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Why eliminating FCS games is easier said than done.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:07 am
Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:07 am
First of all, this is not a discussion of adding more conference games. It's an idea for eliminating FCS games in week 12 and possibly entirely
No one likes playing FCS games, and recently the SEC has gotten a lot of flak for playing these games in week 12 instead of earlier.
But here's the point I have yet to hear addressed in any detail. This is not merely an SEC issue. Finding alternate opponents in week 12 would require the cooperation of other conferences as well, unless you want to have a conference game in week 12...and there are three SEC games this week. Five SEC teams are playing FCS teams. Three are playing CUSA teams.
All the Sun Belt teams are playing conference games this weekend. All of the MAC teams are playing conference games, except for the two that are open. All 12 of the MWC teams are playing each other.
CUSA teams have 14 teams...the perfect number for a SEC-CUSA weekend. Ten of them are playing a conference game this week, but four are not...and three of those are playing SEC games already...MTSU-KY, Rice-LSU, and UAB-aTm.
I didn't realize until I started looking at the schedules, but every one of the 14 SEC teams have an FCS team on the schedule this year...it isn't just an Alabama or Auburn or Florida thing.
So when looking for game for this weekend, from those four conferences combined, there was only one possible team remaining for those 5 SEC teams to schedule...Old Dominion, who is playing VMI. MTSU, Rice, and UAB are already playing SEC teams. Other than those, this is a conference game weekend for all of those conferences, and changing that would require cooperation from entire conferences.
Certainly the impetus to eliminate those FCS games this week should come from the SEC, but at least one other conference would have to agree to change the way they do things also. Maybe an SEC-CUSA weekend would be perfect.
As long as we didn't have to play UAB.
No one likes playing FCS games, and recently the SEC has gotten a lot of flak for playing these games in week 12 instead of earlier.
But here's the point I have yet to hear addressed in any detail. This is not merely an SEC issue. Finding alternate opponents in week 12 would require the cooperation of other conferences as well, unless you want to have a conference game in week 12...and there are three SEC games this week. Five SEC teams are playing FCS teams. Three are playing CUSA teams.
All the Sun Belt teams are playing conference games this weekend. All of the MAC teams are playing conference games, except for the two that are open. All 12 of the MWC teams are playing each other.
CUSA teams have 14 teams...the perfect number for a SEC-CUSA weekend. Ten of them are playing a conference game this week, but four are not...and three of those are playing SEC games already...MTSU-KY, Rice-LSU, and UAB-aTm.
I didn't realize until I started looking at the schedules, but every one of the 14 SEC teams have an FCS team on the schedule this year...it isn't just an Alabama or Auburn or Florida thing.
So when looking for game for this weekend, from those four conferences combined, there was only one possible team remaining for those 5 SEC teams to schedule...Old Dominion, who is playing VMI. MTSU, Rice, and UAB are already playing SEC teams. Other than those, this is a conference game weekend for all of those conferences, and changing that would require cooperation from entire conferences.
Certainly the impetus to eliminate those FCS games this week should come from the SEC, but at least one other conference would have to agree to change the way they do things also. Maybe an SEC-CUSA weekend would be perfect.
As long as we didn't have to play UAB.
This post was edited on 11/14/18 at 11:09 am
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Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:20 am to BamaGradinTn
quote:
unless you want to have a conference game in week 12.
That's easily done and allows you to schedule a better team earlier in the season.
This post was edited on 11/14/18 at 11:21 am
Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:24 am to BamaGradinTn
I honestly don't get the uproar over "FCS" games.
Look at Sagarin rankings - above average FCS teams from good leagues are generally in the same stratosphere as middling and bad teams from the Sun Belt, Mountain West, MAC and CUSA.
Now, I wish we'd only play 1 or 2 of these buy games, but I think it's silly to specifically hold out the FCS games as if they are somehow drastically worse than playing Georgia State or Ball State. I know they have less scholarships, but the play on the field is not all that much different.
Look at Sagarin rankings - above average FCS teams from good leagues are generally in the same stratosphere as middling and bad teams from the Sun Belt, Mountain West, MAC and CUSA.
Now, I wish we'd only play 1 or 2 of these buy games, but I think it's silly to specifically hold out the FCS games as if they are somehow drastically worse than playing Georgia State or Ball State. I know they have less scholarships, but the play on the field is not all that much different.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:29 am to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
Look at Sagarin rankings - above average FCS teams from good leagues are generally in the same stratosphere as middling and bad teams from the Sun Belt, Mountain West, MAC and CUSA
Then at least schedule the "good" ones. The Citadel will finish with a losing record, and I think we are the only FBS team on their schedule.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:38 am to pvilleguru
quote:
quote:
unless you want to have a conference game in week 12.
