Recruits that have asperations of doing something in football want to play against good competition instead of running through a soft non-con schedule and being named the "Unofficial I-AA National Champion" or "Unoffical Sun Belt Conference Champion".
Showing some fight against the Ville in the non-con on a national broadcast on FSN and following that up later in the season with a win over the Fightin' Bevos in Primetime on ABC plays well with recruits for a program in rebulding mode.