🏈 Big nonconference games vanishing

[252BAMA]

"For two seasons now, Alabama has been the savior of Labor Day weekend college football. While the vast majority of FBS schools seek out season-opening chumps, the Crimson Tide have dared to play somebody.

Last year Bama played a neutral-field game in Atlanta against Clemson to start the season. This year it will face Virginia Tech, also in Atlanta.

Taking on ranked nonconference teams right away? That qualifies as a profile in courage these days. But compare it to 30 years ago, and Alabama looks positively soft by its own standards.

In 1978, the Tide opened the season by playing Nebraska in Birmingham, then facing Missouri on the road, then hosting USC. In October they worked in a road game at Washington."

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4239858&sportCat=ncf

 

[Nothing_But_A_Winner00]

I was gonna post that but, IMO, it's a bunch of BS. Clemson, VA Tech, home and home with Penn State, what more do they want out of a schedule?

 

[252BAMA]

I was gonna post that but, IMO, it's a bunch of BS. Clemson, VA Tech, home and home with Penn State, what more do they want out of a schedule?

Just one cupcake instead of 3. You are talking about one game out of 4. They are talking about the other 3. They gave Bama their due on the one.

 

[Nothing_But_A_Winner00]

Just one cupcake instead of 3. You are talking about one game out of 4. They are talking about the other 3. They gave Bama their due on the one.

We play in the SEC, and arguably one the toughest division in CFB. One tough OOC games is plenty enough. I just think there are plenty of other teams to point out rather than a team in the most competitive conference in football who schedules tough opponents in the first game of the year nonetheless.
:swear: Rant off

 

[252BAMA]

We play in the SEC, and arguably one the toughest division in CFB. One tough OOC games is plenty enough.

Agreed. And one cupcake is enough also. It is the 2 games in the middle that have gone to hell.

 

[Nothing_But_A_Winner00]

Agreed. And one cupcake is enough also. It is the 2 games in the middle that have gone to hell.

Who would you like to see there? VA Tech followed by another tough OOC opponent? VA Tech and a cupcake, then another tough OOC team before hitting that SEC stretch? Or VA Tech, 2 cupcakes, meat of SEC schedule, and before we close with our biggest rival on the road we take on another tough OOC opponent?

VA Tech(neutral site)
FIU
North Texas
Arkansas
@Kentucky
@Mississippi
South Carolina
Tennessee
LSU
@Miss. State
UT Chat
@Auburn

 

[252BAMA]

Who would you like to see there? VA Tech followed by another tough OOC opponent? VA Tech and a cupcake, then another tough OOC team before hitting that SEC stretch? Or VA Tech, 2 cupcakes, meat of SEC schedule, and before we close with our biggest rival on the road we take on another tough OOC opponent?

VA Tech(neutral site)
FIU
North Texas
Arkansas
@Kentucky
@Mississippi
South Carolina
Tennessee
LSU
@Miss. State
UT Chat
@Auburn

Are you even reading what I am saying? I have made it perfectly clear that I expect them to play ONE tough game and ONE cupcake. It is the other two games that bug the hell out of me. Since you throw out this year's schedule, I'll use it to be more specific. I am OK with VT and utC. FIU and NT insult my intelligence.

 

[Nothing_But_A_Winner00]

Are you even reading what I am saying? I have made it perfectly clear that I expect them to play ONE tough game and ONE cupcake. It is the other two games that bug the hell out of me. Since you throw out this year's schedule, I'll use it to be more specific. I am OK with VT and utC. FIU and NT insult my intelligence.

Yes, I can read. My question, if you can read it, is: What should they do instead of playing the other 2 cupcakes?

 

[252BAMA]

Yes, I can read. My question, if you can read it, is: What should they do instead of playing the other 2 cupcakes?

You just made my point about reading what I am saying. Nowhere in my post did I say you could not read, but that was your answer.
In answer to your question:
Play 2 teams that are NOT cupcakes.

 

[Crimson13Tide]

I'd like to turn the FIU's & the N. Texas's into Fresno St.s, Utahs, TCUs, & Boise St.s

 

[252BAMA]

I'd like to turn the FIU's & the N. Texas's into Fresno St.s, Utahs, TCUs, & Boise St.s

Well I wouldn't go quite that far because all of those would fall into a Top 40 category along with Clemson, VT, PSU, etc. FIU and NT are in the Bottom 40. I am looking for 2 in the Middle 40. Duke is acceptable in 2010. Tulane will be also in 2012. I would rate them as #3's in my OOCSOS. So in those 2 years Bama needs a #2 in 2010, and a #1 and # 2 in 2012.

http://nationalchamps.net/NCAA/future_schedules/alabama_future.htm

 

[252BAMA]

We play in the SEC, and arguably one the toughest division in CFB. One tough OOC games is plenty enough. I just think there are plenty of other teams to point out rather than a team in the most competitive conference in football who schedules tough opponents in the first game of the year nonetheless.
:swear: Rant off

I don't think they were picking on Bama. They were looking at 3 areas of OOC scheduling: Those who DO schedule tough OOC opponents now; those who DON"T; and those who DID in the past. In doing their research, I suspect they found that Bama was head and shoulders above the rest in the two positive categories of DO and DID. The 1978 schedule would have to stand out as one of the toughest OOC schedules of all time.

It must have been for them like comparing 3 glasses. One full-DID, one half full (or empty)-DO, and one empty-DON"T. It would be very difficult to comment on the half full glass without commenting on the half empty part of it.

