How to schedule OCC games

[Joe]

I agree with some your point, but if I might counter a little. I have been against this type of schedule, while it does equate to wins, it doesn't always earn respect and down the line your exposed.

Look at Louisville last year, they played a similar schedule with a couple BCS teams that were borderline bowl teams in their conferences. They finish 9-2 in the regular season (and for the Big East a very devastating 19th in BCS standings) and while they earned a Jan 1st Bowl Birth it was a reluctant birth that led to the Gator Bowl alligning with the Big 12.

The ULTIMATE example is K-State, despite guarenteeing 25,000 in ticket sales in 1998 and 1999 the school despite going 11-1 during the regular season both years didn't get a BCS invite because of very weak scheduling... In 1998 they were in the NAtional Title debate until the last week of the season when they lost to Texas A&M by ..they ended up going to the 4th place bowl game of teh Big 12 and were snubbed by the BCS for Ohio State and Florida

In 1999 they went 11-1 again (none loss Nebraska) and were regulated to the 3rd place bowl game in the Big 12...the Holiday Bowl...again weak schedule harmed them.

My point is we have an extra game to schedule over most conferences we need to fill these games with harder competition to help keep the pace with the SEC, ACC, and Big 10. While we might not be there now, we will be one day, and schedules like this season are not going to help in the respect department if we do faulter to bigger opponents when we do play them.

What go Louisville to where they are now wasn't the fact that they in the late 90s and early 2000s weren't afraid to play big teams and even was able to court teams like Penn State into their house. Look how soft they got when they didn't have a challenge outside us and WVU on their schedule last year...They were completely outplayed by us, they let an all rookie backfield still playing their 1st few games together take them, and finally they let a Va Tech team that was in complete dissaray beat them in the Gator Bowl.

[E.T.]

USF does not want to play only teams AWAY ... we want Home & Away series.

We are starting to get that now . . .

[Cubanbull]

I went back and look at who FSU beat with winning records:

1973 0-11

1974 1-10 beat UM (6-5)

1975 3-8 beat UTSt (6-5)

1976 5-6 beat BC 8-3,North Texas 6-5,VT 6-5

1977 10-2 beat North Texas 9-2,Cincy 5-4-2,Mem 6-5,UF 6-4-1,Tex T 7-5

1978 8-3 beat UM 6-5,USM 7-4,Navy 9-3

1979 11-1 beat USM 6-4-1,South Car 8-4,LSU 7-5

It wasnt until 1980 when they beat Nrbraska 10-2 and Pitt 11-1 that they beat highly ranked teams

[Joe]

Cuban I don't think in the fantasy aspect at all. I know we're not going to outrecruit teams, I know the stands are going to be full consistently for wuite some time, I know the money isn't there.

But as nice as the record looks, nobody in the media really buys it til you beat a big boy...see Texas Tech and K-State.

[USFMikeB]

Joe, you are assuming that we'll have the option of playing for a national championship in the near future.  I don't believe this will happen until such time as USF has made a name for themselves over the course of several seasons.  They need to be known before they'll get the rankings in human polls.  Losing a tough OOC schedule isn't going to get them any positive news.

[Cubanbull]

Joe

I have no problem with one of those games yearly BUT the facts are that USF is not talent depth wise comparable to Louisville or West Virginia.

The only way USF gets into a BCS Bowl is by winning their conference so we could play and beat Miami but if we lose to UL and WV we arent going to a Big Bowl. So in reality wiining our OCC games right now is more important than playing and losing them.

We are playing Miami,Florida,Auburn in the future so as i said ONE of those games a year is more than ok.

But is dumb to criticize the team for playing ONE game a year vs a Wofford when most BCS teams are doing the same

[USFMikeB]

Cubanbull, I agree with you, but also see the point others are making.  Perhaps if we were at least playing better known weak teams for OOC.  Wofford?  That sounds like we're playing a prep school.  Let's stick to schools like FAMU if possible.

[smazza]

1977 10-2 beat North Texas 9-2,Cincy 5-4-2,Mem 6-5,UF 6-4-1,Tex T 7-5

1978 8-3 beat UM 6-5,USM 7-4,Navy 9-3

1979 11-1 beat USM 6-4-1,South Car 8-4,LSU 7-5

It wasnt until 1980 when they beat Nrbraska 10-2 and Pitt 11-1 that they beat highly ranked teams

I DONT SEE ANY PATSIES HERE

[smazza]

Joe, you are assuming that we'll have the option of playing for a national championship in the near future.  I don't believe this will happen until such time as USF has made a name for themselves over the course of several seasons.  They need to be known before they'll get the rankings in human polls.  Losing a tough OOC schedule isn't going to get them any positive news.

YEAH-USF WLL HAVE THE SAME REPUTATION AS KANSAS ST

BEATING LOSERS

[Joe]

Cuban, I have never had a problem with playing D-IAA tuneup game. In  fact they economically more viable then bringing in a MAC opponent because you have to bid with the Big 10 and SEC teams for them.

Mike I don't believe we'll make the national title game in the next few years. National Titles are very hard to win, and I'd be in shock if we won one in the next 20 years. Teams liek Michigan (40 year gap), Ohio State (32 year gap), and Notre Dame (18 year gap) usually have the components year in and out to win one and don't.

Here's how I think we should schedule (5 OOC games).

2 BCS teams...I'm not talking Kansas...I mean Auburn, NC State, or Purdue...teams with good track records over the last few years.

1 Mid Major/Small BCS - CUSA and MWC, or teams like Kansas, Baylor, Mississippi St, UCF, or Memphis to name a few.

1 - Low Major - Sun Belt, MAC: FAU, FIU, Akron, Buffalo...

1 - D-IAA - Prefer FAMU...attendance reasons, but teams like Woffard are fine so long as they're opening game.

It adds up to what most schools play, 2 cupcakes and a midmajor, then gets the 2 BCS teams to assure we're getting the representation we need.

You have to remember these games are done 7 or 8 years in advance, so scheduling now for when the team will be better won't be that big of a deal.