I think Toledo is fine as a schedule filler in most season, and I'd strongly prefer that we play schools such as Toledo and Ball State in the future over the likes of Houston Baptist or Coppin State.
With that said, there is no benefit here. We've already played four non-conference games against similar competition. This win, if we get it, won't help in March. We have a game Sunday so there isn't some huge layoff here.
I'd rather have banked the non-conference game for a chance to play a regional opponent later in the year that has a chance to be a signature win if a schedule gap occurred due to COVID, and thus creates some upside (Xavier, Syracuse, Marquette or even St. Louis come to mind).
Now, we're guaranteed to get nothing out of our non-conference and we've created one more potentially tricky game that we have to get through before the B1G begins.
With that said, there is no benefit here. We've already played four non-conference games against similar competition. This win, if we get it, won't help in March. We have a game Sunday so there isn't some huge layoff here.
I'd rather have banked the non-conference game for a chance to play a regional opponent later in the year that has a chance to be a signature win if a schedule gap occurred due to COVID, and thus creates some upside (Xavier, Syracuse, Marquette or even St. Louis come to mind).
Now, we're guaranteed to get nothing out of our non-conference and we've created one more potentially tricky game that we have to get through before the B1G begins.