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2018 Non-Conference Schedule


AURex

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Is anyone else as embarrassed as I am about the 2018 non-conference schedule? Yes, Auburn opens with an away game against University of Washington.

But just look at the home non-conference schedule: Alabama State, Southern Miss, and Liberty. Liberty? Really Jay, that's the best you could come up with? Liberty? Why not the East Carolina Charity Middle School for Blind Girls? Geez.

There is certainly no reason to expand the stadium when the home schedule is loaded with this kind of lineup. UGA and Bama are away that season, so ... ugh!

Link to source: http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2017/05/auburn_complete_2018_non-confe.html#incart_river_home_pop

 

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No...Especially when I see, TAMU, LSU, UA, UGA, OM filling out the other games

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I don't buy the "SEC is super duper extraordinarily beastly tougher than the entire world" story any more. LSU was 8-5, A&M was 8-5, Arky was 7-6, Ole Miss was 5-7, UGA was 8-5. Almost all lost their bowl game to non-SEC opponents. And the SEC East is just pitiful.

Fact is, other conferences are just as difficult as the SEC now.

FSU's 2018 non-conference schedule includes Notre Dame, Florida and Va Tech.
Clemson's includes Texas A&M and USCe
The Big10 schools usually plug in Notre Dame and/or a PAC12 team

I used to disagree with critics who said that SEC schools pad their W-L records with cupcakes, but this 2018 Auburn non-conference schedule sure does play right into their hands. And worse, Auburn fans deserve more for their season ticket price.

 

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The schedule is hard enough within the sec and an away game in Washington. 

Only complaint is that the home schedule is garbage next year. Until they fix the Georgia game it's always going to be this way...

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We don't play Washington in Washington. We'll play them on Sept. 1, 2018 in the Chick-fil-A Classic in Atlanta.

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6 hours ago, gr82b4au said:

 

Only complaint is that the home schedule is garbage next year. Until they fix the Georgia game it's always going to be this way...

This is why I wish we would start emphasizing the LSU rivalry again. Aside from it making 2014 and '16 feel a bit better because of victories over them, we NEED a big home even year opponent. The Georgia game was screwed up because with the way the seven teams per division setup works, permanent inter-division games all need the same rotation patterns (all west on odd, all east on even). This could support the argument for nine games, but once again, I'd rather abolish the divisions.

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Don't sleep on Southern Miss.  So only two bad teams we are playing.  And Florida State's schedule is still easier than ours.  Also Virginia Tech is in their conference.  They play Northern Illinois and Samford for their other two games.  The past few years we have played in the top 5 hardest schedules in the country.  I think JJ is doing just fine. 

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I'm not going to complain about the scheduling any time soon, Gus has had a hard enough time with our schedule the last 2-3 years. 

When I sit back and watch LSU have to hire a career Dline coach, UGA hire a coach with zero HC experience, USCe hires a Florida reject, as OleMiss' Freeze has his program sitting in quick sand with the NCAA.....I don't want AU to have to navigate those waters searching for a new coaching regime. So, if it takes pounding a few cupcakes to get Gus' winning % up, then so be it.:dunno:

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There are 2 sides to the conversation. One is the season ticket holder wanting to see good games, and the other is the fan wanting Auburn to win championships. 

There's a 3rd opinion that Auburn needs a harder schedule for competitive reasons, but I vehemently disagree with that. The Citadel was a BS excuse in 2004- it was just an out for the voters and media types who wanted the sexier matchup between USC and OU- and it's even less of an excuse now. Like @abw0004 correctly points out, our schedule is plenty difficult. 

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On 5/14/2017 at 10:37 AM, AURex said:

LSU was 8-5, A&M was 8-5, Arky was 7-6, Ole Miss was 5-7, UGA was 8-5.

It's called parity. When everyone is equally challenging, a conference eats it's own. The Mississippi schools catching up (all be it by questionable means), and Vandy and Kentucky actually competing, has minimized the bottom end of the conference. You only get multiple 10-2, 11-1 teams in conferences that have 1-2 elite teams and a lot of also rans. When you have 3,4,5+ teams who can compete with anyone on any day, they are all going to randomly lose to each other.

