This is sort where I would like to see some schedule uniformity in college football. I know it seems like I pick on the SEC and ACC a lot (and I do), but only playing 8 conference games is 100% a way to get as many bowl eligible teams as possible. Sure you sometimes get teams like Louisville this year who schedule 2 P5 OOC games, but a lot of times it’s 1 P5 OOC game and 3 cupcakes. There have been a ton of teams that have exploited this to pick up 1 more win and become bowl eligible. I don’t blame the ACC and SEC for doing it, but as a fan it’s important to stay mindful of the unequal scheduling practices amongst conferences if we’re to have a legitimate conversation trying to compare.

 

Pretty sure the ACC is going to nine conference games soon.

This is sort where I would like to see some schedule uniformity in college football. I know it seems like I pick on the SEC and ACC a lot (and I do), but only playing 8 conference games is 100% a way to get as many bowl eligible teams as possible. Sure you sometimes get teams like Louisville this year who schedule 2 P5 OOC games, but a lot of times it’s 1 P5 OOC game and 3 cupcakes. There have been a ton of teams that have exploited this to pick up 1 more win and become bowl eligible. I don’t blame the ACC and SEC for doing it, but as a fan it’s important to stay mindful of the unequal scheduling practices amongst conferences if we’re to have a legitimate conversation trying to compare.

 

Also, what's the difference between scheduling OOC cupcakes and having an extra conference game against Rutgers, Minnesota, IU or Illinois?

Pretty sure the ACC is going to nine conference games soon.

 

I hope not. The four non-conference games has allowed Louisville the schedule freedom to put a perennially good G5 on the schedule as well as UK. Three non-conference games starts to tighten the schedule. In years we have ND on the rotation, we'd be down to one non-conference game to schedule.

I hope not. The four non-conference games has allowed Louisville the schedule freedom to put a perennially good G5 on the schedule as well as UK. Three non-conference games starts to tighten the schedule. In years we have ND on the rotation, we'd be down to one non-conference game to schedule.

 

I could definitely be wrong, but I thought I read that somewhere. But looking at Louisville's future OOC schedule, it doesn't look like it's happening any time soon, so who knows.

Also, what's the difference between scheduling OOC cupcakes and having an extra conference game against Rutgers, Minnesota, IU or Illinois?

1) There is a distinction between the bad power 5 teams and FCS opponents.

2) Every conference has bad teams at the bottom.

3) Minnesota won their bowl game this year, they don’t deserve to be on that list.

1) There is a distinction between the bad power 5 teams and FCS opponents.

2) Every conference has bad teams at the bottom.

3) Minnesota won their bowl game this year, they don’t deserve to be on that list.

 

Okay, remove Minnesota, this year....

 

My point remains the same. A cupcake is a cupcake. I agree there is a slight difference between a bottom feeder P5 team and an FCS school, but I don't look at a 1-11 P5 team any different than an FCS school. You don't get points because the 1-11 team you played was a conference opponent. :lol2:

I hope not. The four non-conference games has allowed Louisville the schedule freedom to put a perennially good G5 on the schedule as well as UK. Three non-conference games starts to tighten the schedule. In years we have ND on the rotation, we'd be down to one non-conference game to schedule.

I would imagine in years where ND was on the schedule, they would drop the other P5 team they have scheduled or they wouldn’t even have that game scheduled to begin with. I doubt even with just 8 conference games on the schedule that UofL would willingly schedule ND, UK, and another power 5 team.

Okay, remove Minnesota, this year....

 

My point remains the same. A cupcake is a cupcake. I agree there is a slight difference between a bottom feeder P5 team and an FCS school, but I don't look at a 1-11 P5 team any different than an FCS school.

Bottom P5 schools are cupcakes, I agree. But every conference has them. Rutgers, Kansas, North Carolina, Oregon State, Arkansas. Wash, rinse, repeat. These 5 schools had 3 combined conference wins this year.

I doubt even with just 8 conference games on the schedule that UofL would willingly schedule ND, UK, and another power 5 team.

 

As it stands now, UL's future OOC opponents usually just have two P5 opponents. Some years just one, but that could change over time.

Bottom P5 schools are cupcakes, I agree. But every conference has them. Rutgers, Kansas, North Carolina, Oregon State, Arkansas. Wash, rinse, repeat. These 5 schools had 3 combined conference wins this year.

 

I'm not trying to say every conference doesn't have cupcakes at the bottom. You're right, they all do. My point is you were saying P5 schools only play 8 conference games to add in an extra win. My argument is that why do they need to add an extra conference game, when current P5 teams have that "extra win" as well, it's just a conference opponent. I see no difference in the two scenarios.

I'm not trying to say every conference doesn't have cupcakes at the bottom. You're right, they all do. My point is you were saying P5 schools only play 8 conference games to add in an extra win. My argument is that why do they need to add an extra conference game, when current P5 teams have that "extra win" as well, it's just a conference opponent. I see no difference in the two scenarios.

Because unless that 1 extra conference game isn’t guaranteed to be a cupcake. A large percentage of the time the extra non conference game is a cupcake.

As it stands now, UL's future OOC opponents usually just have two P5 opponents. Some years just one, but that could change over time.

Do me a favor and don’t look at Ohio State’s non conference schedule next year. Haha

Because unless that 1 extra conference game isn’t guaranteed to be a cupcake. A large percentage of the time the extra non conference game is a cupcake.

 

You could point to a conference opponent in every league that is a "cupcake" about 80% of the time.

I think this stat has come to mean less over time. With increased bowl games more subpar teams from larger conferences are making the bowls to begin with. Then factor in the fact that coaches leave before bowl games more frequently than they once did, players leave teams mid season for transfers, etc., not to mention the emerging trend where a teams best players sit out the bowl games.

I have never put much stock into bowl records. I have been consistent with that. You take a sport where kids play every seven days, and suddenly you ask them to take off 30-40 days, go to some kind of strange environment with half-filled stadiums, weird things can happen. Now maybe over the course of time you can draw out conclusions about conference strengths, but in a singular year I am not sure it ever means much.

 

Same reason I put so little stock into the NCAA basketball tournament.