Scheduling

[huskerfan333157]

Well lets see. Alabama this year had USC and has Western Kentucky, Kent State and Chattanooga (3 cream-puffs) and you know they will go to the play-offs if they go undefeated.

Last year they had Wisconsin, Middle Tennasee, ULM and Charleston Southern and lost to Ole Miss (once again, 3 cream-puffs). They still made it to the Play-offs.

With this said, I agree that it won't matter if we have 1 or 2 cream puffs in our schedule if we win the Conference title.

Western Kentucky isn't a creampuff. They would be middle of the road if they were in a power 5 conference.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Look at what scheduling good opponents did for Wisconsin and Texas. They went from unranked to #10 and #11 after big wins.

Yep - there really isn't much to lose if you're Wisconsin. A win and it catapults you to really good standing - you lose and, well, everybody expected you to.

Of course, that all only matters right now. I'd be shocked if LSU wins more than 7-8 games this year and I think, come December, that the LSU win isn't going to look as good for Wisconsin. I also think Wisconsin will only be a 7-8 win team come season's end as well given their schedule. I'm not convinced by much that came out of that game between LSU/Wisconsin.

So...Wisconsin has scheduled in a way that is beating SEC at their own game. Schedule someone early who is ranked high (even though they are way over rated) ....beat them....then get catapulted up the rankings because...OMG>....they beat a top 10 ranked SEC team.

Meanwhile, LSU will get exposed later in the year but long after Wisconsin benefited from the win.

Good job badgers.

 

[NUance]

I like the way the SEC mixes one or two easy non-conf games later in the season, and often has a powerhouse team that's in a down year. Like Bama below. I'd say Bama's schedule[SIZE=12pt]—[/SIZE]featuring USC, a perennial powerhouse that isn't too tough this year[SIZE=12pt]—[/SIZE]is almost ideal. That Chattanooga game late in November will give their guys a breather before taking on Auburn.

Bama 2016 Sched

Sept. 3---USC

Sept. 10---Western Ky

Sept. 17---Ole Miss

Sept. 24---Kent State

Oct. 1---Kentucky

Oct. 8---Arkansas

Oct. 15---Tennessee

Oct. 22---aTm

Oct. 29---off

Nov. 5---LSU

Nov. 12---Miss State

Nov. 19---Chattanooga

Nov. 26---Auburn

 

[hskrfan4life]

I suppose if we only play tOSU and don't have MSU or Michicken them we should have two P5 schools on the schedule. If the B1G would do us one favor they should rotate MSU OSU and Michigan so that we play 2 of 3 every other year.

Here's the 2018 schedule; and by then we'll FINALLY be free of any players who were recruited or coached by Pelini and his staff.

9/1 Akron

9/8 Colorado

9/15 Troy

9/22 at Michigan

9/29 Purdue

10/6 at Wisconsin

10/13 at Northwestern

10/20 Minnesota

10/27 OPEN

11/3 at Ohio State

11/10 Illinois

11/17 Michigan State

11/23 at Iowa

OH MY GOD! That schedule is brutal, I am not one of those people who are content with 9-3, 9-4 seasons but I think that in 2018 that we might be lucky to only lose 3 games. @Michigan, @ Ohio State @ Wisconsin @ Iowa and Michigan State @ home.

Crappy home schedule

 

[Enhance]

Look at what scheduling good opponents did for Wisconsin and Texas. They went from unranked to #10 and #11 after big wins.

Yep - there really isn't much to lose if you're Wisconsin. A win and it catapults you to really good standing - you lose and, well, everybody expected you to.

Of course, that all only matters right now. I'd be shocked if LSU wins more than 7-8 games this year and I think, come December, that the LSU win isn't going to look as good for Wisconsin. I also think Wisconsin will only be a 7-8 win team come season's end as well given their schedule. I'm not convinced by much that came out of that game between LSU/Wisconsin.

So...Wisconsin has scheduled in a way that is beating SEC at their own game. Schedule someone early who is ranked high (even though they are way over rated) ....beat them....then get catapulted up the rankings because...OMG>....they beat a top 10 ranked SEC team.

Meanwhile, LSU will get exposed later in the year but long after Wisconsin benefited from the win.

Good job badgers.

I think there's a good chance none of it will matter by December, just based on my own perceptions of both teams. I think they'll both have 4-5 losses by December, so particularly in Wisconsin's case, they'll be flirting in the Top 25 at best with 4-5 losses.

 

[Redux]

I would like to see our schedule looking like this:

Week 1- Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt or AAC team for a warmup)

Week 2- @ Northwestern (Early conference division test to see where we stack up)

Week 3- Iowa State (Out of conference Power 5 team, but still a tune up. Could be a yearly thing with an old Big 8 "foe".)

Week 4- @ Minnesota

Week 5- Wisconsin

Week 6- Purdue

Week 7- @ Michigan State

Week 8- BYE

Week 9- Penn State

Week 10- @ Illinois

Week 11- Colorado State (Late season Mountain West or MAC team to give us a breather before last couple of weeks)

Week 12- Michigan

Week 13- @ Iowa

 

[Stumpy1]

I would like to see our schedule looking like this:

Week 1- Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt or AAC team for a warmup)

Week 2- @ Northwestern (Early conference division test to see where we stack up)

Week 3- Iowa State (Out of conference Power 5 team, but still a tune up. Could be a yearly thing with an old Big 8 "foe".)

