Ain’t Played Nobody: 9 college football teams avoid Power Five non-conference games
By John Buhler
College football teams avoiding a Power Five team in the non-conference
(Bowling Green, at Buffalo, Old Dominion, UMass). Liberty Flames. . player. Pick Analysis. Conference USA. 2382. Scouting Report
Liberty was unable to land a Power Five opponent after joining C-USA
You are seeing a trend here, right? Liberty falls into the same category as Houston when it comes to having to join a conference. Where this is a bit different for the Flames is they are going from being a national independent to being a member of a new-look Conference USA. While they do have to take on an eight-game Group of Five conference slate, no Power Five teams? Come on!
It may be a period of adjustment with Jamey Chadwell taking over for Hugh Freeze, but Liberty has shown a willingness to always play up in competition. Heck, Liberty defeated SEC foe Arkansas late last season. This victory probably tipped the scales for Auburn to hire Freeze to be the Tigers’ next head coach. For now, Liberty will play Bowling Green, at Buffalo, Old Dominion and UMass.
You can use the joining another conference excuse, but Liberty’s slate is not equal to Houston’s.
Michigan should be harpooned over weak non-conference schedule
For the second year in a row, Michigan will not play anyone of note in the non-conference. Last year saw the Wolverines face Hawaii, Colorado State and UConn outside of the Big Ten. Yes, they do play a nine-game conference slate, but the Wolverines are too good of a program to not feature a single Power Five team in the non-conference. Facing East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green is embarrassing.
They are the only Big Ten team who does not play a P5 in the non-conference. Of the seven P5 teams who do not play another outside of conference play, Michigan is one of four who have no excuses baked in because of realignment. This schedule will be why the two-time reigning Big Ten champion will not get the benefit of the doubt from the Selection Committee if they lost a game.
The Selection Committee has docked contending teams for weak non-conference slates before.