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Conventional Wisdom wrong, Cupcake Schedule vs SEC Schedule
Posted on 10/19/26 at 11:53 am
Posted on 10/19/26 at 11:53 am
conventional wisdom says that a brutal schedule, such as a SEC season prepares a team for playoff and championship game.
Reality is playing tag football week after week has produced half the championships this century.
Reminder, the last time Texas won, they were in the Weak12 conference, playing cupcakes every week, and had the conference leadership, special rules and officials on their side. LOL, they played the juggernaut Colorado for the Weak12 championship to prepare against USC
Reality is playing tag football week after week has produced half the championships this century.
Reminder, the last time Texas won, they were in the Weak12 conference, playing cupcakes every week, and had the conference leadership, special rules and officials on their side. LOL, they played the juggernaut Colorado for the Weak12 championship to prepare against USC
Posted on 10/19/26 at 12:43 pm to stitchop
You think SEC football has been on top forever?
The BIG12 was a powerful conference back late 90s earl 2000s and that 05 team would have been just fine in the SEC in 05.
Your point I agree with though given wear and tear of the body of players playing in the current SEC and having to play on the road in 80k+ seat stadiums week in and week out with no weeks off (like every other conference including the BIG).
The BIG12 was a powerful conference back late 90s earl 2000s and that 05 team would have been just fine in the SEC in 05.
Your point I agree with though given wear and tear of the body of players playing in the current SEC and having to play on the road in 80k+ seat stadiums week in and week out with no weeks off (like every other conference including the BIG).
Posted on 10/19/26 at 12:48 pm to stitchop
quote:
conventional wisdom says that a brutal schedule, such as a SEC season prepares a team for playoff and championship game.
This is actually true.
But a lot of teams who did this are going to get left out at the end and supplanted by teams like Miami and Notre Dame who don't play anyone and will probably lose in round 1 or 2.
Posted on 10/19/26 at 12:52 pm to theballguy
lately those teams have been beating SEC
Posted on 10/19/26 at 12:54 pm to stitchop
quote:
Miami
quote:
lately those teams have been beating SEC
Only because they were allowed to climb up our wide receiver's face to defend a pass.
Posted on 10/19/26 at 12:54 pm to TexasWranglers
I just don't see, based on the last few years, how that has made a difference, NIL and transport has created teams that either win or lose in the playoffs, the season as a total doesn't matter any more as factor in making a team 'battle ready'
Posted on 10/19/26 at 2:09 pm to TexasWranglers
quote:
The BIG12 was a powerful conference back late 90s earl 2000s
Bro…
Posted on 10/19/26 at 2:12 pm to stitchop
An SEC schedule produces a battle tested team. That’s the conventional wisdom and it still holds true to this day.
Posted on 10/19/26 at 2:14 pm to stitchop
quote:
conventional wisdom says that a brutal schedule, such as a SEC season prepares a team for playoff and championship game.
Steel does sharpen steel....if you can overcome it.
During a course of a season, things change. Teams get film on you, they can adapt and take away your strengths, capitalize on your weakness etc.
If you only play easy teams, those strengths and flaws aren't likely to get highlighted. If they don't get highlighted it can be a bonus for those watching film, however if any good team happens to take that away, which is likely, then your team has never learned how to overcome it.
When you play in a conference like the SEC, you are going to get exposed. You can pretty much count on it. If you can adapt and overcome that, then you will be a better team because of it. But if you don't, then everyone is going to exploit you the remainder of the year.
Age has been the biggest factor in the Big10 success. Ohio st likely being an exception, I haven't looked. Michigan was full of covid seniors. Indiana was full of covid seniors. Indiana's average age was higher than some NFL teams. You had guys 26 years old playing against 18 year old kids in some cases. That 18 year old may be a 5 star, but 7+ years of development is one hell of an equalizer.
Posted on 10/19/26 at 2:19 pm to dkreller
quote:
An SEC schedule produces a battle tested team. That’s the conventional wisdom and it still holds true to this day.
And a battle wounded team.
Posted on 10/19/26 at 2:20 pm to stitchop
quote:
lately those teams have been beating SEC
Per ESPN:
quote:
SEC teams hold a combined record of 38–2 overall against all non-conference opponents and 10–2 against Power Four non-conference opponents during the 2026 college football season.
Check the records (a simple google search is all it takes) before posting such a statement.
Posted on 10/19/26 at 2:23 pm to stitchop
quote:
Reminder, the last time Texas won, they were in the Weak12 conference, playing cupcakes every week, and had the conference leadership, special rules and officials on their side
Reminder, the last time Texas won they had a lot of future NFL players on the team and Vince Young at QB.
QB matters.
