Colonial Athletic Association
FCS Non-Conference Schedule Analysis
As, arguably, one of the two best conferences in FCS, and at least in the top three, the CAA doesn’t have to resort to playing lower class teams. 2019 is no exception, though occasionally there might be a hole in the schedule that can only be filled this way. The conference plays 14 games collectively against the FBS this year, which averages out to more than one per team. The one bit of flack that could be given to the conference is that their games against the FCS are primarily against the Northeast and Patriot, two of the weaker leagues. However, part of that is a regional thing and both of those conferences offer very easy scheduling compatibility.
Albany: @ Central Michigan (FBS), vs. Bryant, @ Monmouth, vs. Lafayette.
- A good regional schedule here. Even the FBS game to Central Michigan isn’t so far off that it’s a travel nightmare. This isn’t a total lay down schedule and it’s not so tough they should worry about losing them all.
Delaware: vs. Delaware State, vs. North Dakota State, vs. Penn, @ Pittsburgh (FBS).
- Three home games, but one is the defending national champion. Though, if there was ever a year to get NDSU, this might be it. Those other two home games should be wins. The FBS game at Pittsburgh? Who knows, the Panthers seem to vary from year to year.
Elon: @ North Carolina A&T, vs. The Citadel, @ Wake Forest (FBS).
- Only three non-cons as part of their eleven game schedule. They’re not going to leave the state until conference action begins. NC A&T is not your normal MEAC program and The Citadel is always a tough match-up.
James Madison: @ West Virginia (FBS), vs. St. Francis, vs. Morgan State, @ Chattanooga.
- A good test will come against FBS West Virginia. The same West Virginia who’ll be replacing their graduated NFL quarterback. The two home games follow the Dukes typical cupcake batter. But the game at Chattanooga could be tricky.
Maine: vs. Sacred Heart, @ Georgia Southern (FBS), @ Colgate, @ Liberty (FBS).
- Maine just doesn’t play games at home. Not sure that’s a product of wanting to receive money from one-way trip match-ups, meaning no home-and-homes, or others not wanting to go all the way up north. Of course, two FBS games will never be at home.
New Hampshire: @ Holy Cross, @ Florida International (FBS), vs. Duquesne.
- Patriot and Northeast on this schedule, just as the opening paragraph mentioned. The FBS game down in Florida will probably be treated like a vacation game. However, the Wildcats have done a trip like this to California and the Rocky Mountains the last few years. In the end, it’ll be another business trip.
Rhode Island: @ Ohio (FBS), @ Brown, @ Virginia Tech (FBS), vs. Merrimack (trans).
- Three roadies, but two of those are FBS games. The road game to Brown is in-state and when you reside in a state the size of Rhode Island, you’re not going very far. The home game is with a Merrimack team who’s in transition to FCS from Division II.
Richmond: vs. Jacksonville, @ Boston College (FBS), @ Fordham, vs. Yale.
- A pretty normal schedule here. FBS road game, then a 2/1, home road split for the other three. Fordham is just on the other side of New Jersey, so it’s a manageable trip. The Spiders need to take advantage of these games and go 3-1. The home game with Yale won’t take place until they’ve already played three conference games.
Stony Brook: vs. Bryant, @ Utah State (FBS), vs. Wagner, vs. Fordham.
- The three games at home with the Northeast teams and the Patriot team should be beneficial to success. The trip to Utah State is a ways out there. Ironically, they would have made this trip in the playoffs last year had they won their first game and gone to Weber State, also in Utah.
Towson: @ The Citadel, vs. North Carolina Central, @ Florida (FBS), vs. Bucknell.
- Traveling to The Citadel and FBS Florida will give the Tigers some frequent flyer miles. It would be crazy, but maybe a team in Maryland could have scheduled with those around them. The home games could offer a few wins. The road games may be a different story.
Villanova: @ Colgate, vs. Lehigh, @ Bucknell, vs. Long Island.
- Is Villanova looking to move to the Patriot League? Okay, just joking here, but their first three games are from that league. A home game with Long Island will help initiate the newbies into Division I FCS.
William & Mary: vs. Lafayette, @ Virginia (FBS), vs. Colgate, @ East Carolina (FBS).
- Hmmm? William & Mary play two Patriot League home games and two FBS road games. It’s not an unprecedented schedule, just a little quirky. “It’s an interesting strategy. Let’s see how it works for them, Cotton?”
Colonial Numbers
1 vs. Big South
3 vs. Ivy
4 vs. MEAC
1 vs. MVFC
8 vs. NEC
11 vs. Patriot
1 vs. Pioneer
3 vs. Southern
14 vs. FBS
0 vs. Lower Division (Div-II, Div-III, NAIA, NCCAA)
