247Sports 15 Toughest Schedules

[ralphiewvu]

If college had a playoff system like the NFL, that might make sense. They don't. There isn't a drive for parity in college football, which is why the NFL schedules as they do.

You also can't compare college conferences to NFL Divisions. Each conference has their own governing body, each has its own traditions, and each has its own way it wants to run its conference. Unless the P5 splits off, and forms its own association, what you are wanting simply won't happen.

Finally, absent a draft, which also is designed for parity, you can never accomplish what you want. And you can't have a draft because kids get to decide what colleges they want to go to. Even as we get further and further away from the idea of the student athlete, at the end of the day the players are going to school and trying to get an education and degree. At least a good number of them. You can't take that choice away from them.

I agree that the 8 game schedule gives the SEC and Clemson an advantage. They are being smart. That said, Clemson's game every year against USCjr is better than 95% of the ACC games they could play. And they typically play a good 10th game - they have the Dawgs in 5 games over the next decade. Accckkk, defending Clemson, just threw up in my mouth.

If you really want more and better OOC games, simply go to an 8 team playoff. When a team knows they can lose a big game and still have a chance to get in the CFP, you will see better games. Just look at the scheduling for the next decade of UGA, Clemson, tOSU, Bama, OU and the other top teams. They are scheduling ridiculously difficult OOC in anticipation of an 8 team CFP.

The only way you are going to see constant matchups of good teams from other conferences is the way I’m for. Any of the big boys will gladly schedule 1 P5 but 2 or more? What incentive do they have to do it own their own? Mandating every P5 has To play 2 P5 OOC doesn’t garuntee top games. That’s what I’m getting at with that how the nfl schedules.

If it’s a requirement to schedule 2 P5’s it won’t matter what conferences are.

I’m not for a draft at all.

I give the SEC and ACC credit, they are using the system to their advantage. No arguments about that.

I’m for an 8 team playoff.

 

[Olyduck]

We do need less conference games. An ideal world would be playing 8 conference games and then 2 P5 games and 2 G5/FCS games. Having more OOC games will help decide which conference(s) are the best in a particular season.

no it wont. you dont think Georgia Tech, Duke, purdue, Indiana, Rutgers, Kansas, Colorado, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Oregon State are gonna get called by everyone?

 

[ericd7633]

Then do away with conferences. Truly there is no point if conference teams don’t pla each other.

The biggest problem is number of teams in the conferences. That and the imbalance of quality in the conferences. Utah was one win away from making the CFP last year and they were 0-1 against ranked teams heading into the CCG. Their OCC consisted of 7-5 BYU, 5-7 Northern Illinois and Idaho State.

 

[ericd7633]

no it wont. you dont think Georgia Tech, Duke, purdue, Indiana, Rutgers, Kansas, Colorado, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Oregon State are gonna get called by everyone?

Oregon State beating Purdue is alot better for the conference than Oregon State beating Arizona.

 

[Olyduck]

Oregon State beating Purdue is alot better for the conference than Oregon State beating Arizona.

Yeah i meant that Oregon, USC, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas would be calling those schools.

 

[ericd7633]

Yeah i meant that Oregon, USC, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas would be calling those schools.

Based on future scheduling trends I would say that isn't the case.

 

[Olyduck]

Based on future scheduling trends I would say that isn't the case.

based on future scheduling trends in the current set up. im saying if there was some rule saying they had to schedule 2 P5

 

[Rolltide94]

based on future scheduling trends in the current set up. im saying if there was some rule saying they had to schedule 2 P5

Your basic math is wrong then, not everyone can play Oregon St, and Oregon St doesn't want to play everyone.

 

[Gatorchip]

Keep this up, and you get another copy pasta of @fredsdeadfriend

 

[ericd7633]

based on future scheduling trends in the current set up. im saying if there was some rule saying they had to schedule 2 P5

Well Bama already has FSU and Wisconsin in 2025 and FSU and WVU in 2026. Clemson has their game against South Carolina and then games with UGA in 2021, 2024, 2029, 2030, 2032 and 2033. Has games with ND in '22, '23, '27 and '28. Has games with LSU in 2025 and '26. So they already have 2 premier OOC games for the next decade and a half. USC has scheduled 2 premier OOC games a bunch times in the past and for the future.

