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BYU, Utah Utes football: Scheduling 'cupcakes'

Re: I Don't Get It

Steele uses a unique system that deals with more than last years record. Need to go to his site and read his approach. It is interesting but I am not sure how much 'hocus pocus' is involved. It does create a stir and food for debate as most any ranking system does.

Ute fans post comments like "BYU will never be considered upper echelon of college football blah blah blah"...like Utah has any room to talk about being upper echelon!!! Puh-LEASE!!!!!

SEC wussie: You don't get it. An SEC school already has to play 5 to 7 ranked schools because of the depth of the conference and in many cases a significant regional rivalry (Florida versus Florida State, Arkansas versus Texas, Alabama versus Clemson).

Arkansas SOS is #2 with one D1AA school. It doesn't get any easier next year as they play Florida and Georgia in addition to Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, and LSU. We aren't just talking the bottom half of the top 25 either, two and possibly three of those schools will be in the hunt for the national championship. You want to try that?

So explain to me why they should play a game that won't enhance revenue or extend the recruiting base? They have played a couple of games with Boise State (call it the Nutt Bowl) - one pretty close, the other a blow-out. The Hogs occasionally play Tulsa too for visibility to Oklahoma based recruits.

Push for a play-off if that is what you want, but you don't have any room to complain about the SEC being "afraid" to schedule BYU or Utah. You couldnt' take the pounding.

To I don't get it, I'm just guessing that BYU's SOS is slightly better than Utah's SOS because Utah plays BYU and TCU at home while BYU plays TCU and Utah on the road. It's actually a compliment of sorts to Utah.

And just what is it about a 6/19 record against BCS schools since 2000 that is so scary (a 32% winning average), especially since all of those wins came against perennial league powerhouses: Cal (occasionally good), Mississippi State (usually 5 to 6 in their division), Virginia, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame (everyone beats Notre Dame lately).

Hey, BYU was willing to play USC - but the record stands at 0-2. When the Notre Dame games were scheduled ND was probably still playing okay - but the record against top 10 competition during the regular season since 2000 is a dismal 0%.

When BYU played Texas that program was rocked by scandal and the entire conference was in decline. Other that the Miami win twenty years ago, the only BYU team that could have played consistently with quality competition was the 1996 edition, a legimately good team.

Oh, and you don't have to worry about playing another top 25 team next week do you?

I'm EXCITED for this season! Michigan! Woo-hoo!! Wow, we have an awesome schedule. Even Weber St will be a very competitive game and I hope we can win that one because Mac would love to win here and I know he'll have his troops fired up! They're a great team and I'm glad we get to play them!

Utah, BYU and TCU all play roughly the same SOS, and much tougher than any team in the WAC.

If any of those 3 is able to run the table, they will be this year's BCS buster.

Unlike fans, the coaches and sportswriters who vote in the polls don't have time to delve into the nitty-gritty of SOS, especially during the season. They vote strictly on perception and current record.

Since almost everybody is playing 1-AA teams to start the season and nobody really knows how good teams are going to be, just winning with a good solid performance is all voters care about.

Besides, SOS CHANGES as soon as the season starts. Some teams that looked good on paper, tank, and some teams that were sleepers suddenly look good.

to anyone with influence in BYU, UTAH schools or MWC. Why doesn't the MWC allow Boise St to Join the MWC. especially since they have gone to the 12 game schedule, and quit scheduling the D1-AA schools?

To anyone with understanding or influence on the matter of why not allow another credible school like Boise st in the MW conference, and attempt to become a member of the BCS. Especially since they have gone to a 12 game schedule and don't play the D1-AA schools anymore. Is there any attempt to be a BCS conf or is that dead and everyone is happy with where they are at?

That's actually not a bad idea. If our conference members really are as hard up for 1-A opponents as they have been claiming to be in order to excuse themselves into scheduling 1-AA teams, perhaps it's time we expanded to include another competitive 1-A program.

--Ute in Philadelphia

This story increased the respect I'll now give the PAC 10. All other conferences are scheduling cupcakes in extraordinary percentages.