The expectation of playing any high major should be swiftly quelled if you expect to be a 50- 200 program on the country. That's the world we live in.
The playoff committee only rewards you if you beat the crap out of the lowest of the low, and loves it when you get a "quality loss"
I shared my thoughts on Valpo's non-conference schedule over at The Beacon Brief (link below).
Overall, I think this is exactly the type of schedule this team needs heading into MVC play. There are enough challenges to provide meaningful tests, but it isn't an overly demanding slate that could derail momentum before conference season begins.
Last year, Valpo suffered an unexpected loss to Southern Indiana. Avoiding those kinds of setbacks will be critical this season. On the flip side, the Beacons had UNC Wilmington on the ropes at the ARC a year ago, and I think they have a real chance to return the favor when they travel to Wilmington.
It's shaping up to be another exciting season, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this group develops before conference play tips off.
My only big issue with the schedule is the two non-D1s. I can maybe understand one game (although I don't like it) to have a very easy game and try out some lineups. However, two better be purely because they couldn't fill the schedule.