Alabama Football's Scheduling

[gipper2001]

I was watching Colin Cowherd last week when he had Joel Klatt on. I have linked the clip below. At about the 2 minute mark they start discussing Alabama's schedule and history of lack of true road non-conference games. I went further and looked from 1997-2017, the last 21 seasons.

I took some liberty and discounted 2 trips to Hawaii in 2002 and 2003, they were on postseason probation and scheduled these both at the end of the season as de facto bowl games. From 1997 through this year, Alabama has scheduled the following non-conference games:

Home: 64 games
Neutral: 9 games
True Road: 4

4 true road games in 21 years!

Here are the number of true road games for other teams as a reference:

Iowa State: 23
Oklahoma: 18
Ohio State: 12
Southern Cal: 27

The fact that they never get called out for this is astounding.

 

[KCClone1]

It seems to be working for them just fine, so why would they change? Don't hate the player. Hate the system.

 

[JP4CY]

I don't love all the neutral site games but I get why they do it (for the money). I don't think that bugs me nearly as much as the late season patsy that the majority of SEC teams schedule.

 

[CyCloned]

not a big shock. Teams tend to do whatever they can to avoid an out of conference loss.

 

[CyJack13]

Starting each year blowing out a top 25 team at a neutral site also seems to be working pretty well for them.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

IMO the bigger issue is that the SEC continues to play an eight game conference schedule. The Big 12, ACC, B1G, and Pac all play a 9 game conference slate yet the SEC gets a pass for the late November buy games they all play. That is a huge discrepancy that none of the networks will even discuss.

 

[AlaCyclone]

Home and Home series are better than Neutral Games for the home fans, but quality games are quality games. A Quality Neutral is better than a dog home and home. Plus, while Alabama did not have to play these teams on the road, those teams didn't have to play @ Bryant-Denny Stadium either. Evens out.

FTR, Alabama has played the following P5 OOC Games during the Saban Era: Florida State (ACC) @ Jax in 2007, Clemson (ACC) @ ATL in 2008, Virginia Tech (ACC) @ ATL in 2009, Penn State (B1G) @ BDS and @ Duke (ACC) in 2010, @ Penn State (B1G) in 2011, Michigan (B1G) @ Arlington in 2012, Virginia Tech (ACC) @ ATL in 2013, West Virginia (Big Xii) @ ATL in 2014, Wisconsin (B1G) @ Arlington in 2015, Southern California (Pac-12) @ Arlington in 2016 and Florida State (ACC) @ ATL in 2017. Those are some serious teams!

fyi: That's 6 Games vs. ACC Teams, 3 Games vs. B1G Teams and 1 game each vs. Big Xii and Pac 12 team. With the exception of the first game vs. FSU in 2007, they have stomped the other teams. The only non-prime match-up was @ Duke in 2010 which was part of a home and home scheduled during the Shula Era. The first FSU game was also scheduled pre-Saban - as was the home and home with Penn State. The other neutral games were scheduled by Saban vs. schools that were BCS Bowl Regulars during the BCS Era. Just putting it in perspective.

Let's Go State! Beat the 'Pokes!

 

[jbhtexas]

IMO the bigger issue is that the SEC continues to play an eight game conference schedule. The Big 12, ACC, B1G, and Pac all play a 9 game conference slate yet the SEC gets a pass for the late November buy games they all play. That is a huge discrepancy that none of the networks will even discuss.

Just an FYI, the ACC is presently not playing 9 conference games. For example, take a look at Syracuse's schedule. They were going to go to 9 conference games, but when Notre Dame joined the ACC for everything but FB and then agreed to schedule at least 5 ACC teams per year, the plan to move to 9 conference games was put on hold.