Ranking PAC-12 2022 out of Conference (OOC) Schedules

[Jon Joseph]

Regarding the Pac-12's performance in 2021 OOC games, nothing to see here, move right along.

 

2022 again brings 36 OOC games. Of course, the conference continues to play 9 conference games so that 6 Pac-12 teams, including Oregon, will play five conference road games. No team that played 9 conference games has won a Playoff Championship. Yet, the conference continues to ruminate on 8 versus 9 conference games. Further evidence of the 'leadership' in the Conference of (Olympic Sports) Champions.

 

The Pac-12 will play 13 Power 5 opponents OOC and 12 teams that were ranked in the top 25 in the Playoff Committee's (PC) 2021 final ranking.

 

Here is one man's ranking on the 2022 OOC degree of difficulty.

 

1. OREGON - The Ducks open the 2022 season playing national champion or runner-up, Georgia, in Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Athens, Georgia, home of the Dawgs is 72 miles from Atlanta. Eugene is 2,712 miles from Atlanta. Rumor has it that there are more Georgia grads resident in Atlanta than there are Ducks grads? This contest is 'neutral' in name only. Oregon's QB will get his first start for the Ducks in this game. Fortunately, Oregon HC Dan Lanning is very familiar with the Dawgs roster and style of play, and has been involved in many games played in this stadium.

 

Eastern Washington. An FCS team but a darn good one. Doesn't Portland State need a pay check?

 

BYU - The Cougars went 5-0 vs the Pac-12 last season and finished ranked No. 13 by the PC.

 

With all due respect to Rob Mullens, this is moronic Playoff scheduling.

 

2. ARIZONA - At San Diego State - The Aztecs were ranked No. 24 by the PC and defeated Pac-12 2021 champion Utah. Mississippi State - first of a home and home series vs The Pirate's SEC team.

North Dakota State - An FCS school playing Montana State for the 2021 FCS championship.

 

3. COLORADO - TCU - a B12 team that was not bowl eligible in 2021 but defeated CAL in 2020 and in 2021. At Air Force Academy - AFA went 10-3 in 2021. At Minnesota - Minnesota blew out CU in Boulder in 2021 and is the second Power 5 team on the Buffs OOC schedule.

 

4,. UTAH  - At Florida in the first game of a home and home series. Southern Utah. PC No. 24 San Diego State in a rematch of the 2021 game the Utes lost to the Aztecs. (Likely the only game in the nation featuring opponents with Native American nicknames?)

 

5,  STANFORD - Colgate (the school, not the tooth paste,) at PC No. 5 Notre Dame,  PC No. 13 BYU

 

6. ASU - Northern Arizona, at PC No. 9 Oklahoma State, Eastern Michigan

 

7, OREGON STATE - Boise State, at Fresno State, Montana State - MT ST is an FCS school playing ND ST in the FCS Champ game.

 

7. WASHINGTON STATE - Idaho, at Wisconsin, Colorado State

 

9. CAL - UC Davis, UNLV, at Notre Dame

 

9. USC - Rice, Fresno State, at Notre Dame.

 

11. WASHINGTON - Kent State, Portland State, PC No. 10 Michigan State - There's no place like home.

 

12. UCLA - Bowling Green State University, Alabama State, Southern Alabama. Bruins, go to your room! This is perhaps a new low in Pac 8, 10, 12 OOC scheduling? Play an HBCU school, I'm

 all for it. But doesn't that mean you have to play someone the quality of say, Purdue? This schedule is pathetic but guess what? A 3-0 UCLA will likely be ranked in the AP Top 25.

 

All in all playing 36% of your OOC schedule vs Power 5 teams and one-third of your schedule against teams ranked in the PCs Top 25, is as tough as it gets in Power 5 OOC scheduling. Than as noted above, add on 9 conference games.

 

Does this make sense for a conference that is 2 for a Playoff 8?

[Duck1984]

On 1/7/2022 at 12:26 PM, Jon Joseph said:

All in all playing 36% of your OOC schedule vs Power 5 teams and one-third of your schedule against teams ranked in the PCs Top 25, is as tough as it gets in Power 5 OOC scheduling. Than as noted above, add on 9 conference games.

