The Orlando Sentinel's Jeremy Fowler wrote Wednesday about the possibility of Florida dropping their game with Charleston Southern in exchange for a game against a Mountain West team. It was nothing more than message board banter. However, it does bring up one concern; if there are several undefeated teams, would a game against Charleston Southern negatively influence Florida's ranking? Let's take a look at some notable teams and compare where Florida's schedule stacks up. [Note: Division 1-AA (FCS) are marked with *. Neutral sites marked with (n). USC has only three out-of-conference games because they play a round robin, nine game Pac-10 schedule.]
| Florida | Ohio St. | Oklahoma | Texas | USC | Utah |
| Charles. Sou* | Navy | BYU (n) | La. Monroe | San Jose St. | Utah St. |
| Troy | USC | Idaho St.* | @ Wyoming | @ Ohio St. | @ San Jose St. |
| Florida Intl. | Toledo (n) | Tulsa | UTEP | @ Notre Dame | @ Oregon |
| Florida St. | New Mex. St. | @ Miami | UCF | Louisville |
Compared to these five teams, UF's schedule is not awful, but it is the only one where they don't leave their building. (Ohio State's neutral site game is in Cleveland.) Could that, combined with games against Troy and FIU, sink the Gators' ranking? I think we all correctly assume if Florida is undefeated, they will have a chance to defend their national title but stranger things have happened. If these teams have one loss, then all bets are off. Plus, as we carry the banner of SEC supremacy, remember this might be a down year for the East Division. Kiffyfins is in year one and Georgia has to replace their starting qb and all-world running back.
I've already said what I think about games against weak sisters that do nothing but fill university coffers. I still think scheduling games against Charleston Southern or Idaho State could cost a team a shot at a BCS Championship. Just pray to Football Jesus or the Flying Spaghetti Monster that it happens to someone else and not the Gators.
0 recs | 19 comments
No Worries, But...
What’s the point of scheduling extreme cupcakes? Might as well pay against fluff from other ower conferences while you’re at it.
ejruiz - February 12, 2009
Awful
Florida easily has the most winnable out of conference schedule out of those 6 teams. They have absolutely 0% chance of losing the first 3, and with Florida State at home, that should not be a difficult game at all either.
I want as many home games as the next Gator fan, but don’t you think it’s about time for a home and home with someone from another BCS conference? I can’t tell you how many times I have friends bring up the fact that we never have to leave the state. I can only make the argument for so long that the SEC is tough enough without playing anybody else, but until Florida State returns to the national championship picture again, we need to re-think our schedule.
I’m not saying we need to go out and challenge USC. But would it really hurt to play someone like NC State or Georgia Tech? How about heading out west a little to challenge Texas Tech or Texas A&M? We can still stay within driving distance of Gainesville, but let’s challenge ourselves.
tbcook - February 12, 2009
Agree somewhat, BUT
I think we should definitely play a D1 home and home so that the away game corresponds to the year that we are the “away” team in Jax and the home game replaces the “home” game lost in Jax the opposite years.
BUT – there are NO WORRIES WHATSOEVER about UF getting shut out if we go undedeated. Absolutely none at all. We would be wire-to-wire #1. In other years? possibly, but next year, as defending champs with so much coming back, there is no way we are shut out, so stop worrying.
Instead, come read the argument on the FSU board that UF will suffer in recruiting because Meyer’s “gimmicky offense” doesn’t put any players into the NFL, therefore recruits will start avoiding UF. Comical. First, they are basing their sample on one class of recruits that would have had to leave after 3 years (this year’s senior class was Meyer’s first true recruiting class and that doesn’t even account for a redshirt year). Plus, we didn’t have many seniors this season as everyone knows. They also argue (wishfully) that Harvin will flop in the NFL and Tebow will to. Apparently, they think that this would damage recruiting more so than say, finishing 7-5 every other year!
skigator93 - February 12, 2009
I disagree
Florida State is light years better than anybody on Texas non-conference schedule. At least we play a BCS team and a rivalry game at that.
