How can we encourage more OOC games

[Ian Carlson]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

It lasted longer that the regional ranking transparency that the NCAA said they were going to engage in. That lasted less than one year ending the week before the actual playoff selections were made.

They still publish the criteria used and the data for each criteria for every team in each region.

[laker]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

Never going to happen but put a cap on amount of schools in a conference? It would lead to scheduling alliances that amount to the same as OOC games but would essentially create a system like the NSIC uses

Ten is the perfect size. Allows you to play everyone in the conference every year and two non-conference games- one home, one away.

[North Ala Screwdriver]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

Here is the latest D2 regional map

https://ncaad2rules.blogspot.com/201...t-map.html?m=1

Is there a map that shows only the 4 Super Regions for football.

[Wildcat Khan]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

Here is the latest D2 regional map

https://ncaad2rules.blogspot.com/201...t-map.html?m=1

https://ncaad2rules.blogspot.com/201...t-map.html?m=1 clickable for you now. It should be noted that GNAC is in the 3 coastal states and BC with no OOC games in neighboring states possible for any of its member teams. In non-football sports, that is a different story as it has schools in Idaho and Montana (as well as Alaska, which neighbors BC now with a conference foe). As of next year, the entire pink part of the map will have just 4 football schools.

I hear everyone talking about travel, but that trip from LA to Vancouver, BC in conference won't be a day trip either. That is the state of things in the West sadly.

[WVIAC-F-EVER]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

Here is the latest D2 regional map

https://ncaad2rules.blogspot.com/2018/10/201819-ncaa-d2-regional-opponent-map.html?m=1

[NewCatEyez]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

One of the challenges is the size of the conferences. The larger conferences typically only allow for one open week - and that open week doesn't always line up with others.

I'm not buying it. Any conference that has a rotating off week is not related to OOC issues. That happens with an odd number of schools in the conference which is when it would have trouble lining up with other available teams. Large or small, that is a conference fail if it happens.

Then of course you have some conferences (who shall remain anonymous) scheduling a full 11-week conference schedule without any opportunity for OOC games.

No pulling punches. The MIAA started this crap for the conferences in the Midwest and are responsible for the mess they made. No excuses and it has been a very vocal part of objection by the fans of the teams since it was even rumored. Needs to be corrected.

Another challenge is cost. A lot of D2 schools are regional state schools who have decreasing budgets. That means less money to take 75 people on an overnight trip. Very few D2 schools produce enough revenue to give a guarantee. This is especially an issue in regions where schools insist on noon kickoffs. If you're six hours apart you're not leaving a 4am for a noon kickoff.

Again, not buying it. Just in the MIAA for example Kearney/UCO/NSU were added stretching the boundaries north and south. Hays (although getting dated at this point) and Lindenwood were added stretching the footprint east and west. Any of those could have been used as OOC for schools for when they were closer but still allowing options for those schools now being forced to travel farther.

Here are some rough average distances travelled for NW over the years using city to city distance of regular season opponents:
2000/2001 - 2332 miles total, 12 games - avg 194 miles per non home game (Mankato and UNO on schedule as OOC)
2008/2009 - 2433 miles total, 12 games - avg 203 miles per non home game (ACU)
2017/2018 - 2626 miles total, 12 games - avg 218 miles per non home game(none)

The silo scheduling has resulted in roughly 15-25 miles more travel per game than was needed in the past. It has INCREASED the travel time, distance and costs. The only thing it has helped is making peoples jobs lazy in scheduling.

This includes going to Abilene, TX for an out of conference matchup in 2009 (~700 miles).
Mankato is actually even closer than any of Hays, Lindenwood, UCO or NSU as well for early 2000s vs today. (Various routes can interchange distances with Hays and Lindenwood as they are about a half hour time closer, although ~10 miles farther, from Maryville)

[zimmy21]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

Never going to happen but put a cap on amount of schools in a conference? It would lead to scheduling alliances that amount to the same as OOC games but would essentially create a system like the NSIC uses

[boatcapt]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

Conferences are simply mimicking what has proven to be a successful way of getting multiple teams into the playoffs. A conference that is siloed basically takes the SOS variable out of the equation by insuring every one of its member schools have a .500. Their argument is that with a .500 SOS, a team with no or one loss on the season will probably be a shoe in for playoff selection and a two loss team will have a pretty good chance as well. A conference that has multiple OOC games is not only relying on the quality (Opponents winning %) of the teams the conference front runner schedules, but also the quality of games the conference back markers schedules (Opponents opponents winning %).

[boatcapt]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

About 5 years or so ago, the ncaa D2 added a bylaw to the manual setting the standard for regional rankings and standards..

it lasted in the ncaa manual for 2 years...

It lasted longer that the regional ranking transparency that the NCAA said they were going to engage in. That lasted less than one year ending the week before the actual playoff selections were made.

[boyblue]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

One of the challenges is the size of the conferences. The larger conferences typically only allow for one open week - and that open week doesn't always line up with others. Then of course you have some conferences (who shall remain anonymous) scheduling a full 11-week conference schedule without any opportunity for OOC games.

Another challenge is cost. A lot of D2 schools are regional state schools who have decreasing budgets. That means less money to take 75 people on an overnight trip. Very few D2 schools produce enough revenue to give a guarantee. This is especially an issue in regions where schools insist on noon kickoffs. If you're six hours apart you're not leaving a 4am for a noon kickoff.

You're right, it's going to cost, which means we'd need a corporate partner. I took a look at the administrational structure of D2, and it is not organized in such a way that this subject would ever come up, which means it'll never happen.

[boyblue]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

Games like West Georgia v. Minnesota State, Grand Valley v. Valdosta State, CSU-Pueblo v. Northwest Missouri if they happened regularly, would grow interest in D2 football. High School games are now nationally televised between regional powers because of the broad appeal. I'm not strictly against the silos per se, I just think that exposure helps teams, helps the young men, and helps D2 football.

Another point, a few years back half of the GAC was a part of the GSC so I'm familiar with them and still sorta root for them from afar. When they left, the LSC bailed us out with some home & home games, so I'm now familiar with the LSC. In 2012 We opened the our season with a thousand mile trek to Saginaw. We lost the game but ended up winning the NC that year, so I still keep in touch with how that program is doing. Fans would benefit by becoming more familiar with other programs and D2 as a whole.

[Fightingscot82]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

One of the challenges is the size of the conferences. The larger conferences typically only allow for one open week - and that open week doesn't always line up with others. Then of course you have some conferences (who shall remain anonymous) scheduling a full 11-week conference schedule without any opportunity for OOC games.

Another challenge is cost. A lot of D2 schools are regional state schools who have decreasing budgets. That means less money to take 75 people on an overnight trip. Very few D2 schools produce enough revenue to give a guarantee. This is especially an issue in regions where schools insist on noon kickoffs. If you're six hours apart you're not leaving a 4am for a noon kickoff.

[Predatory Primates]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

There used to be a rule that made games against non regional teams count as in region if the state's bordered each other.

The NCAA should tell the conferences to play ooc games or kiss the playoffs goodbye. That's the only way it's going to end.

[Predatory Primates]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

I agree about naia, but the FCS games are normally taken for a paycheck.

[WVIAC-F-EVER]

Re: How can we encourage more OOC games

About 5 years or so ago, the ncaa D2 added a bylaw to the manual setting the standard for regional rankings and standards..

it lasted in the ncaa manual for 2 years...