How to schedule OCC games

[Cubanbull]

Published July 26 2006

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLA. -- Last season Virginia Tech and Florida State shared the honor of competing in the ACC's first football championship game. This season the Hokies and Seminoles share the dishonor of crafting the conference's worst non-league schedules.

And that's saying something, for when it comes to playing weak outside opponents, the ACC in 2006 has few, if any, peers.

"A mixed bag," said commissioner John Swofford, who must be looking for charitable tax deductions.

As the conference concluded its annual preseason media gathering Tuesday, Swofford touted the ACC as a nouveau football force. But truth be told, the conference's fans get shafted this season.

Swofford blamed the NCAA's late decision to allow a 12th regular-season game this year, which he said left schools scrambling for opponents. Or, as Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said, "Sometimes you have to take what you can get."

Thankfully, future schedules - more on those later - are more appealing. But they won't gussy up the pig that is 2006.

Virginia Tech and Florida State scheduled all four of their non-conference games at home. Clemson's lone outside test away from home is on "neutral" ground in nearby Charlotte, N.C., against Temple (0-11 last year).

Maryland has arguably the most daunting non-league assignment, at West Virginia on a Thursday night. But the Terrapins also play Middle Tennessee, Florida International and Division I-AA William and Mary, all at home.

Duke and Wake Forest, bless their crazy hearts, scheduled over their heads. The Blue Devils, 1-10 last season, travel to Alabama, while the Deacons, 4-7 last year, head to Connecticut and Mississippi. In fact, Wake Forest and Virginia (at Pittsburgh and East Carolina) are the only ACC teams playing two non-league road games.

"I'm envious of some other non-conference schedules," Deacons coach Jim Grobe said with a wide grin.

Hard to blame him. While the ACC's bottom-feeders scheduled reasonably, the elite did not.

Among Virginia Tech's quartet of Southern Mississippi, Kent State, Cincinnati and Division I-AA Northeastern, only the former is credible. Florida State has its annual clash with Florida, but Troy, Rice and Western Michigan won't make the Seminoles' season-ticket holders happy. Miami travels to Louisville but saddles its home fans with Florida A&M, Houston and Florida International.

One non-conference road game combined for the ACC's three premier programs? That doesn't strike me as the way to convince us skeptics that ACC football is on a par with the Southeastern Conference, Pacific 10, Big Ten or Big 12. Or on a par with ACC basketball or baseball.

The only conference more unwilling to hit the road this season is the SEC. Five of its teams - Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, LSU and Georgia - do not play a non-conference game on an opponent's home field.

But no one doubts the SEC's football chops. Conversely, ACC teams are 1-7 in Bowl Championship Series games, far and away the worst record among the six contracted conferences. Why, the much-maligned Big East is a respectable 4-4, including West Virginia's Sugar Bowl victory last season against Georgia - in Atlanta.

Moreover, no ACC team has finished among the Associated Press' final top five since Florida State in 2000. And the last ACC team other than Florida State to crack the final top five was co-national champion Georgia Tech in 1990.

One sure way to change the ACC's image is to schedule, and beat, more prominent non-conference opponents. Opportunities begin next season when three ACC teams - Georgia Tech, Boston College and Duke - play at Notre Dame. Also, Miami hosts Texas A&M and travels to Oklahoma; Virginia Tech heads to Louisiana State; and Florida State plays Alabama in Jacksonville, Fla., and travels to Colorado and Florida.

Other upcoming series include Miami-Florida, North Carolina-Colorado, Virginia Tech-Nebraska and Miami-Ohio State.

"You do have to be careful that you don't overload your non-conference schedule," Wake's Grobe said. "If you do, you're not being fair to your kids. ... The kids would play the Green Bay Packers if you'd let them."

Clemson coach Tommy Bowden would prefer the Green Bay Pop Warner league. His Tigers play an annual non-conference game against state rival South Carolina, and that's enough indigestion for him.

Bowden's ideal non-conference schedule?

"Easy," he said. "Because of the strength of the conference, there's no reason to beat yourself up. You can schedule yourself out of a national championship. I want my other three games to be where I can play some young guys, mess up and still win."

Fans can only hope Bowden's attitude does not prevail.

http://www.dailypress.com/dp-83486cm0jul26,0,6361995.column?track=mostemailedlink

[USFMikeB]

But no one doubts the SEC's football chops. Conversely, ACC teams are 1-7 in Bowl Championship Series games, far and away the worst record among the six contracted conferences. Why, the much-maligned Big East is a respectable 4-4, including West Virginia's Sugar Bowl victory last season against Georgia - in Atlanta.

There's a fact that isn't discussed very often by the football pundits...

[Joe]

Ya, but it's a flawed stat, 5 of the Big East games are Miami and Va Tech...That would be like C-USA claiming Louisville's 11-1 season 2 years ago...using today's teams the Big East is 1-2

I'll say it again the Big East was 5-14 against BCS teams last year (by comparison the Mountain West was (7-9)...until that number is increased the pundits are going to be all over the Big East competing at the top level...WVU's win was VERY big, had they lost that game we'd be in serious trouble right now.

[smazza]

USF SHOULD NOT BE PLAY 1AA TEAMS

USF DOESNT HAVE PEDIGREE OF VT OR FSU

[Joe]

Smazz, don't resort to personal jabs.

Takes away from the discussion and makes this board hostile

Note from Bulliever:  How true Joe.  For everyone on this board to know.  I have deleted the posts involved.

[Cubanbull]

Well the new Big East is 1-1. The ACC BCS Bowl reps have lost SIX in a row

[twillybull]

Bowden's ideal non-conference schedule?

"Easy," he said. "Because of the strength of the conference, there's no reason to beat yourself up. You can schedule yourself out of a national championship. I want my other three games to be where I can play some young guys, mess up and still win."

Fans can only hope Bowden's attitude does not prevail.

http://www.dailypress.com/dp-83486cm0jul26,0,6361995.column?track=mostemailedlink

Well, we all know Bowden is a pansy, as the Clown College of Greater Tallahassee has been to scared to even talk to us about playing games.  But they're smart not to.  They know a loss to us would bring instant legitimization to USF and a heckuva black eye to them.  Look at the Louisville win over FSU back in 02?  That game did more for UL recruiting than the 5 previous seasons.    

 

Unfortunately this is the attitude that will prevail as long as there is no playoff system.  With 12 games seasons and a single loss usually nocking a team out of the national title hunt, who would schedule tough teams for non-conference games?

[Joe]

Cuban 1-2

Cuse v. Florida 98

Pitt v. Utah 04

WVU v. UGA 05

[Joe]

FSU has a hard OOC schedule the next few seasons...Remember they play Florida every year...plus

07 - @Colorado, Alabama

08 - Colorado

09 - @ BYU

10 - @Oklahoma, BYU

11 - Oklahoma, Air Force

12 - @WVU, @ Air Force

13 - WVU

I'd say thats some decent OOC opponents, if course they aren't gonna play us. Why would they want us digging into their program?

[Guest]

"You do have to be careful that you don't overload your non-conference schedule," [Wake Forest coach Jim] Grobe said. "If you do, you're not being fair to your kids. ... The kids would play the Green Bay Packers if you'd let them."  

[Clemson coach Tommy] Bowden's ideal non-conference schedule?

"Easy," he said. "Because of the strength of the conference, there's no reason to beat yourself up. You can schedule yourself out of a national championship. I want my other three games to be where I can play some young guys, mess up and still win."

Fans can only hope Bowden's attitude does not prevail.

Okay, so more established and respected programs prefer easy OOC games??

Wow. Imagine that.