Big Ten Will No Longer Be Playing FCS Schools

I guess the Big Ten Football Conference is tired of losing to FCS schools. For instance, our brother to the south have won five straight games against FBS opponents and has a 2-1 record against Minnesota of the Big Ten.

Per Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press:

Fellow Big Ten West title competitors have somewhat lighter crossover schedules. Wisconsin will play Rutgers and Maryland; Nebraska gets Rutgers and resurgent Michigan State.

The FCS schools, which now supplement their budgets with high-paying games against FBS schools, now won't have that revenue.

"That is going to put some real burden on schools of that size and how they are going to go forward with their football programs," said Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association. 

So, is it good policy for the FBS schools to not schedule the FCS Schools? I don't think so, unless your team has a good shot of making the playoff game. Right now, only four schools make the FBS playoffs.

I suppose the Kansas schools will think twice about scheduling FCS schools. Especially, after NDSU beat both of them recently (2010, 2013).

 

ESPN, Many Power Coaches Want Exclusive Sked

So it begins. Basically, the Big Ten, Pac-12, Big-12, ACC, SEC, and the Fighting Irish don't want to play any more football games against the FCS schools or the smaller Division I FBS schools.

What's this means, you're not going to see anymore FCS teams like Appalachian State beating Michigan in football. I also realize that APP State is not a FBS school, but they're not going to be playing the big five schools anymore, either. Frankly, this smacks of elitism. It's not like Minnesota or Indiana are very good in football. One has to wonder if this is going to filter down to College Hockey and Basketball as well?

Brett McMurphy, ESPN.com - Many of the Power Five conference coaches in college football told ESPN that they favor a schedule consisting of only Power Five opponents.

Of the 65 Power Five coaches from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC and Notre Dame, 46 percent (30 coaches) favored playing exclusively Power Five opponents while 35 percent (23 coaches) were opposed. About 18.5 percent (12 coaches) were undecided.

The Pac-12, Big 12 and SEC coaches favored playing all Power Five opponents, while the ACC coaches were against it by a 6-4 margin with four coaches undecided. Big Ten coaches were divided: Six each were for and against it, with two undecided.

The coaches, who were in Bristol, Connecticut, last month, were asked whether they would favor all Power Five conferences playing their respective conference schedules and then scheduling all non-conference games against other Power Five teams. Because of the tougher schedules under this hypothetical scenario, teams would not be required to reach six wins to play in a bowl.

The Pac-12, Big 12 and SEC coaches favored playing all Power Five opponents, while the ACC coaches were against it by a 6-4 margin with four coaches undecided. Big Ten coaches were divided: Six each were for and against it, with two undecided.

Alabama coach Nick Saban said "fans want" Power Five teams playing exclusively Power Five opponents.

This is good from @McMurphyESPN; poll of Big Ten coaches on playing just power-5 teams: 6 said yes, 6 said no, 2 undecided #FCSFootball
— Dom Izzo (@DomIzzoWDAY) August 7, 2014

Lot of interesting quotes in that ESPN story. 46 percent of Power 5 FB coaches want Power 5-only schedules.
— Tom Miller (@tommillergf) August 7, 2014