Ask Gator

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I just hope we go better than 7-5 this year

Who cares? When you play in the SEC plus FSU every year, why would Florida need to schedule MORE tough road games???!!!!

 

I agree that in the past few years that is enough, but found it interesting that when they play Michigan to start the 2017 season it could be their first such win in 70 years.

Really? 70 years?!?!

 

Strictly as a fan, the cupcake non-conference games scheduled by big time teams -- and obviously, SEC teams have been particularly prone to this -- are pointless. If you think you are the best team in the country, play a tough non-conference schedule. Even in the SEC, you will likely get a couple of cupcake conference games most years.

Well, in all fairness, every big time program schedules cupcakes.

I will say this about my Tennessee Vols… they are good about having at least one quality non-conference game every year. In 2001 Syracuse and Notre Dame, 2002-03 a home and away with #1 Miami, 2004-05 Notre Dame again, 2006 #12 Cal and a pretty good Air Force team, 2007 Cal again, 2008-09 a home and away with UCLA, 2010 Oregon, 2011 Cincinnatti, 2012 NC State, 2013 the Ducks again, and 2014 and this year we have Oklahoma.

Down the road, we’ve got games lined up against West Virginia, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, and Pitt. So I think our AD is doing a good job of at least having one “quality” non-conference opponent every year (to go with our annual match ups against Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and the rest of the SEC).

I agree about Tenn. They do have a quality out of conference ("OOC") schedule with home and aways, unlike many other SEC teams. Unfortunately for my Ducks, though, in 2010 and 2013 we were accused of having a "cupcake" schedule because our best OOC opponent was Tenn. (and Virginia in 2013). When the games were scheduled, though, no one could predict Tenn. would be having down years. This year, the Ducks play at Mich. St. finishing up the home and away.

I just hope we go better than 7-5 this year

I don't recall seeing them mentioned in pre-season polls. Looking grim again, eh?

I just hope we go better than 7-5 this year

 

I don't recall seeing them mentioned in pre-season polls. Looking grim again, eh?

I just hope we go better than 7-5 this year

 

I don't recall seeing them mentioned in pre-season polls. Looking grim again, eh?

new coach, less than stellar recruiting...will take time... we haven't fallen as far as Tenn

Ain't that the truth. Dooley and Kiffin really did a number on us. Almost like the NCAA giving us the death penalty for a few years. Seriously, when you actually have to send a manager to a frat house a half hour before the game and get a former walk on to come dress because a starter got injured in pregame warm-ups, it really speaks to your lack of depth.

If you think you are the best team in the country, play a tough non-conference schedule. Even in the SEC, you will likely get a couple of cupcake conference games most years.

This.

I guess there's nothing inherently wrong with scheduling homecoming against Georgia Southern (unless you are the Gators of course) because you've got those bills to pay, but don't be afraid to schedule home and homes with quality opponents (thank you Tennessee).

You get 3-4 non-conference games a year, play someone. Of course the SEC threatens exposure if they start scheduling more non-FCS teams, they were just .500 against the power 5 last year, including 3-5 against the lowly ACC.

Kudos to the Big Ten for banning FCS games.

70 years between out-of-state road wins over a winning team is a long time Florida (assuming they even beat Michigan).

If you think you are the best team in the country, play a tough non-conference schedule. Even in the SEC, you will likely get a couple of cupcake conference games most years.

 

This.

I guess there's nothing inherently wrong with scheduling homecoming against Georgia Southern (unless you are the Gators of course) because you've got those bills to pay, but don't be afraid to schedule home and homes with quality opponents (thank you Tennessee).

 

You get 3-4 non-conference games a year, play someone. Of course the SEC threatens exposure if they start scheduling more non-FCS teams, they were just .500 against the power 5 last year, including 3-5 against the lowly ACC.

Kudos to the Big Ten for banning FCS games.

 

70 years between out-of-state road wins over a winning team is a long time Florida (assuming they even beat Michigan).

I would disagree and I think the number of empty seats at these cupcake games indicate that even ardent fans find them a bore. What's the point of killing a cupcake 56-0? It's a stupefyingly boring game even for fans of the winning team.

In the old days, when these games were more likely to be bunched early in the season, the rationale was, "This ain't the NFL. We don't have exhibition games, so we need to have these tuneup games." Last year, Alabama's next to last game was against Western Carolina. I think Saban had some gall criticizing Bama fans for not showing up or for leaving early when he's scheduling the likes of Florida Atlantic and Western Carolina.

last year the SEC was down a little bit, but one year does not make a conference...

compare the last 10 years and I think the story is a little brighter for the SEC

In the last 10 years, 6 teams other than Florida have won the National Championship. Over that time, the Gators played those 6 teams 27 times in the regular season, and twice more in the SECCG. No team in the country has played a similar schedule.

In the last 10 years, 6 teams other than Florida have won the National Championship. Over that time, the Gators played those 6 teams 27 times in the regular season, and twice more in the SECCG. No team in the country has played a similar schedule.

In the last 10 years, 6 teams other than Florida have won the National Championship. Over that time, the Gators played those 6 teams 27 times in the regular season, and twice more in the SECCG. No team in the country has played a similar schedule.

