Question: Why are there “cupcake” games in college football?

[Al A Bama]

I think it's wise to have a few cupcake games strategically scheduled through the season. It gives some guys who get banged up in the tougher games a chance to rest and heal an extra week. It gives the coaching staff an extra week to prepare for the tougher games. It give the backups a chance to gain experience in case they have to step in during a tough game due to a sudden injury.

I totally agree with this, but players must understand you can NOT take a day OFF or an ODU just may SURPRISE you. Ask VT players about that. Or ask Penn State and Michigan about Appalachian State. You still MUST stay FOCUSED and play to the best of your ability even against some cupcakes. Those cupcake players come in wanting to do what ODU and Appalachian State U. have done and knock OFF the Goliaths.

 

[81usaf92]

Consider that many of these “cupcakes” are better than P5 teams. Ask yourself, “ would you rather play NDSU or Kansas the week before Auburn?”

 

[RTR91]

https://twitter.com/cecilhurt/status/1045469079727943686?s=21


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[4Q Basket Case]

I think it's wise to have a few cupcake games strategically scheduled through the season. It gives some guys who get banged up in the tougher games a chance to rest and heal an extra week. It gives the coaching staff an extra week to prepare for the tougher games. It give the backups a chance to gain experience in case they have to step in during a tough game due to a sudden injury.

This is exactly right as far as outlining why Alabama needs these games.

But the opponents need them, too. Just for different reasons.

If they don't play games like this, their whole athletic programs (not just football) are unsustainable.

We buy a relatively untaxing win for all the reasons PATF outlines. They sell a loss in exchange for the viability of their athletic department, and a pretty cool experience in a no-foolin' big-time atmosphere.

Everybody's a winner.

 

[gtowntide]

If the big schools stop scheduling some of these "cupcake" games, a lot of their football programs will go away. These small schools allow athletes who would never go to a D1 school, a place to have sports programs. Also some of these players make it to the NFL.

 

[TiderinAZ]

Can we define “cupcake”? Does that include Kansas, Rutgers, Oregon State?
I would bet on Troy, App St. Wyoming, NDST against any of the above.

In any case cns has stated he wants a 9 game conference schedule and all P5 non-conference games.

Three thoughts:

No matter who we play, we will beat them badly and Bama haters will still say they played no one.

Why should Saban schedule tOSU the week before AU, when they continue to schedule Citadel?

How many teams with a legit shot at the playoff are calling Bama to schedule a game?

 

[JTH]

It gives guys a chance to play that are so far down the depth chart, they may never play otherwise. These third and fourth stringers work hard in practice and in the classroom and deserve a chance to play even if it is mop up duty.

 

[GrayTide]

The Power 5 conferences should only schedule teams from the AAC, Sunbelt, MWC, MAC and CUSA for non conference competition. You could always throw in Duke, Wake Forest, Purdue, Indiana, Oregon State, etc from the Power 5 conferences.

 

[81usaf92]

The Power 5 conferences should only schedule teams from the AAC, Sunbelt, MWC, MAC and CUSA for non conference competition. You could always throw in Duke, Wake Forest, Purdue, Indiana, Oregon State, etc from the Power 5 conferences.

But again the Top 10 of the FCS are good enough that they could beat about all of those teams. I think it’s more of “who” folks are scheduling than that they are scheduling FCS teams.

For example: We would have a tougher schedule if we dropped Citadel and scheduled Northern Iowa than if we scheduled Kansas. But yet everyone would go crazy that we scheduled Northern Iowa because they’ve never heard of the #23 team in FCS.

 

[78Alum]

But again the Top 10 of the FCS are good enough that they could beat about all of those teams. I think it’s more of “who” folks are scheduling than that they are scheduling FCS teams.

For example: We would have a tougher schedule if we dropped Citadel and scheduled Northern Iowa than if we scheduled Kansas. But yet everyone would go crazy that we scheduled Northern Iowa because they’ve never heard of the #23 team in FCS.

I would definitely rather see a game against a top-tier FCS team then the Citadel. I also would be all for playing UAB or Troy and keeping the money in-state. I know that has always been a no-no but I think it is time to rethink that.

 

[mikes12]

Ask Michigan about App State or Virginia Tech about Old Dominion.

Also, let’s not forget how valuable real playing time is for 2nd/3rd stringers will be since they could be starters down the stretch or the following season. I love shutouts, but would rather give up a late meaningless score in a blowout when that on-field experience pays dividends later on with those players.

 

[KrAzY3]

But yet everyone would go crazy that we scheduled Northern Iowa because they’ve never heard of the #23 team in FCS.

It's a moving target though. I remember Alabama having one of their toughest games of the year against an FCS team for example, no one will ever give them credit for scheduling them, but when you schedule a system oriented team that knows what they're they can be a headache.

