UK football and its future cupcake schedule

[I am stupid]

The SEC is in a position where you have two options for schedules. Tier 1 is for the SEC West competitors; Auburn and Alabama. They have their schedules which is the conference, plus the cupcakes, and one good P5 team. The rest are just like UK's. Conference, and as many cupcakes they can have.

The reason Auburn and Alabama have the extra tough game; Auburn vs Louisville and Alabama vs Wisconsin; is to help whoever loses the Iron Bowl(Auburn vs Alabama). That extra game will help counter the Iron bowl loss and still let them go to the playoffs if their sole loss is to the SECCG winner.

With UK, scheduling more competitive games would only mean it is less likely to make a bowl game. Which means less money and less practice time. Even with this schedule full of cupcakes, if you simply win out, you are going to the playoffs obviously. If you drop one, yet win the SECCG, you are still going to the playoffs. Lose two games and you will not even be considered unless you come from the West.

 

[Mike'sMarbles]

The SEC is in a position where you have two options for schedules. Tier 1 is for the SEC West competitors; Auburn and Alabama. They have their schedules which is the conference, plus the cupcakes, and one good P5 team. The rest are just like UK's. Conference, and as many cupcakes they can have.

I'm not sure I'm following. Are you saying only Auburn and Alabama play high profile opponents, and the rest of the SEC plays 4 dogs out of league? If that's your summary of the league's OOC schedule it's simply not true. Just off the top of my head, Georgia plays Georgia Tech, Florida plays Florida State. SC plays Clemson. Tennessee plays Oklahoma. Also, for that matter, UK is playing "one good P5 team" in Louisville.

I'm guessing I'm reading your post wrong?

 

[I am stupid]

They are all required to play 1 P5 team OOC. Most of those were already scheduled and are used to count as the P5 game. Such as UF/FSU, UGA/GT, SC/Clemson. Those are all the same as our game with Louisville; a rival game that we have played forever and are semi-forced to play them due to traditions.

Alabama and Auburn consider each other the rival, so they schedule a better OOC game. So in the next few years they are playing teams like; Louisville, FSU, USC, Wisconsin, etc... Generally the teams they are scheduling will improve their SOS. They are actively trying to improve their SOS instead of just playing the same games every year due to tradition.(tradition games may help your SOS, or it may hurt it if you are playing a team like: Kentucky)
*I realize my first post was as clear as mud, I apologize for that.

 

[American Male]

Let me see if I can make some sense here...

Kentucky wants to get to 6 wins every year by scheduling lower tier teams to get there...YET they CANCELLED the series with INDIANA...Well, after Indiana BEAT the SEC EAST CHAMPS Missouri last year...I guess I can see why!!!

Recruits want to play in bowl games...YET, they DON'T CARE how bad the teams are they play to get there...I would think they would want to COMPETE at the HIGHEST LEVEL...BOTH in conference and out of conference!!!

Hell, we have a LOCAL High School (TRINITY) that had to go out of state to get games because Kentucky teams REFUSSED to play them...They DIDN'T schedule BOTTOM FEEDERS...They SCHEDULED TOP TIER Programs from other states...They Won some they lost some...BUT...They went BIG!!!

 

[thecycle21]

The elephant in the room is the SEC bias allows the SEC teams to schedule poorly in the OOC games. They really have no incentive to schedule tougher OOC games. Why should they schedule tougher games? Did anyone really care about how weak Miss St OOC schedule was last year? The talking heads kept saying how they beat 2 top 10 teams instead of reporting the fact that neither of those teams were ranked by the middle of the year.

The SEC has a built in cushion because they recruit great and they always have teams ranked high in the preseason polls. There is never a shortage of over ranked teams to beat in conference play. Until other conferences start recruiting at that level that bias will not change. The playoffs may start to take its toll on the SEC. This could be the third straight year they don't win a title.

For UK they have no incentive to schedule tough. Their fans will come out in droves to watch them play Austin Peay, Southern Miss, and Eastern Michigan as long as they are getting to bowls games. They are completely reliant on the SEC being strong which will not always be the case.

That is a short term fix and not how the Louisville admin operates. That is why Louisville has become the better football program with far fewer resources.

The question was asked which schedule would you prefer this year without a doubt Louisville's. The ceiling is much higher than UK's. Louisville schedule is a playoff schedule...UK is not. At the end of the day your schedule for the playoff that is the difference between UK and Louisville.

 

[clearthebases]

Who says Mitch is not a Football guy? 8 home games..... Louisiana Lafayette, Eastern KY, Charlotte, whatever it takes to get to a bowl. Truth be known, Mitch and Mark would love to drop Louisville and replace them with WKU. Oh wait, that has not worked out according to plan lately. Brohm & company would hang another "L" on them.

 

[Bill Derington]

The elephant in the room is the SEC bias allows the SEC teams to schedule poorly in the OOC games. They really have no incentive to schedule tougher OOC games. Why should they schedule tougher games? Did anyone really care about how weak Miss St OOC schedule was last year? The talking heads kept saying how they beat 2 top 10 teams instead of reporting the fact that neither of those teams were ranked by the middle of the year.

The SEC has a built in cushion because they recruit great and they always have teams ranked high in the preseason polls. There is never a shortage of over ranked teams to beat in conference play. Until other conferences start recruiting at that level that bias will not change. The playoffs may start to take its toll on the SEC. This could be the third straight year they don't win a title.

