Let's talk about Big East footBULL schedules

[TyBull]

Let's talk about schedules

Published April 29, 2007

South Florida Sun Sentinel

OK, we've fought it, but the truth is staring us in the face: We're 123 days away from the first football game of the season and it's going to be a long summer.

Still, that doesn't mean we can't talk about the 2007 season, so let's talk schedules today -- specifically, the non-conference schedules of the six BCS-league schools. We'll take a league-by-league look:

ACC: League members are playing 22 non-conference games against fellow BCS-league schools or Notre Dame, by far the highest number among the six leagues. Every league team is playing one such game, and Duke and Florida State are playing three each -- a national-high. League members also are playing seven games against I-AA foes.

Big East: League teams are playing 15 non-conference games against BCS-league schools or Notre Dame, second most among the six leagues. Syracuse is one of just three BCS-league schools playing three BCS foes. And each league member is playing at least one BCS-league opponent. There are seven games against I-AA foes.

Big Ten: There are 13 non-conference games against BCS schools or Notre Dame, fourth among the six leagues. And there are eight games against I-AA members.

Big 12: There are 11 games against BCS schools and eight against I-AA foes.

Pac-10: There are 11 games against BCS schools or Notre Dame and just two against I-AA schools -- by far the lowest among the BCS leagues.

SEC: There are 14 games against BCS schools but nine against I-AA schools. That gives the SEC the ignominious distinction of the BCS league playing the most I-AA opponents.

These eight schools (of the 65 BCS-league teams) have the ignominious distinction of playing zero non-conference games against BCS-league schools: Arizona, Arkansas, Baylor, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Texas and Texas Tech. That's the same number as last season.

Texas Tech, by the way, also was on the list last season. Weak, mighty weak. (Tech's non-conference schedule: Rice, SMU, UTEP and Division I-AA Northwestern State (La.).)

There are three schools (Duke, FSU and Syracuse) playing three non-conference games against fellow BCS-league schools this season; there were five last season. Syracuse was on that list then, too.

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YAHOO SPORTS:

[smazza]

usf and rutgers have easy schedules and not much to brag about

this article is a joke one needs to look at what bcs schools are being played

[Guest r_to_the_izzo]

usf and rutgers have easy schedules and not much to brag about

this article is a joke one needs to look at what bcs schools are being played

I'l agree with the RU comment. But anytime you have a road SEC game, and a home ACC game (other than Duke) your going to be fine in the "sos" department.

I know you expect USF to play Notre Dame, Southern Cal, UF, Texas, and Ohio State every year but its not going to happen. The 1AA, 2 non bcs, 2 bcs formula is a solid one that will lead to success.

[E.T.]

... The 1AA, 2 non bcs, 2 bcs formula is a solid one that will lead to success.

And it's reasonable ...

It is tough for us to schedule the "bigger name" teams that will travel here. Winning the Big East and a "name" team on the road will allow us a better opportunity to get home & away games that we have stated will be our path.

This "weak" sheduling over the years has built a strong young program. And just imagine the possible perspective of the national press if we didn't have road games with Penn St and Miami in 2005. I don't think these games helped us for our first Bowl game. If they would have been non-bcs school, we may of had a better bowl with a 8-5 record. But I'm glad we had both of those teams that year, but don't think it "helped" us at all.

[Big_Hairy_Bull]

... The 1AA, 2 non bcs, 2 bcs formula is a solid one that will lead to success.

And it's reasonable ...

It is tough for us to schedule the "bigger name" teams that will travel here. Winning the Big East and a "name" team on the road will allow us a better opportunity to get home & away games that we have stated will be our path.

This "weak" sheduling over the years has built a strong young program. And just imagine the possible perspective of the national press if we didn't have road games with Penn St and Miami in 2005. I don't think these games helped us for our first Bowl game. If they would have been non-bcs school, we may of had a better bowl with a 8-5 record. But I'm glad we had both of those teams that year, but don't think it "helped" us at all.

While I agree playing those games and losing hurt our bowl chances. I think those games did wonders for our players, teaching them how to play in those tough venues! Hopefully it will pay off this year when they are greeted in Auburn by that crowd.

[SouthFLBully]

We also need to take into account the fact that we only have 8 teams in the big east.  Percentage wise we play alot more BCS teams than any of the other big leauges (almost 2 per team).

[JoeB]

We also need to take into account the fact that we only have 8 teams in the big east.  Percentage wise we play alot more BCS teams than any of the other big leauges (almost 2 per team).

You have that backwards.  Percentage wise we normally play less BCS schools due to a 7 game Big East Schedule.  Currently we have three games that are not BCS (FAU, Elon, anc UCF).  9 of our 12 games are BCS games, (75%).  Big 10 schools play 9 games in conference, while most add at least one BCS school (ie, Michigan, Purdue, Michigan State all play Notre Dame).  So every Big 10 school will have a higher percentage of BCS schools, due to playing 10 BCS opponents.  PAC 10 is the same way.  They play 9 conference games (all BCS), and add an out of conference BCS opponent (Cal plays Tennessee, while USC, UCLA and Stanford all play ND).  The SEC and the ACC are the same way.  

[Big_Hairy_Bull]

We also need to take into account the fact that we only have 8 teams in the big east.  Percentage wise we play alot more BCS teams than any of the other big leauges (almost 2 per team).

You have that backwards.  Percentage wise we normally play less BCS schools due to a 7 game Big East Schedule.  Currently we have three games that are not BCS (FAU, Elon, anc UCF).  9 of our 12 games are BCS games, (75%).  Big 10 schools play 9 games in conference, while most add at least one BCS school (ie, Michigan, Purdue, Michigan State all play Notre Dame).  So every Big 10 school will have a higher percentage of BCS schools, due to playing 10 BCS opponents.  PAC 10 is the same way.  They play 9 conference games (all BCS), and add an out of conference BCS opponent (Cal plays Tennessee, while USC, UCLA and Stanford all play ND).  The SEC and the ACC are the same way.  

I think he meant out of conference!

[SouthFLBully]

We also need to take into account the fact that we only have 8 teams in the big east.  Percentage wise we play alot more BCS teams than any of the other big leauges (almost 2 per team).

You have that backwards.  Percentage wise we normally play less BCS schools due to a 7 game Big East Schedule.  Currently we have three games that are not BCS (FAU, Elon, anc UCF).  9 of our 12 games are BCS games, (75%).  Big 10 schools play 9 games in conference, while most add at least one BCS school (ie, Michigan, Purdue, Michigan State all play Notre Dame).  So every Big 10 school will have a higher percentage of BCS schools, due to playing 10 BCS opponents.  PAC 10 is the same way.  They play 9 conference games (all BCS), and add an out of conference BCS opponent (Cal plays Tennessee, while USC, UCLA and Stanford all play ND).  The SEC and the ACC are the same way.  

I think he meant out of conference!

Indeed I did. 

[smazza]

... The 1AA, 2 non bcs, 2 bcs formula is a solid one that will lead to success.

And it's reasonable ...

It is tough for us to schedule the "bigger name" teams that will travel here. Winning the Big East and a "name" team on the road will allow us a better opportunity to get home & away games that we have stated will be our path.

This "weak" sheduling over the years has built a strong young program. And just imagine the possible perspective of the national press if we didn't have road games with Penn St and Miami in 2005. I don't think these games helped us for our first Bowl game. If they would have been non-bcs school, we may of had a better bowl with a 8-5 record. But I'm glad we had both of those teams that year, but don't think it "helped" us at all.

usf needs to hit the raod and play the big boys

shying away from them will not help program

playing elons of the world isnt good for program