On 5/14/2017 at 10:37 AM, AURex said:

FSU's 2018 non-conference schedule includes Notre Dame, Florida and Va Tech.
Clemson's includes Texas A&M and USCe
The Big10 schools usually plug in Notre Dame and/or a PAC12 team

And what are any of their conference schedules like? Most have 1-2 tough games a year in conference. Auburn is lucky to have one in-conference pushover a year. These schools HAVE to schedule harder out-of-conference opponents in order to have a respectable strength of schedule.

 

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Something else for everyone to consider, the bulk of these schedules are done years in advance.  When it comes to actual game time, who knows if they are actually good that year.  It is a complete guess.  For example, when we play California, who knows what they will do that year.  Or when we scheduled Clemson last year and this year, did anyone know they would be ranked #2 and #6 respectively?  No.  Now some teams are put on there on purpose to give teams a breather.  But like I said, we have the top 5 hardest schedules in the country for the last few years.  Do you really want your team to go through the grind every single game?  More importantly, do you want Jarrett Stidham and Sean White to have tough games every single game, both who have been injured in the past?  Those "cupcake" teams need the money, and we need games for Homecoming and for our redshirt players and back-ups to showcase what is to come and gain experience.  It is a win-win, especially when you see we actually have it harder than most teams.  The players on those teams want to play us too.  This may be their only chance to play on a big stage.  It is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  I am a season ticket holder who travels from Georgia and wants to see exciting games just like everyone else, but it is also nice to relax and not have a heart-attack every Saturday (just please no more morning or noon games).

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3 hours ago, keesler said:

I'm not going to complain about the scheduling any time soon, Gus has had a hard enough time with our schedule the last 2-3 years. 

When I sit back and watch LSU have to hire a career Dline coach, UGA hire a coach with zero HC experience, USCe hires a Florida reject, as OleMiss' Freeze has his program sitting in quick sand with the NCAA.....I don't want AU to have to navigate those waters searching for a new coaching regime. So, if it takes pounding a few cupcakes to get Gus' winning % up, then so be it.:dunno:

*Throws hands up* I guess...

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On ‎5‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 11:37 AM, AURex said:

I don't buy the "SEC is super duper extraordinarily beastly tougher than the entire world" story any more. LSU was 8-5, A&M was 8-5, Arky was 7-6, Ole Miss was 5-7, UGA was 8-5. Almost all lost their bowl game to non-SEC opponents. And the SEC East is just pitiful.

Fact is, other conferences are just as difficult as the SEC now.

FSU's 2018 non-conference schedule includes Notre Dame, Florida and Va Tech.
Clemson's includes Texas A&M and USCe
The Big10 schools usually plug in Notre Dame and/or a PAC12 team

I used to disagree with critics who said that SEC schools pad their W-L records with cupcakes, but this 2018 Auburn non-conference schedule sure does play right into their hands. And worse, Auburn fans deserve more for their season ticket price.

 

VA Tech is in-conference for FSU.

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On ‎5‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 7:52 AM, AURex said:

Is anyone else as embarrassed as I am about the 2018 non-conference schedule? Yes, Auburn opens with an away game against University of Washington.

But just look at the home non-conference schedule: Alabama State, Southern Miss, and Liberty. Liberty? Really Jay, that's the best you could come up with? Liberty? Why not the East Carolina Charity Middle School for Blind Girls? Geez.

There is certainly no reason to expand the stadium when the home schedule is loaded with this kind of lineup. UGA and Bama are away that season, so ... ugh!

Link to source: http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2017/05/auburn_complete_2018_non-confe.html#incart_river_home_pop

 

Don't sleep on the Fightin' Falwells.

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3 hours ago, AUpreacherman22 said:

So, Liberty or Citadel..... which one is worse?

Yes.

