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P5 teams who won’t play a non-conference Power opponent in 2018

Sgt Brutus

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Of the 64 Power teams, six (or 9%) are guilty of under-scheduling this season. The Big Ten and Pac-12 both have two representatives and the Big 12 and SEC have one apiece. The ACC avoids the list completely.

Arkansas – Eastern Illinois (Sept. 1), at Colorado State (Sept. 8), North Texas (Sept. 15), and Tulsa (Oct. 20)

Arkansas hasn’t avoided playing a Power conference member in non-SEC play since 2007. That season the Hogs hosted Troy, North Texas, and FIU and balanced out the schedule with Chattanooga. They finished 8-5; 4-0 in non-conference play and 4-4 in the SEC. They fell to (7) Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.

Given the SEC and ACC’s eight-league game format (and the fact that no ACC team made the list), Arkansas’ lack of a quality non-conference foe makes it the only Power program to play just eight Power opponents in 2018.

Note: Arkansas did have a home-and-home series with Michigan scheduled for 2018 and 2019, but UM backed out of the contract to renew their series with Notre Dame. Arkansas then received an exemption from the SEC to add a road game at Colorado State and count it as their Power non-conference game.

Illinois – Kent State (Sept. 1), Western Illinois (Sept. 8), and USF (Sept. 15)

Illinois also under-scheduled in 2017, beating Ball State and Western Kentucky to start the season before falling at (22) USF in Week 3. The two wins were the only in a 2-10 finish.

To be fair to the Illini, you have go all the way back to 1934 to find a season when they didn’t manage to play a team that is a current member of a Power league (or Notre Dame) in the regular season. Illinois faced Bradley, Washington (Missouri) and Army that year out of conference play. It finished 7-1, tied with Ohio State for second place in the Western (the precursor to the Big Ten) – one game behind Minnesota which went 8-0 and won a share of its second national championship.

Minnesota – New Mexico State (Aug. 30), Fresno State (Sept. 8), and Miami Ohio (Sept. 15)

Look for the Golden Gophers to start the season 3-0 and potentially be ranked for the first time since 2014. The last time Minnesota had it so easy outside of Big Ten play was in 2013, when it lined up against UNLV, New Mexico State, FCS Western Illinois and San Jose State to start the season. Those Gophers went 8-5; 4-0 in non-conference play and 4-4 in Big Ten action. They lost to Syracuse in the Texas Bowl.

Minnesota also failed to play a Power member in 2008, instead opting for Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, FCS Montana State and FAU. That team finished 7-5; 4-0 in the non-Big Ten games, 3-5 in conference play and a loss to Kansas in the Insight Bowl.

Oklahoma State – Missouri State (Sept. 1), South Alabama (Sept. 8), and Boise State (Sept. 15)

Oklahoma State’s under-scheduled as recently as 2015, when it started the season with Central Michigan, FCS Central Arkansas and UTSA. That team finished the regular season 10-2, ranked No. 13 in the AP before falling to (16) Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.

Prior to that, the Cowboys also fell short in 2006, opening with FCS Missouri State, Arkansas Statne and FAU. After sweeping those games, OSU went 3-5 in Big 12 play and finished 7-6 after beating Alabama 34-31 in the Independence Bowl.


Oregon – Bowling Green (Sept. 1), Portland State (Sept. 8), and San Jose State (Sept. 15)

The Ducks are set to face their easiest non-Pac-12 slate since 2012, when they welcomed Arkansas State, Fresno State and FCS Tennessee Tech to open what ultimately was a 12-1 campaign. It was Chip Kelly’s final season at the helm and the team finished at No. 2 in the AP after beating (7) Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Since then, Oregon has doubled-up on non-conference Power opponents twice; Virginia and Nebraska in 2016 and Virginia and Tennessee in 2013. It makes the Ducks appearance on this list even more noteworthy. It also gives new head coach Mario Cristobal a pathway to a 3-0 start and a shot at the Top 25.

Note: Oregon did have a home-and-home series with Texas A&M scheduled for 2018 and 2019, but the Aggies backed out of the contract.