When Alabama has Duke on their schedule, the problem is Duke isn't a good enough team Power 5 team. If Alabama has Arkansas St. on their schedule, the problem is they didn't schedule a Power 5 team. They do a home and home, then people complain about how many home games they played, they schedule a neutral site game and people complain they didn't play a road game.

 

[81usaf92]

I would definitely rather see a game against a top-tier FCS team then the Citadel. I also would be all for playing UAB or Troy and keeping the money in-state. I know that has always been a no-no but I think it is time to rethink that.

Troy- maybe, but we gain nothing out of it but a needless competitive game.

USA- more in favor of it than Troy

UNA- more in favor of it than Troy and USA


ASU and Alabama A&M- More in favor than the 3 FBS teams


Jack St- If we were to do any team with in the state this probably is the one I’m most in favor with.

UAB- Heck no. The problem is we would be paying ourselves for the game and we would be getting crap for so many reasons for actually playing it.

 

[81usaf92]

It's a moving target though. I remember Alabama having one of their toughest games of the year against an FCS team for example, no one will ever give them credit for scheduling them, but when you schedule a system oriented team that knows what they're they can be a headache.

When Alabama has Duke on their schedule, the problem is Duke isn't a good enough team Power 5 team. If Alabama has Arkansas St. on their schedule, the problem is they didn't schedule a Power 5 team. They do a home and home, then people complain about how many home games they played, they schedule a neutral site game and people complain they didn't play a road game.

Personally I’m for the 1 P5, 2 FBS, and 1 FCS system that we have already. But I’m to the point that our fans, and season ticket holders complain so much about it that I wish we would schedule a few years of the James Madison’s, NDSU’s, and Illinois St’s Of the world or perhaps 2 P5’s like a GT a year to show how dumb it is to make an already hard schedule harder for "entertainment" and "competitive" purposes. Now I’m totally for not playing WCU again.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Opposing fans complaining about “the schedule” is just a back door way of saying “Alabama isn’t really as good as they look” but using different words.

Unless your team is calling up Saban and volunteering for a game in Tuscaloosa, it’s time to shut up. Yet most fans using this bully argument immediately hedge and demand the game at their own venue. Besides, the complaints are usually from fans living vicariously through their team, not other schools.

 

[valuebet]

Smaller universities who are trying to get into Div 1 (FBS) are required to play Div 1 (FBS) big schools. Without 'cupcake' games nobody could advance. Also, the big payday to small schools help keep them alive.

 

[Ratal]

I like that we have a couple of lower tiered games each year. It gives players with less experience the opportunity to go out there and play. It is even more imporant for freshmen that will redshirt with the new rule now. It gives them an opportunity to play in the cupcake games and gain some experience with the speed of a college game.

I worked with someone that played at a small college. He would talk about how he and his teammates LOVED playing the big schools. They felt honored when the opposing fans would boo them as they ran on the field. He also enjoys being able to tell people that he played against Eli Manning.

 

[CoachInWaiting]

I would definitely rather see a game against a top-tier FCS team then the Citadel. I also would be all for playing UAB or Troy and keeping the money in-state. I know that has always been a no-no but I think it is time to rethink that.

I've heard the argument about keeping the money in state for what seems like decades. But, I've never seen an explanation as to why it is better to keep money in state as opposed to getting money from out of state. If UAB, Troy, UNA, Jax St, et al., are going to get a 1 million dollar plus payout for a game, why not get it from FSU, Clemson, Georgia, or Wisconsin? How is it an advantage to recirculate in-state money over bringing in money from elsewhere? When my office manager drops off my paycheck next week, would I be better off to say, "No thanks, I'll just move some money from my left pocket to my right pocket and that will be better"?

 

[cbi1972]

Another thing....many conferences play the same number of cupcakes. They usually put them all art the front of the season. I personally feel that CNS set the standard by playing a major P5 opponent to open the year. I look at 2012 vs Michigan as setting the stage to what has become a standard wind CFB.

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Alabama has played a major out of conference opponent at the beginning of the year since 2008

2008 Clemson
2009 Virginia Tech
2010 Penn State (week 2)
2011 Penn State (week 2)
2012 Michigan
2013 Virginia Tech
2014 West Virginia
2015 Wisconsin
2016 USC
2017 FSU
2018 Louisville

 

[tattooguy21]

Alabama has played a major out of conference opponent at the beginning of the year since 2008

2008 Clemson
2009 Virginia Tech
2010 Penn State (week 2)
2011 Penn State (week 2)
2012 Michigan
2013 Virginia Tech
2014 West Virginia
2015 Wisconsin
2016 USC
2017 FSU
2018 Louisville

Clemson/tech might have been OOC, but back then they were FAR from major.

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