DoubleB - February 12, 2009
I agree that Florida State has a better program than anyone on the Texas schedule. However, Texas travels TO Wyoming, a team that beat a weak Tennessee last year. I know that Wyoming isn’t a threat to win the game, but traveling outside their comfort zone goes a long way in having a legitimate OOC schedule. Two years ago, Texas traveled to Orlando to play UCF, another road game. Texas also doesn’t have any 1-AA teams on their schedule
tbcook - February 12, 2009
But they have a scheduling advantage
over UF. Their in-state rival (A&M) is already a conference game. Therefore, they have an extra game to play with each year that UF doesn’t. Every year one of our non-conference games is against FSU.
skigator93 - February 12, 2009
Like I said before, I’m not saying we have to go out and schedule a top 25 team. We just need to leave the state to prove we can win away from home. How bad would it be to schedule a home and home with UConn. Meyer already likes recruiting in that state (Jordan Reed, Aaron Hernandez), and if he went up there he could show the kids in person what Gator football is all about. I know we don’t really need to leave the state to get recruits, but what would impress you more as a recruit: Florida destroying the Citadel in the Swamp, where you see the stadium empty out a third of the fans by half time? Or would you be more impressed with the Gators heading up to the Northeast to take on a team from the Big East? I just think that beating a weak team from a BCS conference on by 30 on ESPN is more rewarding than beating a I-AA team by 60 at home at noon on Raycom or PPV.
tbcook - February 12, 2009
Isn't Troy decent too?
skigator93 - February 12, 2009
We had to plug in Idaho St. because someone dropped on us
That is what is tough about scheduling. I like how we (OU) schedules though, always one cupcake, two solid mid major like schools, and we try for a major BCS conference game.
There is one thing that I have always wondered about the SEC guys, why is their a seeming fear to schedule anyone outside of your conference in a game that is worth a crap? I know the “Our conference is super strong argument” but what’s the point of never leaving the South? The national perception would be enhanced even more. I know we have a series against LSU and Tennessee coming up.
Jubanator14 - February 12, 2009
I think the big reason why Florida is so shy to play road out of conference is the HUGE benefit of home games. UF sports does not get funding from the school or state govt (which is unlike Florida State or USF). Student activity and service fees go to rec centers and fields that are not operated by the UAA (University Athletic Association).
The UAA is run like a corporation. In the cost/benefit analysis, it is better for UF to play Charleston Southern than Southern California. USC would want a home and home. Charleston Southern wants a few thousand bucks and UF makes it back in gameday sales. Florida will only play an intersectional game if they will make enough money to offset the loss of a home game. The UAA makes hand over fist, but like every corporation, they’ve lost money due to rising energy costs and a shrinking investment portfolio. The UAA ended up about $10 million over budget in 2008.
mlmintampa - February 13, 2009
That is great information
I had no idea about that.
Jubanator14 - February 13, 2009
Not True.
Recently teams like LSU (home-and-home with VT) and Alabama (neutral field against Clemson) scheduled big-time non-conference games. Tennessee also keeps flying out west. This is just off the top of my head. Florida State, for instance, is not in our conference and they play UF every year and Bama in Jacksonville (I think) last season.
ejruiz - February 13, 2009
UF is overly greedy. Or maybe the lack of state funding that mlm mentioned is a factor.
bdalebs - February 13, 2009
That's just Florida's Schedule
Have you checked out UGA’s lately?
Southern Dawg - February 14, 2009
I give Georgia credit. They have not been shy lately about scheduling quality OOC teams. LSU and Tennessee, as well. A few more games out west and UT can apply for Pac-10 membership.
mlmintampa - February 14, 2009
I'm confused
Why does UGA show the SEC Championship Game and BCS Championship Game on its schedule??!!?!?!
(Just kidding)
skigator93 - February 16, 2009
See above
your in-state rival game (Ok St.) is also a conference game, giving you one extra game a year to play with.
Plus, some SEC schools do play tough out of conference games – see your upcoming games against LSU and Tennessee (who also played UCLA recently – again with the advantage of having the “extra” game because Vandy is a conference game already on the schedule).
UF and UGA have the unique disadvantage of playing a “home” game every other year in Jax. This makes schools hesitant to play too many away games and lose home game revenue. UGA has recently done a much better job than we have by schedling better OOC opponents (the addition of the 12th game really helped provide some leeway to do so).
This year’s Gator schedule is embarrassing – I acknowledge that. But last year we played Miami and Hawaii which are (at least perceived to be at the time of scheduling) quality out of conference opponents.
I do wish that we would at least schedule a Colorado home and home or something similar to give us fans a nice place to travel to.
skigator93 - February 12, 2009
Well we also lose a home game every other year in the Red River Shootout
I did forget that you played Miami last year, probably gave you guys your best game. It certainly does help having our in state rival in conference too.
Scheduling is just a tough business because you want tough competition but you don’t want to risk a loss. Colorado is also beautiful. The campus is right in the middle of the mountains.
Jubanator14 - February 12, 2009
Good point on the Red River Shootout
That is exactly the same situation as we have with UGA in Jax every year.
skigator93 - February 12, 2009
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