack and Bryant.......let's GOOOOOO Have a clue. Who do you want to play? All FBS teams will that make you happy? |
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 14, 2021 23:22:34 GMT -5
These aren't your father's D-2 Merrimack and Bryant football teams. We got stung by a grad transfer QB for Merrimack this year. Sure I'd rather play URI and UNH instead but we probably couldn't get them or perhaps they wanted a two and one home/away series in their favor and if we are going to play an FBS game each year we can't agree to that or Fitton will get cobwebs.
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Post by matunuck on Dec 15, 2021 7:50:56 GMT -5
At least Buffalo, Colgate and Merrimack - three locations that can be colder than Worcester are all scheduled early. Merrimack colder than Worcester??? Due to elevation and its location farther inland, Worcester averages slightly lower winter temps than North Andover. |
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2022 OOC
Dec 15, 2021 8:12:33 GMT -5
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 15, 2021 8:12:33 GMT -5
Merrimack colder than Worcester??? Due to elevation and its location farther inland, Worcester averages slightly lower winter temps than North Andover. Always sunny in Philadelphia, always chilly in Worcester. How about Buffalo and Hamilton, NY? |
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Post by cruskater31 on Dec 15, 2021 8:18:37 GMT -5
Good sleuthing and with the NEC on the upswing with grad transfers, not a weak schedule. Would like to fill it out with a CAA team or maybe UMass or UConn if either of their new coaches wants to drop a tough game against a P-5 team like Willard cancelled Duke(?) when he arrived. I assume the fall break is necessary or else the student counseling center would be overwhelmed. Just too grueling to go straight through to Thanksgiving with only Columbus Day and Veterans Day long weekends.🙂 And Labor Day! Nothing like having move-in day followed by a short week and Labor Day. I think they instituted the Fall break a few years after I departed Mount Saint James, however, it wrecks havoc on fan attendance! I would not mind seeing some CAA squads like URI, SB, Nova, and Albany on the OOC schedule in the future. |
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Post by matunuck on Dec 15, 2021 8:20:11 GMT -5
Due to elevation and its location farther inland, Worcester averages slightly lower winter temps than North Andover. Always sunny in Philadelphia, always chilly in Worcester. How about Buffalo and Hamilton, NY? Caribou, Maine colder than all the above.  |
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Post by cruskater31 on Dec 15, 2021 8:22:03 GMT -5
I think the NEC is on the rise and both Merrimack and Bryant should be winnable games with a good level of competition. We have to win games and win our league, but it is hard to get an at-large or a seed and a bye with two NEC teams. What do you folks think is the next step in our "progression?" Win two playoff games? Get a seed and a bye and win that home game? Go to the quarters or semis?
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Post by HC92 on Dec 15, 2021 8:25:40 GMT -5
I think the NEC is on the rise and both Merrimack and Bryant should be winnable games with a good level of competition. We have to win games and win our league, but it is hard to get an at-large or a seed and a bye with two NEC teams. What do you folks think is the next step in our "progression?" Win two playoff games? Get a seed and a bye and win that home game? Go to the quarters or semis? I think getting to the quarters is probably a reasonable goal and maybe the last one. Getting to the semis or finals is possible but really hard given some of our differences to places like NDSU, SHSU, etc. This coming season may be our best shot for a few years. |
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2022 OOC
Dec 15, 2021 8:29:44 GMT -5
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 15, 2021 8:29:44 GMT -5
A seed and a bye and win at least our first game. We played with Villanova who had a seed and a bye. Just have to avoid let downs like against Merrimack this year. On the other hand, with our super seniors will there ever be a better year for HC to go all the way?
