The college football season will begin in a few short days and the majority of the discussions across the airwaves will be dominated by the discussion of the Power Five Conferences (P5). The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), the Big 10 Conference (B10), Big 12 Conference (B12), the Pacific 12 Conference (P12) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) are the five conferences of the FBS level of college footbal in which are classified as the Power Five Conferences. The sports media “experts” will be openly discussing which P5 conference is the best within that classified group. Each P5 conference possesses their own distinctive small group of prestigious football members who have earned historic accolades and notoriety.
We are entering into fifth year of the College Football Playoff (CFP) format, in which ONLY P5 conference programs have competed for the money, prestige, notoriety and trophy. What the mainstream sports media will not tell you is how the P5 Conferneces and their members receive greater opportunities to compete for the previously mentioned. There is data that proves and supports that the power brokers of college football only want the “primary” name brand college football programs in the CFP. However, what does the data tell us about the P5 and their members?
The primary questions that needs to be addressed is, what the mainstream sports media “experts” fail to recognize or comprehend is that the majority of the P5 conference commissioners, athletic directors and coaches need to control their non conference schedule to strategically position themselves for greater viable recognition and rewards. Historically, during the BCS Era in college football at the FBS level, research and data significantly showed that both the BCS/P5 Conferences and programs possessed and still possess a significantly higher percentage rates in relationship to home field advantage within their non confernce schedule. With this advantage in home field advantage of playing more non conference games at home, there is a direct relationship to a significantly better win loss percentage rates. These non conference scheduling Democritusly driven habits, have not changed during the CFP Era of college football and there is indication that the data shows that those home field advantages within the P5 non confernece schedules continue to rise.
Prior to the start of the upcoming 2018 FBS college football season, the P5 conferences are scheduled to play 220 Non Conference Games (NCG’s) during the 2018 FBS season. Of those 220 NCG’s, 165 or 75% of the NCG’s are scheduled at home. Of those 165 home games for the P5, 48 or 29.1% are home games scheduled against lower level competition for the 2018 FBS college football season. That lower level of competition is within NCAA level of athletics but are classified as the FCS or Football Championship Subdivision. The break down of those 48 NCG’s versus the FCS programs per conference, determined that Southeastern Conference (SEC) scheduled the MOST FCS games at home with 15. With 6 of those 15 scheduled the second to the last week of the FBS season, to increase their chances of earning a bowl eligibility. The next highest FCS scheduling of games belongs to the ACC schedule 14 FCS games, all early in the FBS season. Followed by the PAC 12 with the scheduling of 9 FCS games, then the Big 12 scheduled 8 FCS games. Concluding the FCS scheduling with the Big 10 who only scheduled 2 FCS games. However, its interesting that the sports media “experts” will belittle the other 4 P5 conferences for their scheduling of the NCG’s, but will PRAISE the SEC for how they schedule their NCG’s.
Published researched performed by myself determined that historically when FBS programs scheduled FCS programs, the FBS programs on average, win by 4+ possessions or by at least 25 points or more during the BCS Era. During the current CFP Era, the P5 Conferences have increased their win average in points per game from 25 points to 29 points versus FCS opponents. Seems to me that there is NO current designed purpose for the FBS/P5 programs to schedule the FCS. This leaves the remaining 55 or 25% of their non conference games scheduled for the P5 conference programs on the road at other FBS programs sites.
This indicates that the majority of FBS/P5 programs play 3 home games and the rare 1 away game within their non conference schedule during the regular season. There is evidence that supports that several FBS/P5 programs schedule 3 or 4 home games and 0 away games within their non conference schedule during the regular season. More home games equals a better win loss record. Better win loss records equal greater opportunity to earn bowl bids and possibly secure a CFP bid or bids. This is how the P5 programs want to be perceived in reality. When in reality they hide behind fear. The fear of losing during the regular season, the fear of losing to a better opponent at the same level of classification, the fear of losing to the Group Of Five Conferences and their members, the fear to losing on the road, the fear of losing on the road to a P5 opponent and finally, the fear of losing the opportunity to compete for the CFP title.
Other statistical data that the sports media “experts” fail to recognize or just do not know about the P5 Conferences and their members possess a higher percentage rate in relationship to the category of playing more home games than away games. In addition to, possesing a higher win-loss percentage rate in relationship to their non confernece schedule. This has been a current and significant problem within college footbal within the NCAA level of athletics, but primarily at the FBS level of play and more specifically, within the P5 Conferences and their members. This was also conclusive and significant during the BCS era within the same level of play and classifications.
The research and data during the current CFP era shows that the P5 Conferences and their members have played and scheduled 1158 Non Conference games (NCG’s) from 2014 through the current 2018 FBS season. Of those 1158 NCG’s, 850 or 73.4% are scheduled as home games and or home regional site games. A home regional site game is a game played within a region closer to your home stadium. For example, Alabama, playing in Atlanta versus an opponent. Where as that opponent in which Alabama schedules travels a greater distance to play this scheduled game. Is there a problem in which Alabama cannot travel to that opponents region of the country? The reminaing 308 NCG’s for the P5 Conferences and programs were played on the road. This indicates that the P5 conferences and their members only play or schedule 26.6% of their games on the road versus FBS members.
Of those 1158 NCG’s for the P5, the P5 have recorded an overall record of 703 wins and 205 losses. This indicates that the win loss percentage rate is 75.8% in relationship to the NCG’s for the P5 for NCG’s played. The win loss totals have not been accounted for for the 2018 FBS season. Of those 703 wins, 90 or 12.8% of them are wins versus a lower level classification of college football the FCS. Rather than schedule FBS level classified NCAA footbal programs on the road, P5 group would rather schedule a game versus the lower level FCS for an automatic win and to increase their statistics and image. This is what the sports media “experts” will not tell you or fail to report on. There in NO need for this type of scheduling format and advanatge within college footbal at the FBS level.
I believe, can prove and demonstrate that the need for a standardized and balance scheduling format for the non conference scheduling aspect of games needs to be addressed.Thus, that style of a balanced scheduling format can exist and be more effective and efficient for college football at the FBS level. Interesting that a hgh profile head football coach named Nick Saban, from Alabama made comments similiar to what I just said two sentences ago. More intersting, that same idea, thought or comment Coach Saban said the previous two years on his visits to ESPN, have already been published and copyright protected by myself. I also have served notice to Coach Saban at Alabama and Alabama President; Dr. Bell that they are treading on thin ice and in jeapordy of copyright infringements.
The implementation of a standardized and balanced schedule is what the P5 conferences and power brokers do not want or are resistant to. It can not be proven with 100% with confidence, but if a P5 program losses to another FBS program on the road, they fear not being part of the CFP. To eliminate this fear and implement the type of scheduling in the previous statement, then at the FBS level of play they need to implement an expanded playoff format to 16 FBS programs which is inclusive, not “exclusive”. An expanded 16 team playoff format can be inpleimented into college football at the FBS level, published research proves it. This idea and more has been published and copyright protected since (2013) and then re-published and copyright protected in (2016) within specific chapters in my book.
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