Strength of schedue is emphasized in CFP rankings like never before

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Test your football team in the harshest situation by going on the road to play a big
opponent in a big game or play it safe and keep things close to home....

There's no question about which approach people respect more.

I have been critical of Florida who's fans keep pointing to FSU and say that's enough
however the Semnoles are never tested in hard games with some considerable travel
involved to which many other major football programs are solidly committed. OK, I'll
admit it. It bugs me to see that.

I also admit that I have felt the same way towards the SEC in the past but there have
been no such complaints from me lately about many of the major SEC football teams.
I like the changes over the last few years. Sure there's more risk involved but if you
are really as good as you think and you really DESERVE the playoffs, you may wind up
relishing the opportunity to play a marquee match-up in another part of the country.
That is how you erase all doubt throughout the entire CFB fan-base.

Just today I found this piece that suggests that the playoff committee feels the same way.
I applaud their opinion about SOS. I wonder what Florida intends to do about it now?


Like this year's Week 1 slate? Thank the College Football Playoff

May 24, 2016
i

Heather Dinich
ESPN Staff Writer

In the daunting, thrilling lineup that is Week 1, what if ...
Alabama loses to USC? Whatever. Just win the SEC West. Again.

Notre Dame loses to Texas? It can be overcome -- just ask Oklahoma.
USC loses to Alabama? Join the club. A loss to the defending national champs is just a crack in the windshield, hardly a complete wreck.
Congratulations to college football's Week 1 warriors. You've started the season with a win -- even if you lose.

This is what the College Football Playoff is all about -- strength of schedule -- and the teams that have dared to open the season against a marquee opponent have already earned credit in the eyes of the selection committee. A Week 1 win against a ranked opponent will resonate with the committee through November, as they take into account the "entire body of work." A Week 1 loss simply isn't the dagger it used to be -- who you lost to, where and how now matters to the 13 judges of the sport.

The historic weekend of Sept. 3, which kicks off in 100 days on a loaded Thursday night, features four games between ranked opponents in ESPN.com's Way-Too-Early Top 25 and for the Power 5 playoff contenders, as long as their league title remains within reach -- a factor the committee leans on heavily in the end -- so does the top four.

It's 100 days till college football's binge-worthy first weekend

Alabama-USC, Oklahoma-Houston and LSU-Wisconsin at Lambeau Field are highlights of a memorable lineup -- part of a new trend toward a stronger Week 1 slate.

"One of the top criteria we have in our rankings is strength of schedule," said selection committee member Barry Alvarez, who is also the athletic director of Wisconsin, which will open against LSU at historic Lambeau Field (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC). "We look at all of those things. I know when we're comparing schools or looking at schools, we throw it right up on the screen. Who'd they play, what their opponents' records were. That's very important -- your quality wins."
See: Oklahoma 31, Tennessee 24 (2OT)

Oklahoma's win at Tennessee last year was a major reason the Sooners were in the playoff, in spite of their loss to Texas. This year, No. 5 Oklahoma will face No. 18 Houston (12 p.m. ET, ABC) in the 2016 AdvoCare Texas Kickoff from NRG Stadium in Houston. The Sooners also face Ohio State two weeks later, on Sept. 17.

"Trying to schedule difficult nonconference teams can give you the upper hand sometimes when all things are equal," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "... Had we not done that, had we not scheduled that way, that might have been a different story. ... In the end, when you schedule that way, usually you're going to be rewarded for it. We've got Houston and Ohio State this year. I think that matters to them (the committee), and it should."
It did last year.

Former committee chair Jeff Long said so last December, when OU's top-four spot was officially announced.
"You know, their win at Tennessee was impressive," Long said on Dec. 6, 2015. "That's a road win early in the season, and again, that had value to the committee. At some point, some people thought that that wasn't an important win, but at the full body of work, at the end of the season, that's a very impressive win at Tennessee in front of over 100,000 people."

The stars will be out in Week 1, led by USC's Adoree' Jackson and Alabama's Calvin Ridley, thanks in large part to the College Football Playoff. Getty ImagesThere is a caveat, of course -- Tennessee went on to have an eight-win regular season and finish No. 23 in the committee's final top 25. In order for September wins to carry weight with the committee in November, those opponents have to stay ranked.

A win over No. 14 Ole Miss would look outstanding for No. 4 Florida State on Labor Day night, but if the Rebels finish 6-6 and unranked by the committee, it would be somewhat devalued come Selection Day. It still looks better, though, than a win over an FCS or unranked Group of Five team.

That's why North Carolina is already in trouble -- even if the No. 19 Tar Heels beat No. 13 Georgia in their opener (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). For the second straight year, UNC has two FCS opponents on its schedule. Even going undefeated might not be enough to overcome that.

While a Week 1 loss obviously minimizes the margin for error, it doesn't eliminate anyone in the blockbuster lineup, except for UNC and Houston, the latter of which likely needs to go undefeated for a Group of Five program to be considered. The committee has made it clear, though, that Power 5 teams can recover from a loss.

