There is simply no excuse for a Conference USA team to play 3 MAC schools and a winless FCS school in their non-conference schedule.

Here is Marshall's non-conference schedule, along with the non-conference schedules of all of the AAC and Mountain West G5 access bowl contenders. I also threw in all of the C-USA schools and a couple of the top MAC schools since Marshall used to play there... just to prove there is no excuse.

P5 opponents + Notre Dame and BYU in bold:

Marshall (8-0) - Ohio, Akron, Miami (OH), Rhode Island

East Carolina (6-2) - South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, North Carolina Central
Central Florida (5-3) - Missouri, Penn State, BYU, Bethune-Cookman
Memphis (5-3) - Ole Miss, UCLA, Middle Tennessee, Austin Peay
Cincinnati (5-3) - Ohio State, Miami (FL), Toledo, Miami (OH)
Temple (5-3) - Penn State, Vanderbilt, Navy, Delaware State
Houston (5-3) - BYU, UNLV, UTSA, Grambling State

Nevada (6-3) - Arizona, Washington State, BYU, Southern Utah
Colorado State (8-1) - Colorado, Boston College, Tulsa, UC Davis
Boise State (6-2) - Ole Miss, BYU, Connecticut, LA-Lafayette

Northern Illinois (6-2) - Arkansas, Northwestern, UNLV, Presbyterian
Bowling Green (5-3) - Wisconsin, Indiana, Western Kentucky, VMI
Toledo (5-3) - Missouri, Iowa State, Cincinnati, New Hampshire
Western Michigan (6-3) - Virginia Tech, Purdue, Idaho, Murray State

Middle Tennessee - Minnesota, BYU, Memphis, Savannah State
UAB - Mississippi State, Arkansas, Troy, Alabama A&M
Florida Atlantic - Alabama, Nebraska, Wyoming, Tulsa
Florida International - Louisville, Pittsburgh, Bethune-Cookman, Wagner
Western Kentucky - Illinois, Navy, Army, Bowling Green
Old Dominion - NC State, Vanderbilt, Eastern Michigan, Hampton
Louisiana Tech - Auburn, Oklahoma, LA-Lafayette, Northwestern State
Rice - Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Hawaii, Army
UTEP - Kansas State, Texas Tech, New Mexico, New Mexico State
UTSA - Arizona, Oklahoma State, Houston, New Mexico
Southern Miss - Mississippi State, Alabama, Appalachian State, Alcorn State
North Texas - Texas, Indiana, SMU, Nicholls State

The CFP committee has said repeatedly teams will be rewarded for difficult scheduling. Not only is Marshall the only school on this very long list of comparable programs to not schedule any P5-quality programs... they didn't even bother to schedule ANYONE in a conference ahead of C-USA in the pecking order. 7 conferences to choose from, and they failed to schedule a single opponent. Marshall should, and I think ultimately will be denied.

Blame the ACC then. Marshall was supposed to play Louisville this season but because of the Cardinals entry to the ACC this year, the Cardinals requested Marshall to move this year's game to 2016. Marshall has future games against Purdue, Pitt, North Carolina State and Louisville. Rhode Island replaced Louisville in the schedule and the rest is history.

(11-03-2014 01:50 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Blame the ACC then. Marshall was supposed to play Louisville this season but because of the Cardinals entry to the ACC this year, the Cardinals requested Marshall to move this year's game to 2016. Marshall has future games against Purdue, Pitt, North Carolina State and Louisville. Rhode Island replaced Louisville in the schedule and the rest is history.

That's unfortunate, but 23 out of 25 schools on this list have 2 or more games against P5-level competition. Hell, if Marshall had even bothered to schedule an AAC or Mountain West team, I would give them the benefit of the doubt. Their schedule next year is terrible as well -- Purdue, Ohio, Kent State, and Norfolk State. If Marshall wants to be taken seriously, they have to schedule 2 quality opponents every season. If they can't find a 2nd P5 school, then they have to try to schedule a quality AAC or Mountain West team.

