An observation of mine from a schedule perspective:
Points have been made about how A&M would suffer from the move to SEC due to the tough SEC schedule. But let’s look at the schedule we would’ve played had we stayed in the Big12, versus our schedule this year:
Teams we would’ve played this year in the Big12:
(Non-conference)
SMU
LA Tech
Arkansas
(Conference)
Oklahoma
Oklahoma St.
Kansas
Kansas St.
Missouri
Iowa St.
Texas Tech
Baylor
Texas
Our real SEC schedule this year:
(Non-conference)
SMU
S. Carolina St.
LA Tech
Sam Houston St.
(Conference)
Florida
Arkansas
Mississippi
LSU
Auburn
Mississippi St.
Alabama
Missouri
By crossing out the 4 common opponents (Arkansas, Missouri, SMU, and LA Tech,) we are left with:
Big12 schedule:
2. Kansas St
12. Oklahoma
18. Texas Tech
23. Texas
24. Oklahoma St.
Iowa St. (5-3)
Baylor (3-4)
Kansas (1-7)
Compared with
SEC schedule:
1. Alabama
5. LSU
7. Florida
15. Mississippi St.
Mississippi (5-3)
Auburn (1-7)
S. Carolina St.
Sam Houston St.
The numbers before team names indicate the newest BSC rank (We are currently #16.) The numbers in ( ) indicate the current record. The records of S. Carolina St. and Sam Houston St. are irrelevant because they are FCS (Division I-AA) teams. No one in FBS (Division I-A) is supposed to lose to them.
For arguments sake, I’ll say the top two BCS teams, #1.Alabama and #2.Kansas St., just about cancel each other out.
Ironically, Alabama and Kansas St.’s in-State rivals, Auburn and Kansas, are equally bad this year. With identical 1-7 and winless conference records, they should cancel each other out.
And Iowa St. and Mississippi, with identical 5-3 records, are about the same, too. Iowa St. was even briefly ranked a few weeks ago.
So you are left with:
Big12 schedule:
12. Oklahoma
18. Texas Tech
23. Texas
24. Oklahoma St.
Baylor (3-4)
And SEC schedule:
5. LSU
7. Florida
15. Mississippi St.
S. Carolina St.
Sam Houston St.
Now, which schedule do you think is tougher?
4 ranked teams plus a dangerous Baylor? Or 3 ranked teams (2 highly ranked) plus a pair of FCS pushovers?
So the conclusion is, we are in better shape than some people thought by joining the SEC, because by playing 1 less conference game in the SEC, we exchange for an easy opponent, which I think is no fun at all. What kind of accomplishment can you possibly have by beating Sam Houston State? We should’ve joined the Big East if we just want easy victories. But a few years down the road when we start playing t.u. again (it will happen, just the matter of time,) that’s when the fun starts.
Okay, that’s it. You guys can see that I really have too much free time…