Week 4- @ Minnesota

Week 5- Wisconsin

Week 6- Purdue

Week 7- @ Michigan State

Week 8- BYE

Week 9- Penn State

Week 10- @ Illinois

Week 11- Colorado State (Late season Mountain West or MAC team to give us a breather before last couple of weeks)

Week 12- Michigan

Week 13- @ Iowa

That would be nice but we have a 9 game conference schedule. We wouldn't have a bye week in there. This is pretty much what the SEC does and I actually like it.

 

[BigRedBuster]

I would like to see our schedule looking like this:

Week 1- Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt or AAC team for a warmup)

Week 2- @ Northwestern (Early conference division test to see where we stack up)

Week 3- Iowa State (Out of conference Power 5 team, but still a tune up. Could be a yearly thing with an old Big 8 "foe".)

Week 4- @ Minnesota

Week 5- Wisconsin

Week 6- Purdue

Week 7- @ Michigan State

Week 8- BYE

Week 9- Penn State

Week 10- @ Illinois

Week 11- Colorado State (Late season Mountain West or MAC team to give us a breather before last couple of weeks)

Week 12- Michigan

Week 13- @ Iowa

That would be nice but we have a 9 game conference schedule. We wouldn't have a bye week in there. This is pretty much what the SEC does and I actually like it.

So...no big OOC game?

As a fan that sucks.

 

[Stumpy1]

I would like to see our schedule looking like this:

Week 1- Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt or AAC team for a warmup)

Week 2- @ Northwestern (Early conference division test to see where we stack up)

Week 3- Iowa State (Out of conference Power 5 team, but still a tune up. Could be a yearly thing with an old Big 8 "foe".)

Week 4- @ Minnesota

Week 5- Wisconsin

Week 6- Purdue

Week 7- @ Michigan State

Week 8- BYE

Week 9- Penn State

Week 10- @ Illinois

Week 11- Colorado State (Late season Mountain West or MAC team to give us a breather before last couple of weeks)

Week 12- Michigan

Week 13- @ Iowa

That would be nice but we have a 9 game conference schedule. We wouldn't have a bye week in there. This is pretty much what the SEC does and I actually like it.

So...no big OOC game?

As a fan that sucks.

Don't downplay ISU like that...

 

[Redux]

I would like to see our schedule looking like this:

Week 1- Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt or AAC team for a warmup)

Week 2- @ Northwestern (Early conference division test to see where we stack up)

Week 3- Iowa State (Out of conference Power 5 team, but still a tune up. Could be a yearly thing with an old Big 8 "foe".)

Week 4- @ Minnesota

Week 5- Wisconsin

Week 6- Purdue

Week 7- @ Michigan State

Week 8- BYE

Week 9- Penn State

Week 10- @ Illinois

Week 11- Colorado State (Late season Mountain West or MAC team to give us a breather before last couple of weeks)

Week 12- Michigan

Week 13- @ Iowa

That would be nice but we have a 9 game conference schedule. We wouldn't have a bye week in there. This is pretty much what the SEC does and I actually like it.

I have 9 conference games listed. Yeah the SEC blueprint is basically what I molded it after.

In response to BigRedBuster, you're right. I did it this way with hopes that our cross division games could be harder. That said, I would be perfectly happy swapping Iowa State or Kansas in as a week 1 opponent. Then we could schedule say. Notre Dame into week 3.

 

[Kiyoat Husker]

Nebraska will always want 7 home games per year, and that is a little more difficult now that the B1G has gone to 9 conference games. Every other year, NU is guaranteed to 5 road games in conference play. That forces NU to only have home games in non-conference play.

With the influx of TV money coming next year, maybe NU will become more relaxed on the 7 home game policy, and accept a neutral-site game. However, NU knows how much home games mean to the economy of Lincoln, so I think NU will try to get 7 home games every year.

Maybe we will have even more opportunities for home games in the future. Like hosting a Big 10 divisional playoff game between two "pod champions", or hosting a first-round CFP game (8-team version)

 

[BigRedBuster]

Just looking at things.

If nothing drastic changes, we will play 4 ranked teams this year. Possibly a fifth in the CCG.

We will have plenty chances to prove how good we are.

 

[Mierin]

The more I look at it the more I hate our schedule this year, but not for what was brought up in the OP.

What I hate is if we beat Oregon there's a good chance we'll be 7-0 going into the tough stretch. That isn't really a complaint, and obviously it's what everyone wants, but we're all going to be excited and our hearts are going to be in it thinking there's a chance this is a great season and then we could easily lose to Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Iowa. It would be nice if we played one of the 3 early in the season.

Don't get me wrong though, I think we'll win at least 1 and maybe 2 of them and I don't think we'll get blown out.

 

[ZRod]

So you're saying we could be 2015 Iowa. sh#t!!!

 

[ColoradoHusk]

The more I look at it the more I hate our schedule this year, but not for what was brought up in the OP.

What I hate is if we beat Oregon there's a good chance we'll be 7-0 going into the tough stretch. That isn't really a complaint, and obviously it's what everyone wants, but we're all going to be excited and our hearts are going to be in it thinking there's a chance this is a great season and then we could easily lose to Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Iowa. It would be nice if we played one of the 3 early in the season.

Don't get me wrong though, I think we'll win at least 1 and maybe 2 of them and I don't think we'll get blown out.

The Big Ten makes the conference schedule so we have no control over when we play those games.