Washington State – at Wyoming (Sept. 1), San Jose State (Sept. 8), and Eastern Washington (Sept. 15)

This is Washington State’s third-consecutive season without a Power opponent in non-conference play. It makes the Cougars the biggest repeat offender on the naughty list.

WSU played FCS Montana State, Boise State and Nevada last season and FCS Eastern Washington, Boise State and Idaho in 2016. Its most recent regular-season game against a Power school from an opposing conference was on Sept. 12, 2015 when it edged Rutgers 37-34 in Pullman. The Cougars also under-scheduled in 2011, opening with FCS Idaho State, UNLV and San Diego State.

Power teams who won’t play a non-conference Power opponent in 2018
 

AlaskaGuy

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Yo @Sgt Brutus ... which of those teams up above play 9 regular season conference games?

9 > 8 last time I checked.
 

AlaskaGuy

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Not when most of those 9 are against powder-puff teams.
Here's your 3rd place finishers in the SEC West.

03-11-15+troy+trojans+logo.jpg
 

RobToxin

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LOL @ Oregon

LOL @ Aggie for backing out of playing Oregon.
 

Sgt Brutus

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Yo @Sgt Brutus ... which of those teams up above play 9 regular season conference games?

9 > 8 last time I checked.
All but Arky I'm pretty sure. SEC play 8 and not a single team has 2 OOC power opponents.
 

Chewbaccer

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UGA always has a solid OCC game with GT.

You never can tell with the triple option. They're solid most of the time, but they're also capable of having some real bad teams like last season.

I know they have more strict academic standards for athletes than UGA does, but given the talent they're surrounded by, and their solid history, it just seems like such a waste for a P5 team in the state of Georgia to run the triple option.

I can say this since we beat them every year while he was there, but the rivalry was more fun when Tech could get guys like Calvin Johnson.
 

Scapegoat

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You never can tell with the triple option. They're solid most of the time, but they're also capable of having some real bad teams like last season.

I know they have more strict academic standards for athletes than UGA does, but given the talent they're surrounded by, and their solid history, it just seems like such a waste for a P5 team in the state of Georgia to run the triple option.

I can say this since we beat them every year while he was there, but the rivalry was more fun when Tech could get guys like Calvin Johnson.

It's still a solid game. I liked when OU played Texas as a non-conference game. We still play a solid out of conference schedule but it's nice having a out of conference rivalry. I would like OU to play Arkansas.
 

ralphiewvu

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We have 3 cream puffs on our OOC schedule too.

I have no faith uTenn nor NCstate will raise our sOs.







































We’ll prolly lose both :L.
 

NolePride

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Of the 64 Power teams, six (or 9%) are guilty of under-scheduling this season. The Big Ten and Pac-12 both have two representatives and the Big 12 and SEC have one apiece. The ACC avoids the list completely.

Arkansas – Eastern Illinois (Sept. 1), at Colorado State (Sept. 8), North Texas (Sept. 15), and Tulsa (Oct. 20)

Arkansas hasn’t avoided playing a Power conference member in non-SEC play since 2007. That season the Hogs hosted Troy, North Texas, and FIU and balanced out the schedule with Chattanooga. They finished 8-5; 4-0 in non-conference play and 4-4 in the SEC. They fell to (7) Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.

Given the SEC and ACC’s eight-league game format (and the fact that no ACC team made the list), Arkansas’ lack of a quality non-conference foe makes it the only Power program to play just eight Power opponents in 2018.

Note: Arkansas did have a home-and-home series with Michigan scheduled for 2018 and 2019, but UM backed out of the contract to renew their series with Notre Dame. Arkansas then received an exemption from the SEC to add a road game at Colorado State and count it as their Power non-conference game.

Illinois – Kent State (Sept. 1), Western Illinois (Sept. 8), and USF (Sept. 15)

Illinois also under-scheduled in 2017, beating Ball State and Western Kentucky to start the season before falling at (22) USF in Week 3. The two wins were the only in a 2-10 finish.

