September 20, 201015 yr It does when ESPN decides which SEC games to carry on the internet and which games to carry on ESPN, ESPN2, or the U. Which game makes it to TV first? UK/WKU or UK/Missouri? Or UK/Kansas State? Don't tell me UK's recruiting is helped when games are carried on local Comcast and the internet instead of on ESPN or the Saturday game of the week. Three games into the season and one game has been shown on the ESPN family to a national audience. UK's game against a BCS opponent. When the Louisville fans were griping and moaning about Kentucky moving the Louisville game to Week 2 or 3, UK fans countered with the argument that the game being moved wouldn't hurt recruiting because it was still being shown on an ESPN network. Getting on TV helps recruiting. How many nationwide saw last night's win over Akron on the regional Fox outlet? How does that help recruiting? Who's to say any of those other teams want to play UK? Teams are trying to make money. They'll make more money paying some team to come and play than they would having a home and home with another school. Considering very few athletic departments actually make money, I'm sure they try to do everything they can to bring in money.
September 20, 201015 yr Author Who's to say any of those other teams want to play UK? Teams are trying to make money. They'll make more money paying some team to come and play than they would having a home and home with another school. Considering very few athletic departments actually make money, I'm sure they try to do everything they can to bring in money. You don't think playing Missouri in the dome in St. Louis or Illinois at Soldier Field would put fans in the seats? Get more discussion than UK/Akron? Be put on an ESPN Network instead of on ESPN360 or Comcast? Come on. It's about scheduling wins and getting to the six win mark so they can go to the Mediocrity Bowl or the .500 Bowl. Again, if this is your expectation of UK football, then I'm not gearing these comments to you. But Joker is marketing the football program as one he wants to see rise up the SEC ladder. To do that, you have to knock off some Georgias, South Carolinas, and Tennessees along the way. I dont see where Akron and WKU prepares you for this.
September 20, 201015 yr You don't think playing Missouri in the dome in St. Louis or Illinois at Soldier Field would put fans in the seats? Get more discussion than UK/Akron? Be put on an ESPN Network instead of on ESPN360 or Comcast? Come on. It's about scheduling wins and getting to the six win mark so they can go to the Mediocrity Bowl or the .500 Bowl. Again, if this is your expectation of UK football, then I'm not gearing these comments to you. But Joker is marketing the football program as one he wants to see rise up the SEC ladder. To do that, you have to knock off some Georgias, South Carolinas, and Tennessees along the way. I dont see where Akron and WKU prepares you for this. In the coming years we'll get a better idea of what Joker wants to do OOC. He had nothing to do with putting together this years schedule and its likely he had very little say in next years or the year after that.
September 20, 201015 yr You are going to get beat up playing in the SEC conference. That's a fact. I don't think it is advisable to go searching for top-notch OOC competition to add to the pain. However, for the weaker conferences, perhaps playing strong OOC teams is a more attractive option if you are trying to gain respect for your team. IMO, UK's schedule is adequate.
September 20, 201015 yr Author Taking Louisville out of the equation. Also, excluding bowl games. The last time UK played a team from the -- Big East Conference - No one. Louisville is it as far as teams that were in the Big East when UK played them. ACC - North Carolina 1990. Before that, Clemson 1985. Big 10 - Indiana 2005. Before that, Michigan State 1947 Big 12 - Kansas State 1983. Before that, Kansas in 1982 Pac 10 - Oregon State in 1976. They are the only Pac 10 team UK has played in the regular season
September 20, 201015 yr Author You are going to get beat up playing in the SEC conference. That's a fact. I don't think it is advisable to go searching for top-notch OOC competition to add to the pain. However, for the weaker conferences, perhaps playing strong OOC teams is a more attractive option if you are trying to gain respect for your team. IMO, UK's schedule is adequate.I'm not saying schedule Penn State, Michigan, Oklahoma, USC or Texas. But I dont see where a game with Illinois, Missouri, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, Kansas State, or Iowa State would be any worse than a MAC team or Charleston Southern
September 20, 201015 yr It seems how soon we forget and how just not long ago UK had a couple 2-9 seasons and majority of the fans were calling for Coach Brooks to leave town. Now we have been to 4 consecutive bowl games and fans are complaining for a tougher schedule. Myself I am pleased with the progress of the football program and within time I think the schedule will be tougher, but I also think that our fans should look at other teams schedule to see who they are playing. All teams have a couple games on their schedule that they are supposed to win. Florida has App St, Miami (Oh) and South Florida. Tennessee has Tenn.-Martin, and UAB. S. Carolina has Furman, Troy, and Southern Miss. Heck Alabama plays San Jose St, Duke, and Georgia State. So understand that UK is in the same boat as other SEC teams when it comes to schedules. How about just be a fan and set back and enjoy it.
