I'm chuckling at how quickly USC agreed to swap BYU for San Jose St on its football schedule in 2023 since BYU needs to make room for Big 12 conference games in 2023. BYU was 5-0 against Pac12 football teams in 2021, including a win over USC.
BYU hoops made be in for a ruder awakening when it exits the WCC .
In other news : Notre Dame opens @Ohio St and also will play BYU in Vegas later in the 2022 season.
Liberty plays Arkansas, VTech, and Wake Forest this upcoming season.
Previous blog: https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2021/01/1a-ncaa-independents-and-geography-2021.html
May 12, 2022
Another 2023 football swap: Liberty needs to free up space for CUSA games in 2023 so South Carolina(SEC) agreed to drop them and add Jax St, who needs non -conference games in its first 2023 CUSA season.
I'm curious to see if New Mexico St can carry its WAC basketball success to the CUSA. It's football team has some schedule changes to make for 2023.
Would Gonzaga block adding Seattle(WAC) to WCC to fill BYU's spot?
May 26, 2022
Shifting gears to baseball: BYU is a fourth seed in the WCC tournament and faces an uphill battle to upset 1 seed Gonzaga (ranked 10 in the country). Cougars will need a serious upgrade to be competitive in Big 12 baseball.
Liberty is in the ASUN semi-finals and should be in decent shape when they join the CUSA.
New Mexico State, another future CUSA member, upset Sam Houston to remain in WAC Winner's Bracket.
May 27, 2022
BYU fell to Loyola Marymount 5-1 in a single-elimination game. Today's WCC matchups.
May 28, 2022
I have new favorite a first name. #ThreeHillier hit two home runs for Liberty in a win over EKU to advance and face Kennesaw State in the ASUN championship game on Saturday for the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
NMSU advances to first WAC Tournament baseball championship game since 2018 with stunner over Sacramento State and faces winner of Grand Canyon /Abilene Christian game.
May 29, 2022
Liberty lost and will wait for a possible at-large bid.
New Mexico St won and gets the automatic bid. He!! of a "Cinderella" WACT for the Ags.
June 5, 2022
Liberty was eliminated by Central Michigan (MAC) 3-2 in extra innings. Three Hillier had two hits and scored a run for the Flames in the loss.
NMST was eliminated by Vandy in the CWS.
July 10, 2022
UConn decided that hoops was king and ran back to the Big East ,exiting the AAC and relegating pigskin to Independent status. Huskies HC Jim Mora's goal is to join the ACC. You got a lot of work to do, and it starts with three games in 2022 against ACC teams in Syracuse, Boston College and NC State. Plus, if the ACC ever considers you, it's going to want all sports. You ain't getting the "Irish" treatment.
July 12, 2022
I've wondered why New Mexico St has kept its football going and found a somewhat big name in its history. Charley Johnson who had a decent NFL career as a QB. He coached briefly for NMST after they fired Hal Mumme in 2008. NFL playing career :
St. Louis Cardinals (1961–1969)
Houston Oilers (1970–1971)
Denver Broncos (1972–1975)
Sept 25, 2022
The Edsel sank UConn pigskin after letting my Terps down. I doubt if Jim Mora Jr can save them. NC St abused them yesterday.
Liberty found enough O to beat Akron. Dae Dae Hunter 18 carries, 118 yards, 1TD for the Flames.
UMass may be considering downgrading to 1AA or quitting pigskin after a 28-0 loss to Temple.
BYU beat Wyoming. Notre Dame beat the no defense Tar Heels.
New Mexico St 45 Hawaii 28. Rare easy lei for the Ags.
Oct 2, 2022
Freeze O machine doesn't miss a beat. Liberty 38- ODU 24.
How about those Huskies? Devontae Houston rushed for 105 yards. UMass gave E.Michigan a scare but lost 20-13
BYU handled UTAH St.
NMST lost 21-7 to FIU(CUSA). Ags hoops team is going to like the move to the CUSA more than its football team.
Oct 4, 2022
BYU on NBC this week for a visit to Notre Dame. The Hall to Hill connection will give BYU a big road win.
Oct 9, 2022
Mora Jr has UConn looking like a team. UConn 33 FIU 12. Maybe the Cusa will take them for just football since UConn is a hoops first school and they're staying in the Big East.
ND 28 BYU 20 to give ND 7-2 lead in the series. Liberty took care of UMass, and Army got trounced by Wake Forest
Oct 13, 2022
I doubt if the MAC wants to deal with UMass as a member again, and UConn would be interesting for football only. This weekend UMass hosts Buffalo while UConn travels to Ball St.
An angry Arkansas(SEC) makes an infrequent visit to BYU. Notre Dame hosts Stanford(Pac12). NMST hosts New Mexico(MWC)
Oct 16, 2022
Big Independents, ND and BYU had rough days. Liberty escaped Gardner -Webb.
UConn didn't score in the second half and lost to Ball St. UMass still doesn't know Defense is one of the three parts of football and lost to Buffalo 34-7.
NMST 21 NM 9 in the Rio Grande Rivalry or Battle of I-25.
Oct 20, 2022
Mormons land in Falwell country for an interesting matchup. Liberty got within one of Wake Forest in its only loss but hasn't played as tough as a schedule as BYU. Dae Dae Hunter is an exciting offensive player for the Flames, but he won't be enough. BYU 34 LIB 27.
BTW, Notre Dame hosts UNLV(MWC) in the first matchup ever between these football teams. ND should recover from the bad loss to Stanford. ND 30 UNLV 17
Oct 22, 2022
Wow BYU got killed in Falwell country. They got a lot of work to do before they play a Big 12 schedule. BYU 14 @ Lib 41 F
Dae Dae Hunter Yds-Rc31 Yds-Ru213 TD-Ru1
Notre Dame beat UNLV 44-21. Pyne threw 2 td passes for the Irish
Oct 30, 2022
BYU keeps losing, this time to ECU(AAC). In New England, UConn beat BC, while UMass lost to New Mexico St.
Notre Dame dominated Syracuse and hosts Clemson next week. The game will be on NBC.
Shifting gears to Independent hoops. Chicago St was unable to land in a small, midwestern conference after leaving the WAC and managed to put together a 2022/23 schedule that includes Delaware St, an hour from my home, and Marshall.
Hartford left the America East conference, despite some recent success, as part of its move to Div III.
Oct 31, 2022
No. 23 Liberty is ranked in the AP football poll for the first time since 2020.
Nov 3, 2022
Interesting weekend with the Independents.
Liberty may fall right out of the top 25 after it visits Arkansas.
Clemson needs to beat Notre Dame to stay in contention for the F4.
Army/AirForce will be close and is occurring at Arlington TX
BYU needs to beat Boise St if it wants to go bowling.
UConn reaches .500 with a W over UMass.
Nov 4, 2022
Man, I'm stunned that Liberty hung on and beat Arkansas 21-19, particularly after Hunter, one of their best O players was injured in the 1q. AFA beat Army and UConn beat UMass.
Hall to Nicau connection saved the day for BYU in a 35-28 win over Boise ST. Notre Dame deserves props for kicking Clemson's butt and the Tigers were exposed