(11-03-2014 02:03 AM)robertfoshizzle Wrote:  

(11-03-2014 01:50 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Blame the ACC then. Marshall was supposed to play Louisville this season but because of the Cardinals entry to the ACC this year, the Cardinals requested Marshall to move this year's game to 2016. Marshall has future games against Purdue, Pitt, North Carolina State and Louisville. Rhode Island replaced Louisville in the schedule and the rest is history.

That's unfortunate, but 23 out of 25 schools on this list have 2 or more games against P5-level competition. Hell, if Marshall had even bothered to schedule an AAC or Mountain West team, I would give them the benefit of the doubt. Their schedule next year is terrible as well -- Purdue, Ohio, Kent State, and Norfolk State. If Marshall wants to be taken seriously, they have to schedule 2 quality opponents every season. If they can't find a 2nd P5 school, then they have to try to schedule a quality AAC or Mountain West team.

Most OOC games are scheduled in advance so Rhode Island was an emergency move when Louisville made the request.

I'm not defending Marshall's schedule. Even most Marshall fans say the same thing, it's nothing to be proud of. But at this point it is what it is. If Marshall makes the Access Bowl which I doubt because I believe they'll lose one game but for argument's sake, let's say they do make it......they'll get the benefit of the doubt. Is this year's Marshall team the 2007 version of Hawaii that got humiliated by Georgia in the Sugar Bowl or the 2006 version of Boise State that surprised everyone by beating Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl?

Would you be saying the same thing if at this point Houston was 8-0 like Marshall? Look at their OOC schedule: BYU, UTSA, UNLV and Grambling State. BYU tanked, UTSA and UNLV are just plain bad and GSU is FCS. BYU might have some pedigree but they're not your father's BYU. Independence is killing them and according to the SEC and ACC, they don't consider BYU as a P5 level school for OOC purposes.

(11-03-2014 02:41 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(11-03-2014 02:03 AM)robertfoshizzle Wrote:  

(11-03-2014 01:50 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Blame the ACC then. Marshall was supposed to play Louisville this season but because of the Cardinals entry to the ACC this year, the Cardinals requested Marshall to move this year's game to 2016. Marshall has future games against Purdue, Pitt, North Carolina State and Louisville. Rhode Island replaced Louisville in the schedule and the rest is history.

That's unfortunate, but 23 out of 25 schools on this list have 2 or more games against P5-level competition. Hell, if Marshall had even bothered to schedule an AAC or Mountain West team, I would give them the benefit of the doubt. Their schedule next year is terrible as well -- Purdue, Ohio, Kent State, and Norfolk State. If Marshall wants to be taken seriously, they have to schedule 2 quality opponents every season. If they can't find a 2nd P5 school, then they have to try to schedule a quality AAC or Mountain West team.

Most OOC games are scheduled in advance so Rhode Island was an emergency move when Louisville made the request.

I'm not defending Marshall's schedule. Even most Marshall fans say the same thing, it's nothing to be proud of. But at this point it is what it is. If Marshall makes the Access Bowl which I doubt because I believe they'll lose one game but for argument's sake, let's say they do make it......they'll get the benefit of the doubt. Is this year's Marshall team the 2007 version of Hawaii that got humiliated by Georgia in the Sugar Bowl or the 2006 version of Boise State that surprised everyone by beating Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl?

Would you be saying the same thing if at this point Houston was 8-0 like Marshall? Look at their OOC schedule: BYU, UTSA, UNLV and Grambling State. BYU tanked, UTSA and UNLV are just plain bad and GSU is FCS. BYU might have some pedigree but they're not your father's BYU. Independence is killing them and according to the SEC and ACC, they don't consider BYU as a P5 level school for OOC purposes.

I understand Rhode Island was an emergency add, but that doesn't change the fact that the rest of their schedule was filled out with MAC schools.

I would criticize Houston, yes, although they do at least have the benefit of playing in a stronger conference. I understand Marshall can't help that, though. Also, they have 2 P5 opponents lined up every season for the next 5 years. Of course, that doesn't change their schedule this season. Scheduling BYU is still better than scheduling all MAC and FCS schools.

For comparison's sake, if Houston was 8-0, they would own 4 wins that are better than any of Marshall's wins this season -- BYU, Memphis, Temple, and Central Florida. Marshall's best win is probably Middle Tennessee, who lost to both BYU and Memphis.