It's tough to say what the teams that have 9 conference games would do. But teams like Texas, OSU and OU have typically scheduled strong OOC games.

 

[LawDawg]

Yeah i meant that Oregon, USC, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas would be calling those schools.

That's funny, because those are the schools that have manned up with their OOC scheduling. Below are their OOC schedules for the next decade+. Look closely, the best teams actually schedule the best teams OOC. Some of us already play 2 P5 teams and will have 3 on our schedule in some years ... we have Texas, FSU and GaTech / Texas, Clemson, GaTech / Clemson, tOSU, GaTech / tOSU, Oklahoma, GaTech / in 4 of the next 10 years.

Bama:
USC
Miami
UT
UT/USF
USF/Wisky
FSU/Wisky
WVU/USF/FSU
WVU
ND
ND
GaTech
GaTech

UGA:
GaTech, every year
UVA
Clemson
Oregon
OU
Clemson
UCLA
UCLA
FSU
UT/FSU
UT/Clemson
Clemson/tOSU
tOSU/OU
Clemson
Clemson

OU:
UTjr
Neb
Neb
UGA
UTjr
UM
UM
LSU
LSU
Neb
Neb
UGA
Bama
Bama
Clemson
Clemson

Clemson:
USCjr, every year
ND
UGA
ND
ND
UGA
LSU
LSU
ND
ND
UGA
UGA
ND
UGA
UGA
ND
OU
OU
ND

USC:
Bama
ND
ND
ND/BYU
ND
ND/OleMiss
ND/OleMiss

Oregon:
tOSU
tOSU
UGA
TexTech
TexTech
OkState/BSU
OkState/BSU
Baylor
Baylor
MSU
MSU

Texas:
USF/LSU
Arky
Bama
Bama
UM
tOSU
tOSU
UM
UGA
UGA
UF
UF
ASU
ASU

LSU:
UT
UCLA
FSU
FSU
UCLA
Clemson
Clemson
OU
OU
ASU
ASU
Utah
Utah

tOSU:
Oregon
Oregon
ND
ND
WashU
WashU/UT
UT
BC
UGA
UGA

 

[socaljim242]

Toughest schedule is a joke if you include teams who play total creampuffs on the second to last or third to last sat of the regular season. Thats like running a marathon but getting to ride your bike for miles 18 to 22.

 

[LawDawg]

Toughest schedule is a joke if you include teams who play total creampuffs on the second to last or third to last sat of the regular season. Thats like running a marathon but getting to ride your bike for miles 18 to 22.

Meh ... some conferences play all OOC games early, sort of a pre-season. Some scatter them throughout the season. The SEC likes to play big games in week 1, with good early SEC IC games, and spread the OOC throughout the season. Your conference controls your schedule, so if you don't like it that's on you.

To use your analogy, your schedule is like riding a bike for the first 5 or 6 miles while we are out sprinting. It's a choice the runner makes. Your analogy also fails because no one is riding a bike ... just when they choose to run slower.

 

[Gatorchip]

That's funny, because those are the schools that have manned up with their OOC scheduling. Below are their OOC schedules for the next decade+. Look closely, the best teams actually schedule the best teams OOC. Some of us already play 2 P5 teams and will have 3 on our schedule in some years ... we have Texas, FSU and GaTech / Texas, Clemson, GaTech / Clemson, tOSU, GaTech in 3 of the next 10 years.

