The MWC released their 2017 schedule today, which means that we can now look at a full picture of who our opponents play in 2017, when they play those opponents, and where they play those opponents.
In the picture below, running down the first column, you'll see our opponents in schedule order. To the right of each opponent, you'll see their schedule in the weeks leading up to our game against them plus their opponent in the week after we play them. I've cut off each opponent's schedule after that, because there's no reason to think that anything that comes 2+ weeks after our game would matter.
If you believe in trap games or letdown games, then this might help spot potential instances of those.
Also, if you believe that a bye week will help a team better prepare for our offense, then you can see that we only have one of those to worry about in 2017 (Duke). (Not bothering to count Navy in this category.)
Thoughts on the first half of the schedule:
I don't follow Minnesota at all, will Buffalo be physically beat up in that game? If Buffalo wins @ Minnesota, the Bulls will be eyeing a 3-0 start if they can beat us.
We get Tulane before their bye, no rest after @ Oklahoma, but Tulane will have faced Navy already.
By the time we get to Houston, the Rice football team will have traveled more than 20,000 air miles on the season. (Their game with Stanford will be played in Australia.)
In the picture below, running down the first column, you'll see our opponents in schedule order. To the right of each opponent, you'll see their schedule in the weeks leading up to our game against them plus their opponent in the week after we play them. I've cut off each opponent's schedule after that, because there's no reason to think that anything that comes 2+ weeks after our game would matter.
If you believe in trap games or letdown games, then this might help spot potential instances of those.
Also, if you believe that a bye week will help a team better prepare for our offense, then you can see that we only have one of those to worry about in 2017 (Duke). (Not bothering to count Navy in this category.)
Thoughts on the first half of the schedule:
I don't follow Minnesota at all, will Buffalo be physically beat up in that game? If Buffalo wins @ Minnesota, the Bulls will be eyeing a 3-0 start if they can beat us.
We get Tulane before their bye, no rest after @ Oklahoma, but Tulane will have faced Navy already.
By the time we get to Houston, the Rice football team will have traveled more than 20,000 air miles on the season. (Their game with Stanford will be played in Australia.)
