Cupcake City
The Gold Sheet
Where scheduling inequities become part of a bigger problem is in end-of-season rankings, and, indirectly, the BCS process itself. The thought of Penn State rolling through its weak non-conference schedule and a watered-down Big Ten slate to claim a spot in the national title game undermines the whole BCS concept (which exists on shaky underpinnings in the first place). Many Florida fans might not want to admit as much, but their Gators probably wouldn't have been in last year's national title game had Iowa not squeezed out a 1-point November win over Penn State, resulting in the Nittany Lions' only regular-season defeat. Otherwise, we would have likely been treated to Penn State in the national title game instead of the Rose Bowl, where it was undressed by Southern Cal (much as the Big Ten champ from the previous two years, Ohio State, had been overwhelmed in BCS title games). A system that can reward a program like Penn State for so blatantly padding its schedule, while a program like Georgia's (whose non-conference slate includes dangerous Oklahoma State, Arizona State, and Georgia Tech, not to mention the always-grueling SEC trail) navigates minefield after minefield, doesn't seem fair.
We're not expounding "overscheduling," which can have its own negative consequences. Nonetheless, we salute programs that hold scheduling and intersectional competition to a higher standard. Whatever shenanigans might be going on behind the scenes at Southern Cal, it's worth noting that the Trojans have never faced a lower-division foe, and go to some lengths to schedule attractive, higher-profile intersectional opponents. Much of the Pac-10 follows suit. To its credit, Notre Dame still maintains something of a national schedule. Florida State, besides its annual grudge match vs. Florida, usually schedules one or two other interesting intersectionals (this year, it's BYU, as well as in-state South Florida; Colorado and Alabama have also been on the Seminoles' schedule within the last two seasons). Miami-Florida is never afraid to take on anybody, either (this fall, it's Oklahoma, after Florida in '08). Numerous other programs do their best to maintain representative non-conference slates as well.
We acknowledge that there are varying degrees of "underscheduling" examples in college football, but where we would automatically draw the line of scorn is at more than one lower-division opponent (although, as we've seen on a few famous occasions in recent years, those entries can sometimes pull a surprise or two). Following are some examples of teams that have taken "underscheduling" a bit too far this season, and we suggest keeping note of many of these entries that will likely hit the conference portions of their schedules with potentially misleading records.
Alabama...No reason, we suppose, for an SEC team (especially a legit national title contender like Bama) to challenge itself more than once outside of conference play. But after the Tide opens with a doozy vs. Virginia Tech in Atlanta, it hosts Florida International, North Texas, and Chattanooga.
Kansas State...As mentioned earlier, it didn't take Bill Snyder long to impact the Wildcats schedule. Aforementioned UMass and Tennessee Tech are the non-conference visitors to the "Little Apple" this season.
Nebraska...Are the Cornhuskers petitioning for membership in the Sun Belt? They host Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State, and Louisiana-Lafayette, around a trip to Virginia Tech.
Michigan...Not as bad as some others, with Notre Dame still on the slate, and directional in-state schools (Western and Eastern Michigan) getting rare shots at the Big House. We doubt the Wolverines overlook Delaware State on October 17 after the Appalachian State fiasco of 2007.
Ole Miss...Outside of a possible tricky assignment at nearby Memphis, the Rebs complement their SEC slate with Oxford dates vs. UAB and two lower-division foes, SE Louisiana and Northern Arizona.
North Carolina...Butch Davis is taking no chances with the Tar Heels' resurgence, scheduling lower-division The Citadel and Georgia Southern in Chapel Hill.
North Carolina State...The Wolfpack has an interesting revenge home opener vs. South Carolina, but later hosts Murray State and Gardner-Webb in Raleigh.
Penn State...Joe Paterno gets no mulligan for going out of his way to downgrade a non-conference slate consisting of Akron, Syracuse, Temple, and Eastern Illinois...all at Happy Valley.
Rutgers...The Scarlet Knights have a bit of an excuse, forced to scramble to fill openings at a late date due to teams pulling out (including Notre Dame, which refused to play at Rutgers' campus stadium and wanted the game to be played at the Meadowlands instead). Nonetheless, home games vs. Howard, Florida International, and Texas Southern, plus a trip to rebuilding Maryland, provide Greg Schiano's troops with an awfully soft non-Big East landing.
South Florida...The Bulls get their long-awaited shot at Florida State this fall. They also get Wofford and Charleston Southern at home, and a manageable road trip to FBS newcomer Western Kentucky.