Big 10 to Eliminate FCS Games from Schedule in 2016

[TheMookieMonster]

New Big Ten schedule 'commitment': at least one Power Five game, no FCS - CBSSports.com

Oh lord. I can hear it now. The crowing from those fan bases is going to be unbearable. Credit to their conference for doing their best to eliminate "cupcake" games, but it's not like these fans understand just how ridiculously weak teams in their conference are.

I give credit where credit is due, and OSU and MSU are great teams. But the gap between them and the rest of the conference is quite large. Just a heads, that if any of you all know Big 10 fans, prepare to never hear the end about how the SEC is too afraid to get rid of "cupcake week" near the start of the season.

 

[tumscalcium]

They already have too many FCS-type teams in their conference anyway.

 

[maxorange]

I hope the B1G crowing IS unbearable. The SEC needs to get out of the business of hired scrimmages. I find the games unwatchable and a waste of scheduling space. What was the point of going to a 12-game regular season other than fan $ fleecing?

 

[jakez4ut]

it's a good move. i don't expect the SEC to follow suit anytime soon.

a) it's already proven out that the conf schedule for the SEC is in and of itself tough enough.
b) several SEC schools already have ACC/SEC rivalry games played annually that generally help SOS (GT/GA, FSU/FL, USC/CLem, KY/LOU)
c) most other SEC schools have adopted playing at least one power 5 non conf opponent each year TN/OU, USC/UNC, Bama/Wisc, ARK/TTU, Aub/Lou, A&M/AZ St etc....
d) the neutral site "pre season" games have created bowl like match ups for the SEC
e) FCS schools NEED the pay day.
f) SEC schools need the break.

Bottom line, the big 10 and pac 12 are scheduling 9 conf games + champ game + only FBS opponents. it's in direct reaction to the perception of their conf strength.

and as long as the SEC continues to only play 8 conf games, and continues to regulary schedule the annual non conf rivalry games, and these types of power 5 non conf games, i'm perfectly fine with an FCS school or two on the schedule.

and there's nothign to say that they're going to be playing other power 5 conf teams in that non conf. look for them to be loaded up on MAC, AAC type teams...

 

[HoptownVol]

I dont give much thought to the Big 10 but I watch their Media Days today and I can say without fear of contradiction that Jim Harbaugh is certifiable!

 

[vol n nc]

If they dump all fcs games will they be a four team conference.

 

[dhb92]

I would love for all major programs across the board to drop FCS opponents. I never understood it, those wins are hollow and mean nothing.

 

[sbm362]

I hope the B1G crowing IS unbearable. The SEC needs to get out of the business of hired scrimmages. I find the games unwatchable and a waste of scheduling space. What was the point of going to a 12-game regular season other than fan $ fleecing?

Just don't watch the games. It's really that simple.

I'm all for UT helping out ($$$$$) one instate FCS school per year.

 

[08Vol]

Funny fact I saw tweeted yesterday about the Coaches Poll "OSU & Bama play the same # of ranked Big 10 teams"

 

[jakez4ut]

it's also no secret the FCS games give the schools 1 more home gome...lots of $$$ on the line. if competition was the sole motivator here, i doubt we'd have a 12 game schedule at all. they'd just drop the FCS game, and the slot on the schedule all together.

since that's not gonna happen, and the Big 10 in particular has such a poor SOS there has to be a correction somewhere. this is their way of doing that. i wouldn't OSU to be doing a home and home with WKU or anything in the near future.

 

[08Vol]

New Big Ten schedule 'commitment': at least one Power Five game, no FCS - CBSSports.com

Oh lord. I can hear it now. The crowing from those fan bases is going to be unbearable. Credit to their conference for doing their best to eliminate "cupcake" games, but it's not like these fans understand just how ridiculously weak teams in their conference are.

I give credit where credit is due, and OSU and MSU are great teams. But the gap between them and the rest of the conference is quite large. Just a heads, that if any of you all know Big 10 fans, prepare to never hear the end about how the SEC is too afraid to get rid of "cupcake week" near the start of the season.

After years of working on a solution the athletic directors of the Big 10 finally have an idea "ok guys, I've found a way to avoid the embarrassments of Michigan losing to App State, Minnesota losing to NDSU, and Nebraska almost losing to McNeese State. We can't lose to FCS teams if we never play them"

 

[Aerie Vol]

The Big 10(14) IS FCS.

I challenge anyone to find another conference with EIGHT teams as bad as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue and Rutgers.

AV

 

[sjt18]

So they're kicking Indiana and Purdue out of the Big 10? That's pretty big news.

 

[sjt18]

it's a good move. i don't expect the SEC to follow suit anytime soon.

a) it's already proven out that the conf schedule for the SEC is in and of itself tough enough.

Detractors would point to Mizzou. They were competitive but not dominant in perhaps the weakest division in any of the split conferences while in the Big 12. They've won the East in two of their first 3 years in the conference.

Some would see that as evidence that the SEC really isn't any tougher than the Big 12 was.

 

[MrBiggles]

I don't think any team that is in FBS (Division I) should play FCS (Division II). I can see playing 1 FCS instate team, but I don't think they should be playing 1 or 2 cupcakes every year.

 

[Remy]

New Big Ten schedule 'commitment': at least one Power Five game, no FCS - CBSSports.com

Oh lord. I can hear it now. The crowing from those fan bases is going to be unbearable. Credit to their conference for doing their best to eliminate "cupcake" games, but it's not like these fans understand just how ridiculously weak teams in their conference are.

I give credit where credit is due, and OSU and MSU are great teams. But the gap between them and the rest of the conference is quite large. Just a heads, that if any of you all know Big 10 fans, prepare to never hear the end about how the SEC is too afraid to get rid of "cupcake week" near the start of the season.

