See, therein lies the dilemma. UK will never get to the point where they can beat their conference brethren on a consistent basis with the current scheduling they do. They simply aren't challenged enough in the non-conference part of their schedule to toughen them up enough to gain that consistency against the tough competition in the SEC.

 

Right.... thats the reason. If they played IU instead of WKU, they'd be challenging for the SEC east title every year.

The lack of talent argument is a cop-out. It ain't like there's a wealth of D-I talent in Idaho or Utah, yet Boise St., Utah and BYU are regular top 25 teams. Same goes for West Virginia. Heck, Tennessee, Oregon, Oklahoma, Nebraska, etc. all have to get a lot of their talent from outside of the state, but they make it work.

 

UK is simply scared to take the chances it needs to in order to become more than just a SEC bottom-feeder. The complacency of playing in low-rent bowls and getting a few wins is apparently too much to overcome.

 

Boise recruits the whole West Coast, and most of their roster is not from Idaho. And lets face it Boise, Utah and BYU don't have to play an SEC schedule week in and week out.

 

West Virginia has a Florida pipeline thanks to what Rich Rod did, and what Doc Holliday did when he was there. DH seems to be about as connected as you can get in Florida.

Oklahoma has Texas, and they are probably the 2nd pick for kids in that state after UT.

Oregon spends an unearthly amount of money on their football team. They probably have some of the top facitilies in the country.

Nebraska was built by Osborne, and they're just an established program in the middle of nowhere. Sort of like Notre Dame.

 

To put it frankly it's just too tough for UK to get in to any of the big areas to get recruits. If they went to Texas they'd be behind UT, Oklahoma, A&M, Tech and border teams like LSU not to mention teams that come in and steal players like UF, USC or OSU. California is probably too far away to be really fertile for UK. Ohio kids want to play for OSU, or they end up at other big schools like Michigan, Notre Dame etc. Florida you have the Big 3, not to mention teams like Bama, LSU, OSU, Michigan, WVU all with alot to say about who goes where.

 

UK isn't going to beat the Texas and Floridas of the world for big name guys anytime soon.

See, therein lies the dilemma. UK will never get to the point where they can beat their conference brethren on a consistent basis with the current scheduling they do. They simply aren't challenged enough in the non-conference part of their schedule to toughen them up enough to gain that consistency against the tough competition in the SEC.

 

What SEC teams play a tough schedule OOC on a consistent basis? It has nothing to do with if UK is good enough to play with the big boys IMO.

 

Playing @ Oregon State isn't going to prepare the Cats for a Saturday night game in Death Valley, at least I don't think.

See, therein lies the dilemma. UK will never get to the point where they can beat their conference brethren on a consistent basis with the current scheduling they do. They simply aren't challenged enough in the non-conference part of their schedule to toughen them up enough to gain that consistency against the tough competition in the SEC.

It is not about being challenged, it is about UK's depth and talent deficiency. Now one could argue these games may help with exposure and bring in better recruits, but that is a whole other debate.

 

I have said for a few years now that I wish the NCAA would mandate that you play one road game against an OOC BCS conference team each season. That may not be logistically possible, but maybe one road OOC game no matter the conference. That would force bigger schools to play in smaller conference venues that they are supposedly scared to go in to.

Here's a list of BCS conference teams that could make for a good non-conference rival for UK. Only one would be needed, if you factor in keeping Louisville, keeping one MAC/Sun Belt, and keeping one 1-AA team. I didn't put any Pac-10 teams, but I do have teams from the other four BCS conference. The teams are typically similar in record and ability as Kentucky. Who fits, who doesn't?

 

ACC - Maryland, North Carolina State, Virginia

Big East - Cincinnati, Syracuse

Big Ten - Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue

Big XII - Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri

Here's a list of BCS conference teams that could make for a good non-conference rival for UK. Only one would be needed, if you factor in keeping Louisville, keeping one MAC/Sun Belt, and keeping one 1-AA team. I didn't put any Pac-10 teams, but I do have teams from the other four BCS conference. The teams are typically similar in record and ability as Kentucky. Who fits, who doesn't?

 

ACC - Maryland, North Carolina State, Virginia

Big East - Cincinnati, Syracuse

Big Ten - Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue

Big XII - Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri

 

Some of those teams probably wouldn't want to commit to a long series, because they have alot of other commitments. KState has some big games over the next few years, Purdue always has a pretty tough schedule, Colorado is going to the Pac-10 and probably won't have a lot of open games, Maryland has some games they play OOC every year in Navy and WVU. But I get what you're saying.

 

I would love to see the Indiana series come back. I don't think UK gains anything by playing Iowa State, Illinois, or Syracuse.

 

Other than playing Illinois, I wouldn't mind UK getting a series with one of their fellow basketball heavyweights like UNC, UCLA or Kansas. Or UC, I'd love to get to talk some smack to GT if UK beat them .