 

Does this make sense for a conference that is 2 for a Playoff 8?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jon, a playoff berth is not likely for a Pac12 team in 2022, and the brutal OOC matchups with a 9 game conference schedule may make it difficult for more than five teams to get a bowl invite.  Millions lost for the schools.  Shameful leadership.

[30Duck]

On 1/7/2022 at 12:26 PM, Jon Joseph said:

Of course, the conference continues to play 9 conference games so that 6 Pac-12 teams, including Oregon, will play five conference road games. No team that played 9 conference games has won a Playoff Championship. Yet, the conference continues to ruminate on 8 versus 9 conference games. Further evidence of the 'leadership' in the Conference of (Olympic Sports) Champions.

 

A 4-4 schedule, along with scrapping the divisions should have been the first think GK did.

[Just Ducky]

The hole the pack is digging is going to be tooooo deep to climb out of.

 

 It’s no wonder a lot of these western recruits are heading east. 

 

Playing Georgia at home was idiotic at best.

 

I predict a 1 and 3 start for the Ducks and I see no reason to change my mind. Unless of coarse DL can bring the Georgia defense with him. 

[Annie]

On 1/7/2022 at 12:26 PM, Jon Joseph said:

...

 

1. OREGON - The Ducks open the 2022 season playing national champion or runner-up, Georgia, in Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Athens, Georgia, home of the Dawgs is 72 miles from Atlanta. Eugene is 2,712 miles from Atlanta. Rumor has it that there are more Georgia grads resident in Atlanta than there are Ducks grads? This contest is 'neutral' in name only. Oregon's QB will get his first start for the Ducks in this game. Fortunately, Oregon HC Dan Lanning is very familiar with the Dawgs roster and style of play, and has been involved in many games played in this stadium.

 

...

Some day I'd like to see Georgia or Alabama or you-name-the-school  play the Ducks at a "neutral" site such as Allegiant Stadium.

Edited January 7, 2022 by Annie

[McDuck]

Disagree with the popular sentiment on the OOC schedule.  Oregon finalized the BYU game in 2015 and the Cougars were 8-5 the year before.  The Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game is national exposure in which I believe they try to match up national brands.  How does Oregon enhance their image by running away from tough games?

[Jon Joseph]

On 1/7/2022 at 4:15 PM, Annie said:

Some day I'd like to see Georgia or Alabama or you-name-the-school  play the Ducks at a "neutral" site such as Allegiant Stadium.

 

Absolutely Annie. BTW, Alabama has a H+H scheduled with Arizona.

[Jon Joseph]

On 1/7/2022 at 4:37 PM, McDuck said:

Disagree with the popular sentiment on the OOC schedule.  Oregon finalized the BYU game in 2015 and the Cougars were 8-5 the year before.  The Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game is national exposure in which I believe they try to match up national brands.  How does Oregon enhance their image by running away from tough games?

 

OK. But with BYU on the schedule in 3020, why in 2029 schedule a game 'at' Georgia. If an SEC team will not give Oregon a H+H to heck with them.

 

Want to play UGA? Make the final4 and play the Dawgs in the playoff.

[geoquack]

On 1/7/2022 at 12:26 PM, Jon Joseph said:

With all due respect to Rob Mullens, this is moronic Playoff scheduling.

 

 

Perhaps it is.  But if one cares about the integrity of the game, this is the kind of OOC schedule we should see every year.

[Jon Joseph]

On 1/7/2022 at 2:06 PM, geoquack said:

Perhaps it is.  But if one cares about the integrity of the game, this is the kind of OOC schedule we should see every year.

 

Respect your opinion of course. "Integrity of the game? Then why do not all P5 conferences play 9 conference games. Alabama playing New Mexico State at home in the penultimate regular season game = integrity? There is zero parity and integrity in CFB scheduling. The only thing the PC looks at is the number of Ls a team has.

 

How much integrity was afforded Oregon in 2001 and USC numerous times by the BCS?

[SoCalDuck]

On 1/7/2022 at 2:06 PM, geoquack said:

Perhaps it is.  But if one cares about the integrity of the game, this is the kind of OOC schedule we should see every year.

Agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment. My concern is the timing of the schedule. It's hard to dig oneself out of a hole when the sand keeps sliding back in. The SEC plays lollipops all the time. They care not for integrity, just the score. 

[McDuck]

On 1/7/2022 at 2:05 PM, Jon Joseph said:

 

OK. But with BYU on the schedule in 3020, why in 2029 schedule a game 'at' Georgia. If an SEC team will not give Oregon a H+H to heck with them.

 

Want to play UGA? Make the final4 and play the Dawgs in the playoff.

As I understand the process the Kickoff Games work to secure the teams.  It is much closer to a bowl game selection.  This wasn't a situation where the AD's of Georgia and Oregon decided they wanted a game, it was two programs that had openings in their schedule and were invited to participate.

 

Oregon's next game after dropping the NC to Auburn was LSU at Cowboy Stadium, very similar to the Kickoff Game.  I'll let the players describe their opinions

 

LaMichael James

"We wouldn't want to have it any other way," said James, a Heisman candidate. "If we're supposed to be one of the best teams, then we don't want to open up with somebody just to get a 'W'. That's not the way it should be. I don't want us to do that; I want us to go out and play the best team available."

 

Darron Thomas

"A game like this lets you know where you are from the jump," he said. "It's a big test for us, and we are all excited to kick off. We don't like playing a team that we could beat up on really easy. We want to compete."

[OhioDuck]

I'm not going with all the hand wringing. You want to be the best, you have to play the best. Oregon can lose at GA and still make the playoffs. If Ohio St. hadn't lost to that team up north and won the Big 10 they would have been in after losing to Oregon the first game. BTW, a lot of folks were questioning the OSU game before we played it and won. I would rather have a home and home, but that's not happening now. Go out and play the best schedule you can, wherever you can get the games, prove yourself and you will start getting home and homes.

[The Kamikaze Kid]

If UO gets blown out by UGA then the playoffs are out of reach anyway.
 

UO comes close in this national audience game, and they are now on the everybody’s radar and still in playoff contention.

 

UO actually goes and wins the game, then they vault into the top five and the Lanning era is the talk of college football. 
 

I don’t really see a down side here except if they get blown out like Chip’s first game at Boise St.

[geoquack]

I have said many times that all P5 conferences should require 9 conference games and 0 FCS games.  That's my position and I'm sticking to it.

[Jon Joseph]

On 1/7/2022 at 6:08 PM, McDuck said:

As I understand the process the Kickoff Games work to secure the teams.  It is much closer to a bowl game selection.  This wasn't a situation where the AD's of Georgia and Oregon decided they wanted a game, it was two programs that had openings in their schedule and were invited to participate.

 

Oregon's next game after dropping the NC to Auburn was LSU at Cowboy Stadium, very similar to the Kickoff Game.  I'll let the players describe their opinions

 

LaMichael James

"We wouldn't want to have it any other way," said James, a Heisman candidate. "If we're supposed to be one of the best teams, then we don't want to open up with somebody just to get a 'W'. That's not the way it should be. I don't want us to do that; I want us to go out and play the best team available."

 

Darron Thomas

"A game like this lets you know where you are from the jump," he said. "It's a big test for us, and we are all excited to kick off. We don't like playing a team that we could beat up on really easy. We want to compete."

 

James played Tennessee in Eugene and in Knoxville. There is a reason a lion tamer puts his head into the mouth of the lion, the lion has been trained not to bite. BTW, how did a one off game out west in Glendale vs LSU help the Ducks or improve the integrity of CFB?

[HappyToBeADuck]

Jon, as always, alot to digest within your article. Takes time to assemble all that info. Thanks.  

 

I prefer a 4 home, 4 away conference schedule. Having 7 or 8 home games puts extra cash in the bank. Much needed cash. Also gives the PAC conference schedulers the chance to spread out how often the top teams meet in cross division games.

 

The late season patsy game has been very successful for the SEC. Why not for the minor league PAC?

Plenty of schools need a payday. Though I don't think the huskies want to play Montana anytime soon. This gives a 5 win team a chance to get that 6th win. Of course the PAC teams need to play better and win those games.