Army, Navy, Tulane, Temple, Vandy, Rice, Kansas, San Jose St. and San Diego State ADs all better look out!! Scheduling run coming!

 

[sjt18]

I don't think any team that is in FBS (Division I) should play FCS (Division II). I can see playing 1 FCS instate team, but I don't think they should be playing 1 or 2 cupcakes every year.

I think you could do that if Football divisions were refined further.

I would love to see 4 "super" conferences made up of 18 to 20 teams each. Each conference championship would serve as round 1 of the playoffs. Two games later, a legit national champ would be crowned.

Conferences could, and should, be divided geographically rather than by marketing analyses.

The remaining 3 or 4 games could be divided between 1 to 3 cross divisional games plus an out of conference game against anyone.

This would make it extraordinarily difficult for someone to gain an advantage the way Mizzou has the last couple of years. They had no control but played the 6th and 7th place teams from the West last year and 4th and 6th the year before. Meanwhile, UT played #1 and #2 from the west in '13 then #1 and #3 in '14.

Combined with their lame OOC schedule, that gives MU an advantage. They can manage their roster's health MUCH better.

 

[alexbond45]

I guess they're afraid of Ohio State getting Rekt like Mich did in '07

 

[Volview]

e) FCS schools NEED the pay day.

A lot of programs would fold without the pay.

 

[OrangeByBirth]

With all the mid-America types and other mini-majors, they don't have a reason to play FCS schools. App State taught Michigan a big lesson so they will stick to "Northeastern Central Wisconsin" and similar guaranteed wins.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

This is nothing more or less than a magician waving his left hand with a flourish in your face while executing the trick with his right hand just outside your field of vision:

(a) It doesn't really matter whether you're playing #135-ranked FCS school Wofford or #118-ranked FBS school Eastern Michigan ... a trash win is a trash win.

(b) It doesn't really matter that you have a 9th conference game if your conference is so weak that you only have one Top-25 opponent all year long even with those 9 games (that's Ohio State this year, btw...Michigan State is a bit harder at 2 Top-25 games).

This is all just trickeration by the mages at B10 HQ. When Ohio State and Michigan State start playing five, six, seven nationally ranked teams each season (as many of the SEC teams are in 2015), they can start talking Strength of Schedule without people laughing.

Until then, it's just hocus pocus.


p.s. Fun fact to know and share with your B10 buds at work: Mizzou, with the easiest 2015 schedule in the entire SEC, will play three times as many ranked teams in the regular season as Ohio State. Three times as many (3 vs. 1). That's how serious the B10 is about strength of schedule.

 

[jakez4ut]

Detractors would point to Mizzou. They were competitive but not dominant in perhaps the weakest division in any of the split conferences while in the Big 12. They've won the East in two of their first 3 years in the conference.

Some would see that as evidence that the SEC really isn't any tougher than the Big 12 was.

And they might be right considering how abysmal the east has been.

The counter I would throw out is only how deep the west has been during that same time span.
MO was in the right place at the right time

 

[jakez4ut]

This is nothing more or less than a magician waving his left hand with a flourish in your face while executing the trick with his right hand just outside your field of vision:

(a) It doesn't really matter whether you're playing #135-ranked FCS school Wofford or #118-ranked FBS school Eastern Michigan ... a trash win is a trash win.

(b) It doesn't really matter that you have a 9th conference game if your conference is so weak that you only have one Top-25 opponent all year long even with those 9 games (that's Ohio State this year, btw...Michigan State is a bit harder at 2 Top-25 games).

This is all just trickeration by the mages at B10 HQ. When Ohio State and Michigan State start playing five, six, seven nationally ranked teams each season (as many of the SEC teams are in 2015), they can start talking Strength of Schedule without people laughing.

Until then, it's just hocus pocus.

Agreed

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I don't think any team that is in FBS (Division I) should play FCS (Division II). I can see playing 1 FCS instate team, but I don't think they should be playing 1 or 2 cupcakes every year.

I wholeheartedly disagree. Those small schools get HUGE paydays by playing a Power 5 school. Great infusion to help their athletic programs, and in many cases, their academics as well.

From the Power 5 school's perspective, it really doesn't matter if it's an FCS team or a bottom-feeder FBS program, a home win is a home win. But it's sure nice for the little guys to get some much-needed cash once a year.

p.s. I agree with you in one respect: like it best when we keep our annual FCS opponent in-region. Not necessarily in-state, doesn't always have to be UT-Chattanooga or UT-Martin. Can be West Carolina, like this year, they're close by, a neighbor.

p.p.s. Here's Ohio State avoiding playing an FCS school: Hawaii, Northern Illinios, and Western Michigan. The average college football fan wouldn't be able to tell whether all three of those are FBS. Any more than they could pick an FCS school out of the Vols three lesser games this year: West Carolina, Bowling Green, and North Texas.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Detractors would point to Mizzou. They were competitive but not dominant in perhaps the weakest division in any of the split conferences while in the Big 12. They've won the East in two of their first 3 years in the conference.

Some would see that as evidence that the SEC really isn't any tougher than the Big 12 was.

Mizzou were champ or co-champ of the B12 North 3 of their last 5 years there. That's 60%.

They were champ of the SEC East 2 of their first 3 years here. That's 67%.

Not all that different.

Fact is, they went from a weaker-brother division in the B12 to a weaker-brother division in the SEC, and were capitalizing in both places.

I don't think the SEC East is going to stay that way for them much longer. Do you?

All the objective yard sticks for conference-v-conference comparison show the SEC significantly stronger than the B12. The PAC is close, the B12 nowhere near (can lay this out for you if you like). Using Mizzou as a one-off measuring tape is far less objective than the other methods available.