Edward Aschoff of ESPN Calls Out SEC Scheduling

[elrongator]

Until there is a legit playoff with more than a lousy four teams our best path to Atlanta is through undefeated play.
We get zero advantage by playing tougher teams.
We got ridiculed and dumped on for a close call against a very freaking stout Lafayette squad this past year. It's a myth that playing decent teams gets that much credit, it just gets us beat up.
Now if folks want us to drop SEC games in exchange for playing PAC 10 teams or Big 10 teams instead...I'm all for that. We'd be getting easier matchups while proving how inferior other conferences are.

[G8RNTN]

I don't mind a cream puff early and late because we go through such a brutal SEC schedule that a cream puff is a quick break for our team. The big ten could not last if they had to go through the gauntlet like sec teams do every year!!! They are the last people that needs to give advice on scheduling. Now Uga dodging Bama and Lsu every year is something that needs corrected. I'm ok with how we schedule.

[jms]

Oh yeah we need Indiana, Purdue, Minnesota, Iowa on our schedule to help! PLEASE
BIG when! I hate the PUD games in Gainesville and only come to game # 1 kbut the big when playing 1 or 2 more conference games is NOT the same as playing in the SEC

[Bushmaster]

Any given team has only so many tough games in them during a season. After a while, your body just gives out and needs a break.

Same way with fighters.

I wouldn't let some writer get under my skin so bad. Ask any team in the country if they would trade their schedule last year for ours. I don't think you will get any takers.

[gymgator]

I would rather play FAMU, BCookman, FAU, FIU, UCF, USF, etc (easy/mid/real test) and keep the $600k or whatever we pay these crap teams, in state and increase the interest in the game with the increase in local players, local fans, etc.

[Speedofsand]

People always argue about the UGA game in Jax costing us a home game as opposed to a home and home. Do the schools sell tickets each year? YES. If you sell half the tickets both years, isn't the money close to having one home game? I realize a Swamp home game brings more than ticket sales, but I count TWLOCP as half a home game every year. Half of 80,000 for two years in Jax is as good as 60,000 for two cupcakes and writing them fat checks.

[og8trz]

Does this mean we have to drop F$U? They kill our strength of schedule

[atlantagator86]

Originally Posted by Speedofsand

People always argue about the UGA game in Jax costing us a home game as opposed to a home and home. Do the schools sell tickets each year? YES. If you sell half the tickets both years, isn't the money close to having one home game? I realize a Swamp home game brings more than ticket sales, but I count TWLOCP as half a home game every year. Half of 80,000 for two years in Jax is as good as 60,000 for two cupcakes and writing them fat checks.

The schools sell the tickets, but they only get a portion of the ticket revenue and I presume little to none of the parking, concessions or other revenues, so no, they don't make nearly the money, plus they have to deduct the travel costs of the players, band and school officials.

The reasons schools like Tennessee, Bama and LSU can occasionally schedule one big OOC road game is because they don't have an in-state OOC rival and because they don't have a neutral site game that takes away a home game every other year.

[nflgator]

Soon ND will play 5 ACC teams every year .. well, this is like playing the FCS schools.
I would do away with the selection by committe.
The new plan is designed to get more non SEC schools into the playoffs.
Should be conf. winners & runner ups or top 4 teams according to BCS.

[SeaCay]

I like the idea of a B1G-SEC challenge in football.

[wesstump]

I wonder if the Big 10 members would jump at the chance to play Fl, Alabama, Lsu, or aTm. A win in one of those games would put a real feather in their cap. However, I strongley believe you'll see them adding such teams as Army, Northwestern, Pittsburg,etc.
The big 10 is a good conference but would do anything to surpass the SEC. However, I too wish we would get rid of these pre season games. I believe that was part of the reason so many of the student body weren't showing up for those games.

[socraticsilence]

Originally Posted by atlantagator86

The schools sell the tickets, but they only get a portion of the ticket revenue and I presume little to none of the parking, concessions or other revenues, so no, they don't make nearly the money, plus they have to deduct the travel costs of the players, band and school officials.

The reasons schools like Tennessee, Bama and LSU can occasionally schedule one big OOC road game is because they don't have an in-state OOC rival and because they don't have a neutral site game that takes away a home game every other year.

Plus I think the neutral site road openers have a cash payout- like a bowl. Still, though look at UGA- they play a more interesting OOC schedule than we do most years and they have a similar set up to us now that the 90s are done and FSU isn't a preferential top 5 team.

[bearshark]

Let's see who the little ten places on their schedule in place of the FCS opponent. However I wish the SEC would play more highly competitive teams on their non-conference schedule.

[atlantagator86]

Originally Posted by socraticsilence

Still, though look at UGA- they play a more interesting OOC schedule than we do most years and they have a similar set up to us now that the 90s are done and FSU isn't a preferential top 5 team.

The one difference between UF and UGA is that UGA hasn't done any major upgrades to their stadium in a while, so they can give up the 7th home game and schedule a home-and-home.

But UGA has expansion plans on the table. The question is whether much will happen in this economy. But when it happens, they will need that 7th home game too.

[PSGator66]

Florida's problem is that they have to have a certain amount of home games annually for the city's sake. When they do this we cannot expect a good team to come into the Swamp and then not have us visit them.

[BigSlick]

Originally Posted by og8trz

Does this mean we have to drop F$U? They kill our strength of schedule

THIS^^^^^^
We will ALWAYS play a hard enough schedule to make it into the NCG. No need to try to load up on toughter OOC opponents. Yeah it makes for some lousy home games, but we didn't exactly blow those teams off the field either!!!!!!!

[Speedofsand]

Originally Posted by atlantagator86

The schools sell the tickets, but they only get a portion of the ticket revenue and I presume little to none of the parking, concessions or other revenues, so no, they don't make nearly the money, plus they have to deduct the travel costs of the players, band and school officials.

The reasons schools like Tennessee, Bama and LSU can occasionally schedule one big OOC road game is because they don't have an in-state OOC rival and because they don't have a neutral site game that takes away a home game every other year.

Then why hasn't Foley made it a home and home series? Word is that Uga always wants to. Parking profits are by the season, so Jax does not affect it. The fat checks written to cupcakes has to be more than concession money, Jax hotel and a short bus trip. Travel to Athens wouldn't be much different and they would only have to do it half as much, while reaping concessions and other sales from a sold out Swamp for an additional game every other year.

[bposs]

Originally Posted by SeaCay

I like the idea of a B1G-SEC challenge in football.

I think that's called the Citrus Bowl.

[atlantagator86]

Originally Posted by Speedofsand

Then why hasn't Foley made it a home and home series? Word is that Uga always wants to.

Because of the tradition and because the big money UF boosters and most of the fans want to keep the game in Jax.

For that matter, despite what UGA might claim publicly, they want to keep the game in Jax too. They complain to leverage a better deal from the city of Jax. That and UGA fans like to use the "non-neutral" location as an excuse for them losing so many games. Now that they've won a couple, that talk will die down.

The real solution to this is the NCAA adding a 13th game, which I think they'll do once the major conferences add a 9th conference game. While that won't add any extra OOC games, I think it should allow UF to set up one home-and-home OOC game because we could schedule a road OOC game every other year and still have 7 homes games.

[gator1986]

Should follow suit with big 10, well maybe the big 10 should follow our blueprint in the SEC if any of their teams ever want another championship, they're getting left behind... And in the dust...