Spring Games and Series Cancellations

[GatOrlando]

Following Nebraska announcing their decision to cancel their spring game because of fears of showcasing guys to transfer portal hawks despite having 60,000 people attend last year. USC, Texas and Ohio State have followed suit. Oregon has yet to come out on the issue publicly, but rumor has it that most college coaches don't enjoy spring games but none wanted to be the first to cancel. I think it's fair to say spring games are going out of style.

 

But wait!!! Nebraska has also been in the news for cancelling a two game series that was meant to be played in 2025 and 2026 because of loss of revenue due to Memorial Stadium getting renovations and having a reduced capacity. Which means they won't have as many paying fans. They informed Tennessee last week which has infuriated their AD Danny White. To me thats a little suspicious and I suspect Nebraska is looking to schedule as many easy wins as possible. I have no problem with that but doing it with just seven months before the first game was to be played is a little dirty. 

 

Is this possibly a memo from the B1G to the SEC to go to 9 conference games? How would you feel if Oregon did this or had it done to them in the timeframe Nebraska did it? I don't buy the revenue loss because they have to pay Tennessee a substantial fee to break the agreement and now pay Bowling Green and Miami Ohio to come to Lincoln to replace the Tennessee games.

 

 

[OregonDucks]

On 2/25/2025 at 6:19 AM, GatOrlando said:

But wait!!! Nebraska has also been in the news for cancelling a two game series that was meant to be played in 2025 and 2026 

Would love it if Oregon could find a way to schedule another home-and-home series with Tennessee, especially with a certain high school QB we are a finalist for!

 

Oregon would have to get out of or move the Oklahoma State (2026) and Baylor (2027) games. 

[Jon Joseph]

 

Tennessee's umbrage over the late cancellation date is understandable, but Nebraska's cancellation of the series is also understandable.

 

In 2023-24, champion Michigan played three G5 teams out-of-conference, all games in Ann Arbor.

 

In 2024-25, champion Ohio State played three G5 teams out-of-conference, all in Columbus. 

 

In 2025-26, Penn State will play two G5 teams and an FCS team out-of-conference, all in Happy Valley. 

 

In 2024, Tennessee played Chattanooga, Kent State, and UTEP out-of-conference, all in Knoxville. In 2025, Tennessee will play ETSU, UAB, and New Mexico State out-of-conference with all games in Knoxville.

 

In 2024, The Vols also played NC State in Charlotte. In 2025, Tennessee opens against Syracuse in Atlanta. With these two games, the Vols played nine P4 teams in 2024, and with Syracuse in the opener, will play nine P4 teams in 2025. 

 

Regardless of the teams Nebraska plays out-of-conference, it will play nine P4 games every season. Regardless of the opponent, Nebraska will sell out every home game. Based on the current playoff format and the vagaries of the playoff committee, why should Nebraska test itself out-of-conference?

 

Ole Miss was supposed to open at USC in 2025, but the teams mutually agreed to cancel the two-game series. Wake Forest after being blasted at home last season by Ole Miss, bought its way out of the return game in Oxford. This infuriated Lane Kiffin. What's good for the goose isn't good for the gander?

 

In 2025, Ole Miss will entertain Georgia State, Tulane, Washington State, and The Citadel. In 2025, Ole Miss will play eight P4 opponents. If Ole Miss goes 9-3, Kiffin will still beef about not making the playoff.

 

I pay no attention to selective umbrage over a team's out-of-conference opponents. If Ohio State played Texas State in 2025 instead of Texas, and if Michigan played Tulsa at home instead of playing at Oklahoma, at 10-2 both teams would be playoff locks. IMO, it's better and smarter to play top competition in your conference and the playoff.

 

Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Texas, will not receive a penny more in revenue by going large out-of-conference and all four teams sell out every home game no matter the opponent.

 

My Ducks dream out-of-conference schedule season after season: Home vs. Portland State, a G5 opponent not named Boise State in Autzen, and one of Cal or Stanford.

 

 Let Iron Sharpen Iron in the postseason.

[Jon Joseph]

On 2/25/2025 at 10:31 AM, OregonDucks said:

Would love it if Oregon could find a way to schedule another home-and-home series with Tennessee, especially with a certain high school QB we are a finalist for!

 

Oregon would have to get out of or move the Oklahoma State (2026) and Baylor (2027) games. 

 

In 2027, OBD plays at Michigan and plays Ohio State and Penn State in Autzen. Oregon only plays six home games in 2027. IMO, Mullens should buy out of the Baylor series and play Portland State and not Tennessee, in Autzen. Play the Vols in a game that will be remembered in the playoff and not in the regular season.

