The official 2025-2026 Schedule Thread

[Old Ram]

I'd take American and Howard over those 2 and hope for an attendance bump up;
or UMBC,
or Morgan State or Coppin State or Loyola-Maryland

Last Catawba game was played in the RAC

We are playing Loyola- Maryland.

 

[jkh1978]

I had not heard of Catawba but they were an at large for playoffs last year.

 

[tblack33]

Just one, Catawba. The other is an exhibition.

Technically all non D1 games are exhibitions so it’s a distinction without a difference.

 

[Portlandian]

Catawba drinks a vodka drink. He drinks a lager drink. He drinks a cider drink. He sings the songs that remind him of the good times. He sings the songs that remind him of the better times

 

[Jack Strop]

Catawba drinks a vodka drink. He drinks a lager drink. He drinks a cider drink. He sings the songs that remind him of the good times. He sings the songs that remind him of the better times

Why does this sound like a tune
from Barry Manilow?

 

[Mason2006Patriot]

Cant wait for Nov 3rd! lets beat Wofford!

 

[Old Man]

Catawba drinks a vodka drink. He drinks a lager drink. He drinks a cider drink. He sings the songs that remind him of the good times. He sings the songs that remind him of the better times

Why does this sound like a tune
from Barry Manilow?

That's Chumbawamba not Catawba, and I fully understand the confusion. But I do agree that Barry Manilow does write some songs. Even ones the whole world sings.

 

[jkh1978]

Technically all non D1 games are exhibitions so it’s a distinction without a difference.

NCAA votes to increase college basketball schedules to 32-game season beginning in 2026-27

The move is being done to encourage even more high-profile nonconference games in November, December ... and January and February

www.cbssports.com

The 32-game limit will include all games, meaning contests against non-Division I opponents also count toward the total.

 

[tblack33]

NCAA votes to increase college basketball schedules to 32-game season beginning in 2026-27

The move is being done to encourage even more high-profile nonconference games in November, December ... and January and February

www.cbssports.com

The 32-game limit will include all games, meaning contests against non-Division I opponents also count toward the total.

Beginning next season.

 

[2011WinOverVillanova]

Beginning next season.

Not good news for us if we struggle year after year to make a schedule without Catawba.

 

[Verdad]

The players' era event is an awesome idea - college wrestling does something very similar with their mid season tournaments (Midlands, Southern Scuffle, etc.) that equate to a mini-ncaa tournament. Provides really good competition opportunities for the top athletes that can help them increase their NCAA tournament seeding/at-large profiles.

Edit - though I can't help but to think this is a way for the high majors to avoid playing mids like us in MTE's and it will be very hard for us or our peers to get into the future 32 team field.

 

[GMUgemini]

That’s exactly what is happening with that MTE. The only reason Joes was even in that tournament is because Lange was friends with one of the organizers (which is why that contract rider was in there in the first place).

 

[Verdad]

That’s exactly what is happening with that MTE. The only reason Joes was even in that tournament is because Lange was friends with one of the organizers (which is why that contract rider was in there in the first place).

All the more reason to bring back the bracket busters - bracketed event in the middle of conference schedule with preselected teams, then seeded based on in season metrics.

These mid major conferences need to start finding creative ways to eat or they are gonna starve while the power conferences keep stealing their lunch.

 

[gmujim92]

The players' era event is an awesome idea - college wrestling does something very similar with their mid season tournaments (Midlands, Southern Scuffle, etc.) that equate to a mini-ncaa tournament. Provides really good competition opportunities for the top athletes that can help them increase their NCAA tournament seeding/at-large profiles.

Edit - though I can't help but to think this is a way for the high majors to avoid playing mids like us in MTE's and it will be very hard for us or our peers to get into the future 32 team field.

Not very hard, impossible. Players Era pays NIL $ to all participating schools and the power conferences aren’t letting us get even a sniff of it.

 

[GMUgemini]

All the more reason to bring back the bracket busters - bracketed event in the middle of conference schedule with preselected teams, then seeded based on in season metrics.

These mid major conferences need to start finding creative ways to eat or they are gonna starve while the power conferences keep stealing their lunch.

I advocated for McGlade to start talking to the next 5 best conferences to get this started again and maybe pitch it to an Apple TV (who is obviously thirsty for content). Would be a good idea.

The trick would be to get the new PAC 12 involved.

 

[hoopsjunkie75]

I'm sure this is controversial and a pipe dream, but I think that NCAA should add a ruling that each P5 team must schedule, at minimum, one home, and one away versus a LEGIT mid-major each season.

Or, something along the lines as the NFL where each division is scheduled to play against a different division that rotates each season.

If there are more forces at work in getting real competition from other than just "the usual suspects" then I may change my thoughts on expanding the tournament. If the tourney is expanded, high-majors shouldn't be so scared to play a lesser team as the bad beat wouldn't harm them as much... since they're so worried about potentially losing a game.