The war of words continues to grow over the SEC’s future football scheduling format. Several Pac-12 coaches expressed strong opinions over the format, which calls for eight conference games.
Currently, the Pac-12 and the Big 12 are the only two conferences that play a nine-game conference schedule. The Big Ten will move to nine games beginning in 2016. The ACC will reportedly make a decision on their future schedules later this month.
Speaking on the Pac-12 teleconference today, Stanford head coach David Shaw had the strongest words on the SEC’s choice to continue playing eight games.
“We all need to play by the same rules. Don’t back down from playing your own conference,” Shaw said.
That’s not the first time Shaw has blasted the SEC. Back in November, he said the Pac-12 had the toughest schedule to navigate partly due to the SEC’s November “cupcakes.”
“You can write that — cupcakes,” Shaw told CBSSports.com.
Shaw can back up his words with Stanford’s schedule strength. In 2013, the Cardinal had arguably the toughest schedule in the nation at season’s end. It was rated the toughest by four of the five BCS computers and fourth in the other.
Stanford’s 2014 schedule will be ranked in the Top 10 of our upcoming toughest strength of schedule list despite being only 42nd using the NCAA’s method.
Earlier on the teleconference, Oregon State head coach Mike Riley offered his opinion on the SEC playing one less conference game than the Pac-12.
“I don’t think it’s right. There’s got to be some equity here,” Riley said.
Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich was not surprised by the SEC’s decision and echoed the sentiments of Shaw and Riley.
“Obviously our feelings are if we are going to call anything equal or point in the same direction for the playoffs, it seems like the qualifications for that playoff should be equal. We are a long ways from that in a few leagues and conferences,” Helfrich said.
Helfrich further stated that the SEC only plays eight league games “for a reason.”
“I think there’s a couple leagues who are in the minority of playing less than nine league games, that’s definitely to their advantage.”
The war of words will likely continue, especially from teams and conferences that feel they have the upper hand in the debate — those that already play nine conference games.
The College Football Playoff committee announced earlier this week that schedules will matter as a whole and whether a team plays eight or nine games will make no difference.
Only time will tell if that criteria remains the same. The SEC could eventually be pressed into more conference games by the playoff or other factors.
View Comments (55)
Good for the PAC.
People need to tell the SEC that they are being cowards.
Really? If the SEC played PAC-12 teams, it would be easier than most of their current schedules. SEC shows up at most NC games (10 of the 16 BCS games) and wins most of the time (9-1), with the only loss coming in last 13 seconds. The PAC-12 most definitely does NOT have the toughest schedules, not now.
I admire Stanford and David Shaw but he's just being a crybaby.
I never compared any conferences.
I simply said that the SEC had cowardly motives for not going to 9. They hurt the fans. They hurt anybody who wants to see teams from the other division more than twice every 12 years.
Not going to sit down and compare conferences. Every year is different. Some are up. Some are down. Some are top heavy and some aren't top heavy but are very competitive from top to bottom.
I don't believe the SEC made the right decision and I simply agree with the PAC coaches comments because I feel as a fan, I got robbed of more SEC games, which is all I actually wanted...
Whats all the fuss about? The Pac-12, BIG and Big 12 all had the same opportunity to vote for the 8 conference games per year but chose not to, so don't critize the conferences that have chosen to play 8!!!!
True. But they actually wanted to PLAY their conference...
An SEC team has to go 12 years before they host and are hosted by every team from the other division (besides their cross division rival). If you are going to stick up for that, it's your right. However, I won't waste time arguing because I disagree completely. You should want to play your conference, it's as simple as that.
Then pac ten is a joke only one school has won the bcs and that USC since 1990 Washington team sec has Florida Alabama Lsu Auburn Tennessee all won since then also pac ten only had one other team play for that was Ducks the reason the play 9 game is no school want to give them home and home with such travel cost if the top 12 pac ten school played the top 12 sec school i would be surprise if the would even win a game.....
You should spread those periods out within the paragraph rather than putting them all at the end. They don't do much good there.
Gus I enjoyed your employment of the English language. So long as the SEC continues to schedule weak out of conference they will be criticized heavily. The only way to know if a conference really is better than other conferences is to look at what they do out of conference and unfortunately the SEC is trying to avoid proving themselves in that area. 1 game each will be an improvement over the recent past and present though, but even then that is still a bit of a pansy move to only require 9 Power 5 games when other conference are looking at requiring 10.
They instead claim that playing themselves is to tough for them to play other good schools. Just because Alabama, Cam Newton, and Urban Meyer are or were extremely good does not mean the SEC as a whole is.
To show that you are a good conference, play in 10 of the 16 BCS NC games, and win 9 of them. I think that point has been made. BOOM!
They say weak oos for the SEC, but didn't. LSU smack Oregon around like a little biz? Didn't Bama put a running clock on Michigan? Every single year the SEC has better non conference games than the Whack-12. Yay! We can play Washington State and Colorado more!
The SEC just this year in the OOC is playing the teams ranked nationally # 1, 6, 8, 8, 10, 15, and 22. In the final AP Poll. Go put your conferences OOC schedules up, and see if matches. This year the SEC is playing at Florida State, at Oklahoma, vs Clemson twice, UCF, at Louisville, Wisconsin, Boise State, at Kansas State, at Texas Tech, Georgia Tech, and West Virginia. Al these teams will get a boost because they are playing legit SEC teams.