September 20, 201015 yr Author Yes, SEC schools schedule very few BCS opponents. But no one schedules as few as Kentucky. When you look at the list below, you will notice the absence of USC, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Iowa, and other notable top 10 teams. But it's not hard to schedule a mid-tier BCS team unless you are Mitch Barnhart. Georgia has played the most games against a BCS opponent -- 10. South Carolina has played seven. Florida, and Vandy has played six. Tennessee five. Uk has played four -- all Louisville. BCS teams scheduled by SEC teams since UK began their bowl run (2006) Vanderbilt (6) - Northwestern, UCONN, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Duke, Michigan Georgia (4) - Colorado (twice), Georgia Tech (x4), Oklahoma State (twice), Arizona State (twice) Florida (3) - South Florida, Florida State (x4), Miami Fla. Tennessee (3) - Oregon, UCLA (twice), Cal (twice) South Carolina (3) - Clemson (x4), North Carolina State (twice), North Carolina, Kentucky (1) - Louisville (four times) Alabama (5) - Penn State, Duke (twice), Va. Tech, Clemson, Florida State Auburn (5) - Clemson, West Virginia (twice), Kansas State, South Florida, Washington State LSU (5) - North Carolina, West Virginia, Washington, Virginia Tech, Arizona Arkansas (3) - Texas A&M, Texas, USC Ole Miss (2) - Wake Forest (twice), Missouri (twice) Mississippi State (2) - Georgia Tech, West Virginia (twice)
September 20, 201015 yr I'm not saying schedule Penn State, Michigan, Oklahoma, USC or Texas. But I dont see where a game with Illinois, Missouri, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, Kansas State, or Iowa State would be any worse than a MAC team or Charleston SouthernAbsolutely ... Indiana, Cincinnati and West Virginia are natural geographic rivals. An ACC or Big East team would be entirely acceptable.
September 20, 201015 yr Vanderbilt (6) - Northwestern, UCONN, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Duke, Michigan Georgia (4) - Colorado (twice), Georgia Tech (x4), Oklahoma State (twice), Arizona State (twice) Florida (3) - South Florida, Florida State (x4), Miami Fla. Tennessee (3) - Oregon, UCLA (twice), Cal (twice) South Carolina (3) - Clemson (x4), North Carolina State (twice), North Carolina, Kentucky (1) - Louisville (four times) Alabama (5) - Penn State, Duke (twice), Va. Tech, Clemson, Florida State Auburn (5) - Clemson, West Virginia (twice), Kansas State, South Florida, Washington State LSU (5) - North Carolina, West Virginia, Washington, Virginia Tech, Arizona Arkansas (3) - Texas A&M, Texas, USC Ole Miss (2) - Wake Forest (twice), Missouri (twice) Mississippi State (2) - Georgia Tech, West Virginia (twice) Vandy - They've been SEC team other conferences use to say "hey! we played an SEC school!!" UGA - not bad, but GT is just like UofL for UK UF - wow.. all in state schools. They just happen to have more than 1 BCS team to play. UT - Not bad since they've picked up the Pac10 schools, but thats a recent thing. SC - Wow... Clemson (in state) and a couple from the next state over Bama - They're Bama. You want UK scheduling at their level? Auburn, not bad LSU - Again, you want UK scheduling at this level? Arkansas - meh... not impressive. Ole Miss - meh again Miss St - meh
September 20, 201015 yr Vandy - They've been SEC team other conferences use to say "hey! we played an SEC school!!" UGA - not bad, but GT is just like UofL for UK UF - wow.. all in state schools. They just happen to have more than 1 BCS team to play. UT - Not bad since they've picked up the Pac10 schools, but thats a recent thing. SC - Wow... Clemson (in state) and a couple from the next state over Bama - They're Bama. You want UK scheduling at their level? Auburn, not bad LSU - Again, you want UK scheduling at this level? Arkansas - meh... not impressive. Ole Miss - meh again Miss St - meh Arkansas ... not impressive? Texas. Texas A&M and USC aren't impressive? Do you honestly think Kentucky's Louisville saga matches those schedules? Take off the blue-colored glasses. One game isn't going to make a huge difference, certainly not the difference between 7-5 (and a minor bowl game bid) and 3-9.
September 20, 201015 yr I can't recall much blasting over the last four seasons when SEC teams where holding up the crystal trophy at the end of the year. :thumb:
September 20, 201015 yr While I agree from a fan's perspective it would be wonderful to see clashes with tough non-conference foes, college football is set up so that wins count a lot more for you than does a loss against a strong opponent. Opposite from NCAA basketball. I do not blame schools from any conference playing money games before conference because your season is ruined if you drop an additional game you normally would not. A lot of the issue is having no pre-season.
September 20, 201015 yr Sorry, folks. As a fan, I'm embarrassed that one of my favorite schools' schedules is no better than the "rest of the SEC's." That's truly pathetic when you think about it, and it's strange how some of the same folks who blast other teams for having poor schedules are defending that as reasonable. The Cats' schedule is tougher, generally speaking, because the SEC is generally one of the top football conferences. But - as much as it galls me to admit it - I admire the schools that challenge all comers. There are those out there who load up their schedules every year. Sometimes, they take their lumps, but they continue to try to prove every week that they are the best in the land. Does the program have no guts? No aspirations of glory? I'll repeat: UK has all the necessary resources to win like Oklahoma, Florida, or Texas. 7-5 should not be the goal. And they'll continue to keep me out of the stadium for snoozers like the game this week versus Akron...
September 20, 201015 yr Sorry, folks. As a fan, I'm embarrassed that one of my favorite schools' schedules is no better than the "rest of the SEC's." That's truly pathetic when you think about it, and it's strange how some of the same folks who blast other teams for having poor schedules are defending that as reasonable. The Cats' schedule is tougher, generally speaking, because the SEC is generally one of the top football conferences. But - as much as it galls me to admit it - I admire the schools that challenge all comers. There are those out there who load up their schedules every year. Sometimes, they take their lumps, but they continue to try to prove every week that they are the best in the land. Does the program have no guts? No aspirations of glory? I'll repeat: UK has all the necessary resources to win like Oklahoma, Florida, or Texas. 7-5 should not be the goal. And they'll continue to keep me out of the stadium for snoozers like the game this week versus Akron... I'm with you on this one Colonel Mike............:thumb:
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