 

As for OOC scheduling. The PAC needs  TV exposure and money. The players and coaches need big time challenges. If you take out tOSU and Clemson, every PAC team is capable of beating every team in the Alliance. (Well maybe not Washington) Oregon and Utah proved we belong on the same field as tOSU.

 

If you want to be in the CFP these are OOC games that should be scheduled. It's up to our coaches and players to prepare to win those games. The home and home with Michigan State back in the MM days was a positive for both schools. A CFP for the Ducks. Beating tOSU this season immediately put us  in the CFP. We just couldn't capitalize on it. A self inflicted conference scheduled game game was part to blame and it wasn't the Stanford game. In Jon's golfing terms, the win over tOSU gave the Ducks a mulligan.

 

Which takes me back to 4-4 schedule. If the Ducks had Portland State instead of Utah on the schedule chances are we are 11-1 going into the PAC Championship game. Still ranked one spot ahead of Cincinnati in CFP rankings The Ducks and PAC are right in the mix and conversation. That's not perception it's reality. A much needed reality. The CFP did not keep the PAC out of the CFP. The PAC play and schedule took care of that.

 

Now the championship game out come probably wouldn't have changed. But the Ducks focus may have been better, at least for the players not the coaches. The game may have been closer. An 11-2 Duck team would have finished above OK State and most likely a New Years Six bowl game. Both teams lost their championship game. 

 

On National TV with a big time pay day. More money and exposure for a desperate conference. Do they have too much academic prowess in this conference to make common sense decisions? 

 

For those of you opposed to PAC expansion consider that even adding 2 teams would then spread out how often the top teams meet.  A 4-4 schedule spreads it out even further. More wins not losses gets you to the party. Getting to the party helps get those 5 and 4 stars to the PAC schools. 

[Mike West]

On 1/7/2022 at 12:26 PM, Jon Joseph said:

All in all playing 36% of your OOC schedule vs Power 5 teams and one-third of your schedule against teams ranked in the PCs Top 25, is as tough as it gets in Power 5 OOC scheduling. Than as noted above, add on 9 conference games.

 

Does this make sense for a conference that is 2 for a Playoff 8?

 

Overall, yes it's a huge risk.  But if you can't beat these teams then you don't deserve to be in the playoffs.

 

OBD have been insane schedulers.  High risk, high reward.  And as Herm Edwards famously stated " you play to win the game".

 

Who honestly thought we'd even hold a lead on Auburn, beat Utah for MC's first conference title, or.... wait.... Beat the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe?

 

That was with a coach packing a scud missile for an offense.  Can you see the possibilities now? 

 

Fear not!

[30Duck]

On 1/9/2022 at 2:22 AM, Mike West said:

Can you see the possibilities now? 

 

Fear not!

 

I feel better about Oregon's chances against Georgia than I did at any time about them beating Ohio State in the 'shoe. There's a bit of magic in the Lanning Georgia-Oregon connection, I know that Lanning will have his Oregon team fired up!

[Jon Joseph]

On 1/9/2022 at 5:22 AM, Mike West said:

 

Overall, yes it's a huge risk.  But if you can't beat these teams then you don't deserve to be in the playoffs.

 

OBD have been insane schedulers.  High risk, high reward.  And as Herm Edwards famously stated " you play to win the game".

 

Who honestly thought we'd even hold a lead on Auburn, beat Utah for MC's first conference title, or.... wait.... Beat the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe?

 

That was with a coach packing a scud missile for an offense.  Can you see the possibilities now? 

 

Fear not!

 

 

 

UGA the 2nd game of the season in Athens and a return game the following year at Autzen after opening with Portland State,  I am fine with. An opening game one off game to help Rob balance the budget, no way.

 

If Florida can trip to Salt Lake City to play Utah there is not excuse for UGA like TENN, not agreeing to a H+H with Oregon. Insane scheduling for a team that already had BYU on the roster and 5 conference road games on the schedule before Rob signed up for this game.

 

The Pac-12 has made the playoff 2 times in 8 seasons. Scheduling like this makes no sense PO wise. BTW, after this game UGA plays 8 conference games including Vandy and South Carolina. Florida at a neutral site and 3 road games.

Edited January 9, 2022 by Jon Joseph