Non-conference football.  Where championships can’t be won, but most certainly can be lost.  A time when the big programs can schedule enough “cupcakes” to get them ready to play their conference foes and when those “cupcakes” earn money for their athletic program by bending over and “taking one for the team.”

As a University of North Texas alum, I enjoy the first weekend of college football as much as anyone.  I become very unproductive at work, change my wallpaper several times, and check the message boards hourly.  I understand that I’m in the minority, but I love Mean Green football.

This love however isn’t blind.  I am a sports fan and try not to let my bias affect my rationale.  North Texas isn’t a top tier program (yet).  While the Sunbelt Conference is getting much better, many would argue that North Texas finished near the bottom of the worst conference in Division -1 football last season.  I can’t disagree.

So, my question is just a general observation: If you’re building a program from the bottom, trying to establish and/or increase a fan base, and appeal to recruits is it beneficial to open every season with “the money game?”

Florida Atlantic finished last season destroying Memphis in the New Orleans Bowl, proving that the Sunbelt is in fact on the rise.  With an 8-5 record the Owls carried a lot of momentum into the 2008 season.  But wouldn’t you know it, the dreaded money game reared it’s ugly head and FAU was handed a 42 point loss last weekend.  Was this good for their program?  Sure they had a nice pay day thanks to the sell out crowd at Darrell K Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium, but is that money worth crushing the confidence of each of those players, and reminding every fan just how far they still must climb?

North Texas is hosting a very strong Tulsa team this weekend.  A Tulsa team who decided in January to back out of their scheduled game against heavily favored Texas Tech to instead open against UAB and add a game against Arkansas for the first of November.

Two rising programs.  Two different approaches.

Saturday’s loss to Kansas State didn’t squelch my excitement for this weekend’s North Texas/Tulsa game.  It didn’t send me into a “here we go again” temper.  It did cause me to question whether or not it would’ve been better to play a Louisiana Tech or Utah State instead.

I’m not an athletic director and I’m not suggesting that I even know what I’m talking about.  I’m simply thinking out loud (or in type) and wondering if I’m the only one who shares these thoughts.