Why can't you spell it out? It seems to be that Texas avoids non-conference, in-state, good schools. But there's no evidence of that. OSU, Utah, TCU, Ohio State, Arkansas, Notre Dame, USC, Cal, BYU, and on. Unfortunately, some of those haven't turned out to be good, but it's hard to know that 5 years out. Except for Notre Dame, each of the others was pretty good when scheduled. Agreed that it's a stupid reason. But it's a different reason than avoiding playing good in-state schools. There are only 3 to choose from: TCU, UH, and SMU. They played TCU; they hate UH; and SMU hasn't been good until a year ago.
There isn't? One game against TCU? At home? Really? Wait, what? When did UT play Notre Dame? When did they play USC or Cal in their OOC schedule? Didn't the Utah game get cancelled? (at least they tried, I guess, what's the story on that?) Did you mean to list Ohio State twice, or is that a different school? And my memory is fuzzy, but wasn't TCU a last minute fill in for one of the teams that bailed? Maybe Utah? (i.e. it wasn't exactly UT's first choice to play them) Well stop hating us, ya smelly buttholes! At least you'll play TCU now, albeit in conference (not that UT was behind that move, which I'm sure they weren't, but whatevz0rs) Peepee games!
Notre Dame, BYU, Cal and USC are on the future schedule. http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/fb-future-schedules.html
Sweet. Moar of that. Less of this. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiu/2198296500/" title="Roary the FIU Mascot by fiu, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2298/2198296500_d0930e1b88.jpg" width="368" height="461" alt="Roary the FIU Mascot"></a>
There haven't been many options, though. As noted, the only choices were TCU, UH, and SMU, and SMU was only good starting this past year. Besides, when Texas plays good teams, their goal is to get national attention - playing a Texas team doesn't really do that. So it just makes more sense to play a UCLA or Arkansas or Notre Dame. That doesn't show that Texas is trying to avoid those schools - just that it's not a great fit for them. ND, Cal, and USC are all scheduled over the next several years. When Cal was scheduled, they were top 10 but it turns out they may not be so good when they play them. Same with USC if the probation kills them, though they've rebounded well so far this year. Utah was cancelled - by Utah. That doesn't change that Texas tried to schedule them. My bad on Ohio State twice. That very well could be - I'm not really sure on that. I thought the Utah cancellation was 2008 when we had the terrible schedule, but I'm not sure. I believe TCU was in 2007.
That's all well and good, except for the fact that next to UCLA, Arky, and the Domers, you've got creampuffs from butt-f*** nowhere waiting to get slaughtered. And when it is a local team... it's someone like... well, let's be honest, playing UNT or Louisiana Lafayette is not nearly as dangerous a proposition as playing even a mediocre SMU or UH team. I don't think that them "not being a great fit" and them being "avoided" are mutually exclusive. It's probably a combination of the two. Funny thing is, this is the same conversation that went on back in the 60's that eventually got UH in the SWC. Funny how this stuff tends to repeat itself. I guess my point here is this, "You're Texas"... so act like it.
Can't wait to see Aggies play OOC instate schools on a regular basis after 2011. 1996-2010 Rice: 0 UH: 0 SMU: 1 TCU: 1 Time to turn that track record around. Even with UT unwilling, there's still Tech and Baylor in addition to the 4 schools above. And less of this: LA Tech 6 UL-Laf 4 N. Texas 3 Wyoming 3 New Mexico 2 For the greater good of the state of Texas!
Good point, A&M needs to step up to the plate more, too. The SMU series (2-2) is a good start, at least.
Why would a team like Texas want to fill their schedule with dangerous OOC trap games? Where is the sense in that? If you go undefeated in the Big 12 you're going to the National Championship.
