There is always the option of scheduling a conference rival during the seasons they are off the schedule. The issue for YSU is that we really have no in-conference rival, and it then becomes a home and home situation. Therefore it makes more sense to stay with our money games & weaker OOC teams. I think we would be able to work something our during the 12-game seasons. I personally favor a second money game, or Akron/Kent during the 12-game seasons; but we really make much more money scheduling a weaker 7th home game, and as to the second $$ game ...we could not afford a second loss ...even for $500k.
I agree that a second money game aka most likely a second loss, would only work in a 12 game season we could still reach 7 wins.
No Mac teams unless it is a home and home, none of them could pay enough so a return home game would be the only way to make up the money.
Dump the Dakota teams by adding the Great West teams and forming two divisions. YSU, Indy, SUI. Ill ST, WIU, MSU and UNI in one and Cal Poly, Southern Utah, UC Davis, ND, NDSU, SD and SDSU in the other. Playing all teams in your division gives you 3 home and 3 away each year. Play two teams from the other division each year giving you 1 more home and 1 more away game each year. Throw in the money game and 2 home games from the non schollys. You get 6 home and 5 away each year.
I am not a big fan of the league but it is better then no league at all. Of course the best solution for our fans would be to play in a league with the current MAC schools, but since they do not want us and they will never drop to 1AA so that will never happen.
About the schedule - away games at Ill ST and NDSU will be key, certainly UNI and maybe Indy at home will be big