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Post by thecrossisback on Dec 15, 2021 8:50:51 GMT -5
A seed and a bye and win at least our first game. We played with Villanova who had a seed and a bye. Just have to avoid let downs like against Merrimack this year. On the other hand, with our super seniors will there ever be a better year for HC to go all the way? You have to expect 1 let down during the year. How many teams have perfect seasons? |
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Post by hcpride on Dec 15, 2021 9:05:22 GMT -5
I think the NEC is on the rise and both Merrimack and Bryant should be winnable games with a good level of competition. We have to win games and win our league, but it is hard to get an at-large or a seed and a bye with two NEC teams. What do you folks think is the next step in our "progression?" Win two playoff games? Get a seed and a bye and win that home game? Go to the quarters or semis? I think getting to the quarters is probably a reasonable goal and maybe the last one. Getting to the semis or finals is possible but really hard given some of our differences to places like NDSU, SHSU, etc. This coming season may be our best shot for a few years. Having two NEC opponents (v two CAA opponents) certainly helps our odds at running the FCS regular season table. No disrespect to the NEC (I saw Merrimack beat us and SHU lead us till the very last seconds). At the same time, if we dream of a first round bye i think I'd rather see two CAA teams on the schedule. I definitely agree that essentially duplicating what Nova did this year in the playoffs (first round bye or win, second round win) is a worthy HC goal - and sustaining that level over the years. Maybe things break right with a couple of blue chippers/ future NFLers someday and we break thru to another round. By blue chipper/NFLer I mean landing a few kids who just don't belong in PL football or a few kids that really really develop - or more likely a combination thereof. |
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2022 OOC
Dec 15, 2021 9:07:20 GMT -5
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Post by longsuffering on Dec 15, 2021 9:07:20 GMT -5
A seed and a bye and win at least our first game. We played with Villanova who had a seed and a bye. Just have to avoid let downs like against Merrimack this year. On the other hand, with our super seniors will there ever be a better year for HC to go all the way? You have to expect 1 let down during the year. How many teams have perfect seasons? 1987 and 1991. |
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2022 OOC
Dec 15, 2021 13:04:12 GMT -5
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Post by bfoley82 on Dec 15, 2021 13:04:12 GMT -5
I think getting to the quarters is probably a reasonable goal and maybe the last one. Getting to the semis or finals is possible but really hard given some of our differences to places like NDSU, SHSU, etc. This coming season may be our best shot for a few years. Having two NEC opponents (v two CAA opponents) certainly helps our odds at running the FCS regular season table. No disrespect to the NEC (I saw Merrimack beat us and SHU lead us till the very last seconds). At the same time, if we dream of a first round bye i think I'd rather see two CAA teams on the schedule. I definitely agree that essentially duplicating what Nova did this year in the playoffs (first round bye or win, second round win) is a worthy HC goal - and sustaining that level over the years. Maybe things break right with a couple of blue chippers/ future NFLers someday and we break thru to another round. By blue chipper/NFLer I mean landing a few kids who just don't belong in PL football or a few kids that really really develop - or more likely a combination thereof. Jackson State just signed the number 1 recruit in the nation so I guess no excuse for HC anymore right? |
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Post by hcpride on Dec 15, 2021 13:34:05 GMT -5
Having two NEC opponents (v two CAA opponents) certainly helps our odds at running the FCS regular season table. No disrespect to the NEC (I saw Merrimack beat us and SHU lead us till the very last seconds). At the same time, if we dream of a first round bye i think I'd rather see two CAA teams on the schedule. I definitely agree that essentially duplicating what Nova did this year in the playoffs (first round bye or win, second round win) is a worthy HC goal - and sustaining that level over the years. Maybe things break right with a couple of blue chippers/ future NFLers someday and we break thru to another round. By blue chipper/NFLer I mean landing a few kids who just don't belong in PL football or a few kids that really really develop - or more likely a combination thereof. Jackson State just signed the number 1 recruit in the nation so I guess no excuse for HC anymore right? LOL,. I'm thinking back to the '83 playoff team (bye in round 1, lost in round 2) when we had a QB stolen from BC (Muldoon), a guy who developed into legit pro material (Kozerski), and a running back who really did not belong v much of our I-AA competition (Finnerty). Plus an overall very strong 1-AA team. |
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Dec 15, 2021 13:44:58 GMT -5
I am aware that Holy Cross lost to Merrimack this year. Setting that aside, here is what the betting lines might be for next year's OOC games, using this year's Sagarin ratings
HC (20) @ Merrimack
HC +13 @ Buffalo
HC (4) vs Yale
HC +8 @ Harvard
HC(18) vs Bryant
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Post by thecrossisback on Dec 15, 2021 13:46:21 GMT -5
Having two NEC opponents (v two CAA opponents) certainly helps our odds at running the FCS regular season table. No disrespect to the NEC (I saw Merrimack beat us and SHU lead us till the very last seconds). At the same time, if we dream of a first round bye i think I'd rather see two CAA teams on the schedule. I definitely agree that essentially duplicating what Nova did this year in the playoffs (first round bye or win, second round win) is a worthy HC goal - and sustaining that level over the years. Maybe things break right with a couple of blue chippers/ future NFLers someday and we break thru to another round. By blue chipper/NFLer I mean landing a few kids who just don't belong in PL football or a few kids that really really develop - or more likely a combination thereof. Jackson State just signed the number 1 recruit in the nation so I guess no excuse for HC anymore right? Ok big deal. Jackson State is irrelevant in college football. They don't even play in the FCS playoffs. If they want to move up go ahead. Holy Cross would bury them. They are not that good. Just because star recruits we will see what his production is. I hope he does well. |
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2022 OOC
Dec 15, 2021 14:03:15 GMT -5
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Post by bfoley82 on Dec 15, 2021 14:03:15 GMT -5
Jackson State just signed the number 1 recruit in the nation so I guess no excuse for HC anymore right? Ok big deal. Jackson State is irrelevant in college football. They don't even play in the FCS playoffs. If they want to move up go ahead. Holy Cross would bury them. They are not that good. Just because star recruits we will see what his production is. I hope he does well. They are getting a ton of PR today on social media as Deion is getting credited for this. |
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on your part to get this information. Well done.
