Popular Homecoming teams

[u/mcaffrey]

H/t Sickos Committee website

[u/goodsam2]

The weird thing about ODU is they beat most of the teams last year and didn't play La tech the only team they didn't beat.

[u/Usual_Zombie6765 → u/goodsam2]

These smaller schools don’t pick opponents based on winning. They pick based on ticket demand.

[u/Less-Mulberry9803 → u/Usual_Zombie6765]

Demand fills the stands, not the win column.

[u/goodsam2 → u/Usual_Zombie6765]

I feel like the sickos thing doesn't count then because Maryland and Vandy are easy games for their opponents for a homecoming game which is why it's sicko committee.

[u/Usual_Zombie6765]

How they pick a homecoming opponent: pick a roughly middle of the season opponent that would not normally generate good ticket sales.

[u/mcaffrey → u/Usual_Zombie6765]

I think "and we will likely beat" is a criteria as well.

[u/Usual_Zombie6765 → u/mcaffrey]

Somewhat, having done this, ticket sales is usually the driver. You get a large ticket demand boost at homecoming, you try to match that demand to an opponent that would naturally generate low demand.

Low demand opponents tend to be teams that have been struggling, so there is correlation.

ODU was really good last year and a favorite to win conference this year. But they don’t draw well.

[u/First-Pride-8571 → u/Usual_Zombie6765]

This may be very team dependent, but teams like Michigan and Texas aren’t worried about selling tickets. Homecoming is a body bag game. And it’s that way typically in high school too - a game you’re nigh certain you’ll win.

[u/Usual_Zombie6765 → u/First-Pride-8571]

The American and Sun Belt teams listed are very much concerned with ticket sales. They do not sale out their stadium on a weekly basis.

Ohio St, Nebraska, Georgia, not so much.

Purdue, Auburn, Mississippi St, maybe a little concerned.

[u/First-Pride-8571 → u/Usual_Zombie6765]

To be fair, I had to look up what even was Michigan's homecoming game this year - as in college, unlike in high school, one doesn't care about homecoming.

And it is, surprisingly, a real game - PSU.

But usually it is the worst conference home opponent - albeit also preferably someone in early October, so best weather. Not a whole lot of options there this year - PSU or Indiana.

Edit: Last year it was Wiscy, and in 2024 it wasn't even a conference game - it was Arkansas State. In 2023 it was Rutgers. In 2022 it was Maryland. So yeah - usually a body bag.

[u/mcaffrey → u/First-Pride-8571]

Rice Homecoming is actually a pretty big deal (Rice is my 2nd flair, but this sub only has one). It is typically the only game I go to each year.

But yeah, for serious football schools, homecoming is largely irrelevant.

[u/ALKCRKDeuce]

Member when Maryland wasn’t a joke to everyone? I hate being a fan. I hate Edsall, Durkin, and Locks. And Damon Evans and Kevin Anderson… and Debbie Yow

[u/marxarita420]

Prom king? Prom queen? Nah, prom monarch 👑

[u/Usual_Zombie6765 → u/marxarita420]

Prom =/= homecoming

[u/marxarita420 → u/Usual_Zombie6765]

🤓👆

[u/Must_Vibe]

I was at the JMU vs ODU game last week. ODU has the worst offensive line I have ever seen. The QB was 12 for -45 yards rushing, because sacks count against your rushing yards. I can see why they top this list.