The 10 easiest nonconference schedules of 2012

[NDHoosier101]

I know I'm in the minority, but I honestly feel it's to the team's advantage to have an easy non con schedule. Without exhibition games you need a cupcake to start the season. Then a couple of games against some better opponents, ones you should beat and finally 1 decent team, that you will be a small favorite against. Gives you the best chance to move up in the ratings, gives the team the confidence it needs in conference games, and keeps the alums happy.

I understand that they're using the system to their advantage, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it or that I'm not going to bitch about it!

 

[ForkEmBucky]

I'm more with OO on that, actually. Look at the NFL teams and how rusty they can be. I think the Packers lost every one of their exhibition games the year they won the Super Bowl back in 96-97.

I can see the argument, though. "There's a reason you play more than 4 games." "Every game should count." "Every team is in the same position as you are at the start of the year."

Hard to argue against those points.

 

[USCDoom]

Well I grew up on OOC games with USC vs.
Notre Dame
Tennessee
Oklahoma
Indiana
Kansas
Florida
Baylor
Boston College
Illinois
Ohio State
Michigan State
South Carolina
Syracuse
Penn State

then
Utah State x2
San Jose State

and that was just from 1981-1990. So I like Good Games vs Good Programs in OOC. USC played 2 mid majors (or whatever you want to call them) in 10 years, 3 games.

I just think its a major travesty when USC plays fewer mid majors in a Whole Decade than some who play more in one year...

 

[ForkEmBucky]

USC is a good example of how an easy schedule can hurt, too. Wipe the floor with everyone, get bored, show up to the Oregon State game half awake. Lose. And then watch Oklahoma get killed in the NCG instead of unleashing Matthews, Malaluga, and Cushing on Team Tebow.

 

[USCDoom]

USC is a good example of how an easy schedule can hurt, too. Wipe the floor with everyone, get bored, show up to the Oregon State game half awake. Lose. And then watch Oklahoma get killed in the NCG instead of unleashing Matthews, Malaluga, and Cushing on Team Tebow.

USC played At Virginia, Ohio State and Notre Dame in OOC. Virginia and Notre Dame had bad years but that aint easy to go 3-0.
Oregon State was 8-4. They lost to
At 13-0 Utah
At 11-2 Penn State
10-3 Oregon
At 5-7 Stanford - first game of the year

The Pac 10 had some bad team that year.
BUT

Serious Question. If Oregon State and Ole Miss traded 2 OOC games do you really think Florida would have been in the BCS NCGame?

Ole Miss went 8-4. They played
6-7 Memphis
At 8-5 Wake Forest
5-7 ULMonroe
Samford

They lost to Wake Forest. If Ole Miss played At Utah and At Penn State they finish 7-5. If Oregon State played At Wake Forest and Memphis at home they finish 9-3.
7-5 Ole Miss beat Florida at Florida
9-3 Oregon State beat USC at Oregon State

 

[ForkEmBucky]

Yea I know. I didn't say that Oregon State was the worst team in that group. Virginia and Notre Dame were bad. I forgot about Ohio State.

 

[herky]

Well I grew up on OOC games with USC vs.
Notre Dame
Tennessee
Oklahoma
Indiana
Kansas
Florida
Baylor
Boston College
Illinois
Ohio State
Michigan State
South Carolina
Syracuse
Penn State

then
Utah State x2
San Jose State

and that was just from 1981-1990. So I like Good Games vs Good Programs in OOC. USC played 2 mid majors (or whatever you want to call them) in 10 years, 3 games.

I just think its a major travesty when USC plays fewer mid majors in a Whole Decade than some who play more in one year...

How can you talk about good games v good programs and then include Indiana and Kansas??? Indiana's average record in the time span you listed was 5-6 including 1984 when they went 0-11. Their record for the decade was 48-64-2. Kansas was worse with an average record of 4-7 (37-70-5). Just knowing the name doesn't make them a quality opponent.

List of available teams

And for the record, the only teams listed that had more wins than Iowa were Penn State and Oklahoma.

(I'm looking at you USC/ND/OSU)

 

[ForkEmBucky]

Still though, I do think USC would have been a much better NCG matchup.

 

[herky]

No argument from me. I was just referring to the 80's reference.

 

[ForkEmBucky]

They do get a little more aggressive with OOC, though. They'll take home and homes with pretty much anybody from the major conferences.

 

[herky]

In a perfect world, everyone would play 8 conference games. That would leave 4 nonconference matchups. First 2 would be tune ups, the next game would be a test (BCS conference), and the 4th would be a marquee matchup. In the case of a non conference rivalry (USC/ND)that would be the 3rd or 4th game.

Or, do conference challenges and have all games played the same weekend. B1G/PAC12 one weekend, Big 12/SEC another weekend, Big East/ACC another. That way, those conferences dominate that weekend and all get a piece of the spotlight.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

I personally think OOC should be

1- scrub
2- solid team, top non-AQ, or decent AQ
3. Big Matchup
4. decent team

 

[USCDoom]

How can you talk about good games v good programs and then include Indiana and Kansas??? Indiana's average record in the time span you listed was 5-6 including 1984 when they went 0-11. Their record for the decade was 48-64-2. Kansas was worse with an average record of 4-7 (37-70-5). Just knowing the name doesn't make them a quality opponent.

List of available teams

And for the record, the only teams listed that had more wins than Iowa were Penn State and Oklahoma.

