No…this isn’t a nutrition article about sweets, specifically CUPCAKES, it’s still a Sports Article!
…for years, there’s been an increasing numbers of football games added to the schedule. That’s not surprising since football programs are the primary source of sports income for schools. In addition, some schools have donors who are “hooked” by supporting the school due to its football success.
…But…until this time, many schools have often filled their non-conference schedule with “cupcake” games. It’s against usually a home game against a lower level team so that there was a VERY, VERY SLIM CHANCE that they’d lose the game. The visiting team was paid, sometimes handsomely, to get beat. It would enhance the record of the home team. Hence, their glittering non-league record was completed prior to conference action with the team being undefeated or with just 1 loss. But…does beating up on CUPCAKES REALLY deserve a team to hold a high national ranking?
…For example, in 2022, Alabama clobbered Utah State, Univ of Louisiana-Monroe& Austin Peay. Bama did beat Texas 20-19 in a wonderful game against another good team. How many other ranked schools had just 1 win against quality opponents(like Bama)? I would guess that several NCAA Football teams could have been 5-0 with that schedule. Yet….each & every week Alabama was ranked #1. It wasn’t due to the caliber of the opponents but due to the “expected” talent of the Bama team and their traditionally strong program. It paid off to have 4 cupcakes & 4 easy wins to start the season.
…While the won-lost record blossomed, did it REALLY enhance the performance of the team for the conference record? Did the players elevate their level of play against these inferior teams? I don’t think so. You get better by playing better teams with better athletes who have better speed, strength, quickness & agility. Overwhelming opponents because you have many vastly superior athletes could be very misleading. Maybe, due to the far superior athleticism, good techniques aren’t required (like they are against strong opponents). Generally, competition in the conference action will be against outstanding athletes on your schedule.
…Compounding the situation, teams pile up 4-0 or 3-1 records against these “cupcakes” expecting to find themselves ranked in the top 20, or top 10 or someplace close to the top @ #1 due to their unbeaten (and unchallenged) record!! It’s worked for a long time for some of them but…think about it. Does beating up vastly inferior talent of your non-conference teams merit votes to be a #1 team? How many other teams could hold the same record against that schedule? #1 teams should hold wins against strong competition…not just cup cakes. GET RID OF THE CUPCAKES!!!
….Yet, the voters seem to vote blindly on a) their past record; b) the Head Coaches resume &/or personality; c) the expected number of draft choices…not paying any…or little.. attention to the level of their competition.
…here’s an example from 2023—the 4 non-league opponents for Alabama—Middle Tennessee; S. Florida, Texas (coming into SEC next year); Chattanooga. Meanwhile, defending National Champion, Georgia, scheduled—UT-Martin; Ball State, Georgia Tech, UAB. Classic—chalk up 4 easy cupcake wins!! How many NCAA teams couldn’t also go 4-0 against either of these schedules?
…Next season, 2024, the NCAA-Football post season will be revamped…in a big way. An expansion of the collegiate football playoff system will occur. In 2024-First round games will be on-campus games–Friday, Dec. 20 (1 game); Sat Dec. 21 (three games). In the quarterfinals, post-season games will be part of the “bowl” system. The Quarterfinals will be Tue, Dec. 31 (Fiesta Bowl); Wed, Jan. 1 (Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl). The Semifinals will be Thurs, Jan. 9 (Orange Bowl) & Fri, Jan. 10 (Cotton Bowl). The Championship game will be Monday, Jan. 20. It would seem logical that the committee will look @ the entire schedule as they evaluate the strength of the team. In fact, wins over CUP CAKES may be viewed as a negative…OK…let ‘em have 1 CUPCAKE!
…….Sooo…let’s make the non-conference schedule of the power-4 or 5 team… or whatever they are.. meaningful games. DROP THE CUPCAKES!! There will be 4 major conferences @ the highest level—Big 10, Big 12, ACC & SEC. Let these 4 conferences play the bulk of their non-league schedule against teams from the SEC,Big 10, Big 12, ACC. Use the nonconference games to prepare for the conference games by scheduling games against teams from these power conferences. Make it a major attraction in the off-season…have a day or 2 of each team from these conferences “drawing” their opponents out of hat—2 home, 2 away. Let ‘em keep 1 cupcake! The rankings would be based on the wins over the quality teams (as it should be).