To be fair to the Illini, you have go all the way back to 1934 to find a season when they didn’t manage to play a team that is a current member of a Power league (or Notre Dame) in the regular season. Illinois faced Bradley, Washington (Missouri) and Army that year out of conference play. It finished 7-1, tied with Ohio State for second place in the Western (the precursor to the Big Ten) – one game behind Minnesota which went 8-0 and won a share of its second national championship.

Minnesota – New Mexico State (Aug. 30), Fresno State (Sept. 8), and Miami Ohio (Sept. 15)

Look for the Golden Gophers to start the season 3-0 and potentially be ranked for the first time since 2014. The last time Minnesota had it so easy outside of Big Ten play was in 2013, when it lined up against UNLV, New Mexico State, FCS Western Illinois and San Jose State to start the season. Those Gophers went 8-5; 4-0 in non-conference play and 4-4 in Big Ten action. They lost to Syracuse in the Texas Bowl.

Minnesota also failed to play a Power member in 2008, instead opting for Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, FCS Montana State and FAU. That team finished 7-5; 4-0 in the non-Big Ten games, 3-5 in conference play and a loss to Kansas in the Insight Bowl.

Oklahoma State – Missouri State (Sept. 1), South Alabama (Sept. 8), and Boise State (Sept. 15)

Oklahoma State’s under-scheduled as recently as 2015, when it started the season with Central Michigan, FCS Central Arkansas and UTSA. That team finished the regular season 10-2, ranked No. 13 in the AP before falling to (16) Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.

Prior to that, the Cowboys also fell short in 2006, opening with FCS Missouri State, Arkansas Statne and FAU. After sweeping those games, OSU went 3-5 in Big 12 play and finished 7-6 after beating Alabama 34-31 in the Independence Bowl.


Oregon – Bowling Green (Sept. 1), Portland State (Sept. 8), and San Jose State (Sept. 15)

The Ducks are set to face their easiest non-Pac-12 slate since 2012, when they welcomed Arkansas State, Fresno State and FCS Tennessee Tech to open what ultimately was a 12-1 campaign. It was Chip Kelly’s final season at the helm and the team finished at No. 2 in the AP after beating (7) Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Since then, Oregon has doubled-up on non-conference Power opponents twice; Virginia and Nebraska in 2016 and Virginia and Tennessee in 2013. It makes the Ducks appearance on this list even more noteworthy. It also gives new head coach Mario Cristobal a pathway to a 3-0 start and a shot at the Top 25.

Note: Oregon did have a home-and-home series with Texas A&M scheduled for 2018 and 2019, but the Aggies backed out of the contract.


Washington State – at Wyoming (Sept. 1), San Jose State (Sept. 8), and Eastern Washington (Sept. 15)

This is Washington State’s third-consecutive season without a Power opponent in non-conference play. It makes the Cougars the biggest repeat offender on the naughty list.

WSU played FCS Montana State, Boise State and Nevada last season and FCS Eastern Washington, Boise State and Idaho in 2016. Its most recent regular-season game against a Power school from an opposing conference was on Sept. 12, 2015 when it edged Rutgers 37-34 in Pullman. The Cougars also under-scheduled in 2011, opening with FCS Idaho State, UNLV and San Diego State.

Power teams who won’t play a non-conference Power opponent in 2018

You left out Arizona.

Their OOC schedule is

vs Northern Arizona
vs Houston
@ UTEP

Arizona is the only Power 5 school in the Country never to have scheduled an OOC
game vs a P5 opponent in the 4 years of the playoff era.
 

AlaskaGuy

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You left out Arizona.

Their OOC schedule is

vs Northern Arizona
vs Houston
@ UTEP

Arizona is the only Power 5 school in the Country never to have scheduled an OOC
game vs a P5 opponent in the 4 years of the playoff era.
Arizona plays a minimum 9 regular season P5 opponents .. the same amount as most SEC schools since the SEC made a rule two years ago that all of them had to play at least one OOC vs a P5 opponent.
 

ralphiewvu

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You left out Arizona.

Their OOC schedule is

vs Northern Arizona
vs Houston
@ UTEP

Arizona is the only Power 5 school in the Country never to have scheduled an OOC
game vs a P5 opponent in the 4 years of the playoff era.

Didn’t they play Texas Tech a few years ago?
 
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