Scheduling - the downside of aiming too high

[jbdphi]

I know this is a topic that's been debated over and over again but the following commentary from ESPN makes a point that I agree with. To me, scheduling isn't all about getting top P5 opponents every week OOC - you have to have a mix of teams from P5 and G5 which gives you a chance to shoot high but still allows cushion for early season growing pains...

http://espn.go.com/college-football...gia-south-carolina-controversy-sec-conspiracy

Underreaction of the week: Fresno State won 11 games and the Mountain West title game a season ago, but the Bulldogs have fallen hard at the start of this season -- off to their first 0-3 start since 1998. Not only have they had a tough time replacing Derek Carr, the Bulldogs have had way too many offensive and defensive breakdowns they simply cannot afford against Power 5 teams.

Overscheduling has clearly taken its toll.

Group of 5 athletic directors talk all the time about there being a fine line between booking challenging nonconference games that can improve strength of schedule and back-breaking games that will end up doing more harm than good. Fresno State opened the season at USC, at Utah and home to Nebraska, giving up more than 50 points in each game and losing by a combined 166-59.

The results show why teams rarely open with three straight opponents from Power 5 conferences, especially among the Group of 5.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Some of these sportswriters do not make any sense. How does the SEC playing more SEC games improve the SEC's perception as the top conference? The only way one conference can prove it is better is to have its schools win games against OTHER conferences. The Big 10 is out of the playoffs, failing a sweep this weekend, because of all its non conference losses, and the ACC is probably able to send a 1 loss team to the playoffs because the ACC has done well in its non conference games.

Fresno State's problem is that it isn't that good this year, not its scheduling. East Carolina is a few plays away from wins at South Carolina AND Virginia Tech. They didn't over-schedule because they are a good team.

 

[CTBasketball]

Not sure I agree with Adelson. Fresno State has had too many offensive/defensive breakdowns because of overscheduling?

Yeah, no.

 

[huskyblooz]

We will find out at 10 am, how our Warde feels about this.

 

[freescooter]

First of all, it isn't scheduling P5 teams that is the problem. It is which ones. Huge huge difference between playing Alabama and Vanderbilt, Florida State and Wake Forest. But that has always been the case. Second, I agree with nelson. If you have a good team it doesn't matter. If not it does. To me you need to get interesting games on the schedule from various other conferences. That should be the goal.

 

[CL82]

I would not complain about having Nebraska at the Rent even though the outcome might be a bit rough.

 

[huskyblooz]

MIZZOU

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I typed the earlier post from my tablet, so it was a little brief.

I have always said that I expect the playoff to dramatically alter scheduling. Yes, there will be more P5 vs. P5 games, but eventually someone will figure out what Bobby Knight figured out in basketball before anyone else did: scheduling good mid-majors does wonders for your computer rankings. Bobby Knight was the master of getting 19-11 teams in the dance with only 1 or 2 OOC major conference opponent wins, because his mid-major schedules always gave him tremendous SOS's. Knight would just play the MVC and Horizon (back when it was better) for his non conference, and under no circumstances would he schedule low major opponents. He would get picked off once a year by a MVC school or Butler or someone, but the pros far outweighed the cons.

If you are Mizzou, scheduling a Texas Tech and a Texas State is worse for your SOS than scheduling UCF and UConn.

 

[freescooter]

I think you hit it right on the button nelson. The other factor is that with a few exceptions, mid-level P5 programs need to do exactly what we need to do...fill their schedules with non-league games that will be interesting, won't hurt SOS, and hopefully put some fannies in the seats. Just like us, Missouri isn't getting Michigan or Ohio State to come to Columbia any time soon either.

 

[mikedog10]

I think you hit it right on the button nelson. The other factor is that with a few exceptions, mid-level P5 programs need to do exactly what we need to do...fill their schedules with non-league games that will be interesting, won't hurt SOS, and hopefully put some fannies in the seats. Just like us, Missouri isn't getting Michigan or Ohio State to come to Columbia any time soon either.

.... except we DID get Michigan to come to us!

 

[ZooCougar]

1 P5 opponent a season is enough for me. Between UCF, ECU and Cincy we have our hands full as it is. As much as I hate to admit.