Pac-10 Scheduling FTW
Matt Hayes over at the Sporting News has been ranking the non-conference schedules of each conference, and just ranked the Pac-10.
Lets be clear about this: The Pac-10 has the best scheduling in the nation. Not only do we get treated to a true round robin, but the entire Pac-10 ADs have done an astounding job of scheduling tough games (not including Arizona and Stanford, though at least they have ND). Below is how Matt ranked the toughness of Pac-10 schedules, and I pretty much agree with the rankings:
1. USC: at Virginia, Ohio State, Notre Dame
2. Washington: BYU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame
3. UCLA: Tennessee, at BYU, Fresno State
4. Oregon State: at Penn State, Hawaii, at Utah
5. California: Michigan State, at Maryland, Colorado State
6. Arizona State: Georgia, Northern Arizona, UNLV
7. Oregon: Utah State, at Purdue, Boise State
8. Washington State: Oklahoma State, at Baylor, Portland State
9. Stanford: at TCU, San Jose State, at Notre Dame
10. Arizona: Idaho, Toledo, at New Mexico
By comparison, here are some of the toughest schedules in all other conference. For the toughest schedules, every team listed below was in the top 2 of their conference.
Michigan State: at California, Eastern Michigan, Florida Atlantic, Notre Dame
Michigan: Utah, Miami (OH), at Notre Dame, Toledo
Florida: Hawaii, Miami, Citadel, at Florida State
Miami: Charleston Southern, at Florida, at Texas A&M, UCF
Virginia: USC, Richmond, at Connecticut, East Carolina
Pittsburgh: Bowling Green, Buffalo, Iowa, at Navy, at Notre Dame
Syracuse: at Northwestern, Akron, Penn State, Northeastern, at Notre Dame
Colorado: Colorado State (in Denver), Eastern Washington, West Virginia, at Florida State
Oklahoma: Tennessee-Chattanooga, Cincinnati, at Washington, TCU
And I'm gonna throw out a few of the contenders this season, just because:
Georgia: Georgia Southern, Central Michigan, at Arizona State, Georgia Tech
LSU: Appalachian State, Troy, North Texas, Tulane
Ohio State: Youngstown State, Ohio, at USC, Troy
Clemson: Alabama, Citadel, South Carolina State, South Carolina
As you can see, there is no comparisson whatsoever. I don't think any of the teams listed could even crack the top 4 of the Pac-10 in terms of schedule, and many of the teams have tougher schedules because they are playing Pac-10 teams. While the Pac-10 plays an extra conference game, every other conference just added a gimme game. Few teams have more than one game that should be considered a lock, and most Pac-10 teams have no easy non-conference games as at all.
I am very glad that we have this scheduling, and that as Pac-10 fans, we get treated to some excellent football. Now if only we can get that broadcast to the rest of the nation....
GO DUCKS!!
P.S. 70 days!
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Has anyone heard
if Comcast sports net has a deal in the works to expand? I mean to other providers?
Which Comcast sports net are you talking about?
There is a CSN in Chicago, which carries a lot of Fox Sports net programming. I know there are others around the country, but the programming is very disjointed.
The one we have here in Portland
That carries the Ducks and Blazers. I’m wondering if that channel will be available soon to non-Comcast subscribers.
Not likely
Comcast as a company plays major-league hardball with everyone else. For example, they still aren’t streaming ESPN360 over their high-seed network and refuse to even offer ESPNU.
They are hardballing
and it sucks. Wave Broadband is all that’s offered in my area. I can’t get CSN.
I’m going to have to drive to Wilsonville or Salem and catch games at a sportsbar if something doesn’t happen soon.
--Dave
Addicted to Quack, SBN's Oregon Ducks blog
I don't think Stanfords is that bad
I TCU is a perennial power in their conference, ND while currently on hard times is always a tough game and their week game is a local match, and as a guy born and raised in the Bay Area I can understand the appeal of that game
Arizona’s is a joke
Considering that TCU is one of Oklahoma's harder games...
If you throw out Washington, as both play them @ UW, and Pac-10 has one less out of conference game…
2 Big 12 schedule…Tennessee-Chattanooga, Cincinnati, TCU
#9 Pac 10 schedule
at TCU, San Jose State, at Notre Dame
I would say that Stanford, again, the #9 Pac 10 schedule, has a tougher schedule than Oklahoma, #2 in the Big 12. They play two games away, and Cinci and ND are pretty close to a wash, considering the travel. The disparity of schedules from other conferences is astounding.
Haha, I noticed that Appalachian State brought LSU up to an honorable mention
And after looking over the rest of the conference’s non-conference schedule, one would think we have it easy.
Are you gonna post the conference schedules for each following this? Maybe in a grid so we can match the games? That’d be cool, very SMQ.
Coach Owens = A Chosen Cow.
RPI is a ranking of teams, not the schedule...
...so it’s not “tough.”
As far as ranking the strength of schedule…you could go by opponents records from last year, though that won’t really tell much. At this point, it’s mostly conjecture.
Pac 10 Preview
The Ducks will be solid whether or not they play a hard non conference schedule. Here is a 2008 Pac 10 season preview; Oregon is rated 3rd, behind USC and AZ State.
Sounds right
With all three of the biggies on the road this year, plus the Bucktooths, I think going 2-2 is likely in those four games. Anything better is a bonus.
The Ducks have said for years
that getting quality BCS games scheduled OOC is difficult at best, yet the PAC10 still continues to get some of the better OOC scheduling in the country.
There was a laughable thread on eDuck yesterday involving a Georgia Bulldog/SEC fan that discussed this topic somewhat (Trying to prove why they deserve to be hughhly ranked and don’t need to travel to the west coast.). The guy (Screen name ‘Jonger’) was absolutely rabid in his denial that they schedule ‘patsies’, let alone don’t usually travel out of their own time zone with any regularity…
Partial comment from eDuck:
Jonger: “How often or far they travel isn’t really the issue. Our teams may not travel like the Pac 10, but so what? As stated, there are plenty of big OOC programs in and around our region (I think that’s what really ticks you all off) and most of our teams usually aren’t itching for naitonal exposure like your teams are. Do well in the SEC and most people will know about you thanks to CBS and ESPN. Therefore, it’s foolish to expect for every single one of our teams to travel like you all do. Like I’ve always said, why always go across town to the mini-mart when you have a Super Target in your own backyard?” (If that ain’t disrespeck, wot is?)
For every guy who writes or comments in the media about the actual strength of schedule, there are several hacks who continue to churn out the hype that east coast teams are ‘just natcherly tuffer’ like this Bulldog fan. That’s why the majority of teams in the PAC10, (outside of USC) will struggle to get a decent shot at the NC game. Acknowledgement and national exposure are very hard to come by.
Don't pay attentions to the morons...
There is only one place you should ever listen to a Georgia fan on this subject….SEC fans on the internet.
I somehow screwed that up....
Here’s what I meant:
There is only one place you should ever listen to a Georgia fan on this subject: Dawg Sports.
T Kyle King is one of the best bloggers out there, and incredibly reasonable, even when discussing his own team. He’s written on this topic before actually. He’s a breath of fresh air when it comes to the blowhard SEC fans on the internet. Sounds like the other guy was just a troll.




