Here is a comparison of the schedules of Marshall and Houston using the current Sagarin rankings:

Marshall to date:
112. Middle Tennessee
114. Akron
132. Florida Atlantic
142. Ohio
150. Old Dominion
147. Florida International
172. Miami (OH)
233. Rhode Island

Marshall upcoming:
79. Rice
117. Western Kentucky
119. UAB
136. Southern Miss

Houston to date:
42. BYU
45. Memphis
52. UCF
75. Temple
124. UTSA
128. South Florida
167. UNLV
216. Grambling State

Houston upcoming:
54. Cincinnati
130. Tulane
153. Tulsa
188. SMU

Quote:Here is a comparison of the schedules of Marshall and Houston using the current Sagarin rankings:

True, but, if you're going to use Sagarin rankings (which I don't think should be THE ratings with D1AA/D1A mixture inefficient + other criticisms), here is the non-P5 pecking order with all that considered:

#28. ND State (about as bad of a SoS by their count so far as Marshall)
#31. Boise State
#36. Marshall
#45. Memphis
#46. Colorado St
#52. UCF (nice game against UConn, guys)
#53. Houston
#54. Cinci
#55. Utah State
#56. LA-Tech
#57. Nevada
#59. ECU (Damn, that's a slap)
#62. Illinois State
#65. Toledo
#66. Jacksonville St
#72. Georgia Southern
#73. New Hampshire (that Toledo crushed)
#75. Temple
#76. LA-Lafeyette
#77. Northern Iowa (at 5-4? Really? REALLY? I didn't know they were in the Mountain West...)
#79. Rice
(others)
#87. South Dakota State (5-4, again)
#89. Chattanooga (6-3, and lost to CMU; you really think they'd beat WMU or San Diego State?)
#90. San Diego State
#91. WMU

So, I have my criticisms of it -- notably with the D1AA teams given too much positive assumption. But even then, they have Marshall as the 2nd best G5, above all AAC teams.

Simple fact is that an undefeated Marshall should and will get the Access Bowl regardless of all the haters. I'm certainly not a Marshall fan but any undefeated G5 team who is undefeated and handles business should get in over 1 and 2 loss teams from another G5 team.

(11-03-2014 12:36 AM)robertfoshizzle Wrote:  The CFP committee has said repeatedly teams will be rewarded for difficult scheduling. Not only is Marshall the only school on this very long list of comparable programs to not schedule any P5-quality programs... they didn't even bother to schedule ANYONE in a conference ahead of C-USA in the pecking order. 7 conferences to choose from, and they failed to schedule a single opponent. Marshall should, and I think ultimately will be denied.

Here's the problem I have... Saw this on the Fox Sports pre-game shows on Saturday. According to the reporters they had talked to some of the committee members on what they were looking for.

They were talking about the "power conferences" and how the committee were using the criteria of "win-loss records" (aka, can they go undefeated). but when it came to the ECU's and Marshall's of the world, the committee was no longer talking about using the "win-loss" criteria, but only the SOS argument.

So it's one set of standards for the power conferences and another set of standards for the G5 conferences?

(11-03-2014 05:05 AM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  Simple fact is that an undefeated Marshall should and will get the Access Bowl regardless of all the haters. I'm certainly not a Marshall fan but any undefeated G5 team who is undefeated and handles business should get in over 1 and 2 loss teams from another G5 team.

Not a hater. Just don't believe a team should be rewarded for scheduling no P5 teams. Every other school in C-USA seems to have no problem finding decent non-conference games. But if we are going to reward teams regardless of schedule, I guess I will write to our athletic director and encourage our program to supplement the yearly Miami game with Eastern Michigan, Georgia State, and the Virginia Military Institute.

If no AAC team is deserving, I would much rather see Boise State or Colorado State get the opportunity. Marshall very well might be the best G5 team. But it's kind of hard to know when they are playing arguably the worst schedule in the entire FBS.

Great reasoning. Marshall has only beat other G5 teams. Other teams, who failed to win against G5 teams, deserve it.

