My point was that we tried I know to schedule a Texas team (Houston, Texas Tech). We also had to move up Appy State to fill a void (which ESPN helped set up). And I agree why schedule a home and home, or play a "mid major" that can only hurt us but not help us...Arizona, USM, UAB :redface: come to mind. The SEC provides a strong enough schedule most years. Plus, people like Va Tech have no desire now to play us even home and home as it will more than likely hurt them. Ohio State, along with the attitude of the PAC 10 and the Big 10 shows that under the current systerm you are stupid to schedule tough OOC oponents. USC has to schedule a "tough" OOC because as a whole the PAC 10 is weaker week in and week out. tOSU proved that path of least resistance works (granted you are ranked in the top 10 preseason ). :geaux:
As long as we have to play the SEC schedule, with our permanent opp. being Fla (thanks to bama having to have their traditonal bullfchit weekend date with Tenn.) then our OOC is going to be light. The same people who complain about the soft schedule would be the first to want to fire the coach when he drops a late season game due to his team being shot because they had no "cupcakes" to semi-rest up on.
What the hell is that? The Bama vs UT game is one of the traditional games in the NCAA...has been for years. You simply lost me. If I recall correctly, you guys have Colorado and Arizona State scheduled right now in the future. Or, have I forgotten someone?
Well, in both of our national championship seasons we played an OOC BCS game and both of them helped us in getting in the title game. Saying teams like Va Tech have no desire to play us is pure fabrication, if we are willing to travel to their park any team in the nation would schedule us. The SEC reference is a weak one, and insinuates that we are afraid of competition. Why is it that UGA can play Ga Tech every yyear, Floirda can play FSU, UT can play any one of a number of good programs year in and year out, SC can play Clemson, etc., etc., etc. We should play one good bcs conference game each year & one good mid major at least each season IMO.
There is literally zero incentive for schools to schedule tough OOC games, especially early in the season. Strength of Schedule plays no part in the BCS equation any longer. It is simply bragging material between fans. Even with ****ty teams, LSU will still be among the leaders in terms of playing the mostranked opponents year in and year out because so many SEC teams are ranked. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that you have fewer losses than anyone else at the end of the season. Years from now, no one is going to remember which teams were ranked or even which teams LSU played. All they will remember is that LSU was the BCS Champ.
Bull****. Without the VT game last year we ain't sniffin the BCS Championship game. Make no mistake, SOS comes into play with the AP voters, sports analysts, etc.
While I don't think the "SEC argument" is weak, our OOC schedule this year sure is. The season ticket holders pay plenty of $, even more this year, and while eight home games is great, it would be better if 1/2 of them were a bit more interesting. We played a good VaTech team last year and proved that we could hang, while starting a new QB and OC. Yes Flynn was a senior and Lee will be a redshirt freshman but that was not why we scheduled these teams this year. Anyone seeking Monday morning validation now that RP is gone is just reaching. We(fans) are expected to pay more $$ in coming years to support the program and I doubt anyone is going to appreciate scheduling such as this in the future. As a result, I'm sure our athletic department will find a way to address the fans' desires for at least one tough OOC game in coming years.
We have GOT to start scheduling home and homes with one BCS team a year--period. The way we schedule is ridiculous. That Va Tech game last year was talked about for the entire season, and it generated incredible excitement. Who wouldn't want that? We must pony up and schedule OU, Texas, USC. Why not? We aren't going to win the NC every year, so saying the argument about the SEC is a moot point. We want entertainment and excitement.
Leave no doubt. Maybe so and yet don't you WANT tough competition? Makes the victories seem a bit sweeter I think. I don't buy that. Unless you can show that other schools have flat out turned you down it's a guess. There are always schools/coaches that have a "play anyone, anywhere, anytime" attitude. I don't understand that (blonde here). Even aOSU fans have said they'd like not to have so many Div1AA schools on their schedule but they are also mandated to play at least a few local schools. As for the Pac and the B10, which one isn't scheduling tough OOC's or has that attitude? I thought as the media darling, USC starts every season ranked high, plays nobody in conference, and then gets to walk into the BCS NCG. (sarcasm) I'm sorry but if the path of least resistance was USC's attitude, would we have scheduled Arkansas and Auburn home AND away? How about scheduling aOSU to start our season? I agree with that completely and it's kinda sad.....college football, like Stacey said, should be entertaining and exciting.
SOS still plays a part in the BCS computer rankings, and in situations where it's too close to call in the overall rankings, SOS will end up being the tipping point. And as tiga has alluded to, even the voters go back and look at who you played, including OOC. Had we beaten Southern Illinois instead of VTech, e.g., LSU doesn't possess 2 crystal balls as we speak.
