Big 12 football schedules are getting better. They're still not good enough.
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Big 12 teams in 2008 will play 15 of their 48 non-conference games against fellow BCS-league schools. That's still a pathetic 31 percent, but it's a big improvement over last season, when the Big 12 played just 11 games against fellow big-conference opponents.
The league willing to play the fairest non-conference schedule might surprise you. It's not the Pac-10, which is playing 14 of 31 non-conference games (45.2 percent) against BCS team. The ACC is playing 23 of 48 games (47.9 percent) against the big boys.
The Big 12 is tied with the SEC, which also is playing 15 of 48 games against BCS-league teams, and only the Big Ten is worse, at 29.5 percent (13 of 44). The Big East is at 39 percent (16 of 41).
Carrying the Big 12 load are Baylor, OU and Colorado.
Baylor, which has more reason to dumb down its schedule than any Big 12 school, instead is playing three BCS-league foes: Wake Forest, Washington State and Connecticut. Colorado (West Virginia and Florida State) and Oklahoma (Cincinnati and Washington) are playing two each.
Some of the Big 12 teams that are playing just one legitimate foe at least are playing a big-time team. Kansas State is at Louisville. Missouri plays Illinois. Texas hosts Arkansas. Nebraska plays Virginia Tech. Texas A&M hosts Miami.
But Texas Tech continues its recent tradition of avoiding major teams. The Red Raiders play Eastern Washington, Nevada, SMU and UMass, though at least Nevada is a road game.
Some weeks, the Big 12 schedule is so soft, television will be hard-pressed to present a decent game. On Sept. 6, OU-Cincinnati is the only marquee matchup. Next comes a batch of games all about the same: OSU-Houston, Texas-UTEP, Texas A&M-New Mexico.
The Big 12 likes to project itself as a powerhouse football conference. The way Big 12 teams schedule says otherwise.
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Silly to see OU and OSU fans talking smack about non-conference schedules. One OU poster, Ryan, even tried to make himself feel better by saying OU is "working" on playing Clemson, Florida State, etc. Ha! Alot of teams are "working" on schedules. How come this is just an OSU-OU thing. Both have had lame-duck non-conference schedules and both have played some tough games. Not just Georgia for OSU, but UCLA, Washington State next year and although you make fun of the Troy loss. Alabama and Auburn have both backed out of home games there becuase they don't want to lose to them! You Sooners need to actually pay attention to college football, not just one team. Both schools are guilty of easy schedules. Stupid bickering about nothing.
Coach Stoops, if u need a schedule coach let me know!
How bout we start with non-conference games; USC, Boise State and West Virgina! Just my $.02
Tulsa Union and Houston Katy in the house.
C'mon, everyone! It's not as if these games are scheduled a week in advance! No one knows how individual teams will pan out when schedules are drawn up. The advantage that the "little guys" have in playing a national powerhouse is that there's not much to lose in these games (Other than the game, itself!) Money is a big driving factor as well as national attention...You hearing me, Appalachian State? lol Yes, it bodes well for prominent teams to bolster their records with "walkthrough games" but other than being tune ups and record padding, what advantage does playing these games mean?
Boomer Sooner
I am an oSu grad, but I can't defend the non-conference schedule that we've had for years. I think it's horrible that every school schedules in such a way that pads their credentials for the NCAA's manner of selecting for BCS bowl games. It's the fault of the NCAA, not the schools. And I hope that both OU and oSu come back from the northwest in September with huge, one-sided wins. PAC 10...bah!!
OU schedule soft? LOL O.K. Oklahoma has been to Alabama, Eugene, Los Angeles, South Bend. And will be going to Miami, Florida, Talahassee, Knoxville, Seattle, Baton Rouge, either inked or on the plate. OU plays who they can play Only Texas A&M, and Nebraska have tried to schedule tough teams.
