Someone correct me if I'm wrong:
Replace Kennesaw State in this article with YSU (
http://www.fbschedules.com/2014/10/kent-state-alabama-fcs-schools-future-schedules/ ). We would receive $615k/2 years from our closest geographic opponent on our schedule those years. A home and home is an even trade where no $$ change hands, but we make ~$200k/home game. So over the course of two years, wouldn't we lose out on a net of $415k/2 years by not playing at Kent? If we agreed to a similar arrangement with Akron, add $615k/2 years (no need to subtract $200k as P5 games are away) and we'd make $1.03M/2 years....with games fans would care about and we'd expect to win. We'd actually have a true rivalry game again. Imagine the hype.
There's no expectation of a home and homes from NEC teams who play us, who are also FCS, but we expect it from FBS schools? It's inconsistent, stubborn, and makes no sense. When they drop to FCS, and they will, then of course we'd expect a home/home. There's no FBS school we've ever expected a home/home with. That stubbornness is preventing us from having games that would excite fans, and establish YSU as the dominant program in NEO (actually I'd be happy with any MAC opponent, not just the locals). As was said, maybe a 2:1 or 3:1 is a good compromise. I like Wick's idea of our 11 game season OOC games being 2 MAC/1 NEC, although my ideal OOC schedule would be 1 NEC/1 P5/1 MAC. For 12 game seasons, there is no excuse not to include a MAC away game.
Kent was beat by a MEAC school. I agree that it'd be foolish to schedule us, except they'd have their highest paid attendance numbers of the season. NDSU is really struggling to get FBS opponents now. But if they're willing, let's go beat them in their house and take their $$$$.
No matter what happens, the 2-3 OOC NEC/1AAA games need to stop.