(01-05-2018 11:35 AM)Zombiewoof Wrote:  

(01-05-2018 10:57 AM)ark30inf Wrote:  All relevant points. But you also cannot ignore the institutionalized advantages that an Alabama has over a UCF.

Due to the system Alabama has a recruiting advantage over UCF because it has playoff access and UCF does not.

Due to the system Alabama generally has additional home games against ranked foes built-in that UCF does not enjoy.

There are others.

So yes, Alabama is a much better team than UCF is, there is no denying it. But the system is set up to make it easy for Alabama to be a much better team than UCF...in fact almost certain to be a much better team than UCF...every year...no matter what UCF does.

So you have to take that into account when you judge their relative accomplishments.

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So, if I understand you correctly, you believe UCF should be judged on some sort of sliding scale because of inherent disadvantages created by "the system?"

Yes, Alabama has advantages over G5 schools. Do you believe that began with the advent of the playoff structure? Do you sincerely believe the Arkansas State would magically recruit as well as Arkansas if ASU had a legitimate path to the playoffs?

Alabama does not have a recruiting advantage over UCF because it has playoff access and UCF does not. It has a recruiting advantage because of many factors, including having played big boy championship football long before UCF started competing in Division I in 1996. Gifting the G5 schools a playoff spot doesn't change the fact that most highly recruited players are going to want to play in the SEC, Big 10, or ACC instead of the Sun Belt, AAC, or CUSA.

The notion that Western Michigan would somehow begin to recruit on the same level as Michigan if they only had a path to the national championship is patently absurd.

Your assertion about home games against ranked opponents is another straw man. That is a direct result of conference membership. Why do you think any G5 school would jump at the chance to move up to a P5 conference? It isn't because they would have a shot at the national title.

By virtue of their time as major conference football programs (as well as things like flagship status), most P5 schools will maintain recruiting advantages over G5 schools and "the system" won't have anything to do with it. Even when UCF and or USF join a P5 conference (which I expect within the next 7-8 years), they will still have Florida, Florida State and Miami to recruit against, plus all of the other P5 schools that recruit Florida. I would guess that they would still be years away from recruiting at the same level as those schools.

I think very highly of the things that UCF and USF have accomplished in their short time in Division I football. IMO, they will one day be national forces to contend with and "the system" will work in their favor. These schools have played DI football for around 20 years or less, so a little patience seems to be in order.

There's only so many rooms at the inn. Not everyone can be a national power. There's only about 5 who can outside the club, BYU and pretty much anyone that's already been on the inside, like UConn.