Some might wonder: why Rutgers? Why would N.C. Central University, a small HBCU and Football Championship Subdivision team in the MEAC, be playing a Big East, Football Championship Bowl Subdivion team like the Rutgers Scarlet Knights?
And why would Norfolk State University — also an HBCU and FCS school — play a Big East and FBS powerhouse like the West Virginia Mountaineers, a team ranked #19 in the nation at the time?
FBS schools have football teams that are eligible to play in bowl games — the "Big Kahunas" —whereas FCS schools have football teams that are not eligible. They participate in tournaments, not bowls.
The games were wipeouts, to put it mildly. NCCU lost to Rutgers 48-0, while Norfolk State lost to West Virginia 55-12.
The Associated Press repeated that NCCU received $400,000 in the butt whoopin' they received from Rutgers.
The athletic director of Norfolk State could not be reached for comment on the story.
Most call these "money games."
"The reason is to let big schools play smaller schools, and it was for financial reasons," said Mike Parsons, deputy director of athletics at West Virginia University.
"Big schools get an extra home game, and most of the time they can't find that in another school, so they look to the smaller schools to fill that void. I think it is a benefit to both parties."
They might say that, but it sounds more like a chance for big schools to beat up on smaller schools in exchange for money. There is the occasional upset, but that's very rare.
Here are a few more:
In the last three years, the NCCU baseball team played N.C. State, losing by scores of 24-6, 11-0, 8-4 (which isn't that bad), 15-2, and 15-5.
Also, in 2010 N.C. A&T men's basketball team played then-#5 Ohio State and got blown out by 41 points.
One player said, "We were just hoping to reach 70 points."
Isn't it obvious that we're going to lose those games? So why would we play to lose?
If you don't mind losing, why not just make your whole non-conference schedule against only ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 or Big East schools, and have a chance to receive millions of dollars?
I understand that it's a way to get some extra money, and there's nothing wrong with having a hustle, but it's coming at the expense of your school looking like a herd of cream puffs.
As former head coach of the New York Jets Herm Edwards so eloquently put it, "You play to win the game. Hellooooo, you play to win the game. You don't play it to just play it."
Where's your dignity?
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