Posted on 10/19/26 at 2:26 pm to Swamp Angel
quote:
SEC teams hold a combined record of 38–2 overall against all non-conference opponents and 10–2 against Power Four non-conference opponents during the 2026 college football season.
That's why the SEC should be playing a 7 game conference schedule while playing 3 other major conference opponents per year instead of this 9 game slate now. BYU is now number two for their schedule full of cream puffs and is being hyped beyond imagination because they beat ND with their schedule full of cream puffs.
Posted on 10/19/26 at 2:28 pm to stitchop
I think my point is that you have to make the dance to get a shot and teams that are non SEC have a much easier road and the "battle tested" theory I agree is not ideal since to me what comes with that is injuries and wear and tear on players bodies. If you can go up 3 scores against Maryland, Rutgers, etc in the BIG and rest players in the 4th thats a huge different from having to show up every single weekend in the SEC.
Posted on 10/19/26 at 2:40 pm to stitchop
All teams hit hard. sometimes the teams with less talent or nothing to lose hit even harder. This SEC gauntlet myth is just that.
Posted on 10/19/26 at 2:43 pm to TexasWranglers
quote:
The BIG12 was a powerful conference back late 90s earl 2000s and that 05 team would have been just fine in the SEC in 05.
Would they????
2005 Texas BIG12 and National Champions
(2) Texas Louisiana
(2) Texas @ (4) Ohio State 10-2
(2) Texas Rice
(2) Texas @ Missouri
(2) Texas N Oklahoma
(2) Texas (24) Colorado 7-1
(2) Texas (10) Texas Tech 9-3
(2) Texas @ Oklahoma State
(2) Texas @ Baylor
(2) Texas Kansas
(2) Texas @ Texas A&M
(2) Texas N Colorado
(2) Texas @ (1) USC
2005 SEC Champions UGA
(13) Georgia (18) Boise State
(9) Georgia South Carolina
(7) Georgia Louisiana-Monroe
(7) Georgia @ Mississippi State
(5) Georgia @ (8) Tennessee
(5) Georgia @ Vanderbilt
(4) Georgia Arkansas 7
(4) Georgia N (16) Florida
(9) Georgia (15) Auburn
14) Georgia Kentucky SEC W
(13) Georgia @ (20) Georgia Tech
(13) Georgia N (3) LSU SEC W
(8) Georgia N (11) West Virginia
UGA Played 8 ranked teams in 2005, Texas played 4, Texas had almost 4 games between ranked teams, UGA had almost 2.25 games between ranked teams. UGA was not alone in this in the SEC in 2005....as obvious from the schedule above. Texas was almost alone in the Big12 as a ranked team, as evidenced by the schedule above.
Mathematically it is not possible that Michigan and Ohio State and Texas and Oklahoma are the ONLY teams from their respective conferences to be in the top 20 all time wins while 5 original SEC teams are in the top 20 and either conference having EVER been as competitive as the SEC. Sorry but maths is maths....
Posted on 10/19/26 at 2:44 pm to Swamp Angel
quote:
Check the records
Learn to read you third grade level reading comprehension.
the question is about playing championship games after having a cupcake season.
your reply talks about a totally diff situation.
1st, 2026 is still in reg season,
2nd playing 1 SEC in an OOC game is not exactly changing the fact the the other 11 games in your season are cupcakes
3rd, NVM, you wouldn't understand
This post was edited on 10/19/26 at 2:48 pm
Posted on 10/19/26 at 3:02 pm to CleverUserName
quote:
That's why the SEC should be playing a 7 game conference schedule
Saban is right about this situation.
The SEC should play an 8 game conference schedule.
The most teams in the playoffs should be 16.
That way you have 12 tough games per year if you keep winning and get to the championship game for a total of 16 games.
These younger players are still growing and developing.
This would be similar to the MLB limiting the seasons for their farm teams.
This post was edited on 10/19/26 at 3:04 pm
Posted on 10/19/26 at 3:06 pm to stitchop
quote:
Learn to read you third grade level reading comprehension.
the question is about playing championship games after having a cupcake season.
your reply talks about a totally diff situation.
1st, 2026 is still in reg season,
2nd playing 1 SEC in an OOC game is not exactly changing the fact the the other 11 games in your season are cupcakes
3rd, NVM, you wouldn't understand
Not trying to be an asshat, but apparently 3rd grade level reading comprehension surpasses your ability to capitalize, punctuate, or use proper syntax and grammar. Use the established rules of the English language and some of us might be able to figure out what the hell it is that you're trying to say.
Posted on 10/19/26 at 3:09 pm to stitchop
quote:
conventional wisdom says that a brutal schedule, such as a SEC season prepares a team for playoff and championship game.
Reality is playing tag football week after week has produced half the championships this century.
Not winning a championship in 4 years has really turned you all into some cry babies.
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