For UK they have no incentive to schedule tough. Their fans will come out in droves to watch them play Austin Peay, Southern Miss, and Eastern Michigan as long as they are getting to bowls games. They are completely reliant on the SEC being strong which will not always be the case.

That is a short term fix and not how the Louisville admin operates. That is why Louisville has become the better football program with far fewer resources.

The question was asked which schedule would you prefer this year without a doubt Louisville's. The ceiling is much higher than UK's. Louisville schedule is a playoff schedule...UK is not. At the end of the day your schedule for the playoff that is the difference between UK and Louisville.

UK plays 4 preseason top 25 teams, Louisville plays 3, in conference, OOC it doesn't matter.

I also think Louisvilles schedule has a higher ceiling and playoff and high bowl potential simply because there's less circle the wagon games on it.

But I do agree that UK has an advantageous home schedule. They MUST take advantage of that this year.

 

[CardFan1130]

I also think Louisvilles schedule has a higher ceiling and playoff and high bowl potential simply because there's less circle the wagon games on it.

EKU, Charlotte and Vandy circle the wagon games? What does that mean anyway?

 

[American Male]

UK plays 4 preseason top 25 teams, Louisville plays 3, in conference, OOC it doesn't matter.

I also think Louisvilles schedule has a higher ceiling and playoff and high bowl potential simply because there's less circle the wagon games on it.

But I do agree that UK has an advantageous home schedule. They MUST take advantage of that this year.

Bill, Bill, Bill...Some of your post have merit...Others...NOT so much!!!

I understand your SEC outlook for some teams...Others...NOT at ALL!!!

Every year the Media and SEC Fans think 6-8 SEC Teams SHOULD Start in the Top 25...In REALITY...5 is MAX!!!

This year ONLY Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU and Missouri have ANY reason to be ranked in the Preseason Top-25, and I'm being NICE to Auburn and LSU!!!

Alabama and Georgia are Top-10!!!
Missouri is a 15-20 Type Team!!!
Auburn and LSU are LUCKY to be 23-25 Type Teams...ONLY!!!

Having EITHER of the Mississippi Schools ranked in the Top 25 is a GIFT for the SEC...As is Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee (This year and the past several years)...Those Teams are NOT...I repeat NOT your Daddy's Art Broyles, Neland/Majors or Spurrier/Meyers Teams!!!

Didn't last year TEACH you, your fanbase and other SEC fanbases ANYTHING!?!?!?

South Carolina and Texas A&M started Top-25 and had ZERO Business being there!!!

Ole Miss and Mississippi State came out of NOWHERE to SHOOT up the rankings based on the OVER-RATED SEC TEAMS they beat...The EOY Bowl Season PROVED that...Or SHOULD have!!!

This year the SAME BS has happened again...SEC Teams are RANKED based on the SEC Tagg and POTENTIAL...Not FACT or LOGIC!!!

Don't be SURPRISED, when Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas A&M ALL lose the first month of the season to OOC Teams...And UK had better take ULL SERIOUS...Or the Ragin Cajuns WILL beat you as well!!!

 

[Cardiotonic]

So you're saying that playing twice as many ranked teams as UL does every season isn't enough? We should schedule more?

No, fact is uk is the cupcake team on any real SEC teams schedule.......now try again. That jet eye mind post of yours won't work here.

 

[Bill Derington]

Bill, Bill, Bill...Some of your post have merit...Others...NOT so much!!!

I understand your SEC outlook for some teams...Others...NOT at ALL!!!

Every year the Media and SEC Fans think 6-8 SEC Teams SHOULD Start in the Top 25...In REALITY...5 is MAX!!!

This year ONLY Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU and Missouri have ANY reason to be ranked in the Preseason Top-25, and I'm being NICE to Auburn and LSU!!!

Alabama and Georgia are Top-10!!!
Missouri is a 15-20 Type Team!!!
Auburn and LSU are LUCKY to be 23-25 Type Teams...ONLY!!!

Having EITHER of the Mississippi Schools ranked in the Top 25 is a GIFT for the SEC...As is Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee (This year and the past several years)...Those Teams are NOT...I repeat NOT your Daddy's Art Broyles, Neland/Majors or Spurrier/Meyers Teams!!!

Didn't last year TEACH you, your fanbase and other SEC fanbases ANYTHING!?!?!?

South Carolina and Texas A&M started Top-25 and had ZERO Business being there!!!

Ole Miss and Mississippi State came out of NOWHERE to SHOOT up the rankings based on the OVER-RATED SEC TEAMS they beat...The EOY Bowl Season PROVED that...Or SHOULD have!!!

This year the SAME BS has happened again...SEC Teams are RANKED based on the SEC Tagg and POTENTIAL...Not FACT or LOGIC!!!

Don't be SURPRISED, when Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas A&M ALL lose the first month of the season to OOC Teams...And UK had better take ULL SERIOUS...Or the Ragin Cajuns WILL beat you as well!!!

I agree that preseason rankings mean squat, in all honesty there shouldn't be any rankings until 4-5 weeks into the season, but that's not the case.

And as I posted UK plays 4 preseason top 25 teams, and Louisville 3.

I don't know how good the SEC is going to be, but I know that it is considered by everyone to be the toughest league.

 

[American Male]

I agree that preseason rankings mean squat, in all honesty there shouldn't be any rankings until 4-5 weeks into the season, but that's not the case.

And as I posted UK plays 4 preseason top 25 teams, and Louisville 3.

I don't know how good the SEC is going to be, but I know that it is considered by everyone to be the toughest league.

DAMN FINE POST Bill...See, I CAN be OBJECTIVE!!!