I know the chances for the GAC and MIAA to move from the silo conference football games to a hybrid schedule that allows for teams to play out of conference games are so slim a camel could slide through the eye of needle before it would happen. Even so I have been wondering what reason(s) might make the two conferences be so staunchly affixed to the silo schedule. I am sure the possible lower costs of games closer to home and the familiarity of the opponent’s season after season might be the biggest draw.
With that in mind I began to look at the travel distance between the farthest teams within each of the two conferences and compared them to the distance between teams in other conferences nearby. Does it surprise you to learn that there are other D2 teams in other conferences that are closer than some teams within the same conferences? If distance is the motivator, then some schools would benefit to play out of conference games with team’s other conferences than it would be to play within conference. Let me give some examples.
In the GAC, the University of Arkansas at Monticello appears to be southern and eastern most school while Northwest Oklahoma State University the northern most and Southwestern Oklahoma State University the western most schools.
Within that radius of UAM to the University of West Florida you could include Delta State University, Mississippi College and Lane College (Jackson, TN) and still travel less distance than to the farthest Oklahoma schools in the GAC.
In the MIAA, Missouri Southern University appears to be southernmost school while Nebraska Kearney the northern most school and Ft. Hays State the westernmost school. I excluded the MIAA Oklahoma schools since whatever travel information from within the GAC Oklahoma schools would also apply to them; thus listing of Missouri Southern as the southernmost MIAA school.
The distance from the southernmost GAC school (UAM) to the northernmost Missouri school (NWMo) is only 50 miles further than the distance from UAM to NW Oklahoma which are in the same conference!
Summary: distance is not really a strong motivator for a silo conference schedule when almost all schools within either the GAC or MIAA have many options for travel that is much, much closer than several in conference schools.
Changing from silo to out of conference cheduling will be difficult unless both the GAC and MIAA forgo silo scheduling at the same time and work to have home and home games with several of each other’s schools. But it could be a great boost to play so many other options over the years and help to boost the strength of schedule score that can enhance the regional ratings for our conferences.
Okay, so what now? In short, I don’t know but I might have given you something to mull over and think about. Who knows, maybe one of us might be able to say the right thing, at the right time, to the right person(s) to get them thinking about the benefits of scheduling out of conference games.
Hope you enjoyed this!
With that in mind I began to look at the travel distance between the farthest teams within each of the two conferences and compared them to the distance between teams in other conferences nearby. Does it surprise you to learn that there are other D2 teams in other conferences that are closer than some teams within the same conferences? If distance is the motivator, then some schools would benefit to play out of conference games with team’s other conferences than it would be to play within conference. Let me give some examples.
In the GAC, the University of Arkansas at Monticello appears to be southern and eastern most school while Northwest Oklahoma State University the northern most and Southwestern Oklahoma State University the western most schools.
University of Arkansas Monticello (GAC) to . . . | |
Northwest Oklahoma State University (GAC) | 545 miles |
Southwestern Oklahoma State University (GAC) | 493 miles |
University of West Florida (GSC) | 415 miles |
Pittsburg State University (MIAA) | 392 miles |
Central Missouri (MIAA) | 418 miles |
University of West Alabama (GSC) | 298 miles |
Southwestern Oklahoma State University (GAC) to . . . | |
University of Central Missouri (MIAA) | 461 miles |
Ft. Hays State University (MIAA) | 266 miles |
Midwestern State University (Lone Star) | 131 miles |
San Angelo State University (Lone Star) | 382 miles |
University of Texas Permian Basin (Lone Star) | 404 miles |
Eastern New Mexico State University (Lone Star) | 308 miles |
West Texas State University (Lone Star) | 283 miles |
In the MIAA, Missouri Southern University appears to be southernmost school while Nebraska Kearney the northern most school and Ft. Hays State the westernmost school. I excluded the MIAA Oklahoma schools since whatever travel information from within the GAC Oklahoma schools would also apply to them; thus listing of Missouri Southern as the southernmost MIAA school.
Missouri Southern University (MIAA) to . . . | |
Nebraska Kearney State University (MIAA) | 473 miles |
Ft. Hays State University (MIAA) | 367 miles |
Delta State University (GSC) | 454 miles |
Lane College, TN (SIAC) | 392 miles |
Nebraska Kearney State University (MIAA) to . . . | |
Black Hills State University (RMAC) | 453 miles |
Augustana University (Northern Sun) | 293 miles |
University of Sioux Falls (Northern Sun) | 293 miles |
Summary: distance is not really a strong motivator for a silo conference schedule when almost all schools within either the GAC or MIAA have many options for travel that is much, much closer than several in conference schools.
Changing from silo to out of conference cheduling will be difficult unless both the GAC and MIAA forgo silo scheduling at the same time and work to have home and home games with several of each other’s schools. But it could be a great boost to play so many other options over the years and help to boost the strength of schedule score that can enhance the regional ratings for our conferences.
Okay, so what now? In short, I don’t know but I might have given you something to mull over and think about. Who knows, maybe one of us might be able to say the right thing, at the right time, to the right person(s) to get them thinking about the benefits of scheduling out of conference games.
Hope you enjoyed this!
Comment