(11-22-2020 08:41 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(11-22-2020 07:02 AM)schmolik Wrote:  The Big Ten, Pac 12, and SEC had the right idea on not allowing non conference play. The ACC and Big 12 now just look stupid. Sure, if Florida State could host Florida this year, it's worth it. But three ACC teams bringing in Liberty which barely moves the needle in Syracuse's, Virginia Tech's, and NC State's athletic budgets (especially with limited fan attendance) and in the case of two of the three, a LOSS? I now want to see Iowa State win the Big 12 and wonder if they would have made the Playoff if they hadn't played Louisiana. Obviously the Big Ten and Pac 12 decided late to play at all. Most SEC teams, do you really miss your FCS cupcake games this year?.

I think the FCS and low-rung G5 payday games are missed by the P5 conferences not playing them this year. They give not only the players and coaches but also the fans a "breather" from the conference schedule.

For everyone but Clemson, conference games are exhausting, physically and emotionally. They tend to be against physically tougher teams, to be rivalry games, and with more on the line because of conference standings. You can't just play games like that all the time. Sounds good in theory but in practice, you need to be able to sleep on the job every once in a while to rejuvenate. And fans need to be able to come to the stadium every so often and be able to kick back and relax while the game is going on, confident of victory without having to hang on the edge of their seats for three hours.

Plus, for us neutral fans, there's also the occasional bite-you-in-the-arse outcome where the cupcake gets paid a million dollars to show up at the 80,000 seat P5 stadium and beats the bigger-name team anyway, which we get to laugh at. We got a few of those with the SBC - B12 matchups early on. Would have been nice to see more.

Not true. Clemson has lost and had close games throughout their “dynasty”. I’ve seen Ohio State plow through plenty a conference opponent (save yesterday).