The most difficult schedule in 2018

[AUpreacherman22 3,884]

On 1/16/2018 at 6:00 AM, AUpreacherman22 said:

The key to winning the first couple of games will be Tega, Horton, Harrell, Brahms, and Ashley spending all off-season together - working out, practicing, playing chess, singing and holding hands, youth camp, .......  whatever it takes. 

And hiring JB Grimes back to coach them up!?

[gr82b4au 5,568]

On 1/16/2018 at 3:33 AM, WFE12 said:

Guess I'll put this here

Quote:

Washington opening season game just got much tougher

While Auburn lost both Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway early to the NFL, Washington found out Sunday night that star running back Myles Gaskin will return for the 2018 season. If you are unfamiliar with the Husky running back, best get used to the name now, you’ll be hearing it plenty this offseason.

Gaskin has rushed for at least 1,300 yards in each of his three collegiate seasons, going for a combined 4,055 yards so far in his career. He’s scored 44 touchdowns on the ground and another four thru the air. While Jake Browning may get more publicity, the Washington offense clearly runs thru Gaskin. If Auburn has any hopes of winning the Week 1 game, they’ll have to limit Washington’s explosive back.

Yep so basically Washington will have an NFL QB, NFL RB, a good defense, will be picked to win the Pac 12 , and will start somewhere in the top 8. 

I know that we schedule these things years in advance but we have been extremely unlucky when it comes to these games (in terms of playing them when they are great). This even goes back to us playing USC in the 2000s. We set up a home and home with them and they go on a title run those years. We set up home and homes with Clemson and they go on title runs - better than they have EVER BEEN. We set up games with Utah State when they have their best player in a generation. We set up KSU games when they have one of their best players. Louisville - we got lucky that lamar jackson was a true freshman starting his first game but still - he won the Heisman as a soph.  Why can't we play teams when they are down like Alabama does every year? hahaha

[McLoofus 35,182]

13 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

I know that we schedule these things years in advance but we have been extremely unlucky when it comes to these games (in terms of playing them when they are great). This even goes back to us playing USC in the 2000s. We set up a home and home with them and they go on a title run those years. We set up home and homes with Clemson and they go on title runs - better than they have EVER BEEN. We set up games with Utah State when they have their best player in a generation. We set up KSU games when they have one of their best players. Louisville - we got lucky that lamar jackson was a true freshman starting his first game but still - he won the Heisman.  Why can't we play teams we they are down like Alabama does every year? hahaha

OMG... I've been harping on this lately but I forgot that it stretched all the way back to USC. Even Ga Tech had that nasty defense under Tenuda in '03.

Josh Freeman, Lamar Jackson... man, you're absolutely right. Deshaun Watson. Jameis Winston in the BCSCG. I guess we can't whine about playing against Heisman winners in the BCSCG... BUT... we absolutely can whine about playing against 5 of the last 6, 6 of the last 9 and 7 of the last 11 Heisman winners (and Deshaun Watson). 

What a bunch of dummies we are. Why do we do this to ourselves. SMDH.

Edit: Going back to Carson Palmer, we played 10 of the last 16 Heisman winners, with 6 of those 10 coming from out of conference. Who the hell is in charge around here? I want my money back.

[keesler 5,924]

When AU scheduled Clemson for the '16/'17 seasons we were coming off a freaking undefeated 2010 season as National Champs with the Heisman winning QB & #1 draft pick.  Auburn was in the mountain top ready to take on the freaking world, AU's future couldn't have been brighter.  We were pissed that JJ scheduled a middling/mediocre ACC team like Clemson.  My how things can change in the world of college football - who would've ever thought a goob named Dabo would have his team riding to the CFP and in contention for an NC in back to back years?

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 minutes ago, keesler said:

When AU scheduled Clemson for the '16/'17 seasons we were coming off a freaking undefeated 2010 season as National Champs with the Heisman winning QB & #1 draft pick.  Auburn was in the mountain top ready to take on the freaking world, AU's future couldn't have been brighter.  We were pissed that JJ scheduled a middling/mediocre ACC team like Clemson.  My how things can change in the world of college football - who would've ever thought a goob named Dabo would have his team riding to the CFP and in contention for an NC in back to back years?

