Gator Country

SeaCay · 02-13-2013, 08:22 PM

Quote:

SEC should follow Big Ten schedule plan
February, 13, 2013

By Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
There's no question that the Big Ten has been playing catchup to the SEC for the better part of the past decade. While the SEC has claimed seven straight national championships, the Big Ten has watched as its football brand has been hurt and taunted along the way.

The SEC has spent plenty of time looking down on its northern brothers, but the Big Ten is planning something that the SEC should seriously consider following. Actually, the league shouldn't just consider it, it should just do it.

On Tuesday, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said on his radio show that Big Ten athletic directors have agreed to stop scheduling FCS opponents.

You hear that, SEC? For once in your life -- and I know this sounds bizarre -- follow the Big Ten's lead. Rid your schedules of all FCS opponents! Sure, feasting on cupcakes hasn't hurt the SEC's national championship dominance in the past seven years, but with a playoff coming next year, strength of schedule will finally matter again.

Now, the SEC champion probably won't be left out of the four-team playoff, even with an FCS darling on the schedule, but if SEC commissioner Mike Slive wants to get two teams in the playoff (and recent history tells us it's very possible), he'll need his teams to beef up their nonconference slates. You just can't risk it with a human selection committee dissecting everything about a team. Will an 11-1 SEC team not in the SEC title game be left out over the ACC champ? It might with an FCS team on its schedule. And maybe a Big Ten team slips in past an SEC team because it doesn't have that FCS team on its schedule and the SEC team does. That would really sting, I'm sure, so there's no point in taking the risk.

Also, let's be honest, FCS opponents don't bring in fans or viewers. We saw attendance numbers go down in college football last fall and scheduling cream puffs doesn't help. Plus, fans and selfish media members like myself are owed more exciting, high-profile games involving more competitive non-SEC opponents.

Slive won't ever let the SEC get caught looking in the college football arms race, but here's a chance to stay ahead. Better matchups on the field attract more people and will help the SEC even more come playoff time.

So, the SEC, which has made a killing with its not-so-tough nonconference scheduling tactics, should actually follow the Big Ten here and end future relationships with FCS opponents.

Can't say that I disagree with the bolded points at least.

And away we gooooooo...

**luciaboy** · 02-13-2013, 08:31 PM

true

**notexgator** · 02-13-2013, 08:34 PM

I agree - enough with the Division 1AA teams. I am tired of paying good money for crummy payday games.

**fubar1** · 02-13-2013, 08:36 PM

Hey Ed, we actually have weaker opponents on our schedule than FCS schools. They're called members of the ACC.

**gator1986** · 02-13-2013, 08:39 PM

I kind of agree.... Good money for crappy games, start scheduling tough teams all season. Sure it sucks to go into the SEC slate with a loss possibly but it's survival of the fittest. But then again even if big 10 teams do schedule no FCS opponents their schedules still aren't tougher than any SEC school.

**Lenny2** · 02-13-2013, 08:40 PM

As a fan of the Gators, I would love more big games but worry about the rigors of adding to an already perrineally top 10 strength of schedule...

As a fan of football, I worry what happens by the ripples in cash flow to FCS programs. It doesn't go mentioned much, but when those lower level programs visit we pay big $. We fund a good chuck of their travel budgets/coaches salaries/uniform type expenses for programs that otherwise might not operate. Good in theory, but when our SOS is what it is I sleep well. When we rank around the FSU's and miami's of the world come see me.

**MichiganGator** · 02-13-2013, 08:42 PM

SEC teams should definitely follow suit in scheduling. Why not schedule big ten teams? After the Big -10 gets its fannies handed to them on a platter, then maybe they will think differently. Reality would dictate that strength of schedule is going to play a major part in who plays for National Championship.

SeaCay · 02-13-2013, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichiganGator

SEC teams should definitely follow suit in scheduling. Why not schedule big ten teams? After the Big -10 gets its fannies handed to them on a platter, then maybe they will think differently. Reality would dictate that strength of schedule is going to play a major part in who plays for National Championship.

Boom.

Give the B1G a little shot of something that's not so tasty.

**gator1986** · 02-13-2013, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaCay

Boom.

Give the B1G a little shot of something that's not so tasty.

The problem is they won't schedule florida, Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, Georgia,... Blah blah blah, they will try scheduling Mizzou, Kentucky, etc...

superman2318 · 02-13-2013, 08:48 PM

I say screw them...when they play 4 or 5 ranked teams in conference, then call us about your non-conference slate. Until then, keep playing chase the fat kid up and down the field and shut up.

number1 · 02-13-2013, 08:51 PM

And folks let's not forget that the Big Ten just said they won't schedule FCS teams. Nothing is stopping them from loading up on FBS creampuffs like the weaker MAC, C-USA, Sun Belt, and WAC teams.

**gator1986** · 02-13-2013, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by number1

And folks let's not forget that the Big Ten just said they won't schedule FCS teams. Nothing is stopping them from loading up on FBS creampuffs like the weaker MAC, C-USA, Sun Belt, and WAC teams.

I would love to see them schedule Boise St honestly. They would look stupid.

lean_gator · 02-13-2013, 09:15 PM

So Big Ten teams will stop playing each other? Cool.

**gator1986** · 02-13-2013, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lean_gator

So Big Ten teams will stop playing each other? Cool.

Hahaha!

tegator80 · 02-13-2013, 09:17 PM

Kind of a silly article in this era. We are heading towards a playoff system. It will likely end with 4-16 team super-conferences and an 8-team playoff. It will work itself out very shortly.

geauxgator1 · 02-13-2013, 09:32 PM

Yawn...

Speedofsand · 02-13-2013, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by number1

And folks let's not forget that the Big Ten just said they won't schedule FCS teams. Nothing is stopping them from loading up on FBS creampuffs like the weaker MAC, C-USA, Sun Belt, and WAC teams.

Those are the OOC teams the SEC could also schedule instead of FCS cupcakes. No matter how strong the SEC is, UF only has a couple of marquee home games a year, with a couple of crappy tasting cupcakes. Time for Foley to step it up with schedule strength counting again. Ed is right.

Matthanuf06 · 02-13-2013, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by number1

And folks let's not forget that the Big Ten just said they won't schedule FCS teams. Nothing is stopping them from loading up on FBS creampuffs like the weaker MAC, C-USA, Sun Belt, and WAC teams.

This is the key point. To a top 25 team, and those are the teams that people schedule critique...is there a functional win/loss probability difference between a mid level MAC team and a FCS team? They are the same.

Brewski · 02-13-2013, 10:17 PM

Heh, and Steve Russell had the exact opposite opinion on his show the other day. I'm not saying either one is right, rather just opinions. In 2012 the sec had 4 of the top 5 strength of schedules with the alleged cream puffs. His point was why add a chance of losing with yet another tough opponent. 2 losses are devastating, so why risk it?

Oh yeah, have we not debated this 200 times already?

AFCyberGator · 02-13-2013, 10:29 PM

I would like to see a compromise. Cut back just one cupcake and replace with at least a mid-tier opponent.