College Football Question

Submitted by Ajcoss on August 30th, 2019 at 11:15 PM

In watching football last few nights, and thinking back the last few years. Do people think the gap between power 5 schools (even the mid/bottom class) and everyone else is growing? Yes, maybe a few exceptions, but as the norm Is what I am asking. If you said yes, do you think we will see in the next 5-10 years a rule where you can only play power 5 schools ? (Other than maybe 1 or something)

I love college football. Wish I saw less blowouts first few weeks though. 

I'mTheStig

August 30th, 2019 at 11:23 PM ^

It's hard to say a gap is there when the Big 12 doesn't play defense, the Pac 12 sucks, and the quality of play from week 0 to tonite's games has sucked across the board.

Chick Evans

August 30th, 2019 at 11:26 PM ^

No. Off the top of my head in the past 2 days MSU was just literally unable to move the ball against Tulsa (mad respekt to that MSU D though) and Minnesota needed a gift turnover to beat an FCS team. 

I think the top of the top are separating themselves, but overall a G5 can beat a P5 on any given day.

Not to mention programs like UCF that could probably beat the lower half of the B1G

MichiganTeacher

August 31st, 2019 at 12:51 AM ^

The second paragraph of what Chick said.

I think the gap between the top 5 and the rest has become very much wider over the past 15-20 years.

I think this has happened because the NCAA has abandoned its enforcement duties, and several teams have the combination of resources, community, ambition, and (lack of) ethics to exploit that. If the NCAA would just allow schools to pay players, then you'd see something more like the last half of the 20th century, I think, where the gap came between the top 20 or 25 teams and the rest.

 

Monkey House

August 30th, 2019 at 11:27 PM ^

With the playoff system you will see more blowouts do to teams being smart and playing as weak of a non conference schedule as possible.  As for power 5 I think with more and more transfers I'm hoping more will go to mac and conference usa as a means to the chance of instant starting situations.  The MAC right now is a pretty decent conference and usually upsets a power 5 team pretty often. 

GoBlueGoWings

August 30th, 2019 at 11:32 PM ^

I don't think a rule will even be made about playing  only Power 5 teams. The MAC, Conf USA and other non Power 5 teams need to be seen.  They should have a rule about playing only FBS schools and playing the same amount  of conference games.

Harball sized HAIL

August 31st, 2019 at 12:03 AM ^

Nah.  Hasn't changed much.  There are still a handful of G5 teams that will rise up every few years and compete with the lower half of the P5.  Then there are the Boise St.'s and UCF's.  Fresno St. has won 22 games in two years.  SDSU had a good 4 year run of 10+ win seasons till last year.  ECU beat Va. Tech twice in a row.  

If anything I would say in the P5 there is a growing disparity between the top 3rd and bottom 2/3's which has been there for a long time.  

spider-sal

August 31st, 2019 at 12:20 AM ^

Don’t know for sure about an increased gap, I’d guess probably not though.

i would imagine the gap would lessen now with transfers being so common. Talented guys traditionally stuck behind starters can now just go and play for the a smaller school. 

NittanyFan

August 31st, 2019 at 12:28 AM ^

As of the moment, the Pac-12 has active 5-game losing streaks against BOTH the AAC and MWC.

That's one "Power-5" conference which isn't separating at all.

Colorado is beating CSU right now at halftime.  So that streak may end.  But still.

 

uminks

August 31st, 2019 at 12:30 AM ^

I'll enjoy watching as Michigan blows out their opponent. I'm excited to see the offense to score a ton of points, at least I hope they can!  I think this was once the Arkansas game? The awful thing to watch is when the SEC schedules division 2 schools to blowout in November.

Gulogulo37

August 31st, 2019 at 1:08 AM ^

No, but I do think it's easier to build a dynasty now, and that seems bad for concentrating talent at the very very top. Of course it's been common for a couple teams to have a decent talent advantage over even other really good programs (like USC under Carroll), but the playoffs allow for more gimmes. That makes it easier for teams like Alabama and Clemson to have more successful seasons, which looks even better to recruits. You can practically guarantee a playoff appearance to recruits if you're those 2 schools. See how long it lasts, but Alabama isn't slowing down under Saban, though he is 67 now. Clemson under Dabo doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon, especially with no challengers in the ACC. I was rooting for Clemson over Alabama recently, but I actually like Saban considerably more than Dabo now, so I really can't root for Clemson in any game.

CoverZero

August 31st, 2019 at 1:51 AM ^

I am of the opinion that the top 3-5 programs entice recruits to their programs through payments and other illegal methods.  Bama, Clemson, OSU all cheat. They have endless resources to cheat, and multiple layers of cover up to get away with it.  Football is the most important thing at these schools and they put all of their efforts in to win and will stop at nothing.