It comes down to home games and the fact that the way college football sets up it doesn't help them. It doesn't look much or any better to beat Duke than it does WKU IMO. They are both bad, one just happens to be in a better conference. That is just my opinion.

Playing two mid to low levels and adding a BCS school with Louisville is not going to magically transform them from 7-5 to 3-9 as some on here have stated.

 

Beating Akron 47-10 isn't going to garner them votes in the AP poll.

 

When bowls have to choose among three teams with eight wins, they are likely to choose a team carrying a national ranking.

 

You don't get a national ranking beating Akron and WKU. And as the last two weeks have proved, you don't get on ESPN playing Akron and WKU despite ESPN having the SEC contract.

 

They're going to choose the team that puts butts in their seats, and UK does that.

Right.... thats the reason. If they played IU instead of WKU, they'd be challenging for the SEC east title every year.

 

Show me where I said this. All I said, just like Scribe, is that a more challenging non-conference schedule would help UK climb the next rung of the ladder. Nobody said it was a magic bullet.

Boise recruits the whole West Coast, and most of their roster is not from Idaho. And lets face it Boise, Utah and BYU don't have to play an SEC schedule week in and week out.

 

West Virginia has a Florida pipeline thanks to what Rich Rod did, and what Doc Holliday did when he was there. DH seems to be about as connected as you can get in Florida.

Oklahoma has Texas, and they are probably the 2nd pick for kids in that state after UT.

Oregon spends an unearthly amount of money on their football team. They probably have some of the top facitilies in the country.

Nebraska was built by Osborne, and they're just an established program in the middle of nowhere. Sort of like Notre Dame.

 

To put it frankly it's just too tough for UK to get in to any of the big areas to get recruits. If they went to Texas they'd be behind UT, Oklahoma, A&M, Tech and border teams like LSU not to mention teams that come in and steal players like UF, USC or OSU. California is probably too far away to be really fertile for UK. Ohio kids want to play for OSU, or they end up at other big schools like Michigan, Notre Dame etc. Florida you have the Big 3, not to mention teams like Bama, LSU, OSU, Michigan, WVU all with alot to say about who goes where.

 

UK isn't going to beat the Texas and Floridas of the world for big name guys anytime soon.

 

They certainly won't if their fans don't believe in them.

 

Frankly, the fact that you're willing to make that many excuses says a lot. Nobody said it would be easy to climb the next rung of the ladder. But you have to start somewhere. All those other programs did.

:lol::lol:

 

 

 

What SEC teams play a tough schedule OOC on a consistent basis? It has nothing to do with if UK is good enough to play with the big boys IMO.

 

Playing @ Oregon State isn't going to prepare the Cats for a Saturday night game in Death Valley, at least I don't think.

 

Hogwash. Any game in a hostile environment is better than beating up on Sisters of the Poor in front of "70,000 strong."

 

And like I said earlier, using the cop-out that the other SEC teams are doing it is just that: a cop-out. UK can't get away with the scheduling tricks that some of its conferencemates do and hope to climb the ladder of becoming a contender in its conference -- which is the program's goal, according to UK's coach.

It is not about being challenged, it is about UK's depth and talent deficiency. Now one could argue these games may help with exposure and bring in better recruits, but that is a whole other debate.

 

I have said for a few years now that I wish the NCAA would mandate that you play one road game against an OOC BCS conference team each season. That may not be logistically possible, but maybe one road OOC game no matter the conference. That would force bigger schools to play in smaller conference venues that they are supposedly scared to go in to.

 

I disagree partially with your first point. I think getting that extra challenge in there can only help when on those conference road trips later in the year. And I think it can only help with recruiting. The depth issue is indeed a concern, but that's a concern every year. Playing it safe is getting UK nowhere it hasn't already been (Nashville, Memphis, etc.); it seems fans would be eager to see their team aspire to be something more.

Show me where I said this. All I said, just like Scribe, is that a more challenging non-conference schedule would help UK climb the next rung of the ladder. Nobody said it was a magic bullet.

 

And if the next rung isn't competing for the SEC east title, then what is it?

Some of those teams probably wouldn't want to commit to a long series, because they have alot of other commitments. KState has some big games over the next few years, Purdue always has a pretty tough schedule, Colorado is going to the Pac-10 and probably won't have a lot of open games, Maryland has some games they play OOC every year in Navy and WVU. But I get what you're saying.

 

I would love to see the Indiana series come back. I don't think UK gains anything by playing Iowa State, Illinois, or Syracuse.

 

Other than playing Illinois, I wouldn't mind UK getting a series with one of their fellow basketball heavyweights like UNC, UCLA or Kansas. Or UC, I'd love to get to talk some smack to GT if UK beat them .

 

Who's asking them for a long series? What's wrong with a home-and-home with Illinois alternated with a home-and-home with Virginia over a four-year span? Most of these things are set up that way anyway -- a two-game home-and-home spread out over a four- or six-year span.