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Washington could be a top 10 team if they continue on their trajectory.  I'm fine with having some fluff.  10-20 years ago we'd look at that schedule and freak out because we have a tough non conference game.  I think the bigger issue is this cycle of not alternating the home and away series with Bama and UGa.  I bet there is a dip in season ticket sales every other year no matter who else Auburn schedules at home.

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On 5/15/2017 at 11:55 AM, lionheartkc said:

It's called parity. When everyone is equally challenging, a conference eats it's own. The Mississippi schools catching up (all be it by questionable means), and Vandy and Kentucky actually competing, has minimized the bottom end of the conference. You only get multiple 10-2, 11-1 teams in conferences that have 1-2 elite teams and a lot of also rans. When you have 3,4,5+ teams who can compete with anyone on any day, they are all going to randomly lose to each other.

And what are any of their conference schedules like? Most have 1-2 tough games a year in conference. Auburn is lucky to have one in-conference pushover a year. These schools HAVE to schedule harder out-of-conference opponents in order to have a respectable strength of schedule.

 

Oh, give me a break. The SEC eats its own. Yeah sure. But the ACC eats its own and so does the PAC and the BIG. The reality is, head to head, SEC is not any tougher than these other conferences. Yet Auburn continues to play the Limping Ladies of Honeydew U, while the major teams in other conferences play big-time OOC teams. This is not simply an issue of "perception" (although that is bad enough). It's an issue of fairness to Auburn alumni and fans. Frankly, as an alum, I don't want to pay out my azz just to see Ala State and Liberty and some directional community college.

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12 hours ago, AURex said:

Oh, give me a break. The SEC eats its own. Yeah sure. But the ACC eats its own and so does the PAC and the BIG. The reality is, head to head, SEC is not any tougher than these other conferences. Yet Auburn continues to play the Limping Ladies of Honeydew U, while the major teams in other conferences play big-time OOC teams. This is not simply an issue of "perception" (although that is bad enough). It's an issue of fairness to Auburn alumni and fans. Frankly, as an alum, I don't want to pay out my azz just to see Ala State and Liberty and some directional community college.

If you seriously believe that the ACC, PAC, and BIG are even close to as talented, top to bottom as the SEC, then there is no helping you.  All you have to do is look at the top 25, ANY season, and you will see how wrong that perception is.

Dude... find something you love and focus on that.  Life is far to short to get upset because Auburn is playing Liberty.

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I wonder how much Jacobs is playing Liberty to take a butt kicking. I'm sure it's good size check cause Jay is good at writing big checks to former coaches with huge buyouts.

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11 minutes ago, auburn4ever said:

I wonder how much Jacobs is playing Liberty to take a butt kicking. I'm sure it's good size check cause Jay is good at writing big checks to former coaches with huge buyouts.

3 million

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On 5/18/2017 at 7:46 PM, AURex said:

Oh, give me a break. The SEC eats its own. Yeah sure. But the ACC eats its own and so does the PAC and the BIG. The reality is, head to head, SEC is not any tougher than these other conferences. Did you really just say that and worse even, do you actually believe that?  The SEC has more talent on their rosters than any 2 other conferences COMBINED.   Yet Auburn continues to play the Limping Ladies of Honeydew U, while the major teams in other conferences play big-time OOC teams. Interesting statement but not researched much.   Clemson plays Kent State and The CItadel,  FSU play ULM and DELAWARE STATE.  Ohio State plays Army and UNLV  Michigan plays Cincinnati and Air Force. Oklahoma plays UTEP and Tulane.  NONE of those opponents are "big time OOC teams".  Not ONE.   ALL of those teams play in weaker conferences than the SEC and yet they all play similar teams the SEC plays outside of conference.  Auburn has games coming up with Clemson, Washington, Oregon, Penn State and California.      This is not simply an issue of "perception" (although that is bad enough). It's an issue of fairness to Auburn alumni and fans. Frankly, as an alum, I don't want to pay out my azz just to see Ala State and Liberty and some directional community college.  This is Division 1 football, nobody plays any community colleges. Extreme statement.

 

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