That's because the SEC won't ever schedule anyone else out of conference. Except Alabama, they have actually made a little bit of an effort.

In the last 10 years, 6 teams other than Florida have won the National Championship. Over that time, the Gators played those 6 teams 27 times in the regular season, and twice more in the SECCG. No team in the country has played a similar schedule.

 

That's because the SEC won't ever schedule anyone else out of conference. Except Alabama, they have actually made a little bit of an effort.

Florida plays F$U every year...

In the last 10 years, 6 teams other than Florida have won the National Championship. Over that time, the Gators played those 6 teams 27 times in the regular season, and twice more in the SECCG. No team in the country has played a similar schedule.

 

That's because the SEC won't ever schedule anyone else out of conference. Except Alabama, they have actually made a little bit of an effort.

tigers have played oregon, wvu, tcu, wisconsin, etc. out of conference lately. i think we schedule tougher ooc than 'bama does. understand, i am aware of cupcakes in the ooc schedule for lsu, as well.

In the last 10 years, 6 teams other than Florida have won the National Championship. Over that time, the Gators played those 6 teams 27 times in the regular season, and twice more in the SECCG. No team in the country has played a similar schedule.

 

That's because the SEC won't ever schedule anyone else out of conference. Except Alabama, they have actually made a little bit of an effort.

Florida plays F$U every year...

Come back to me when Florida plays a game north of the Mason-Dixon line and West of the Mississippi.

In the last 10 years, 6 teams other than Florida have won the National Championship. Over that time, the Gators played those 6 teams 27 times in the regular season, and twice more in the SECCG. No team in the country has played a similar schedule.

 

That's because the SEC won't ever schedule anyone else out of conference. Except Alabama, they have actually made a little bit of an effort.

 

tigers have played oregon, wvu, tcu, wisconsin, etc. out of conference lately. i think we schedule tougher ooc than 'bama does. understand, i am aware of cupcakes in the ooc schedule for lsu, as well.

Fair point. LSU has made an effort.

In the last 10 years, 6 teams other than Florida have won the National Championship. Over that time, the Gators played those 6 teams 27 times in the regular season, and twice more in the SECCG. No team in the country has played a similar schedule.

 

That's because the SEC won't ever schedule anyone else out of conference. Except Alabama, they have actually made a little bit of an effort.

Florida plays F$U every year...

 

Come back to me when Florida plays a game north of the Mason-Dixon line and West of the Mississippi.

How about games against schools that begin with a "z" and played on a Wednesday night?

Go back 20 years and the numbers really get crazy - 13 teams have won it all, and Florida has played over 80 regular season games against those teams. No school in the country can come close to matching that (not to mention winning 3 National Championships along the way).

In the last 10 years, 6 teams other than Florida have won the National Championship. Over that time, the Gators played those 6 teams 27 times in the regular season, and twice more in the SECCG. No team in the country has played a similar schedule.

Ole Miss, Miss State, and Arkansas have played those teams a minimum of 30 times and more if they happened to play against the Gators any of those years.

And LSU has a minimum of 30 games also since they are the Gators cross-division rival, PLUS they are willing to schedule tough OOC games. I'd say no team in the country has played a similar schedule to LSU.

It's easy to point to recent SEC schedules as "proof" of how tough your schedule is, but I am talking on an historic level. Florida has 0 wins outside the state against winning non-conference schools in over 60 years. Sorry, but you can't use that excuse for the last 60 years of dodging games.

That's like saying Michigan has played last year's NC 50x in the last 50 years. Nobody would dare schedule like that.

It's easy to point to recent SEC schedules as "proof" of how tough your schedule is, but I am talking on an historic level. Florida has 0 wins outside the state against winning non-conference schools in over 60 years. Sorry, but you can't use that excuse for the last 60 years of dodging games.

8 different teams from Florida or the SEC have won 20 National Championships in the last 35 years, and of the 17 of those that Florida didn't win, they played the National Champion 12 times. So it's rather laughable to criticize Florida for only playing teams from Florida or the SEC during that time, and therefore, I laugh!

It's easy to point to recent SEC schedules as "proof" of how tough your schedule is, but I am talking on an historic level. Florida has 0 wins outside the state against winning non-conference schools in over 60 years. Sorry, but you can't use that excuse for the last 60 years of dodging games.

8 different teams from Florida or the SEC have won 20 National Championships in the last 35 years, and of the 17 of those that Florida didn't win, they played the National Champion 12 times. So it's rather laughable to criticize Florida for only playing teams from Florida or the SEC during that time, and therefore, I laugh!

1/4 of those 20 NCs were won by Miami - who the Gators dropped as soon as they could.

But your math doesn't add up, "of the 17 that Florida didn't win" - do you mean the State of, or the University of? Florida doesn't/hasn't played Clemson, BYU, Penn State, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Washington, Michigan, etc. All of whom have been vigorously scheduled by the other two major Universities in the state. So yes, I agree with the statement that Miami and FSU are always up to the challenge of playing tough OOC opponents.

From 1987 to 2000, FSU had more top 5 finishes than the entire SEC combined.

SEC dominance is a relatively new thing.