Opinion on The Schedule

[PlanetFrnd]

good company...


Rich_Rodriguez
Humbled

A Pac
Junior

 

[Deety]

This idea makes so much sense that I bet Northwestern volunteers immediately to start their season by being crushed by the Buckeyes. WIN-WIN.

 

[BayBuck]

I've heard this idea before, and there's just no way it's a money-maker for most BigTen teams or the conference as a whole. For those extra 2 weeks that would be conference play, that's just 6 total BigTen games filling stadiums and pulling TV revenue, whereas with the current 2 extra weeks of non-conference play the conference puts on twice as many games, most of them at home for easy wins (and like 14-0 said the visitor payout is lower out of conference).

 

[A Pac]

I see what you guys are saying and you all make good points. However, if all money implications were taken out, how would you feel? Would you like to see your team play more out Big Ten teams or would you stick with the out of conference guys?

 

[BigJim]

Why don't we just meet them half way and and schedule 9 conference games?

 

[Wingate1217]

I think and someone on this board will either confirm or deny that OSU has to schedule at least one in state school each year until the current bond is paid off that OSU used to revamp the stadium a couple of years ago.....
Thsi would have a direct impact to trying to schedule more conference games....

 

[A Pac]

I would like to draw some attention to some I said earlier. A team looks better for beating a horrible in-conference team than they do when they beat a pretty good mid-major team. Does anyone else agree with this or do you guys think it doesn't matter?

 

[Buckeye doc]

Does anyone know how the economics work out with the OOC powerhouse games vs. the @ home creampuffs? While it's one less home game, I assume the higher profile game translates to more t.v. $$$ (USC is a good example - those were both Saturday night marquis games weren't they?). The other benefit obviously being better SOS and hopefully better bowl game opportunities if you schedule the better teams. I like them just because it makes for some interesting matchups and better football to watch early in the season.

 

[JBaney45]

I see what you guys are saying and you all make good points. However, if all money implications were taken out, how would you feel? Would you like to see your team play more out Big Ten teams or would you stick with the out of conference guys?

Well there is still the national championship picture.

If we ever went to 16 team superconferences and had a playoff then I could see the merit of scheduling within the conference mostly, although it would suck to have less home games every year even if money isn't involved (nothing like home games at the shoe, 7 or 8 a year never seems like enough).


Now flipping the script, I think Notre Dame would be much better off in a conference in terms of their football future (not necessarily looking at money, at least in the short term), would be interesting to hear where you stand on that.

 

[A Pac]

Well there is still the national championship picture.

If we ever went to 16 team superconferences and had a playoff then I could see the merit of scheduling within the conference mostly, although it would suck to have less home games every year even if money isn't involved (nothing like home games at the shoe, 7 or 8 a year never seems like enough).


Now flipping the script, I think Notre Dame would be much better off in a conference in terms of their football future (not necessarily looking at money, at least in the short term), would be interesting to hear where you stand on that.

I have said for a few years now that I think that Notre Dame should join the Big Ten. It would give them an identity for the national media to compare them to. Last year, Notre Dame was 6-6. It would have been a lot different if they were 6-6 in the Big Ten. I hate scheduling teams like Tulsa, Central Michigan and Air Force. We just look week. However, teams like Army and Navy are ok because they are at least rivals and we have a history with them.

I fear though that Notre Dame could be left out in the cold as far as the future goes. I wanted them to accept the bid from the Big Ten this summer and was upset when they didn't. Pretty soon, these conferences may get too big and won't be willing to accept anymore members which can leave Notre Dame much worse off. They may have nobody left to schedule.

However, I think that if these "super conferences" did emerge, then they could be backed into a corner with a decision to make. They would almost be forced to join a conference. I just hope it isn't the Big East. Their caliber of football is nowhere near the level of the Big Ten, which is why it wouldn't surprise me to see them join the Big East.

I think they can eventually do well in the Big Ten, but proved this year that they aren't ready to compete... yet.

 

[Bleed S & G]

They like keeping the money in Ohio as much as possible. That is why YSU, OU, Toledo etc. are on the schedule. It's a $ 700K-800K pay day.

