Non-Conference Games

[Mulerider]

I know we always talk about this, but would the GAC benefit from playing in two divisions and then scheduling Non-Conference games? I feel this would help when playing Playoff games. Especially if Harding could play Central Missouri, or some other MIAA team.

[OldBison]

[_AVO_]

I'll be blunt. Neither the GAC or the MIAA would want to schedule non conference games as long as they are getting their best teams in the playoffs.
It would be fun for us fans to see other teams if they played, but I like the model of every team in a conference playing each other.
I do not like the 'SEC' model where you play in a division. This way you get a true gauge of who is the best team in a conference.

Now if the NCAA punished the MIAA and/or the GAC for not having nonconference games, that would be a different story... but whereas the two conferences routinely get 2 playoff teams in per year, I do not see it benefiting the Commissioners.

[Armo Wood]

I'll be blunt. Neither the GAC or the MIAA would want to schedule non conference games as long as they are getting their best teams in the playoffs.
It would be fun for us fans to see other teams if they played, but I like the model of every team in a conference playing each other.
I do not like the 'SEC' model where you play in a division. This way you get a true gauge of who is the best team in a conference.

Now if the NCAA punished the MIAA and/or the GAC for not having nonconference games, that would be a different story... but whereas the two conferences routinely get 2 playoff teams in per year, I do not see it benefiting the Commissioners.

The MIAA went to the silo schedule because they refused to play home-and-home non-conference series with GAC teams, in other words the MIAA teams wanted to only play home non-con games with GAC teams.

Don't think we'll ever see the NCAA punish teams for not playing non-conference games, but who knows the NCAA could decide to change its mind.

I would think as a Harding fan you would want to see non-conference games against quality opponents which could strengthen HU's SOS and other relevant criteria used in PO selection. After all, it was the silo schedule, combined with the middle tier of the GAC not being strong, that sent HU on the road.

Since you mentioned that the silo schedule produces a true gauge of who is the best team in the conference, do you think it showed who was the best team in the conference this year?

[Armo Wood]

I know we always talk about this, but would the GAC benefit from playing in two divisions and then scheduling Non-Conference games? I feel this would help when playing Playoff games. Especially if Harding could play Central Missouri, or some other MIAA team.

I don't think the GAC will ever go to formal divisions, but you could do something along the lines of the AR teams all playing one another every year and the OK teams all playing one another every year. Then you could have four "crossover" games, leaving room for 2 non-conference games. I use to support the idea of a 2-game scheduling alliance with the MIAA, but I would be all for a 1-game scheduling alliance with the MIAA and then leave the other open spot to try and get non-conference games with either GLVC, GSC, or LSC teams.

[OldBison]

[Brandon]

Games against the MIAA are no more or less important than games against the GLIAC and GLVC and other D2 teams. The more non-con games the better and the more intermingling the better.

[DIIguru]

The GAC was 0-4 in Non Conference Games this year with the top 4 teams each losing a game

MIAA was 5-2 in Non Conference Games. It would likely benefit the MIAA a lot more. You could see 3 MIAA getting in the playoffs and 1 GAC

[_AVO_]

I would think as a Harding fan you would want to see non-conference games against quality opponents which could strengthen HU's SOS and other relevant criteria used in PO selection. After all, it was the silo schedule, combined with the middle tier of the GAC not being strong, that sent HU on the road.

Since you mentioned that the silo schedule produces a true gauge of who is the best team in the conference, do you think it showed who was the best team in the conference this year?

IMO, it doesn't benefit the GAC teams to play other conferences. Not counting Harding - OBU, HSU, and company routinely lose early in the playoffs. So unless you are playing the bottom feeders in the MIAA, why kill your conference's shot to get two or three teams in. Now, if we as a whole start having more success in the POs, then that is a different story...

And OBU beat Harding straight up. Do I wish and think we would have beaten them if we played the second half of the season? Yes. Am I bitter about the loss? Yes. But they won it on the field, and were outright champs, so you can't badmouth them on here.



Don't want to sound like I'm 'scared' of the GAC teams playing out of conference schedule. I'm just saying that there really isn't a benefit for the Commissioners of either Conference to do so at this point.

[OldBison]

In the past Harding has beaten Central Missouri, Pittsburg State and came close to beating to beating NWMS this year. I think Harding and OBU can be competitive right away with most of the teams in the MIAA. I think HSU and SAU can be competitive with FHS, PSU and MWS. Yes it may give everyone an extra loss but it might in some years give them a win that boosts their SOS. Four MIAA teams were in the 25 ranked teams for most of the season this year.

[ONCEATIGER25]

I don't think HSU or SAU competes in the MIAA with FHS, PSU, MWS. Have they beat them yet in recent years? Like I said before. Harding could compete. Everyone else is average or below average in the MIAA.

[Brandon]

IMO, it doesn't benefit the GAC teams to play other conferences. Not counting Harding - OBU, HSU, and company routinely lose early in the playoffs. So unless you are playing the bottom feeders in the MIAA, why kill your conference's shot to get two or three teams in. Now, if we as a whole start having more success in the POs, then that is a different story...

If things are as you describe, then the GAC doesn't deserve to have multiple teams in.

One of the best reasons to play non-conference games is to sort everything out each year.

[Armo Wood]

_AVO_

[_AVO_]

[_AVO_]

BTW, Armo and Brandon are an asset to D2 football, but are just not reading correctly this week. :wink: