....one would think that they would be looking for a challenge. But actually, they are always looking to AVOID a challenge. Sure, they can play great when they control all of the variables, and they only have to do it a couple of times a year. Let’s see them do what the northern teams and the NFL do.
Most every team in a conference will be playing against other teams in that conference to close out the season. If the SEC was the Mason Dixon Conference this might happen on some kind of regular basis.
In the BCS era when "good" (don't need a big payout game) schedule out of conference they are looking for a beatable team and a game in which the risk of injury to contributors is low. If Northwestern expected to be a contender the ND game would have been prior to the start of conference games.
Nonetheless there are always exceptions and I attended two of them that are relevant here. In mid Nov 1987 ND and the Tide squared off at ND Stadium (a very nice weather day somewhat surprisingly) with ND beating a good AL team 37-6. Way back in mid Nov 1976 ND beat the Tide 21-18. From what I remember from media coverage this was the first game AL played on the north side of the MD Line. Even though they part of two game home and home arrangements I was somewhat baffled then and now as to why AL agreed to potentially bad weather games.
Think the history of the ND-USC series is a good model of how to set up an annual game for N S opponents. When the arrangement was made both teams knew the home team would have a big advantage (warm vs arctic weather and not have the logistical nightmare moving players by train) but it would balance out over time. This lasted until 1960 when USC told ND that earlier season games at ND would have to be rule or they would kill the arrangement (we needed the $ and lost our weather advantage).
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Link: http://mcubed.net/ncaaf/series/al/index.shtml
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Why would they?
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...already scheduled for September 2nd.
I'm sure the date was non-negotiable too.
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...of the number of Florida recruits on their roster.
They just shut out the number 3 team, away, and won by four touchdowns. They are undefeated. They are reigning champs. No team has played them close. They play in the SEC, which is undeniably an elite conference. We have not played them this year, have not played them in 6 years, may not play them this year, and there is no reason to obsess over them. Except if the goal is to look biased and jealous and to inadvertently point out how much stronger they look than us.
Is it?
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But when they need to turn it on, they do. The just shut out the #3 team, in Death Valley, at night, 29-0. They would destroy us in South Bend, Tuscaloosa, Dallas, Miami, the North Pole. They are in a different league. Folks diminish whether LSU should have been #3. Well, we are #3 and they would destroy us too.
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The pussification continues
The issue isn’t that they are good or bad, the issue is, they play a bevy of practice squads each year to up their win total without having to play decent or good teams. Their challenges don’t equal the nations other top ranked teams until late in the season.
Other schools are being characterized for playoff contention by how tough their schedules are so too should Alabama.
Just like the old days. And let's have them wear leather helmets and they can't throw the ball. I'll still take Bama and give the points.
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