The same people who thought Washington would be a legit scary preseason #8, and who will also be picking my lottery numbers.

The people who schedule our OoC games will not be picking my lottery numbers, because they clearly hate Auburn fans and don't want to see us happy. 

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

15 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

OMG... I've been harping on this lately but I forgot that it stretched all the way back to USC. Even Ga Tech had that nasty defense under Tenuda in '03.

Josh Freeman, Lamar Jackson... man, you're absolutely right. Deshaun Watson. Jameis Winston in the BCSCG. I guess we can't whine about playing against Heisman winners in the BCSCG... BUT... we absolutely can whine about playing against 5 of the last 6, 6 of the last 9 and 7 of the last 11 Heisman winners (and Deshaun Watson). 

What a bunch of dummies we are. Why do we do this to ourselves. SMDH.

Edit: Going back to Carson Palmer, we played 10 of the last 16 Heisman winners, with 6 of those 10 coming from out of conference. Who the hell is in charge around here? I want my money back.

Training camp.

WDE

[Beaker 2,457]

I see a HUGE missed point:

the biggest part of the problem is not the opponent - it's WHEN we play each opponent.

bama has a major advantage when we play b/c they see our very best against UGA and we are licking our wounds when we play.  They play a Miss school that week, at the end of the season.  Both teams are usually coasting by then (except 2 yrs when Freeze had those players).

if we get to ATL:   then UGA/SEC -E champ  has another major advantage over us b/c 3 weeks ago we had to beat UGA, then "last week" we had to beat bama.  We definitely have some injuries now and have likely played our 2 hardest games in the past 3 weeks.    UGHH!

And them the CFP if we win in ATL?   That is likely 5 tms ranked in the top 10.  Nobody has a dumb sched like Auburn.

 

Come on - our AD needs to work to balance our sched.    A back-end loaded sched is not a good recipe to make a run in the CFP.  Times have changed, we need to also.

[DAG 33,962]

12 minutes ago, Beaker said:

I see a HUGE missed point:

the biggest part of the problem is not the opponent - it's WHEN we play each opponent.

bama has a major advantage when we play b/c they see our very best against UGA and we are licking our wounds when we play.  They play a Miss school that week, at the end of the season.  Both teams are usually coasting by then (except 2 yrs when Freeze had those players).

if we get to ATL:   then UGA/SEC -E champ  has another major advantage over us b/c 3 weeks ago we had to beat UGA, then "last week" we had to beat bama.  We definitely have some injuries now and have likely played our 2 hardest games in the past 3 weeks.    UGHH!

And them the CFP if we win in ATL?   That is likely 5 tms ranked in the top 10.  Nobody has a dumb sched like Auburn.

 

Come on - our AD needs to work to balance our sched.    A back-end loaded sched is not a good recipe to make a run in the CFP.  Times have changed, we need to also.

These things happen in cycles . 3 years prior to this season UGA was marked as win by most of us because they were just above average . Now they had an elite squad and people are freaking out. Eventually UT and UF will go back to being competitive and cause UGA problems although prior to this last year , UF has no problem with them .

[aujeff11 6,243]

2 minutes ago, DAG said:

3 years prior to this season UGA was marked as win by most of us because they were just above average .

Not by me. We have beat them three times in the last thirteen matchups and they have been beating us no matter how strong or weak they are.

[Beaker 2,457]

5 hours ago, DAG said:

These things happen in cycles . 3 years prior to this season UGA was marked as win by most of us because they were just above average . Now they had an elite squad and people are freaking out. Eventually UT and UF will go back to being competitive and cause UGA problems although prior to this last year , UF has no problem with them .

Not really.   Bama has benefited from our game vs UGA for....forever.  Our UGA game is nearly always competitive.  yes they are elite, but this isn't a "freak out". Think of the M Richt era carefully.  Heck, as I think of the 80's, those games were tough.  Bama has always benefited.