(I'm looking at you USC/ND/OSU)

I listed Every Single OOC game played by USC from 1981-1990. For most schools Kansas and Indiana would be the BEST OCC games they have played in YEARS. For USC they rank 3rd and 4th worse over a 10 year period.

I should have listed them by year as it shows how schools should schedule.

1981
Tennessee (played At Tennessee in 1980)
At Indiana
Oklahoma
At Notre Dame

1982
At Florida
Indiana
At Oklahoma
Notre Dame

1983
Florida
Kansas
At South Carolina (played vs South Carolina in 1980)
At Notre Dame

1984
Utah State
LSU
Notre Dame

1985
At Illinois
Baylor
At Notre Dame

1986
Illinois
At Baylor
Notre Dame

1987
At Michigan State
Boston College
At Notre Dame

1988
At Boston College
Oklahoma (return trip was played in 1992)
Notre Dame

1989
Illinois
Utah State
Ohio State
At Notre Dame

1990
vs. Syracuse @ Eats Rutherford NJ
Penn State
At Ohio State
Notre Dame

THAT is how everyones OOC schedule should look like. That is what I grew up on and that is what I think Normal is.

BTW - I made a mistake, USC never played San Jose State in this time period, only Utah State twice.

 

[Volbound1700]

The problem with OOC scheduling is that it has more to do with $$$ then gaining competition. Why schedule a home and home when you lose a home game to sell tickets and concessions at your school and also have a chance of messing up and undefeated season which equals more $$$ and TV time? The fact is the big schools that have large fan bases want those large pay days at their stadiums.

Neutral site games like Alabama vs. Michigan this year and LSU vs. Oregon last year are picking up steam because the neutral site will pay the school enough usually to make up the loss for not having a home game or will give them part of the tickets. They draw a lot of tv attention, advertising, and fans. Neutral games make $$$, not as much as a home date but enough to allow coaches to play big games. I expect neutral site games to increase in the future and I am a big fan of them. I miss those early season classics that started the week before in April. In a way, the big SEC matchups (LSU v Oregon, Alabama v Va Tech, ect) the past few years have made up for them.

 

[USCDoom]

The problem with OOC scheduling is that it has more to do with $$$ then gaining competition. Why schedule a home and home when you lose a home game to sell tickets and concessions at your school and also have a chance of messing up and undefeated season which equals more $$$ and TV time? The fact is the big schools that have large fan bases want those large pay days at their stadiums.

Neutral site games like Alabama vs. Michigan this year and LSU vs. Oregon last year are picking up steam because the neutral site will pay the school enough usually to make up the loss for not having a home game or will give them part of the tickets. They draw a lot of tv attention, advertising, and fans. Neutral games make $$$, not as much as a home date but enough to allow coaches to play big games. I expect neutral site games to increase in the future and I am a big fan of them. I miss those early season classics that started the week before in April. In a way, the big SEC matchups (LSU v Oregon, Alabama v Va Tech, ect) the past few years have made up for them.

The problem with this argument is, back in 1985 school made less money on football then they do now. So why is it all these Home and Homes took place when schools were making LESS Money?

No conference received money in 1985, I think only Notre Dame had a TV contract.

Make Less Money = More Home and Homes with Top Notch programs.
Make More Money = No Home and Homes with Top Notch programs.

1985 OOC schedules
Georgia
Baylor
At Clemson
South Carolina
At Georgia Tech

Florida
At Miami
At Rutgers
ULLafayette
Virginia Tech (they were the worst program back then though)
Florida State

Alabama
Texas A&M
Cincinnati
At Penn State
Southern Miss

Michigan
Notre Dame
At South Carolina
Maryland

Ohio State
Pittsburgh
At Colorado
Washington State

USC
At Illinois
Baylor
At Notre Dame

Washington
At BYU
Oklahoma State
At Houston

Oklahoma
At Minnesota
vs. Texas at Dallas
Miami (Fla)
SMU

Nebraska
Florida State
Illinois
Oregon
New Mexico

Texas
Missouri
At Stanford
vs. Oklahoma at Dallas

Those SAME schools in 2012 play
Georgia
Buffalo
Florida Atlantic
Georgia Southern
Georgia Tech

Florida
Bowling Green
Jacksonville State
ULLafatette
At Florida State

Alabama
At Michigan
Western Kentucky
Florida Atlantic
Western Carolina

Michigan
Alabama
Air Force
UMass
At Notre Dame

Ohio State
Miami (Ohio)
UCF
California
UAB

USC
vs. Syracuse At east rutherford
Hawaii
Notre Dame

Washington
SDSU
At LSU
Portland State

Oklahoma
At UTEP
Florida A&M
Notre Dame

Nebraska
Southern Miss
At UCLA
Arkansas State
Idaho State

Texas
Wyoming
New Mexico
At Ole Miss

 

[KansasSooner]

I miss the old days of scheduling teams that actually had name recognition. Some of the best games were OOC games against the top notch teams from other conferences. OU-Ohio St. in Columbus was a classic.

 

[USCDoom]

I miss the old days of scheduling teams that actually had name recognition. Some of the best games were OOC games against the top notch teams from other conferences. OU-Ohio St. in Columbus was a classic.

Me too, me too...

 

[herky]

Even though we went 1-3, I remember in 1992 when Iowa played

NCST (in East Rutherford) - Gator Bowl v Florida
Miami(FL) - Sugar Bowl v Alabama
Iowa St - n/a
Colorado - Fiesta Bowl v Syracuse