Because they're Texas, and they can totally pwn anybody anytime anywhere. Amirite. (P.S. If going undefeated in the SEC doesn't automatically make you a lock for the national title, i.e. Auburn 2004, then there's no way that's true for the Big 12... that's a year to year, crapshoot thing)
I think they ARE acting like it. When playing OOC games, you look at risk/reward. It seems like there are three goals: easy wins, national exposure, local recruiting. Crappy Texas opponents (UNT, Rice, etc) get them wins and recruiting in those areas. Good national opponents help with national exposure and recruiting. Good Texas opponents help with recruiting. It only makes sense to focus on a mix of crappy Texas opponents and bigger name national opponents. Playing good regional opponents provides the least value to Texas.
Well then, I guess I don't like what "it" is. Seriously though, 2008 is a great example. If they had played UH/TCU instead of Florida Atlantic, they would've been in the national title game that year. But yeah, hindsight is 20/20... I figure if you're trying to be national champion, you shouldn't be worried about losing to teams like the Cougars or Hornfrogs. Any national champion should be able to easily dispatch those teams, no? I guess someone in the AD's office must disagree. Although history seems to suggest that easy wins present as much of a risk of hurting you as less-than-easy wins do. (I.e. Florida Atlantic kept them out of a title game in 2008, meanwhile, what OOC "trap game" has kept UT from a title in the past 10 years...?)
Nah, we declined. Sorry Baylor and Texas Tech(and any other Big 12 school) We will now play Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State Hah stop it Donny!
It's unbelievably unfair to criticize texas for scheduling some ****ty schools every year. EVERY team does that. It's their pre-season. Texas St., NW St, Southern, Texas Southern. All division 2 teams UH scheduled int he past few years. 5 division 2 teams in the last 6 years. Texas has 1 in the last 16 years. Consider that the big 12 overall has better teams than conference USA. Better recruits, better non conference records. Sagarin has UH's Strength of Schedule at 106 and UT at 14. Non conference schedules should be evaluated with regards to the SOS as a whole. As it's been pointed out. There are 4 games scheduled against Notre Dame. Home and Home against USC, UCLA, Cal. There are multiple games against Texas Teams So you won't consider playing TCU has a direct contradiction to your assertion because (in your opinion) they did it to make money. That if cash considerations are involved it doesn't matter who you play. That's ****ing r****ded. They scheduled TCU, period. By making that argument you assume that the other schools you think are doing a good job don't schedule because of financial considerations. No one gives a crap about playing UH. When you win the conference usa (which I hope you do) and start winning bowls and beating good programs then people will. It really really really seems like you are discounting all the other Texas teams UT has scheduled and making a wide generalization about them because they don't play UH. Otherwise you would mentioned more than just Rice when counting UTs non conference games. You would have included UTEP, TCU, and UNT.
Already went over this. Don't care what other people do. Doesn't make it kosher. You're Texas, stop playing cupcakes, play UH, yo. Yep, cause we admittedly needed to beat some softies to get the ball rolling again after falling off the face of the f***ing earth. We weren't good enough to beat decent OOC competition. I consider it, but I don't really care. Stop playing softies, play UH. I consider it. But it's weaksauce. It was one game, at home, with no return trip. That's like f***ing somebody in the a$$ and not having the g*dd**n courtesy to give them a reach-around. And it was *one* game. ONE GAME! You're hanging your hat on one game. Holy smokes. You get credit for it (somewhat, since there was no return game), but stop acting like it's something that negates this entire argument. Go back and read some more, because I've already addressed almost all of your points you've brought up. A little context might do you some good in this conversation, so at the very least I don't have to keep repeating myself. Speaking of repeating myself.... the point remains, UT, for whatever reason (be it wanting to minimize risk of losing or wanting to get more money elsewhere), avoided playing teams like SMU, TCU, and UH this entire decade. Sorry, but that's just how it is. Make excuses for it all you want, but that's the reality of the situation.
Why won't UT schedule UH ? Why would they do everything in their power to hold us down? Because they don't want the status quo in recruiting upset here.
I just wanna give you guys props on winning the Armed Forces Bowl in 2008. It only took you guys 28 years to win a bowl game, against Air Force. :golf clap: Sorry for your loss to the same team the next year. In the Armed Forces Bowl. Conference USA should be our OOC schedule if we're gonna continue to whine about "softies". Also, please quit bringing up SMU. We already play them. They're called Rice.
