Bob Stoops is Known for Respectable Non-Conference Schedules, Why Stop Now?

Well this season has definitely had it's moments of excitement, but they have been more few and far between compared to years past.  Since the NCAA has introduced the 12-game schedule, teams seem to find the need to pencil in a cupcake FCS school.  Sure you may have a time every now and then where an App. St. defeats a Michigan, but really, haven't we gone too far?

Now days the BCS has come down to who's beat who and how it has affected their "ever important" BCS ranking.  I think teams should try and schedule decent teams during their non-conference season in order to get better national recognition.  For example, the University of Oklahoma had not played an FCS school since 1999, but they were forced into doing so after a non-BCS conference opponent dropped out at the last minute.  This in turn put OU in a tough situation and had to dole out some extra cash to a much weaker FCS foe, UT-Chattanooga.  Who is to blame in this case, well it would be the team that backed out, UAB.  Don't tell me why they decided to back out, but as an OU fan I thought it was pretty cheap.  Especially since Bob Stoops has put some pride behind trying to make OU's non-conference schedule somewhat of a challenge in order to possibly get that final push come National Championship time.

Ok, is it fair for some teams to begin week one with a conference game and others with patsies?  No, of course not, but then we have to penalize teams who back out on their previous commitments and/or make games versus FCS teams hurt your ranking, win or lose, in order to bring back more high quality non-conference match-ups.  With all that being said there will be good a one this week in USC-Ohio St. 

Looking back at these glorified scrimmages, but actual games against FCS teams, have they hurt the image of NCAA football?  For the most point, yes, but then you get a sports story of the year in App. St. over Michigan.  The only thing is that a game like that happens usually once in a very long time.  So until there is forced regulation by the NCAA in the scheduling process or FCS teams turn down the big money they are offered to travel and play at these major schools, we will continue to have the same problem.