Bama:
USC
Miami
UT
UT/USF
USF/Wisky
FSU/Wisky
WVU/USF/FSU
WVU
ND
ND
GaTech
GaTech

UGA:
GaTech, every year
UVA
Clemson
Oregon
OU
Clemson
UCLA
UCLA
FSU
UT/FSU
UT/Clemson
Clemson/tOSU
tOSU/OU
Clemson
Clemson

OU:
UTjr
Neb
Neb
UGA
UTjr
UM
UM
LSU
LSU
Neb
Neb
UGA
Bama
Bama
Clemson
Clemson

Clemson:
USCjr, every year
ND
UGA
ND
ND
UGA
LSU
LSU
ND
ND
UGA
UGA
ND
UGA
UGA
ND
OU
OU
ND

USC:
Bama
ND
ND
ND/BYU
ND
ND/OleMiss
ND/OleMiss

Oregon:
tOSU
tOSU
UGA
TexTech
TexTech
OkState/BSU
OkState/BSU
Baylor
Baylor
MSU
MSU

Texas:
USF/LSU
Arky
Bama
Bama
UM
tOSU
tOSU
UM
UGA
UGA
UF
UF
ASU
ASU

LSU:
UT
UCLA
FSU
FSU
UCLA
Clemson
Clemson
OU
OU
ASU
ASU
Utah
Utah

tOSU:
Oregon
Oregon
ND
ND
WashU
WashU/UT
UT
BC
UGA
UGA

UGA has the best OOC on this list by a mile. If South Carolina every gets good again, then Clemson is pretty good too. Bama is starting to come around, and I see a few others that occasionally have 2 decent OOC games. Hopefully all teams out there start beefing up those schedules. The games are for the fans after all.

UF is starting to come around in the near future (not this season however).

Through 2031:
FSU every year
USF
Utah/USF
Utah
Miami
USF/Miami
Cal
Cal
Colorado/Arizona State
Colorado
Texas
Texas/Arizona State


I mean, god damn! I'm really excited about the future schedule for the Gators!

 

[Wamu]

Ohio State would be ridiculed (and rightfully so) if they played an FCS cupcake late in the season. Why don't these teams that insist on playing FCS teams play lower caliber FBS team instead?

 

[socaljim242]

Meh ... some conferences play all OOC games early, sort of a pre-season. Some scatter them throughout the season. The SEC likes to play big games in week 1, with good early SEC IC games, and spread the OOC throughout the season. Your conference controls your schedule, so if you don't like it that's on you.

To use your analogy, your schedule is like riding a bike for the first 5 or 6 miles while we are out sprinting. It's a choice the runner makes. Your analogy also fails because no one is riding a bike ... just when they choose to run slower.

That would make scence if football wasn't a game of attrition. Acting like a freebe two weeks before the season ends isnt a huge advantage is disingenuous.

 

[LawDawg]

That would make scence if football wasn't a game of attrition. Acting like a freebe two weeks before the season ends isnt a huge advantage is disingenuous.

Meh ... playing tough games early can cause attrition, and put you behind the 8 ball early. Acting like have a pre-season while others are actually playing tough teams is disingenuous. And, again, your school and conference controls it ... they could do the same thing if they thought it was such an advantage.

 

[Gatorchip]

Ohio State would be ridiculed (and rightfully so) if they played an FCS cupcake late in the season. Why don't these teams that insist on playing FCS teams play lower caliber FBS team instead?

I agree with this, but would take it one step further. Why play low caliber FBS teams instead of high caliber FBS teams? The crappy teams are also pretty much a guaranteed win as well.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

Meh ... some conferences play all OOC games early, sort of a pre-season. Some scatter them throughout the season. The SEC likes to play big games in week 1, with good early SEC IC games, and spread the OOC throughout the season. Your conference controls your schedule, so if you don't like it that's on you.

To use your analogy, your schedule is like riding a bike for the first 5 or 6 miles while we are out sprinting. It's a choice the runner makes. Your analogy also fails because no one is riding a bike ... just when they choose to run slower.

USC vs. Bama is a bike ride for USC?

 

[socaljim242]

USC vs. Bama is a bike ride for USC?

To buy his argument you'd have to assume SEC coaches set up their schedules that way to make it harder for their teams at the end of the season. Anyone buying that I've got a nice bridge I have for sale.lol