…Using a “scramble” mode…try it this way, each school from the 4 major conferences will draw blindly, 2 home games & 2 road games from the other 3 major conferences. A system would be devised for the drawing. It’d be a “made for TV” hit. Fans would really enjoy seeing their schedule completed right in front of them on the screen.
…Wouldn’t it be exciting to see Ohio State (at some point), Penn State, USC, etc at Columbia, MO? Sure, there’d be Big 12 teams that don’t thrill you to see them but at least the caliber is far above the “gimme” games that you see for the first 4 weeks each season currently.
…Playing all the opponents in your conference or division is ALREADY done in most sports in the NCAA. Basketball, Baseball, Softball, soccer teams compete against all the other teams in their division or conference. Sooo…football would be doing the exactly the same as all the other sports.
….Yes….you’d be pushing out the “gimme” games that may help those weak-football schools financially but…a more “level” type of non-conference game should be integrated. I actually think that attendance will increase as fans have the opportunity to see better teams from the Big 10, Big 12, SEC & ACC LIVE that they have never seen previously.
…Mizzou has demonstrated in the last 2 weeks that they belong with the “BIG BOYS”…not the Cupcakes. This week, MU dominated Tennessee @ the Line of Scrimmage, tackled well, didn’t surrender “big plays” and treated HC Josh Heupel to a taste of his own Medicine with a 36-7 whipping. Heupel rarely puts on the offensive “brakes” when his team is “up” on an opponent.
…The Tigers were led to the win by the tremendous play of Cody Schrader. He finished the day with 205 rushing yards on 35 carries and 116 yards on 5 receptions. He really doesn’t “JUMP out to YOU”…but he sets up blocks @ full speed as he breaks through the line, burst threw the LOS with the outstanding vision that belongs to only super running backs, knows when there’s no “escape” so he puts his head down & plunges ahead for another 3 or 4 or 5 yards. His background @ Lutheran South is impressive–Frosh year-2014 record-4-7; 132 carries/832 yds team record 4-7; Soph–2015—279c/2441 yds; 36TD record 6-5; Jr–016 record—7-4 228c/ 1708 yds 11 rec/221 yds; Sr–2017 –195 carries/778 yds; 12 catches-212 yds. However, Lutheran South was never a powerhouse…seldom, if ever, were in the headlines. He was viewed as a good player on a generally weak team. Mizzou DID see something in him….and here he is today….some are actually thinking that he may be drafted by the NFL. I’m not so sure of that…but congrats to him & Mizzou!! But….I do think that he’d at least “be in the discussion” for the Heisman!! The Heisman Winner should be the best player of the year…not the best draft choice of the upcoming draft.
…on 2nd thought…only 3 running backs have won the Heisman since 2000!! 2015-Derrick Henry; 2009 Mark Ingram Jr.; 2005-Reggie Bush. During that same time frame, 18 QB have won the Heisman. The college game has clearly “gone the way” of the pass.
…In the MLB world….the Cubs added to their team by hiring Greg Counsell away from Milwaukee. The Brewers, who were 26th in the league in salaries(30 teams), have won the division 2 of the last 3 years. The Cards were 13th in salary expenditures while the Cubs were 7th last year. The Brewcrew always seemed to have pitching but a weak hitting lineup that Counsell would “work around” each game & each series. The playoffs usually exposed the Brewers for their mediocre batting strength. I think that the Cubs will benefit when Counsell takes over as Manager. He’s an experienced “winner” in the MLB. …It’s really a “bad look” for the last place Cardinals . Cards “hold” onto what they have (on the field & in the dugout) while the Cubs, who finished in 2nd place 12 games ahead of the Cardinals, hire a premier, experienced manager to improve their team. Unless there’s a dynamic change, in 2024 the Cards will be ..again…one of the CUPCAKES in the NL Central!!
….Thanks for making it to the end, we’re out of CUPCAKES 😊 YOUR thoughts & comments are always invited. Bob
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