Tag: Scheduling

Colin Cowherd Suggests USC Drop Notre Dame from Football Schedule

Here’s to hoping Colin Cowherd doesn’t get his way…

Few program histories in college football compare to that of USC.  The Trojans have been a west coast power for a century a despite having Southern California in their name, register as a national brand. A huge reason for that is because historically USC has been willing to play the elite of college football.  The Trojans have of course had the annual rivalry game with Notre Dame since 1926 but beyond the Irish, the Trojans schedule has been littered with the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Texas, and plenty of other traditional powerhouses for years. Earlier this week news came out that USC and head coach [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] specifically had been trying to get out their season-opening game with LSU this fall for over a year. National sports-talker Colin Cowherd then took it a step further, suggesting USC drop Notre Dame from their schedule going forward. It’s a stance that although we certainly don’t agree with happening, can understand why it’s being discussed.  Here is what we said about that exact same idea back in early-April:
Notre Dame’s schedule is always strong but without USC on it annually, it would certainly take a hit. Although I don’t think USC is about to run, it’s still worth at least exploring. Michigan, which the poster mentions, used to schedule one of the best out-of-conference schedules in the nation. Notre Dame, obviously, stands out as one of Michigan’s former annual rivals, but games with Alabama, Colorado (in its heyday), Washington and Oregon used to be regular occurrences. Now Michigan has stacked its nonconference schedule with the UNLVs, East Carolinas and Bowling Greens of the world and won a national championship while doing so. -From Fighting Irish Wire on April 9, 2024
Maybe I’m naive and being irrationally optimistic but I truly don’t see USC ditching Notre Dame anytime soon. Sure the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and the rest of the traditional Big Ten are now at hand, but even with that which game brings USC the most exposure each year (assuming they’re playing at a high level, and still often times when they’re not)? Notre Dame. It’s one thing to run from a matchup with LSU, a powerhouse but non-traditional rival, to start USC’s first season in the Big Ten. It’s entirely another to run from the program that helped build the USC brand more than any other nationally. [lawrence-related id=86316,55951,86536]

Notre Dame Football: Would USC be wise to drop Irish from schedule?

Would USC ever stop scheduling Notre Dame?

One of the greatest rivalries in all of college sports happens in football each fall between Notre Dame and USC. The two national powerhouses have played annually since the 1920s and used the rivalry to help elevate their respective programs nationally.

With USC joining the Big Ten, should the Trojans continue the rivalry?

I don’t ask out of want because I value the history and rivalries that make college football what it is as much as anyone. However, the X account @BoardGeniuses, which finds some of the most outlandish posts on various college sports message boards, found a post from a USC football fan that I think raises a valid question. Below is the post for you to read yourself:

Notre Dame’s schedule is always strong but without USC on it annually, it would certainly take a hit. Although I don’t think USC is about to run, it’s still worth at least exploring.

Michigan, which the poster mentions, used to schedule one of the best out-of-conference schedules in the nation. Notre Dame, obviously, stands out as one of Michigan’s former annual rivals, but games with Alabama, Colorado (in its heyday), Washington and Oregon used to be regular occurrences.

Now Michigan has stacked its nonconference schedule with the UNLVs, East Carolinas and Bowling Greens of the world and won a national championship while doing so.

Again, I don’t see USC abandoning the series anytime soon. I’d like to think USC has far too much pride to run from one of college football’s greatest rivalries, but the poster certainly makes a solid point of everything being about making the College Football Playoff and how a cupcake non-conference slate would help.

This is something we’ll certainly discuss with Trojans Wire this offseason.

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Alabama basketball set to host former assistant coach and Arkansas State

Alabama basketball hosting former assistant in non-conference game this year

As part of the Alabama Crimson Tide’s non-conference basketball schedule this season they will take on the Arkansas State Red Wolves in Tuscaloosa on Dec. 4. The reason that this game should drum up some interest with Tide fans is that former assistant Bryan Hodgson is now the head man of the Arkansas State program.

Nate Oats and the Alabama program lost all three assistants from last season’s record-setting team, one of which was Hodges. He was a massive part of Oats’s operation as he was a key recruiter, and his loss has certainly hurt this offseason. Hodgson is taking over a 13-20 program from a season ago and has his work cut out for him.

Hodgson left Alabama and Oats on a great note with nothing but good things to say, and he doubled down on X saying,

“One of the many things I’ve taken with me from Nate Oats is his scheduling philosophy! Challenge yourself in the non-conference. Not much to gain from collecting wins at home against “lesser” opponents. We look forward to the challenges ahead, and we put together what we think will be the toughest schedule in Mid-Major basketball!! #Wolvesup #GTTL”

I speak for all of Alabama nation when I say I hope he and Arkansas State have a phenomenal 2023-24 campaign outside of the game on Dec. 4.

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Big Ten to announce its future scheduling model Thursday

The Big Ten will announce its new scheduling model Thursday afternoon.

The 2023 college football season will be a lot of things across the country and in the Big Ten. More than anything else, it will be the last year before drastic changes are made to the sport.

USC and UCLA are set to join the Big Ten in 2024, Oklahoma and Texas are on their way to the SEC and the College Football Playoff will soon balloon to 12 teams. Many smaller facets of the sport will shift when this movement happens, none more important to Wisconsin than the change in the Big Ten’s East-West division model.

The Badgers have benefitted from playing in the Big Ten West since its inception, reaching the Big Ten Championship three times in a four-year period from 2016-2019. To the dismay of many, that division model will reportedly reach its end after the 2023 season.

The Big Ten will announce its new scheduling model Thursday afternoon. The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach reports a “Flex Protect” model is the likely outcome, with schools protecting a few rivalry games each season and cycling through the rest of the conference on a bi-annual basis.

The Big Ten first changed to divisions after Nebraska joined the league in 2010. Today’s East-West model then began in 2014, aligned with the start of the four-team College Football Playoff. With more teams entering the conference and the Playoff expanding again, the conference is set to again change with the times.

For Wisconsin, that likely means a guaranteed game against Iowa, Minnesota and maybe Nebraska every season. In that scenario, the Badgers would then play every other conference foe every other season.

To me, at least, it is bittersweet to see the Big Ten West reach its end.