re: WTF is STILL up with our scheduling?

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You're right. Here's my thinking on how this deal with Middle Tennessee came about: Missouri is desperate for a 2016 home game. By my count, only eight non-power conference teams from the FBS ranks had openings for 2016: Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Florida International, Middle Tennessee, Army, Utah State, UNLV and Louisiana-Monroe. And not all of those necessarily had an opening on dates that worked for Mizzou. When you're a power conference school and you're scrambling for opponents for next season, the non-power teams have all the leverage. "You want to play us, Mizzou? Fine, but not unless you play at our stadium in seven years. We'll even repay you with a game back at your place in eight years." If you're Missouri, you don't have a lot of options when you have to fill the 2016 schedule. So, you agree to the two-for-one deal, knowing that you have seven years to renegotiate. Maybe Missouri can pay off another power conference team to play that game in Murfreesboro. Maybe MU can lobby Middle Tennessee to move that game to a neutral site. Maybe Busch Stadium? Maybe LP Field in Nashville? There's plenty of time to toy with the 2022 game.

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