(12-29-2013 06:09 PM)THE NC Herd Fan Wrote: With that OOC schedule, I don't see Marshall cracking the Top 25 even undefeated. Overall I would rate Marshall's 2014 schedule about 105th most difficult. I know Louisville was a late change, but the schedule was already weak before that. Why no SB games? I would prefer a home and home with one of those schools over 3 MAC games.
Yes you can. Good ol' wins and losses carry more weight for mid-majors than whom you play. Look at where some of the teams below were ranked and what Sagarin has for their SOS Ranking
Louisville (#18) Record: 11-1 SOS: #105
Fresno State (#20) Record: 11-1 SOS: #110
Northern Illinois (#23) Record: 12-1 SOS: #113
Northern Illinois has been overrated all season long. They'll of course fall after their loss to USU, but Bowling Green's another example. Prior to their loss to Pitt, they were 10-3 against a schedule ranked
#124. They were ranked #21 by CBS, and were in the top 30 in most polls. UTSA by comparison went 7-5 against a schedule rated #85 this year.
Looking at stuff like this almost makes me wish UTSA didn't have such a grueling schedule lined up not only next season, but already many years in advance. We have Houston, Arizona, Oklahoma State, and New Mexico again next season; same as we had this season except that the venues are reversed. But here's what we have lined up already for the next few years after that...
http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa/conf-usa...unners.php
As you can see, our AD and Coach have been VERY aggressive in finding quality opponents for our program. It's a positive in the sense that playing some of those teams may help sway a recruit or two our way, and also helps our kids improve at a faster rate than if we were just playing lightweights. But it can also be a detriment in terms of what it does to our overall record and possible bowl eligibility, as well as the added likelihood of our boys being banged up by the time conference play starts. I think that another thing which plays into the minds of our AD and coach is that scheduling nationally recognized schools in turn gives our young program more national exposure.
I believe in the end that there are positives and negatives from both philosophies of scheduling, and that people will do what they feel will most benefit their kids.