2025 schedule

[Consigliere]

right, the only issue with 2025 is AT Notre Dame

Horrible decision tbere

But to be relevant and a brand you have to take national games like the Tennessee game

When we win, it’s going to make us look really good

Time to stop being Debbie downers here in cuse world

Back to back 4-0 starts

If true it's not a decision. ACC assigns the contracted Notre Dame games. There is conflicting information about the venue for that one.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I got a feeling that if we are interested in moving the ND game, there will be pathways for that.

 

[Eric15]

One thing to remember re: scheduling is that the playoff field expands from 4 to 12 next year. It's no longer a pipe dream for us to make the playoff. It's going to look a lot like college basketball where there's a "bubble watch" and teams' resumes are put under the microscope at the end of the year with SOS, Top 25 wins, etc.

So if the goal is simply to make the Weedeater Miracle Whip Dick's Sporting Goods Bowl that's played on December 26th in Detroit, then fine let's play four cream puffs.

But if the goal is to make a run at a playoff bid once or twice per decade, you need some semblance of non-conference power wins. I don't want to get left out one year when we have a great team because we didn't play anyone.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

One thing to remember re: scheduling is that the playoff field expands from 4 to 12 next year. It's no longer a pipe dream for us to make the playoff. It's going to look a lot like college basketball where there's a "bubble watch" and teams' resumes are put under the microscope at the end of the year with SOS, Top 25 wins, etc.

So if the goal is simply to make the Weedeater Miracle Whip Dick's Sporting Goods Bowl that's played on December 26th in Detroit, then fine let's play four cream puffs.

But if the goal is to make a run at a playoff bid once or twice per decade, you need some semblance of non-conference power wins. I don't want to get left out one year when we have a great team because we didn't play anyone.

Not really. If we look at 2018, we were ranked 12th going into Notre Dame. If we had played Arizona instead, we would have likely ended 10th had no one jumped us. Are three teams really jumping us to leave us out?

If we want an at large we need to be ranked in the Top 10. What gives us a better chance of getting into a Top 10, a good record or a tough OOC schedule? Sure it is great to have both, but for a school like SU it isn't realistic to have both.

 

[Eric15]

What gives us a better chance of getting into a Top 10, a good record or a tough OOC schedule?

It’s a combination of both.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

It’s a combination of both.

2018 begs to differ. We got up to 12th without beating anyone. At the time our best W was unranked NC State (6-3 at that point). We lost at unranked Pitt (6-4 at that point). We played OOC at WMU (6-5 at that point), Wagner (3-7 at that point), UConn (1-9 at that point).

That season proves we can get into the playoff hunt without a strong OOC or even strong ACC schedule. Had we played an easier team than ND and won, we would have finished as high as 10th, at worst 13th. Instead we finished 20th in the CFP rankings.

Had we finished 13th would our OOC have been the cause? Yes, but we wouldn't have been 13th in the first place with a strong OOC schedule.

 

[Eric15]

2018 begs to differ. We got up to 12th without beating anyone. At the time our best W was unranked NC State (6-3 at that point). We lost at unranked Pitt (6-4 at that point). We played OOC at WMU (6-5 at that point), Wagner (3-7 at that point), UConn (1-9 at that point).

That season proves we can get into the playoff hunt without a strong OOC or even strong ACC schedule. Had we played an easier team than ND and won, we would have finished as high as 10th, at worst 13th. Instead we finished 20th in the CFP rankings.

Had we finished 13th would our OOC have been the cause? Yes, but we wouldn't have been 13th in the first place with a strong OOC schedule.

It’s possible that what you’re describing could have transpired. It’s also possible we could have been leapfrogged in the polls by other teams racking up quality wins in the final 2 or 3 weeks of the season. Nothing is “proven” by one single hypothetical five years ago.

 

[TexanMark]

Have you heard anything about any new non-conference series to be announced?

Not as much hearsay anymore...sources mostly all dried up due to moves

 

[HRE Otto IV]

It’s possible that what you’re describing could have transpired. It’s also possible we could have been leapfrogged in the polls by other teams racking up quality wins in the final 2 or 3 weeks of the season. Nothing is “proven” by one single hypothetical five years ago.

At worst we would have been 13th. Washington would have jumped us. Who else is jumping us?

We were ahead of Florida at the time:
Florida had Idaho and at FSU
LSU fell behind Florida after losing that crazy game to A&M
Penn State had at Rutgers and Maryland

I think both Florida and LSU end up ahead. Penn State is 50-50 only because of their name.

But the main point is we would have been in the conversation. Heck if we lose to UNC like we did at 2018 Pitt and lose to FSU like we did at 2018 Clemson, we will be in the conversation this year despite having an easy OOC schedule.

I rather be a lock than be on the bubble. But I rather be on the bubble than not on the bubble at all. What gives us a better chance at being on the bubble? We need to be 10-2 or 10-3 (lose ACC CG) to have a chance at an at large. IMO we need to a schedule that gives us the best chance at 10 Ws. That isn't having a strong OOC. If we have 11+ Ws or win the ACC our OOC will not matter. IMO we won't get in with 9-3 and a strong OOC.