Good Afternoon and ROLL TIDE!
Can I vent here for a second? (I'm gonna anyway) It seems like in recent years there are a lot of REALLY boring games. Ever since the NCAA expanded to 12 regular season games in 2006, more and more cupcakes are showing up on schedules. It used to be you'd have some good noonish games followed by two or three spotlight 2:30/3:30 game, and then some more evening matches. I am glad to have some free time on Saturdays but it just seems like the first three weeks have not been that exciting outside of the a handful of exceptions.
I am placing the real blame thusly:
- Expansion to a 12th game which has turned into every FBS (I-A) adding a FCS (I-AA) team instead of more interesting cross-conference games.
- The NCAA's low criteria for entering FBS (I-A).
- The NCAA's refusal to enforce that criteria. Average attendance of 15,000 is required to be in FBS but 12 teams were below that number in 2012. Eastern Michigan averaged 3,923.
- Everybody has two bye weeks now, thanks Big XII.
- Scholarship signing limits creates parity. Everybody gets a bowl game!
- There are probably more. Help me out.
Too many cupcakes! I for one welcome the future of strength-of-schedule (SOS) and Superconferences. I just hope the game has not become two-hand touch by that time.
That said, here are the highlights until Bama-CSU at 6/7pm (ESPN2):
- Tennessee at No. 19 Florida 2:30/3:30 CBS - could be interesting but probably not.
- Arkansas at Rutgers 2:30/3:30 ESPN - Can the Hogs get some revenge?
That is basically it.