College Football Scheduling Issues

My favorite thing to watch on TV every year is college football. This is no different than any other red blooded American male. There are matchups I look forward to every week as I pointed out last week. It is really good to see exciting matchups all season long. These great matchups are always exciting to see and it is terrific to see some of the powerhouses step out and schedule elite out of conference competition. However, this does not always happen.

This year even my beloved Seminoles have fell victim to this trap. Usually, the Seminoles have some very strong out of conference opponents, but this year they play two FCS schools (well Texas State is really Sun Belt and not FCS, but I am still calling the Noles out!). This is not uncommon either for a powerhouse team. Half the SEC does it every year, by actually scheduling two FCS schools. Does that excuse the Seminoles weak schedule? No! It does however raise a question of how to get better football games. I answered that question with one, two, three posts last year. None of those are completely necessary though because all you have to do is make this type of scheduling illegal.

I have no problem with a team playing one cupcake early, but it should only be one game and it should only be allowed in the first or second week of the season as a tune up game. We want and we deserve better matchups as the American consumer. Florida State scheduling two games against such weak opponents should not have the 40th best preseason schedule according to the NCAA method. This schedule should be ranked much lower with those caveats. Sure, being in a power conference helps that ranking, but with two horrible teams there, it should be at least lower half, you would think. The schedule isn't ranked that low though and that is a problem.

Had any team that is guilty of this been only allowed to schedule 1 FCS opponent, that is about 50 or so better football games right there off the bat. (It would have also made scheduling SEC opponents easier. FSU does have matchups with Mississippi and Alabama in the next few years and they are trying to add a date with Auburn.) That is change I think everyone supports. Well except maybe the University of Florida....

The other power team in the state never plays anyone decent out of conference other than Florida State. In fact, the SEC as in general has been pathetic. Out of the SEC's 14 teams they are playing a combined 3 road games in Power 5 stadiums. Combined for the whole conference 3 road games in power 5 stadiums. One of those games is a rivalry matchup (Georgia v. Georgia Tech). 3 power 5 road games!

To get even more serious let's look at the Florida Gators real non-conference resume. The Florida Gators have not scheduled a non-conference game outside of the state of Florida since 1991! Since 1991! That means that they haven't really been tested outside of the SEC other than against Florida State. They haven't played someone since 1991 outside the conference and they don't even play Miami on any kind of consistent basis. Absolutely pathetic! That 1991 game was a loss to Syracuse by the way. Their last win in a non-conference road game was 1989 against Memphis State when I was 2 years old. That Memphis State team was 2-9. The last win for UF outside of the state in a non-conference regular season matchup against a team with a winning record came in 1947 against NC State. You read that correctly 1947. This team has the most pathetic history of scheduling opponents and more can be read about it here.

What about this year though?

This year, there are 88 teams with worse schedules in FBS than the Seminoles according to the NCAA method. That is just sad considering that FSU has two FCS opponents and Wake on the schedule for 2015. It needs to change, but before it is, lets look at the teams with the 10 worst schedules from Power Conferences.

10. Missouri Tigers SEC (73/128)
9. Oregon State Pac 12 (78/128)
8. UCLA Bruins Pac 12 (82/128)
7. Baylor Bears Big 12 (T-88/128)
6. Oklahoma Sooners Big 12 (T-88/128)
5. Kansas State Wildcats Big 12 (91/128)
4. TCU Horned Frogs Big 12 (93/128)
3. Wisconsin Badgers Big 10 (95/128)
2. Iowa Hawkeyes Big 10 (100/128)
1. Duke Blue Devils ACC(SOS 102/128)

Looks like the Big 12 has some explaining to do! Four of the 10 worst schedules in Power 5 are from Big 12 schools. Those with poor schedules include contenders Baylor and TCU. Let's see if that is brought up around playoff time.

Meanwhile the top 3 schedules according to the NCAA method belong to...
1. Washington Huskies PAC 12
Non-conference opponenets: Boise State, Sacramento State, Utah State

2. Arkansas Razorbacks SEC
Non-conference opponents: UTEP, Toledo, Texas Tech, UT-Martin

3. Miami Hurricanes ACC
Non conference opponents: Bethune Cookman, Florida Atlantic, Nebraska, Cincinatti

Not the most daunting non-conference schedule, but not cake either. Compared to the toughest non-conference schedule in my opinion belonging to Virginia....
UCLA, Notre Dame, William and Mary, Boise State!

Now, that is a non-conference schedule!

They don't all have to look like Virginia's schedule this year, but the state of college football would be a lot more exciting if they did. If every non-conference schedule looked a little bit more like Virginia's, we would be sitting pretty this year football fans. We sure would be sitting pretty. There will still be exciting matchups for sure, but we will get a lot of clunkers like Florida State v. Texas State thrown in there. That is a shame, that is an issue, and that should change.

Kudos to the Virginia Cavaliers though!

Until next week,

-Noland