Also, the bigger point was successive games Auburn has to play, nearly back to back to get through the CFP.  No team in any conference has to run a gauntlet that is comparable (that I can find and I looked) over such a stretch.  

UGA, then cupcake, bama, SECCG, top 4 team, top 2 team.  

our AD needs to balance our schedule for practical reasons.  Our schedule is dumb, if you want to win out.  Why give others a recurring advantage for the sake of, "well heck, we've always done it this way."  

To ignore this is dumb, dumb, dumb.  

[aujeff11 6,243]

7 minutes ago, Beaker said:

Not really.   Bama has benefited from our game vs UGA for....forever.  Our UGA game is nearly always competitive.  yes they are elite, but this isn't a "freak out". Think of the M Richt era carefully.  Heck, as I think of the 80's, those games were tough.  Bama has always benefited.

Also, the bigger point was successive games Auburn has to play, nearly back to back to get through the CFP.  No team in any conference has to run a gauntlet that is comparable (that I can find and I looked) over such a stretch.  

UGA, then cupcake, bama, SECCG, top 4 team, top 2 team.  

our AD needs to balance our schedule for practical reasons.  Our schedule is dumb, if you want to win out.  Why give others a recurring advantage for the sake of, "well heck, we've always done it this way."

I remember when the series was tied and the total points scored in the series per team was damn near even as well. Pretty incredible stuff given it’s the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

On 1/10/2018 at 3:40 PM, SumterAubie said:

Auburn should be undefeated going into Athens. There is not a school on Auburn's schedule, prior to uga, that will have better personnel than Auburn.

But some have better coaching though

[SumterAubie 3,031]

8 hours ago, WarEagle1983 said:

But some have better coaching though

Just curious, other than Washington with Chris Peterson, what other teams of the first 9 on the schedule have a better coaching staff?

[lionheartkc 6,150]

16 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

Not by me. We have beat them three times in the last thirteen matchups and they have been beating us no matter how strong or weak they are.

While I totally agree with this assessment before 2013, the last two times they beat us they got luck to catch us when our top skill players were injured. Had we played them at full strength in 2015 or 2016 we would have won... easily in 2016. That is why our #1 priority for the next several years needs to be building depth.

[AUwent 3,747]

8 minutes ago, SumterAubie said:

Just curious, other than Washington with Chris Peterson, what other teams of the first 9 on the schedule have a better coaching staff?

Some might argue Jimbo, but the argument could also be made that his success had more to do with "'Ol Crab Legs."

[AUIH1 1,515]

3 minutes ago, SumterAubie said:

Just curious, other than Washington with Chris Peterson, what other teams of the first 9 on the schedule have a better coaching staff?

Coaching staff is not the issue. It is the HC.  Our coaching staff was good enough to beat LSU with a 20-0 lead.  Our :HC made decisions that our coaching staff could not overcome to secure the win.   If a team whose head coach is Ed Orgeron beats you then you can be defeated by anyone.

wde

[lionheartkc 6,150]

15 minutes ago, SumterAubie said:

Just curious, other than Washington with Chris Peterson, what other teams of the first 9 on the schedule have a better coaching staff?

I'm not sure what to make of Peterson. Like Gus being stuck in high school, Peterson still has a lot of Boise State in him. In his bowl game, when they were getting their butts handed to them, he went full on sandlot. A move like that could play right into Gus's hands, because it's a totally high school thing to do. 

[SumterAubie 3,031]

1 hour ago, AUwent said:

Some might argue Jimbo, but the argument could also be made that his success had more to do with "'Ol Crab Legs."

Right. I'm inclined to  believe his success was due, in large part, to the conference he coached in.. And of course, 'ol Crab legs'. 

