While the ACC and SEC’s new rule requiring that members play at least one non-conference game against a power-five team seems like progress, it overlooks another major issue with schedule equality—games with FCS foes.
Before dictating which level of the FBS power programs draw a single non-league game from, wouldn’t it make sense to first require that all out-of-conference games be played against FBS teams?
According to an AP report via USA Today, Nick Saban advocates that the entire regular season be played against power fives, indirectly supporting the end of FBS versus FCS games.
If it was totally up to me, I’d say you’ve got to play all 12 games in the Big 5…If we did that, I think we would be less averse to playing more conference games because I think we have such a great conference.
In 2014, only 23 of the 128 FBS teams—or 18 percent—won’t play an opponent from the FCS.
Of the 23, only seven are power-five members. That means that 89 percent of power-five teams draw an FCS team this season. It’s intriguing that there are no ACC or SEC members on this list.
Here’s a look at this year’s non-FCS honor roll, only three have a long-term commitment to an all-FBS schedule.
Non-Conference Games in 2014: Louisiana Tech, at Tulsa, Tennessee
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Florida A&M in 2012 (69-13 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: North Texas, BYU and UCLA (at Arlington, Texas)
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Sam Houston State in 2006 (56-3 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: at UCF (Dublin, Ireland), Akron, UMass, Temple
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Indiana State in 2011 (41-7 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: UNLV, at UTSA, Nevada
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Northern Arizona in 2013 (35-0 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Colorado State (at Denver, Colo.), at UMass, Hawaii
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Charleston Southern in 2013 (43-10 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Virginia, Memphis, Texas (at Arlington, Texas)
Most Recent FCS Opponent: San Diego Navy in 1954 (67-0 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: Fresno State, at Boston College, Notre Dame
Most Recent FCS Opponent: San Diego Navy in 1952 (20-6 win)
Non-ACC Games in 2014: Rice, Michigan, Purdue (at Indianapolis, Ind.), Stanford, Navy (at Landover, Md.), at Arizona State, Northwestern, at USC
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Carnegie Mellon in 1941 (16-0 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: Toledo, Miami (Ohio), at Ohio State, at Miami (Fla.)
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Northwestern State in 2013 (66-9 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Baylor, at North Texas, Texas A&M, TCU
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Montana State in 2013 (31-30 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: Oklahoma, at Florida Atlantic, Texas State, at Colorado State
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Nicholls State in 2012 (66-16 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Nebraska, at Alabama, Tulsa, at Wyoming
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Wagner in 2012 (7-3 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: Bowling Green, at Illinois, at Navy, Army
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Morgan State in 2013 (58-17 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Notre Dame, at Texas A&M, Hawaii, at Army
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Nicholls State in 2007 (16-14 loss)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: at New Mexico, Texas Tech, New Mexico State, at Kansas State
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Stony Brook in 2011 (31-24 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Houston, Arizona, at Oklahoma State, New Mexico
Most Recent FCS Opponent: McNeese State in 2012 (31-24 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: South Alabama, at Ohio State, at Virginia, Army
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Liberty in 2013 (17-10 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: Boston College, Colorado, at Vanderbilt, at Penn State
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Maine in 2013 (24-14 loss)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: Ole Miss (at Atlanta, Ga.), at UConn, UL Lafayette, BYU
Most Recent FCS Opponent: UT-Martin in 2013 (63-14 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: UTEP, Arizona State, at New Mexico State, at UTSA
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Southern in 2012 (66-21 win)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Florida, Western Michigan, at Ohio, at San Diego State
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Old Dominion in 2013 (59-38 loss)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Kent State, Mississippi State, at South Carolina, Navy
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Southern Utah in 2013 (22-21 loss)
Non-Conference Games in 2014: Wake Forest, at LSU, at Kentucky, at Texas A&M
Most Recent FCS Opponent: Grambling State in 2013 (48-10 win)