Quote:
They are going to need all the luck they can get to make it in Division 1-A.
Good point.
UL-Monroe LOST more games to I-AA opponents last year than they WON against I-A competition. And that game included inherent motivation against a rival UL system school, ULL. It was also close.
More info:
ULM only managed 11,300 in attendance last year. Granted, that was a marked improvement of nearly 3000. On top of that, no one came to Monroe of note:
2003 HOME GAMES
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Stephen F. Austin (I-AA)
NW'ern State (I-AA)
NM State
N Texas
Idaho
So maybe they can get into gear after all, if they pull 11,000 for a I-AA caliber schedule like they did in '03.
I would suggest to the new AD there, though, that scheduling some decent teams might be a good idea:
2004 HOME SCHEDULE
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Arkansas St
Florida Intl (I-AA this year)
Utah St
UL-Lafayette
Yep, that's it. One home OOC game, and that's against a I-AA school. While it's true that FIU and FAU are joining the Sun Belt next year in some capacity, it hurts ULM to have to schedule them both, but....
They're VISITING a I-AA school (Florida Atlantic) as well as Wyoming. Add conference away games and a pair of body bags in the SEC (at the hands of Auburn and Arkansas) and there isn't much prospect for a winning season here. 3 games won would be nice.
ULM will be joining its brethren back in the Southland if this keeps up, even with their recent announcement. They'll have to schedule like a I-A school if they want to be taken seriously. For starters, don't travel to I-AA schools. Ever.
Sources:
http://www.ncaa.org/stats/football/attendance/2003/2003footballattendance.pdf
http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/Louisiana-Monroe.htm
http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/college_football_2004_schedules/louisiana-monroe.htm