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Nonconference scheduling - broken down (almost)

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by IGotQuestions, Dec 4, 2007.

  1. IGotQuestions

    IGotQuestions Member

    In response to the "FRAUDS! A closer look: Here's a complete list of Big 10 football wins this year" thread:

    So which conference does has the most pride/balls when it comes to scheduling nonconference games involving BCS teams and Division I-AA teams over the last six seasons (dating to 2002)? Here are the results. I did Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC. I excluded ACC and Big East because of their recent shakeups and fact that year in, year out the Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC are regarded the best from top to bottom.

    A couple of disclaimers: I counted Notre Dame as a BCS opponent. I excluded Troy and UConn as a I-AA or BCS team (UConn), since they changed statuses since 02. I'm staying objective, but will say Troy would have hurt B12 and SEC even more, and I don't recall Big Ten or Pac-10 playing them Also, there is a tiny, tiny chance I might have missed 1 tabulation total per league. Not a math wizard, so I have no percentage of error. Also I used espn.com's archived schedules.

    Southern California, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Colorado, Michigan, Tennessee rated the best overall in regard to BCS opponents vs. I-AA teams.

    Team avg./year is the most accurate stat, to account for fact there's 12 teams each in Big 12 and SEC, 11 in Big Ten and 10 in Pac-10. And now, the results:

    Most BCS opponents over 6-year period (dates to 2002):
    LEAGUE TOTAL AVG.YEAR TEAM AVG./YEAR
    Big Ten 96 16 1.45
    Pac-10 81 13.5 1.35
    SEC 82 13.6 1.13
    Big 12 69 11.5 0.96

    Most I-AA Opponents over 6-year period (2002):
    LEAGUE TOTAL AVG..YEAR TEAM AVG./YEAR
    Big 12 45 7.5 0.63
    SEC 37 6.17 0.51
    Big Ten 25 4.17 0.38
    Pac-10 20 3.33 0.33

    No I-AA opponents since 2002:
    SEC: Tennessee
    Pac-10: Southern California, UCLA
    Big 12: Oklahoma
    Big Ten: Michigan State

    Just one I-AA opponent:
    SEC: None.
    Big 12: Texas
    Big Ten: Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State

    Most I-AA opponents (will add Big 12 shortly)
    6 - Vanderbilt (SEC)
    5 - Mississippi State (SEC)
    5 - Arizona (Pac-10)
    4 - Oregon State (Pac-10)
    5 - Indiana (Big Ten)
    4 - Minnesota (Big Ten)
    4 - Illinois (Big Ten)
    4 - Georgia (SEC)
    4 - Auburn (SEC)

    Most BCS opponents:
    16 - Southern Cal (Pac-10)
    11- Colorado (Big 12)
    11 - Ohio State (Big Ten)
    11 - Illinois (Big Ten)
    11 - Michigan State (Big Ten)
    11 - Purdue (Big Ten)
    10 - Michigan (Big Ten)
    10 - Iowa (Big Ten)
    10 - Arizona State (Pac-10)
    10 - UCLA (Pac-10)
    10 - Georgia (SEC)
    10 - Kentucky (SEC)
    9 - Oklahoma (Big 12)
    9 - South Carolina (SEC)
    9 - Penn State (Big Ten)
    8 - Florida (SEC)
    8 - Auburn (SEC)

    Least BCS opponents (this list is most telling, in my book. Big Ten is barely here, while Big 12 is top heavy with Colorado, Oklahoma and Nebraska having 29 of their 69 total)
    2 - Baylor (Big 12)
    3 - Minnesota (Big Ten)
    3 - Oklahoma State (Big 12)
    3 - Kansas (Big 12)
    3 - Oregon State (Pac-10)
    4 - Arkansas (SEC)
    4 - Mississippi State (SEC)
    4 - Alabama (SEC)
    4 - Kansas State (Big 12)
    5 - Mississippi (SEC)
    5 - Texas (Big 12)
    5 - Texas Tech (Big 12)
    5 - Missouri (Big 12)
    6 - LSU (SEC)
    6 - Arizona (Pac-10)
    6 - Stanford (Pac-10)
    6 - Iowa State (Big 12)
    6 - Indiana (Big Ten)
     
  2. Inky_Wretch

    Inky_Wretch Well-Known Member

    When did Vandy and MSU get traded from the SEC to the Big 12?
     