 

[bamafan4ever]

I personally would like to see one more "better" OOC opponent on the schedule than what we play now. Let's face it, no one has filled the void that SoMiss left on our schedule.

 

[252BAMA]

I personally would like to see one more "better" OOC opponent on the schedule than what we play now. Let's face it, no one has filled the void that SoMiss left on our schedule.

Exactly! If they did that I could take FIU or NT. MY problem is FIU AND NT. I am convinced the 12th game was added in order for 1-A to play 1-AA, so I have resigned myself to seeing one of those each year. There are 120 1-A schools, so for the other 3 OOC games, why not play one in the top 40, one in the middle 40. and one in the bottom 40?

 

[bamafan4ever]

Exactly! If they did that I could take FIU or NT. MY problem is FIU AND NT. I am convinced the 12th game was added in order for 1-A to play 1-AA, so I have resigned myself to seeing one of those each year. There are 120 1-A schools, so for the other 3 OOC games, why not play one in the top 40, one in the middle 40. and one in the bottom 40?

I agree with you completely. No matter how good the SEC was last year, it was painted by the media as a down year for the conference and it very well may have been despite the MNC by Florida. There will be some years that an intermediate type opponent would not hurt when comparing team records and boost an Alabama even if the conference has a "down" year. Of course, a down year in the SEC is better than a great year in most conferences when it comes to football.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

I personally would like to see one more "better" OOC opponent on the schedule than what we play now. Let's face it, no one has filled the void that SoMiss left on our schedule.

Part of the reason to schedule weak teams is due to the intent to play seven or eight home games. It's tough to get a team as good as SoMiss to play away every year, which is the reason SoMiss stopped playing us.

RTR,

Tim

 

[bamafan4ever]

Part of the reason to schedule weak teams is due to the intent to play seven or eight home games. It's tough to get a team as good as SoMiss to play away every year, which is the reason SoMiss stopped playing us.

RTR,

Tim

We really need that extra home game after the conference signed that bazillion dollar contract with ESPN I guess? Sorry but I rather see a road game versus a rather quality opponent than suffering through watching a game like East Central Western Oregon at home. Maybe it's just me though.

If we played someone like Wake Forest (just as an example) on a home and home basis, we would still have that 7th or 8th game every other year and would give our fans another venue to enjoy as well.

 

[252BAMA]

We really need that extra home game after the conference signed that bazillion dollar contract with ESPN I guess? Sorry but I rather see a road game versus a rather quality opponent than suffering through watching a game like East Central Western Oregon at home. Maybe it's just me though.

If we played someone like Wake Forest (just as an example) on a home and home basis, we would still have that 7th or 8th game every other year and would give our fans another venue to enjoy as well.

I am no longer buying the argument that they need 7 home games to meet budget. But if they insist on doing that, they need only alternate home and away each year with 2 separate home and away opponents. If they want to play 8 games at home then there are 5 Pac-10 teams each year that have 5 conference home games and only 4 on the road that will be happy to come on a one game basis. Which is why UCLA was looking for the one game deal in Atlanta in 2010. They, along with AZ, Cal, OSU, and WSU play their 5 conference home games in even years. The others, ASU, OU, Stanford, USC, and UW play their's in odd years.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

I am no longer buying the argument that they need 7 home games to meet budget. But if they insist on doing that, they need only alternate home and away each year with 2 separate home and away opponents. If they want to play 8 games at home then there are 5 Pac-10 teams each year that have 5 conference home games and only 4 on the road that will be happy to come on a one game basis. Which is why UCLA was looking for the one game deal in Atlanta in 2010. They, along with AZ, Cal, OSU, and WSU play their 5 conference home games in even years. The others, ASU, OU, Stanford, USC, and UW play their's in odd years.

I don't think anyone said they need to play 8 or 7 to make budget. It's just their stated intent, but certainly there is a financial incentive, and a fan incentive, to play at home as much as practical. You're probably in the minority of fans who are okay with just six home games. I'd offer to pay Vandy off and get a ninth home game when they cycle through.

There is a direct correlation between stadium size and number of home games. Of the schools with the largest stadiums, Penn State plays eight this year, Michigan eight, Ohio State seven, Tennessee eight and Texas seven. D-1 schools with small stadiums (under 31,000) like Central/Western/Eastern Michigan, New Mexico State, Louisiana Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Arkansas State and Troy play five home games. North Texas, San Jose State, Kent State and No. Ill. play six. Boise State plays seven home games, but they play 13 this year (I guess because of the Hawaii game).

 

[bamafan4ever]

I don't think anyone said they need to play 8 or 7 to make budget. It's just their stated intent, but certainly there is a financial incentive, and a fan incentive, to play at home as much as practical. You're probably in the minority of fans who are okay with just six home games. I'd offer to pay Vandy off and get a ninth home game when they cycle through.

There is a direct correlation between stadium size and number of home games. Of the schools with the largest stadiums, Penn State plays eight this year, Michigan eight, Ohio State seven, Tennessee eight and Texas seven. D-1 schools with small stadiums (under 31,000) like Central/Western/Eastern Michigan, New Mexico State, Louisiana Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Arkansas State and Troy play five home games. North Texas, San Jose State, Kent State and No. Ill. play six. Boise State plays seven home games, but they play 13 this year (I guess because of the Hawaii game).

I suppose I am in the minority of fans who would like to see BAMA play a decent team rather than an East Directional State University-type squad 3 or 4 times at home. It's little more than a glorified scrimmage.