(04-14-2020 10:34 AM)Tiger87 Wrote: (04-13-2020 09:26 PM)dan o Wrote: (04-13-2020 01:27 PM)Tiger87 Wrote: (04-13-2020 10:37 AM)NDTiger Wrote: (04-12-2020 07:59 PM)Keeper Wrote: yep and the Tigers outdraw 10 p5 teams, and only need to average 6k more to get to the top 50. That would average LB 75% full. Put the Tigers in the Big XII and we would be in the top 40 easy, and possibly the top 30.
Improving the OOC schedule would solve that easily.
No it doesn't.
We have 4 OOC games. We are always going to have 1 FCS home buy-game (as every other upper level FBS program does). The other 3 will always be combos of home-away. And to "improve the OOC" you have to give up more home games to go on the road. We already have 1 "improved OOC game" scheduled most years. That means you only have 1 home game that can be "improved" each year.
So let's look at the home OOC games the past couple of years with announced attendance (that was understated, by whatever).
2019:
Old Miss 44k
Southern 34k
2018:
Mercer 34k
Ga State 28k
So Alabama 28k
You can't take any single game and improve attendance SIMPLY BASED UPON OPPONENT enough to add 6k more to our season average. That would take an additional 40k-ish in attendance to get there.
The way to get there is to continue exactly what we've been doing. Racking up wins and national recognition.
Of course, college athletics has been facing attendance issues for a few years now. This covid thing will not help that.
That basis [as any other] suffers from unreliable attendance information. I don't believe you can take attendance figures seriously
I also disagree with under stating the value of a stronger OOC schedule.
Quote:"And to "improve the OOC" you have to give up more home games to go on the road"
So what? If you want big time improvement, you have to step up and take on the big boys. Its not going to be given to us by any means. And it wouldn't take much of a step to improve over some of the home and homes we are now saddled with.
Regardless of how attendance for some of these BS teams is puffed up, It is depressing to see where we ranked with SOS over the last decade---or longer.
You're making a different argument from the one to which I was responding. The original statement was that an improved OOC schedule could bump our season attendance average by 6k per game. It's mathematical - it cannot.
As for your argument, I'll play. First, I agree on the attendance numbers. For whatever reason, they're crazy. (Still doesn't change the mathematics above.)
Big time improvement? Have you seen the improvement of the past few years - because it's pretty big time. So it depends on what your goals are. If you want in the CFP, become a fan of Alabama or Clemson - because we ain't getting in no matter the OOC schedule. If you want a NY6 bowl game like, say, the Cotton, do exactly what we've been doing. If your dream is to see us playing P5 teams on the road as underdogs, upgrade the OOC.
Since conference realignment took effect for the 2013 season, our SOS has been pretty comparable to other top G5 teams. Here are the average SOS rankings (Sagarin) over that period for G5 teams that have been ranked at some point during that period. (I may have missed a couple, but you get the picture.)
SMU #69
Navy #73
Boise #76
Temple #81
Cincy #81
Fresno #82
Memphis #83
UCF #83
Houston #83
Utah St #85
ECU #85
SD State #96
Toledo #99
Western Mich #104
Marshall #120
App State #132
There is nothing that should be depressing about our SOS ranking. It is about as well as any G5 team does. I think the problem is some fans get so wrapped up in the name of the opponent for 1-2 OOC games each year, that they forget about the quality that our league has become and the 8+ AAC games we play.
All of these teams would be ranked higher, be more quality opponents if they were SEC, Big10, Big12.....Same players, same jerseys.....those who vote on rankings have biases whether people want to admit it or not.
They tell themselves "only 1-2 AAC teams should be ranked." Then when a ranked AAC team loses to an AAC team, 1 has to fall from the rankings in order to get the other in. In the SEC, they all can be top5. Beating Alabama doesn't mean Alabama falls. Nope. It means whoever beat them must be top5 also. It's an undeniable bias.....though some still argue it.
The system is set up for G5 failure. Despite that, we're thriving. It's fun, but it takes a perfect chain of events to have successes such as Cotton Bowl. We had years of continued success, ala Boise St. This came from having 2 consecutive phenomenal coaches, and in the right order.
We may be under appreciating what last year was, despite greatly greatly appreciating it. It took beating great teams (though they were't greatly ranked). It took winning conference title.
CollegeGameday is yet another streak of fantastic breaks. SMU was undefeated and nationally recognized. No other big games were scheduled that week. Etc etc...
We had EVERYTHING, except a an overturned catch (still can't believe that BS), go our way and we weren't close to getting into CFP. You're absolutely right, CFP is not in the cards. And to be honest, I believe in RS and this team, but achieving what we achieved last year is pretty unrealistic. That was a very special year.
Edit: now....resume debate on OOC scheduling.....sorry I interrupted.
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College football attendance rankings for past 5 years
