Saban calls to end cupcake games

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Bud Lee
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Saban calls to end cupcake games

Post by Bud Lee »

http://gridironnow.com/lsu-official-agr ... le-reform/

“Playing a bunch of games that nobody’s interested in is not good for the game,” Saban said on First Take as he lobbied for an expanded conference schedule and Power Five teams playing only Power Five opponents. “Players, when you’ve been playing SEC games, they’re not interested in playing somebody that doesn’t matter.”

I'm personally for this! I'm tired of paying a premium for tickets and have 3 games every year that no one wants to go to. I can't blame the SEC, or any other conference, for taking advantage of the system and scheduling the rent a wins but now that we have a playoff it is time to regulate the schedule throughout the division.
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Tray Dub
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Re: Saban calls to end cupcake games

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I mean, he's obviously hypocritical for this, but he's just responding to incentives. He's right though, everyone would prefer fewer cupcake games.

Does anyone know of any specific proposals for reducing the cupcake games though? The committee could theoretically just heavily punish teams that play weak OOC schedules, but I'm skeptical they would really follow through enough to deter an SEC team from doing this. There's no way a team that wins the SEC is ever going to get left out, so if I were them I'm not sure why I would schedule tough non-conference games. Thoughts?
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Re: Saban calls to end cupcake games

Post by Merganzer »

Tray Dub wrote:I mean, he's obviously hypocritical for this, but he's just responding to incentives. He's right though, everyone would prefer fewer cupcake games.

Does anyone know of any specific proposals for reducing the cupcake games though? The committee could theoretically just heavily punish teams that play weak OOC schedules, but I'm skeptical they would really follow through enough to deter an SEC team from doing this. There's no way a team that wins the SEC is ever going to get left out, so if I were them I'm not sure why I would schedule tough non-conference games. Thoughts?
Yes, good point about the SEC teams being safe. Say, for fun, that the Ducks win the Pac-12 this season, finish 12-1. With only 4 playoff slots, and their being 5 Power conferences, because of the weak NonCon, the Ducks would likely be left out. For now, Alabama can lose twice and still have a good chance at making the playoffs. Other teams don't have that advantage and Saban would like to see them with tougher schedules; more losses.
Last edited by Merganzer on Mon Jul 30, 2018 9:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Saban calls to end cupcake games

Post by UOducksTK1 »

I'm OK with one cupcake game. It's nice to have early on to experiment some things. However, Oregon's schedule this year is so ridiculous, I wouldn't mind some regulation around that.

Requiring at least one big5 non-conference game would already be a step in the right direction.

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Re: Saban calls to end cupcake games

Post by duckduckgoose »

UOducksTK1 wrote:I'm OK with one cupcake game. It's nice to have early on to experiment some things. However, Oregon's schedule this year is so ridiculous, I wouldn't mind some regulation around that.

Requiring at least one big5 non-conference game would already be a step in the right direction.
But the reason the Ducks out of conference schedule is so weak is because power 5 schools backed out of contracted games. It wasn’t from lack of trying or wanting we have the slate we do.


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Re: Saban calls to end cupcake games

Post by nogerO »

Bud Lee wrote:http://gridironnow.com/lsu-official-agr ... le-reform/

“Playing a bunch of games that nobody’s interested in is not good for the game,” Saban said on First Take as he lobbied for an expanded conference schedule and Power Five teams playing only Power Five opponents. “Players, when you’ve been playing SEC games, they’re not interested in playing somebody that doesn’t matter.”

I'm personally for this! I'm tired of paying a premium for tickets and have 3 games every year that no one wants to go to. I can't blame the SEC, or any other conference, for taking advantage of the system and scheduling the rent a wins but now that we have a playoff it is time to regulate the schedule throughout the division.
This from the school who absolutely invented the term "cupcake" because of all the little sisters of the poor they've stuffed into their OOC schedule for the last 40 years. Hypocrites.
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Re: Saban calls to end cupcake games

Post by lukeyrid13 »

Bama typically plays 2 very easy games a year, but they try their hardest to schedule a top 10-15 team in OOC every year. Florida is the biggest offender. They haven't left the state for a non-conference game in like 30 years.

As of now though, the system essentially only rewards wins. Two years ago, Oklahoma played Houston(top 15) and Ohio St(top 5) in non-conference and lost to both. UW played: Rutgers, Idaho and Portland St and trounced them all. UW had a better overall record so they got in over Oklahoma that year. It proved what everyone else already knew, that wins were the most important factor.
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Re: Saban calls to end cupcake games

Post by karlhungis »

Says the guy with an NFL roster.
OregonFan4life -
My source just said Chip is officially back!
It will be announced at Autzen press conference tomorrow afternoon!
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Re: Saban calls to end cupcake games

Post by duckfan22 »

If they change the rules to only power 5 teams playing power 5 hopefully they do
something to help the group of 5 and lower teams. Not getting to play power 5
teams is a big loss of revenue for these schools.
I think schools signing a contract like Texas A & M did and then backing out
should be penallized in someway. Puts the other team in a bind to find a replacement
team. Its a tough situation. Not sure what the answers are but they need to do something.
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Re: Saban calls to end cupcake games

Post by lukeyrid13 »

At the very least, we need to have equal conference games across the board.
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Re: Saban calls to end cupcake games

Post by AutzenMember »

My suggestion to make things a level playing field:

9 conference games for all teams (this should minimize the chances of two teams from the same conference making the playoffs, saddling more losses to teams in conference play and makes for a more definitive conference championship game)
1 Power Five opponent (of course, everyone will be scrambling to schedule Kansas, Illinois, Oregon State, etc.)
1 Non Power Five FBS opponent (this will keep teams like Central Florida, South Florida, Boise State, etc, potentially relevant...could substitute a second Power Five game if desired)
1 FCS opponent (if this were to go away, it would kill off many programs monetarily, which wouldn't be good for the game overall...could schedule a non power five or higher if desired)

This will also keep undeserving teams from bowl games. As it is, a team with 4 cupcake non-conference games, only has to win twice in conference play to go bowling.
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Bud Lee
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Re: Saban calls to end cupcake games

Post by Bud Lee »

AutzenMember wrote:My suggestion to make things a level playing field:

9 conference games for all teams (this should minimize the chances of two teams from the same conference making the playoffs, saddling more losses to teams in conference play and makes for a more definitive conference championship game)
1 Power Five opponent (of course, everyone will be scrambling to schedule Kansas, Illinois, Oregon State, etc.)
1 Non Power Five FBS opponent (this will keep teams like Central Florida, South Florida, Boise State, etc, potentially relevant...could substitute a second Power Five game if desired)
1 FCS opponent (if this were to go away, it would kill off many programs monetarily, which wouldn't be good for the game overall...could schedule a non power five or higher if desired)

This will also keep undeserving teams from bowl games. As it is, a team with 4 cupcake non-conference games, only has to win twice in conference play to go bowling.

I can live with this.
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