That's easily done and allows you to schedule a better team earlier in the season.
You could also make it an open week for the entire conference...if not for the TV networks.
Many of us remember when Alabama and Auburn's freshmen teams always played each other this weekend.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:39 am to pvilleguru
quote:
Then at least schedule the "good" ones. The Citadel will finish with a losing record, and I think we are the only FBS team on their schedule.
I guess my point is : is there really a difference? Any sub-100 Sagarin team we play is a team we will be up by 35 against at halftime. No FCS team is going to give us any challenge, even North Dakota State.
152. San Jose State
153. Kent State
156. Western Kentucky
157. Bowling Green
163. New Mexico State
165. South Alabama
166. UConn
167. Idaho
169. The Citadel
174. Texas State
175. UTSA
181. UTEP
192. Rice
Honestly, I'd prefer to never see any of these teams, but I get that this isn't the NFL and we have to play 1 or 2. But I don't want to see 3 Sub-75 Sagarin teams. It sucks. I just don't see why FCS teams are pulled out as somehow EVEN WORSE than playing Rice, UTEP, New Mexico State, Texas State, Kent State, etc.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:40 am to BamaGradinTn
quote:
You could also make it an open week for the entire conference...if not for the TV networks.
There absolutely should not be an open week in week 12.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:41 am to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
Look at Sagarin rankings - above average FCS teams from good leagues are generally in the same stratosphere as middling and bad teams from the Sun Belt, Mountain West, MAC and CUSA.
Now, I wish we'd only play 1 or 2 of these buy games, but I think it's silly to specifically hold out the FCS games as if they are somehow drastically worse than playing Georgia State or Ball State. I know they have less scholarships, but the play on the field is not all that much different.
Out of all four of those conferences, the only team that would have been available to Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and USCe would have been Old Dominion...yeah, not really any better than most FCS teams. And who would the other four have played.
You could have made all 14 play conference games, but I think most schools would not want that imposed on them. I don't think Alabama is going to want to have to play and SEC game on this weekend. But if everyone is doing it, at least it's equitable.
This post was edited on 11/14/18 at 11:45 am
Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:42 am to pvilleguru
quote:
You could also make it an open week for the entire conference...if not for the TV networks.
There absolutely should not be an open week in week 12.
It's a non-starter because of CBS and ESPN/SEC network.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:43 am to BamaGradinTn
quote:
would have been Old Dominion...yeah, not really any better than most FCS teams.
Yep, they rank behind Nicholls State, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Indiana State, Maine, Montana State and Furman per Sagarin.
Again, my point isn't that this makes it ok to play FCS teams, I just don't see why people have divided to draw this magical line that FCS teams are somehow drastically worse than bad non-Power 5 teams. It's just kind of silly.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 11:45 am to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
Again, my point isn't that this makes it ok to play FCS teams, I just don't see why people have divided to draw this magical line that FCS teams are somehow drastically worse than bad non-Power 5 teams. It's just kind of silly.
It is indeed. But I was surprised when I saw that all 14 teams had one this year.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 1:19 pm to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
Again, my point isn't that this makes it ok to play FCS teams, I just don't see why people have divided to draw this magical line that FCS teams are somehow drastically worse than bad non-Power 5 teams. It's just kind of silly.
There are people on this board who will argue that we'd be better off playing Rutgers or Illinois than Arkansas State because P-5. Perception matters far more than reality to some.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 1:21 pm to Robot Santa
quote:
There are people on this board who will argue that we'd be better off playing Rutgers or Illinois than Arkansas State because P-5
Hell, I'd rather play Rutgers and Illinois just for the variety.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 1:29 pm to BamaGradinTn
The obvious answer is 9 conference games. It's extremely frustrating that this hasn't been done already. The bottomfeeders need that FCS game to get bowl eligible.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 2:15 pm to CrimsonCrusade
Let's drop the FCS schools and play one of the service academies every year.
Gives us a better game and rightfully one that no media outlet would ever touch as negative.
Gives us a better game and rightfully one that no media outlet would ever touch as negative.
Posted on 11/14/18 at 2:16 pm to pvilleguru
quote:
Hell, I'd rather play Rutgers and Illinois just for the variety.
Yea I agree - maybe not Rutgers, but a long time Power 5 school (Arizona State, Illinois, Kansas State, Maryland) would definitely get me to Tuscaloosa more so than the same ole above average CUSA/Sun Belt team (MTSU, Arkansas State, Western Kentucky).
I realize that is easier said than done, though.
This post was edited on 11/14/18 at 2:17 pm
Posted on 11/14/18 at 6:16 pm to SummerOfGeorge
until it becomes an issue for the committee in the rankings, forget about it
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