Out of Conference Scheduling Question

jameskalina

Well-Known Member
Appears to me of the four one conference loss Big Ten teams, Iowa had the toughest non conference schedule. But, playing tougher non conference competition means nothing if a team has more losses by playing tougher teams in an overall record tie breaker scenario in the Big Ten. So why play tougher competition and increase the probability of losing? Iowa playing the tougher schedule this year may very well cost the Hawks a BCS bowl game, even if Iowa wins out.

The Big Ten begins divisional play next year but a similar overall record tie breaker scenario could be used to decide which team in each division plays in the Big Ten championship game, with he championship game loser possibly bound for an at large BCS bowl game.

My question to you is should Iowa be selective in who they play in the non conference season to "pad" their wins to avoid coming up short in an overall record tie breaker scenario or should the Hawks play tough competition and let the chips fall where they may?
 


I said this a while ago. Iowa needs to start scheduling no one but cupcakes in the non-conference portion for now on. That includes getting rid of Iowa State. Look at Syracuse, they played TWO FCS schools and are 6-2 now. Say they run the table and finish 10-2 and Iowa loses one more game. A 9-3 Iowa team will be punished more than a 10-2 (7 game win streak) Syracuse team. But is a 10-2 Syracuse team (2 wins vs FCS & #20 WV, 2 losses to Washington and Pitt) better than a 9-3 Iowa team (wins vs #5 MSU, #8 OSU but losses to AZ, WI and NW/MN/IU)? Probably not but a "bad loss" at this point of the season would kill Iowa. Syracuse has a good looking record because of cupcakes. OSU, Wisconsin and MSU all schedule pansies this year - it has helped them. Playing Arizona absolutely killed us this year. OSU, WI, MSU played no one even close that competition level.
 


I said this a while ago. Iowa needs to start scheduling no one but cupcakes in the non-conference portion for now on. That includes getting rid of Iowa State. Look at Syracuse, they played TWO FCS schools and are 6-2 now. Say they run the table and finish 10-2 and Iowa loses one more game. A 9-3 Iowa team will be punished more than a 10-2 (7 game win streak) Syracuse team. But is a 10-2 Syracuse team (2 wins vs FCS & #20 WV, 2 losses to Washington and Pitt) better than a 9-3 Iowa team (wins vs #5 MSU, #8 OSU but losses to AZ, WI and NW/MN/IU)? Probably not but a "bad loss" at this point of the season would kill Iowa. Syracuse has a good looking record because of cupcakes. OSU, Wisconsin and MSU all schedule pansies this year - it has helped them. Playing Arizona absolutely killed us this year. OSU, WI, MSU played no one even close that competition level.

OSU played Miami. While not living up to expectations can still be reasonably as good as Zona by the end of the year. A lot of football to be played. Big game this week for our OOC schedule...Cats need to win at Stanford.

FWIW....Arizona isn't that good. We simply laid an egg on the road.
 
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until the NCAA makes some type of "no FCS" rule, this will continue to happen and schools that schedule tough OOC games will continue to get penalized. just look at the SEC's OOC scheduling, it is ridiculous.
 


I said this a while ago. Iowa needs to start scheduling no one but cupcakes in the non-conference portion for now on. That includes getting rid of Iowa State. Look at Syracuse, they played TWO FCS schools and are 6-2 now. Say they run the table and finish 10-2 and Iowa loses one more game. A 9-3 Iowa team will be punished more than a 10-2 (7 game win streak) Syracuse team. But is a 10-2 Syracuse team (2 wins vs FCS & #20 WV, 2 losses to Washington and Pitt) better than a 9-3 Iowa team (wins vs #5 MSU, #8 OSU but losses to AZ, WI and NW/MN/IU)? Probably not but a "bad loss" at this point of the season would kill Iowa. Syracuse has a good looking record because of cupcakes. OSU, Wisconsin and MSU all schedule pansies this year - it has helped them. Playing Arizona absolutely killed us this year. OSU, WI, MSU played no one even close that competition level.

I think you can only count 1 FCS win toward your bowl eligibility. Thus Syracuse is not yet eligible.
 


I've said for a couple years now, my formula below favors the current BCS system which i enjoy. Playoffs were put to a vote earlier in the year:
College football poll: Players want playoff over BCS - ESPN
An overwhelming majority of players would rather go to 3 bowls than a trip to a playoff.

My proposal for non-conference scheduling is to go to a 13 game season, where most teams would play a 5 game non-conference schedule (some play 9 conference games and would only have to play 4 non-conference.) Rules that I will suggest in the following list would help with "wheening" out the potential number of undefeated teams:

1. You can schedule only one FCS opponent which will count as a win, however when bowl scheduling comes around it will be not taken into consideration during tie-breakers and BCS calculations.
2. Teams MUST schedule 3 Automatic Qualifier conference teams, The only exception would be teams in a 9 game conference slate, and if rule number 4 was possible.
3. ONLY 3 non-conference games can be played at Home. An easier way to put it: no more than 7 home games. because teams with a 9 game conference slate in some years will have to play 5 conference games on the road.
4. One rule I would like to throw in (if possible) to force parity:

-one OOC game is scheduled purely off the result of your season
-each bowl winning team MUST play another bowl winner
-the higher ranked team at the end of the season gets to play at home
-teams selected by lottery and released just ahead of that years spring game.

*for those that lose the bowl games or do not make one all together would also be entered into a completely different lottery selection.
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So in a perfect world this is how Iowa could schedule it's games with a 13 game schedule and 9 conference games pre-slated:

Team A (Insert FCS opponent here if needed)
Iowa State (home & home) -not as much a liability on our OOC SOS lately
Rule #4 team, (if possible)
Team B (home & home)
Start Big Ten 9 game slate.

Any thoughts?
 
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