The PAC 12 has the balls to criticize anyone's schedule? Listen to these OOC teams they play. Nevada . Portland State twice , Rutgers, Georgia State, Hawaii 3 times, Eastern Washington, Illinois, Idaho State, Fresno twice, San Diego State, Boaton College, Memphis, Colorado State, UMASS, South Dakota State, UNLV, Weber State, UC Davis, UTSA, UNLV, Northwestern, Sacramento state, Army, and Wyoming!!!!
The only teams they play with a pulse are Notre Dame 3 times, Michigan, BYU, Texas, and Michigan State. ND and Mich State were the only ones who finished in the top 25.
Hey Phillip,
I love playing the "manipulate information to work in my arguments favor" game too. Listen to these OOC teams the SEC plays:
Idaho, Eastern Michigan, Eastern Kentucky, Troy, Charleston Southern, UT Martin, Ohio, South Dakota St, Toledo, Furman, South Alabama, Arkansas St, Chattanooga, UMASS, Charleston Southern, Old Dominion, Temple, Florida Atlantic, Western Carolina, Nicholls St, Samford, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico St, UT Martin, UL Lafayette, Memphis, Presbyterian, Lamar.
Mind you, many of these "ferocious" and "worthy" games of the all-powerful SEC are being played in November.
Ultimately, I agree with the coaches of the PAC12 (and my guess is, the B1G and BIG12 will have the same sentiment). With the start of the new college football playoff, I believe there needs to be some uniformity in format and structure. For example:
- I think that every conference should play the same amount of conference games (I don't really give 2 squirts of pee whether its 8 or 9. I just think it should be uniform all around)
- I believe that the Big 5 conferences should ALL have a conference championship game (get on board BIG12)
As long as there is not any type of structure or uniformity, people are going to gripe. The closest you can get to creating an equal structure for all conferences and teams to follow, the sooner we will be doing it the right way in college football.
This is the most pointless debate in sports. Newsflash to all the power conferences head coaches - YOU ALL SCHEDULE AT LEAST ONE "CUPCAKE" EACH SEASON. Going through all the power conference schools OOC schedules for this season only 9 (Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Arizona, UCLA, Colorado, USC) don't have an FCS school of their schedule. Of those 9 there is only one schedule I saw (USC's) that could be debated is "cupcake" free (depending on if you feel Boston College is a "cupcake" or not).
I agree that going to the playoff that the power conferences should all play the same amount of conference games. But the countless gripping and ripping of other conferences for how the schedule OOC games is pointless and stupid when they all schedule "cupcakes"
well said Phil
A month or so ago Athlon Sports put together a ranking of the teams going int 2014 based on recruiting rankings for the previous 5 years....In that list I found the following for the 2014 schedule when looking at teams in the top twenty of those rankings
Florida and South Carolina will play 6 teams in the top 20,
Bama and Tennessee will play 5 teams in the top 20,
FSU, LSU, Auburn, Georgia, ND, TAMU,UCLA and Stanford will play 4 teams on this list
USC and Clemson will play 3 teams on this list
Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan and Oregon play 2 teams on this list
OSU and Miami will play 1 game with a team on this list
Quit drinking the watered down kool-aid.
What do recruiting rankings have to do with schedule strength?
How many lower tier programs do SEC programs play each season is the fundamental question.
Besides Georgia (and maybe Arkansas), every SEC programs has at least three easy non-conference games on their 2014 schedule (and schedules beyond).
The furthest SEC most teams willing to travel in 2014 is Big12 sites.
TAM, Vandy, Ol Miss and Miss St non-conf schedules are a joke.
Note how so many upper tier SEC programs prefer scheduling neutral site games versus home-and-home series.
2014 schedules:
Geo: [Clem] / [GT] / Troy / Charleston South
Ala: [WV (Atl)] / So Miss / FAU / W Carolina
Ark: [TexTech] / No Ill / UAB / Nicholls St
Aub: [KanSt] / San Jose St / Lou Tech / Samford
Fla: [FlorSt] / East Mich / Idaho / East Ky
Ky: [Louisv] / Ohio / ULM / UT Martin
LSU: [Wiscon (Hou)] / ULM / NM St / Sam Houston St
Missi: Boise St (Atl) / Memphis / ULL /Presbyterian
Miss St: So Miss / UAB / So Alabama / UT Martin
Mizzo: [Indiana] / UCF / Toledo / So Dakota St
SoCar: [Clemson] / ECU / So Alabama / Furman
Tenn: [Okla] / Utah St / Ark St / Chattanooga
TAM: SMU / Rice / ULM / Lamar
Vandy: Temple / Mass / Old Dominion / Charleston South
TAMU's schedule is bad. But with Vandy, Ole Miss and Miss St, they are just like the bottom teams of every major conference. They schedule light because they are trying to be bowl eligible. That's their yearly goal, sadly.
TAMU's schedule is only the way it is b/c they had a 10 year OOC series with Arkansas at JerryWorld when they were a Big12 member. That took away their marquee OOC game and with Big 12 teams refusing to play them they were left with few options.
When the other conferences can command higher rankings, higher ticket sales, and better results, then the SEC can consider playing at their sites more. Right now, much of the SEC has the upper hand at scheduling for these reasons.