A scot in Charleston when was the last time South Carolina or Clemsen won anyting of signifance? Who's your favorite team bet they don't go to Auzden stadium, the Red River Shootout and face the Sea of Red do they? No they don't.
nothing on OU playing UT Chattanooga, the worse non-conference match up in the nation. At least it isn't North Texas State, right Sooner Fans! You should all be so proud!
and when was the last time Washington made any noise in the PAC-10
I love how last year OSU finally added a real team (Georgia) to its non conference slate and all of the sudden they act like they've had the toughest schedule for years. Gimme a break. By the way, Cincinnati finished the reason ranked in the top 20. If OU's schedule appeared weaker than OSU's it's because OU has been playing an overall tougher NC schedule for years. And most of the time, we've won.
robert from kc, weak? OU has scheduled florida st. notre dame, ohio st. tennessee, and miami not to mention clemson, who's AD announced that they would buy out the home and home against OU b/c "they had a decent chance to win the ACC this year"
I can't believe all these Cowboy fans jumping on here and once again making this an OU-OSU thing. The obsession continues. Have you already forgotten 2006? Missouri State, Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic and Houston. Or how about 2005? Montana State, Florida Atlantic and Arkansas State. Geez, you guys play one game at Georgia last season and all of a sudden you're afraid of no one. Try a home-and-home series with Florida State, Notre Dame, LSU or Clemson, all of which are in the works at OU.
Barry,
You have to be kidding. Cincinnati and Washington. Washington was last in the Pac-10. While Cincinnati had a record not to belittle, they still are no juggernaut. Houston went 8-5 last year, Troy went 8-4 and Washington State beat Washington at Washington. Lets look at Strength of Schedules.
HA HA, Troy and FAU are quality teams?!! I sure bet that if osu had known they would have had a decent sqaud, then they never would have been scheduled. Miami and Washington are good programs we caught on a down year. North Texas was a top 25 team when we scheduled them. OSU fans are bragging about mistakes their school made. OSU wants to schedule a patsy scedule and can't even do that right. HA HA.
The money these schools charge for tickets is ridiculous to watch a glorified scrimmage. $60 to see I-AA teams play in Norman, Columbia, or Lubbock is totally pathetic. I'd rather lose against USC or Ohio State in season versus beating up small schools then going to a bowl game and getting humiliated because of a lack of competition or big game experience.
Well Robert, when Clemson hangs you out to dry and buys out your series at the last minute and there are no replacements, what can you do? Ideally, they wouldn't want Chattanooga.
OU certainly has nothing to brag about anymore than anyother Big 12 team in terms of non conf schedule. Year in and year out they have one of the weaker non conf schedules.
OSU does play some legitimate teams out of conference next year. idon't know why Tramel didn't mention them. Troy, Washington St., and Houston are all games that OSU will loose.
"Carrying the Big 12 load?" Man, Tramel, you have always got to find some way to make OU look great. This article is a load...a load of garbage.
I love how OSU is only mentioned once...barely at the end. Unless they've got wrestling one-sies (or whatever they're called) on, or scandalous basketball coaching problems, or girl's golf...they're completely under the radar. Now that's just athletics. They've got incredible alum, and good academics.
Christopher, Bartlesville - May 8, 2008 at 10:38 am
Generally OU has good scheduling intentions, when they made the deal Miami was kicking everyone's arse, Washington was good until recently as well. And just an FYI they have Florida State and Notre Dame on the horizon, good programs who have also fallen as of late. Florida State will be in turmoil when Bobby B kicks the bucket. LOL at Poke fan pimping Florida Atlantic and Troy...
OSU's non-con schedule wasn't anything to take lightly in 2007. FAU was a bowl game winner and finished 2nd in their league to Troy. Troy obviously won their league. Georgia was a BCS Bowl game winner. Sam Houston State was a gimme. The others were decent non-con foes. Definitely more than OU and many other Big XII teams can say for 2007. OU played Tulsa, Miami, Utah St and North Texas for crying out loud.
There is definitely incentive to play tougher schedule IF your team is going to win those matchups AND be considered for the National Championship gameor to fill a spot in a BCS bowl. That is only a handful of teams. Otherwise having a tougher schedule seems to only hurt a teams changes for staying in the top 25 rankings. Last year OSU would have improved it's bowl not by scheduling tougher teams but by winning more games.
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Texas Tech and coach Mike Leach are continuing a recent tradition of weak nonconference scheduling this year. The Red Raiders' lineup includes Eastern Washington, Nevada, SMU and UMass. Associated Press
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How bout we start with non-conference games; USC, Boise State and West Virgina! Just my $.02
Tulsa Union and Houston Katy in the house.
Boomer Sooner
and when was the last time Washington made any noise in the PAC-10
You have to be kidding. Cincinnati and Washington. Washington was last in the Pac-10. While Cincinnati had a record not to belittle, they still are no juggernaut. Houston went 8-5 last year, Troy went 8-4 and Washington State beat Washington at Washington. Lets look at Strength of Schedules.