The problem is if the other G5 schools scheduled like Marshall a lot of those teams may be undefeated as well.

I don't see this thread ending well.

(11-03-2014 01:50 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Blame the ACC then. Marshall was supposed to play Louisville this season but because of the Cardinals entry to the ACC this year, the Cardinals requested Marshall to move this year's game to 2016. Marshall has future games against Purdue, Pitt, North Carolina State and Louisville. Rhode Island replaced Louisville in the schedule and the rest is history.

Sorry but this is BS. Marshall only scheduled one p5 this season.

(11-03-2014 08:12 AM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  The problem is if the other G5 schools scheduled like Marshall a lot of those teams may be undefeated as well.

Actually, no. Each team Marshall might be considered over has lost to a G5. If they could go undefeated as well, they wouldn't have lost to similar competition. Like Marshall, they should win with over a 30 point margin of victory.

(11-03-2014 04:35 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  

Quote:Here is a comparison of the schedules of Marshall and Houston using the current Sagarin rankings:

True, but, if you're going to use Sagarin rankings (which I don't think should be THE ratings with D1AA/D1A mixture inefficient + other criticisms), here is the non-P5 pecking order with all that considered:

#28. ND State (about as bad of a SoS by their count so far as Marshall)
#31. Boise State
#36. Marshall
#45. Memphis
#46. Colorado St
#52. UCF (nice game against UConn, guys)
#53. Houston
#54. Cinci
#55. Utah State
#56. LA-Tech
#57. Nevada
#59. ECU (Damn, that's a slap)
#62. Illinois State
#65. Toledo
#66. Jacksonville St
#72. Georgia Southern
#73. New Hampshire (that Toledo crushed)
#75. Temple
#76. LA-Lafeyette
#77. Northern Iowa (at 5-4? Really? REALLY? I didn't know they were in the Mountain West...)
#79. Rice
(others)
#87. South Dakota State (5-4, again)
#89. Chattanooga (6-3, and lost to CMU; you really think they'd beat WMU or San Diego State?)
#90. San Diego State
#91. WMU

So, I have my criticisms of it -- notably with the D1AA teams given too much positive assumption. But even then, they have Marshall as the 2nd best G5, above all AAC teams.

Really? A directional Michigan school fan is going to heckle UCF?

(11-03-2014 08:34 AM)WEARE Wrote:  

(11-03-2014 08:12 AM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  The problem is if the other G5 schools scheduled like Marshall a lot of those teams may be undefeated as well.

Actually, no. Each team Marshall might be considered over has lost to a G5. If they could go undefeated as well, they wouldn't have lost to similar competition. Like Marshall, they should win with over a 30 point margin of victory.

Laughable.

UCF went 11-1 last year with about 7 of those games being won by a margin of 7 or less. And we ended up #10 after winning the Fiesta Bowl.

We played Akron, Penn State, FIU, and ranked South Carolina and Louisville teams. You've played nobody good (with the exception of MTSU).

Keep the haters coming. Just makes me realize how jealous all of you truly are.

Our AD has said he will accept a 1-1 with ANYONE. We can only play the teams who are willing to play us.

(11-03-2014 05:05 AM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  Simple fact is that an undefeated Marshall should and will get the Access Bowl regardless of all the haters. I'm certainly not a Marshall fan but any undefeated G5 team who is undefeated and handles business should get in over 1 and 2 loss teams from another G5 team.

sorry but that just isn't a guarantee at all right now at all. The committee is more nuanced than you are giving it credit for. Being undefeated without playing anyone doesn't mean ****.

And have got to say it's so funny that all these MAC fans are rooting so hard for Marshall(not sure if anyone else had noticed that).

What do we do if none of us G5ers are in the top 25? Does the committee just pick who it thinks would be highest rated?

(11-03-2014 01:50 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Blame the ACC then. Marshall was supposed to play Louisville this season but because of the Cardinals entry to the ACC this year, the Cardinals requested Marshall to move this year's game to 2016. Marshall has future games against Purdue, Pitt, North Carolina State and Louisville. Rhode Island replaced Louisville in the schedule and the rest is history.

Future games don't mean **** this year.