Then why schedule Eastern M*ch*g*n, New Mexico State, San Jose State, etc. I'm all for keeping the money in state.. we should stop playing teams like EMU though. Much rather beat down Kent, Akron, or Cincy.

I think another thing that must be considered is the fact that our lower tier teams need those early wins to become bowl eligible thus making more money for the conference.

Good point.

 

[Jake]

I think and someone on this board will either confirm or deny that OSU has to schedule at least one in state school each year until the current bond is paid off that OSU used to revamp the stadium a couple of years ago.....
Thsi would have a direct impact to trying to schedule more conference games....

Actually, the mandate to schedule in-state schools began in the mid-90s under Cooper. I suspect it will continue ad infinitum.

 

[JBaney45]

I have said for a few years now that I think that Notre Dame should join the Big Ten. It would give them an identity for the national media to compare them to. Last year, Notre Dame was 6-6. It would have been a lot different if they were 6-6 in the Big Ten. I hate scheduling teams like Tulsa, Central Michigan and Air Force. We just look week. However, teams like Army and Navy are ok because they are at least rivals and we have a history with them.

I fear though that Notre Dame could be left out in the cold as far as the future goes. I wanted them to accept the bid from the Big Ten this summer and was upset when they didn't. Pretty soon, these conferences may get too big and won't be willing to accept anymore members which can leave Notre Dame much worse off. They may have nobody left to schedule.

However, I think that if these "super conferences" did emerge, then they could be backed into a corner with a decision to make. They would almost be forced to join a conference. I just hope it isn't the Big East. Their caliber of football is nowhere near the level of the Big Ten, which is why it wouldn't surprise me to see them join the Big East.

I think they can eventually do well in the Big Ten, but proved this year that they aren't ready to compete... yet.

Yeah, I think that it hurts ND to not have that conference title to play for. Think about your state right now at 1-3..if you start 1-3 and your in the Big Ten your conference play hasn't even started yet and you still theoretically have something big to work towards. Even in the 10 win seasons with Charlie Weis you win all those games, go to a BCS bowl and happen to lose and what do you have to show for it? National championships are just way too hard to win these days, conference titles give you a realistic goal and something that you have to show for the efforts of your stronger football teams.

Think about all the years between 1949 and 1997 when Michigan didn't have an NC, but they had all those Big Ten championships and Bo was a revered head coach in that time.

ND's last championship was in 1988 and they just don't have that much to hang their hat on since then, even if they have fielded some good teams in that time (12 seasons with 3 losses or less, that's only 1 less then Ohio State's in that same time period). Yet if your a recruit looking at Ohio State and ND and they are both showing you around the trophy case, one is certainly much more full then the other with recently earned trophies. The model worked for ND back in the day, but college football is just too competitive to be trying to hang your hat on national championships alone, it puts the program in an impossible position.

The scheduling argument is silly because no one really wants to schedule Notre Dame in the middle of their conference season, hence the real reason you get stuck with Army and Navy every year imo.

 

[A Pac]

Yeah, I think that it hurts ND to not have that conference title to play for. Think about your state right now at 1-3..if you start 1-3 and your in the Big Ten your conference play hasn't even started yet and you still theoretically have something big to work towards. Even in the 10 win seasons with Charlie Weis you win all those games, go to a BCS bowl and happen to lose and what do you have to show for it? National championships are just way too hard to win these days, conference titles give you a realistic goal and something that you have to show for the efforts of your stronger football teams.

Think about all the years between 1949 and 1997 when Michigan didn't have an NC, but they had all those Big Ten championships and Bo was a revered head coach in that time.

ND's last championship was in 1988 and they just don't have that much to hang their hat on since then, even if they have fielded some good teams in that time (12 seasons with 3 losses or less, that's only 1 less then Ohio State's in that same time period). Yet if your a recruit looking at Ohio State and ND and they are both showing you around the trophy case, one is certainly much more full then the other with recently earned trophies.

The scheduling argument is silly because no one really wants to schedule Notre Dame in the middle of their conference season, hence the real reason you get stuck with Army and Navy every year imo.

All valid points. Thanks for the input.

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

What's with all the red frowns?