[Jon Joseph]

 

In today's mega conferences, the strength of schedule will vary widely. Below is a ranking of the five hardest B1G schedules in 2025. I would have Wisconsin No. 1 and not Rutgers. Regardless, looking at Wisconsin's in-conference schedule, why are the Badgers playing at Bama?

 

I reiterate, in 2027 with Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State on the schedule and six home games, OBD does not need to travel to Waco, Texas to play P4 Baylor. Nothing to be gained with a win and lots of pain with a loss. 

 

In today's CFB, top-drawer teams should always play at least seven home games. The 2027 gauntlet is on the AD who went B12 with his time served on the PO committee in Grapevine, Texas.

 

 

Ranking the 5 toughest Big Ten schedules for the 2025 season

SATURDAYBLITZ.COM

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The 2025 Big Ten football season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive yet, with the expanded conference featuring a mix of powerhouse programs and ri

 

Sigh, Oregon plays Iowa in Iowa City, not in Eugene. This stuff is not that hard to get right.

[Jon Joseph]

 

No MO spring game in COMO, because of stadium renovations, right?

 

 

Another SEC team cancels their spring game in disturbing trend

SATURDAYBLITZ.COM

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Missouri fans hoping to get an early glimpse of the 2025 Tigers will have to wait until the fall. The program has announced it will not hold a spring game in ei

[30Duck]

On 2/25/2025 at 9:35 AM, Jon Joseph said:

In today's CFB, top-drawer teams should always play at least seven home games. The 2027 gauntlet is on the AD who went B12 with his time served on the PO committee in Grapevine, Texas.

Could not agree more. It's great if some other teams want to play marquee non-con games, that we can watch & enjoy. A top-10 team gains 0 by beating another top-10 during the regular season. Wisconsin is said to have the hardest B1G schedule and Alabama in non-con?

 

Wisconsin won't be a top-10, Alabama might not be either and both will have tough enough conference schedules. 

[GatOrlando]

On 2/25/2025 at 10:35 AM, Jon Joseph said:

 

In today's mega conferences, the strength of schedule will vary widely. Below is a ranking of the five hardest B1G schedules in 2025. I would have Wisconsin No. 1 and not Rutgers. Regardless, looking at Wisconsin's in-conference schedule, why are the Badgers playing at Bama?

 

I reiterate, in 2027 with Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State on the schedule and six home games, OBD does not need to travel to Waco, Texas to play P4 Baylor. Nothing to be gained with a win and lots of pain with a loss. 

 

Greg Sankey has tried for the last five years to get the SEC to go to nine conference games but the coaches and athletic directors have said no. So for this reason Sankey has decided to do static two or three year schedules where it doesn't matter who was the best or worst team the prior year. Mississippi State has (by some standards) the toughest conference slate in 2025. It remains to be seen if/when the SEC will eliminate Sun Belt November weekend but the commissioner of the league is in league with the B1G commissioner in wanting a 9 game SEC conference slate.

 

When the big two gain control of the playoff in 2026 there have been some whacky propositions like four play in games on championship Saturday which would replace the Conference Title game. That's a terrible idea imo. An undefeated or one loss SEC team shouldn't have their playoff fate decided against a three loss program in any scenario.

[David Marsh]

On 2/25/2025 at 5:14 PM, GatOrlando said:

When the big two gain control of the playoff in 2026 there have been some whacky propositions like four play in games on championship Saturday which would replace the Conference Title game. That's a terrible idea imo. An undefeated or one loss SEC team shouldn't have their playoff fate decided against a three loss program in any scenario.

I do think Championship Weekend needs to see a major face lift. 

 

For instance this last year Oregon was the de facto winner of the B1G going undefeated in conference play. Then they had to play Penn State, a one-loss team, in the B1G Championship and they won that but they could have lost. 

 

I believe in scenarios where there is a clear cut winner of the conference based on their season's performance should result in them winning the conference outright. Only one undefeated team and that played against other contenders for the conference, they win the conference. If there is no clear cut winner then there should be a conference championship game (based on our current desire to crown a champion). 

 

Otherwise play in games are fine as long as they don't affect those who have already earned their spot by their regular season record. I don't think the B1G had any other teams outside of the four that made the playoff that were even sniffing at the playoff. But the SEC currently would have had some fun with a play in game between some of those three loss teams. 

[30Duck]

On 2/26/2025 at 8:13 AM, David Marsh said:

I believe in scenarios where there is a clear cut winner of the conference based on their season's performance should result in them winning the conference outright. Only one undefeated team and that played against other contenders for the conference, they win the conference. If there is no clear cut winner then there should be a conference championship game (based on our current desire to crown a champion). 

Absolutely. The Conference Tournaments work in Basketball because there are so many teams, and rarely undefeated even in conference play, The regular season champion will get in, the CT champ gets in, but not necessarily a high seed, (see how that works, CFP formatters.)