[AUwent 3,747]

1 hour ago, AUIH1 said:

Coaching staff is not the issue. It is the HC.  Our coaching staff was good enough to beat LSU with a 20-0 lead.  Our :HC made decisions that our coaching staff could not overcome to secure the win.   If a team whose head coach is Ed Orgeron beats you then you can be defeated by anyone.

wde

I often wonder how the entire season could’ve changed if Gus had gone for it on that one fourth down in the fourth quarter. There’s a chance we wouldn’t have gotten it (so glad Hand is gone), but if we had, our offense was starting to generate some momentum, which is why I’m confident we would’ve won. And the domino effect as such.

[SumterAubie 3,031]

1 hour ago, AUIH1 said:

Coaching staff is not the issue. It is the HC.  Our coaching staff was good enough to beat LSU with a 20-0 lead.  Our :HC made decisions that our coaching staff could not overcome to secure the win.   If a team whose head coach is Ed Orgeron beats you then you can be defeated by anyone.

wde

Thus the 'should' in my original post, not 'will'.

[DAG 33,962]

16 hours ago, Beaker said:

Not really.   Bama has benefited from our game vs UGA for....forever.  Our UGA game is nearly always competitive.  yes they are elite, but this isn't a "freak out". Think of the M Richt era carefully.  Heck, as I think of the 80's, those games were tough.  Bama has always benefited.

Also, the bigger point was successive games Auburn has to play, nearly back to back to get through the CFP.  No team in any conference has to run a gauntlet that is comparable (that I can find and I looked) over such a stretch.  

UGA, then cupcake, bama, SECCG, top 4 team, top 2 team.  

our AD needs to balance our schedule for practical reasons.  Our schedule is dumb, if you want to win out.  Why give others a recurring advantage for the sake of, "well heck, we've always done it this way."  

To ignore this is dumb, dumb, dumb.  

Then I guess we have been dumb, dumb, dumb for the last several years now. How about we stop acting like little prissy girls and just accept that UGA was a very good team this year. Rarely will you have to face a team twice in a short span like that. It just so happened this year. Been an Auburn fan for about 23 years now, and only recently have I seen this type of uproar from a marginal portion of our fan base. It isn’t going to change. The new AD isn’t going to whine about nor should he. Sick of all this whimpering. We just lost to a better team.

[AUsince72 11,084]

Seems many have forgotten, "amen corner" used to be the entire month of November.  It started with Florida the first Sat in Nov, followed by homecoming and then GA & bammer.  Remember when Fla & UTk were on the schedule EVERY year?

We shouldn't complain as fans...we should embrace it.  It's what makes football fun!  Don't remember us complaining about it in the 80's...

[leglessdan 1,934]

4 hours ago, AUsince72 said:

Seems many have forgotten, "amen corner" used to be the entire month of November.  It started with Florida the first Sat in Nov, followed by homecoming and then GA & bammer.  Remember when Fla & UTk were on the schedule EVERY year?

We shouldn't complain as fans...we should embrace it.  It's what makes football fun!  Don't remember us complaining about it in the 80's...

This. Just win the games. Develop the needed depth to go through any situation or scenario and field a competitive team. It's Not rocket science. 

[gman87 398]

There are 2 scheduling changes I'd like to see. Get $puat and UGA back to home and away every year and eliminate 1 pointless OOC game which does absolutely no good other than the scrub team draws a paycheck. Just add another bye week if need be.

Now if they did see fit to go to a 10 game schedule, adding another round to the playoffs may become possible but that's another discussion.

[gr82be 14,422]

22 hours ago, AUsince72 said:

Seems many have forgotten, "amen corner" used to be the entire month of November.  It started with Florida the first Sat in Nov, followed by homecoming and then GA & bammer.  Remember when Fla & UTk were on the schedule EVERY year?

We shouldn't complain as fans...we should embrace it.  It's what makes football fun!  Don't remember us complaining about it in the 80's...

I remember it well and it was a badge of honor to sweep those games in my opinion. I don't think anyone would forget that though, there are just so many people on here that weren't even born yet. No one complained then because there was no SECCG afterward that had you possibly playing one of them again. I doubt the schedule changes unless a realignment happens. The bottom line is that Auburn just has to win in November, December and January. If they lose it has to be in September or October.