Ohio State lost at home to a lousy Virginia Tech team in 2014 and won it all. Oregon lost at home that same year to Arizona and was still in a semifinal. Defending national champ Alabama has lost to Ole Miss for two straight seasons -- and been in the semifinals both years.

These 13 humans? They're a forgiving group. Just play somebody.

"We're lining up and playing a top-10 team in the next season and seasons to come," Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. "Part of the thing that gives you the confidence to do that is you know that regardless of what happens in that game, if you fare well in the Southeastern Conference in the Western Division and have a chance to win it and go represent the West in Atlanta, you would believe that you're quite deserving of being in the discussions of the playoff."
If Auburn opens with a loss to No. 2 Clemson (9 p.m. ET on ESPN)?

"The goal is getting to Atlanta and winning that game," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "That pretty much assures you'll be in the final four."
If OU loses to Houston? So did Florida State. The Sooners can still win out and win the Big 12, and Houston can go on to win The American again.
If the ACC goes 0-3 against the SEC? Yikes. Clemson or Florida State can still go undefeated -- they've done it before.

The coaches in the SEC West agree that their division is so difficult its strength of schedule can stand on its own -- regardless of what happens in these challenging Week 1 nonconference games.

"Our team realizes that they're going to be challenged and need to play well at Lambeau Field against a very capable Wisconsin team," LSU coach Les Miles said. "Now as that affects the selection committee, I think there are some advantages to it, but I'll also say that if a team does well in the SEC and wins the West or plays in the championship, those teams certainly should be in consideration for the playoff."
Consider it a win-win in Week 1.
 

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Conan....I and those who know you miss your commentary. Not the flyweight shit
you have been throwing at this RX forum.

Button up and get your ass in gear like year's past...you have never been a pussy,
even when Bigdaddy hammered your ass. Need your expertise Bud and NOW.

Need you to get on board my friend....you have a ton to offer this RX CFB forum.

Kick some ass for the Pac 12...........................
 

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Understood Clover. There really ARE more important things than which way the Seminoles choose to roll.

Between the snowflakes in the winter and the 100 degree days of summer I'm trying to keep up with a lot
of changes out here on the left coast... and there sure seems to be plenty of it. From what I can tell so far
the outcomes won't be much different than usual. UCLA won't be as dominant as people say it will be. The
Huskies will be improved but not as much as people think. Leach will again storm through its schedule and
the Ducks won't seem like they lost too much either. Stanford will again outplay expectations. USC will also
improve but the natives at Troy will nonetheless be restless when it's all said and done. I could use a surprise
or two to keep my interest up this year.
 

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What do you mean, what does Florida intend to do? Florida plays in the SEC and plays FSU every year....that's 9 games. You want it harder? Okay. They open w/ Michigan next year....and play Miami in 2019. So those years it's 9 SEC games, FSU, plus Michigan or Miami. But you want to point out Florida? C'mon man.
 

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Coach,
I've explained this before but for your sake I'll explain it again.
Traveling 2000 miles is an undeniably hard thing to do and it's
been 25 years since since they've left the state of Florida to
test their strength before the rest of the country, unlike most
other schools that have not held the preseason as close to the
vest. So what if it's the SEC? What was the SEC 25 years ago
when the B-10 etc ruled the roost? Florida's way of dong things
did not originate in a dominant SEC conference as it is today So
that line of reasoning won't work for the Gators. It doesn't
explain enough.

You point out FSU as a worthy game that separates them from
the flock in the SOS department, but what about USC/Notre Dame
which has been going on for an eternity? Both schools have to
make the 2000 mile trip every other year to boot. If Florida and
'Bama were tied (in the W/L) and both were ranked high in the CFP
poll at the end of this year (hypothetically) who do you think would
be seen with a higher SOS with the selection committee considering
'Bama's trip to play USC at Jerry's World? How can you possibly
compare an OOC schedule with Presbyterian, N. Texas and U Mass
to just one good game at Jerry's world?

This year the Pac is likely to chew itself up and spit itself out. So
don't bother to cite the SEC conference schedule as something
exceptional. I personally believe that the Pac has it rougher than
any other conference this year in strength of conference schedule,
but you can interpret that however you wish and it doesn't matter
because SOS now goes beyond conference games according the
playoff committee.

I am happy to see them at least take on Michigan next year but is
that game to be played at a neutral site or is it a home/home
arrangement?

If you asked me I'd say the pressure by the CFP has worked to
everyone's benefit and will go a long way to settle a lot of questions
regarding Florida's OOC schedule like the one I've been raising for
better than 5 years around here..
 

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Well, I'll explain this again to you Conan. Florida plays in the SEC and plays FSU every year. Alabama, LSU, Auburn, and several others don't play a set team like FSU. Also, Florida's schedule is handicapped w/ the FL/GA game being played in Jacksonville every year....so they lose a home game every other year due to that tradition. Florida has no one to apologize to about it's schedule. Also, UF has had a shitty record the last 6 years. Why make it harder????? HELLO!
 

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