  3. dooley_womack1

    dooley_womack1 Well-Known Member

    The Big 12 rejects these would-be members.
     
  4. poindexter

    poindexter Well-Known Member

    Don't look at me for anything on this thread. I claim the Big 10 as a FRAUD only in 2007. They may or may not be in other years, and other conferences may or may not be this year or other years.

    Bode Miller was a FRAUD in the 2006 winter Olympics. He may or may not have been a FRAUD in other years and other competitions.
     
  5. deskslave

    deskslave Active Member

    To defend Georgia at least a little bit, I'm pretty sure one of those I-AA games was a last-minute replacement for a team that bailed out, though I can't for the life of me remember which one. I know Tulane canceled three games with Georgia, but that was a while ago.

    Also, Georgia has a standing agreement with Georgia Southern to play once every four years, a deal made back when the NCAA was allowing you to count one I-AA win toward bowl eligibility every four years. It's basically a favor to another of the state's programs, one that, at least a few years ago, was pretty damn good.

    Still, four is too many. I won't deny that. There are, FWIW, three scheduled in the next six years, though that doesn't include a possible 2012 game against Ga. Southern.

    As a bonus, however, three of Georgia's four non-conference games in '09 will be against BCS teams (at Okla. State, vs. Arizona State, at Ga. Tech).

    It does seem like teams are trying to improve their schedules, however incremental that process may be.

    And those of you who consider Troy to be a half-step above a I-AA are severely underestimating that program. Are they LSU or USC? No. But there's a lot of talent in that part of the country, and programs like Troy and South Florida are getting more and more of it.
     
  6. dooley_womack1

    dooley_womack1 Well-Known Member

    The Big Ten, Bode and Plaschke...the Poin FRAUD triumphvirate.
     
  7. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    Didn't Troy beat Oklahoma State this year and give Georgia a run for their money? I may be wrong, but I also think Troy finished with eight or nine wins this year. Not a bad squad at all.

    And LSU is in a similar situation to what deskslave mentioned with Georgia and Georgia Southern. A few years back, the AD decided it'd be a good idea to keep those $500,000 guarantees in Louisiana. So instead of bringing in a team from outside, they set up a decade-long series with other schools around the state. The rivalry with Tulane was revived, and they play Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech and Louisiana-Lafayette on a rotating basis. Usually two of those a year. That eats up two of the non-conference dates right there.
     
  8. Chi City 81

    Chi City 81 Guest

    What's your point? LSU still shouldn't get any credit for those games.
     
  9. deskslave

    deskslave Active Member

    Yep. They also played Arkansas close for a half. Georgia ended up beating them by 10, though Troy scored with 5 seconds left.

    Of course, that spread offense gives Georgia fits. Why they scheduled a game with a team that runs it is beyond me.
     
  10. IGotQuestions

    IGotQuestions Member

    I was surprised the Big 12 was so bad in terms of the I-AA teams. I didn't even count up all the Sun Belt and MVC action they take on - arguably the 2 worst I-A conferences from top to bottom. USC, by far, is the sterling team out of the bunch. Not only did they schedule all those BCS teams since 2002, they scheduled TOP BCS teams in that time frame and won most of them.

    In 2002 alone, USC opened vs. No. 22 Auburn, at No. 14 Colorado, at No. 6 Kansas State. They've gone to Auburn, Notre Dame (series), set to go to OHio State, and have played Virginia Tech twice, Nebraska twice, Arkansas.

    Not a single team from the baddest conference in the land - the SEC - has come close to USC's out-of-conference schedule. The Pac-10 and Big Ten willingly squares off, but the Big 12 shies away, and the SEC and Big Ten have played just a few meaningless regular-season matchups since 2002 - only one I can think of at the moment is Vanderbilt at Michigan last year.
     
  11. sportschick

    sportschick Active Member

    It is not the fucking MVC. The Missouri Valley doesn't have football. Are you talking about the MAC?
     
  12. IGotQuestions

    IGotQuestions Member

    MOUNTAIN WEST. MWC. Read my response to your first one. LMAO. Case of typing too fast and not thinking/editing before hitting post. If you noticed earlier, I accidentally attributed some SEC teams to the Big 12. Bet you think I'm clueless about that, too. (I went back and fixed mistakes since then).
     
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