Bielema: SEC needs to have 9 conference games...because numbers matter.

[saturdaysarebet]

The four major conferences (SEC, B1G, ACC, B12) should all be REQUIRED to go to an 8-game conference schedule, and for out-of-conference, schedule one from each of the other three majors plus one of their choosing. That would ensure more competitive schedules across the board. It would also give us more big conference vs big conference data points by which to be able to more accurately gauge team and conference strength, while also preserving the small school payoff games that keep them afloat.

Then why not nine games? You still could do a non-conference game against a P4 school. I'd much rather see Alabama play an SEC opponent that the Little Sisters of the Poor Tuscaloosa Chapter or the Citadel or Furman or Georgia State, etc.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Then why not nine games? You still could do a non-conference game against a P4 school. I'd much rather see Alabama play an SEC opponent that the Little Sisters of the Poor Tuscaloosa Chapter or the Citadel or Furman or Georgia State, etc.

Because those "Little Sisters of the Poor" games provide opportunities for valuable game reps to our backups and younger players. If every game you play is against a P4, the coaches get more wrapped up in ensuring the game is won, which results in starters playing longer and backups getting limited reps, if they get any at all. I don't have a problem with those games as long as we schedule one good out-of-conference game per season.

 

[saturdaysarebet]

Because those "Little Sisters of the Poor" games provide opportunities for valuable game reps to our backups and younger players. If every game you play is against a P4, the coaches get more wrapped up in ensuring the game is won, which results in starters playing longer and backups getting limited reps, if they get any at all. I don't have a problem with those games as long as we schedule one good out-of-conference game per season.

But the BIG 10 foregoes providing valuable game reps to their backups and younger players. The SEC can't???? The SEC just doesn't want half of its mid teams to have another loss so they can appear better and remain higher ranked. PERIOD.

 

[teamplayer]

But the BIG 10 foregoes providing valuable game reps to their backups and younger players. The SEC can't???? The SEC just doesn't want half of its mid teams to have another loss so they can appear better and remain higher ranked. PERIOD.

If we were playing against the depth of the Big 10 conference, we could play nine or ten or eleven conference games. Acting like their depth of quality is the same is ludicrous. If you want to watch the Clemsons and SMUs get in the playoffs against horrible schedules while 9-3 SEC teams get left out, go ahead and schedule nine SEC games, but don't whine about it afterwards.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Btw - lest anyone think I was exaggerating:

The Seminoles have enough returning talent to unseat Clemson in the ACC Atlantic. But FSU won't beat Alabama in Saturday's opener in Atlanta. Tide head coach Nick Saban is 10-0 all time against former assistants (Jimbo Fisher was his offensive coordinator at LSU), and the Tide have won nine straight neutral-site games in Atlanta. But after falling to the Tide, the Seminoles will win 12 straight games to win the ACC and punch their ticket to the College Football Playoff.


Yes....BEFORE the game, FSU was a great and worthy powerhouse opponent for Alabama to play.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Because those "Little Sisters of the Poor" games provide opportunities for valuable game reps to our backups and younger players. If every game you play is against a P4, the coaches get more wrapped up in ensuring the game is won, which results in starters playing longer and backups getting limited reps, if they get any at all. I don't have a problem with those games as long as we schedule one good out-of-conference game per season.

And the fact CFB - unlike the NFL - doesn't have preseason games.