Cal Poly and UC Davis announce amazingly similar schedules.

[bojeta]

Cal Poly's 2011 football schedule was released today and the similarities with UC Davis are striking to say the least. Both scheduled two strong FBS teams and both on the same dates. Both Scheduled one DII team and both on the same dates following a bye week. Both play Montana schools on the 2nd week of the season and both play two nationally ranked Big Sky teams. And of course, being in the same conference, they play those teams as well.

[SuperHornet]

Actually, it looks to me like the 'Stangs have an easier schedule. I wouldn't exactly call those FBS teams "strong." SDSU is inconsistent, and N IL isn't exactly B(C)$ material, either. I really don't know anything about their respective D-IIs, so I'll reserve judgment there. However, I do believe both CP and UCFE have a history of making noise in FBS games. They'll likely have to do so to get a playoff berth with schedules like this, because the FCS portion of these schedules (outside of the Montanas on 9/10) isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

[SloStang]

FBS might be a slight edge to Davis, but not by much. South Dakota State is much tougher than San Diego. South Alabama is tougher on the road then UTSA at home and Eastern Washington is historically tougher than Sac State.

[SDHornet]

Either way with those schedules, it’s going to be tough to make it to the playoffs. Both scheduled 2 FBS money games AND a non-D-1 opponent.

[bojeta]

I concur with SloStang and... while none of us can tell for sure how the season will pan out for any of those FBS teams given changes in staff..., if you followed these programs last season, you know that both Northern Illinois and San Diego State were strong teams. SDSU 9-4 and NI 11-3. Both were Bowl Champions. Early predictions are they will both be pre-season top 25 picks. I know that Arizona will be in the top 20 somewhere and Hawaii could certainly be in the top 25 as well though I haven't checked to see who's returning for HI. So I'm giving only a slight edge to Davis in the FBS difficulty category based on ASU. As for the rest of the season... hands down Poly. Oh.. for what it's worth, Humboldt is definitely the stronger of the two DII teams so that category goes to Davis I guess. Assumptions that the Great West teams are weaker than the Big Sky doesn't really pan out when you consider the 2010 results. Poly beat Montana. SAC was in every Big Sky game and Davis beat SAC. Both N. Dakota and S. Dakota beat FBS teams and were highly competitive in conference. SUU beat them all. Nah... Both the Poly and Davis schedules are definitely SOLID FCS schedules. Possibly two of the toughest in the nation.

[SDHornet]

I agree they are solid/tough schedules, but it won’t matter unless they can get 7 D-1 wins.

[bojeta]

I agree they are solid/tough schedules, but it won’t matter unless they can get 7 D-1 wins.

No arguing that.

Interesting write-up on Bleacher Report I just came across regarding how strong San Diego State is expected to be.
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Arizona State was written up as well.
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[SDHornet]

I was hoping we’d see you guys on the schedule this season, we still have one spot open and with what we have returning I hope to God it is an FCS team. Either way I am pretty confident CP will be on our schedule every season starting in 2012. It will do wonders for our attendance.

[bojeta]

I was hoping we’d see you guys on the schedule this season, we still have one spot open and with what we have returning I hope to God it is an FCS team. Either way I am pretty confident CP will be on our schedule every season starting in 2012. It will do wonders for our attendance.

Look forward to that myself!! Best thing about the new Big Sky will be fewer FBS and zero DII games!!!
Both SAC and Davis will be great rival games that I won't have to miss. Since my daughter's in Davis, I'll have a built in excuse for the road trip!

[SDHornet]

You'll have to be in Davis? That sux.

[bojeta]

You'll have to be in Davis? That sux.

Ahhh.... no sour grapes lol.

Here's the Bleacher Report on Hawaii. As I suspected, they're losing a ton of what made them so successful in 2010 so I'm completely removing them for top 25 contention in FBS.
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[SDHornet]

You'll have to be in Davis? That sux.

Ahhh.... no sour grapes lol.

Here's the Bleacher Report on Hawaii. As I suspected, they're losing a ton of what made them so successful in 2010 so I'm completely removing them for top 25 contention in FBS.
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FWIW they were embarrassed in their own bowl game to close out the season.

[bojeta]

Yep, I watched some of that until I couldn't take it anymore lol..
Here's the Bleacher Report on Northern Illinois. A little good news for Poly, but most of it concerns me as their defense will be gnarly:
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[Thumper 76]

Hey CP guys how bout some respect, we're the REAL SDSU around these parts

[bojeta]

Definitely have respect for "the real SDSU"!! Looking forward to the South Dakota State game and so happy the rumors turned out to be true that the Jackrabbits are coming SLO!! Always a great game and yet another tough challenge for the 2011 season. Go Poly!!!

[native]

I concur with SloStang and... while none of us can tell for sure how the season will pan out for any of those FBS teams given changes in staff..., if you followed these programs last season, you know that both Northern Illinois and San Diego State were strong teams. SDSU 9-4 and NI 11-3. Both were Bowl Champions. Early predictions are they will both be pre-season top 25 picks. I know that Arizona will be in the top 20 somewhere and Hawaii could certainly be in the top 25 as well though I haven't checked to see who's returning for HI. So I'm giving only a slight edge to Davis in the FBS difficulty category based on ASU. As for the rest of the season... hands down Poly. Oh.. for what it's worth, Humboldt is definitely the stronger of the two DII teams so that category goes to Davis I guess. Assumptions that the Great West teams are weaker than the Big Sky doesn't really pan out when you consider the 2010 results. Poly beat Montana. SAC was in every Big Sky game and Davis beat SAC. Both N. Dakota and S. Dakota beat FBS teams and were highly competitive in conference. SUU beat them all. Nah... Both the Poly and Davis schedules are definitely SOLID FCS schedules. Possibly two of the toughest in the nation.

Good schedule, sure, but there is no such thing as a "tough" schedule which includes lower division opponents. Sorry.

Kudos to the superb Cal Poly program, though!

[SloStang]

I concur with SloStang and... while none of us can tell for sure how the season will pan out for any of those FBS teams given changes in staff..., if you followed these programs last season, you know that both Northern Illinois and San Diego State were strong teams. SDSU 9-4 and NI 11-3. Both were Bowl Champions. Early predictions are they will both be pre-season top 25 picks. I know that Arizona will be in the top 20 somewhere and Hawaii could certainly be in the top 25 as well though I haven't checked to see who's returning for HI. So I'm giving only a slight edge to Davis in the FBS difficulty category based on ASU. As for the rest of the season... hands down Poly. Oh.. for what it's worth, Humboldt is definitely the stronger of the two DII teams so that category goes to Davis I guess. Assumptions that the Great West teams are weaker than the Big Sky doesn't really pan out when you consider the 2010 results. Poly beat Montana. SAC was in every Big Sky game and Davis beat SAC. Both N. Dakota and S. Dakota beat FBS teams and were highly competitive in conference. SUU beat them all. Nah... Both the Poly and Davis schedules are definitely SOLID FCS schedules. Possibly two of the toughest in the nation.

Good schedule, sure, but there is no such thing as a "tough" schedule which includes lower division opponents. Sorry.

Kudos to the superb Cal Poly program, though!

So if Weber State were scheduled to play 10 SEC teams next year and one DII school we could not call their schedule a tough schedule because they are playing a DII team?

[native]

Good schedule, sure, but there is no such thing as a "tough" schedule which includes lower division opponents. Sorry.

Kudos to the superb Cal Poly program, though!

So if Weber State were scheduled to play 10 SEC teams next year and one DII school we could not call their schedule a tough schedule because they are playing a DII team?

I must have missed the 10 SEC teams on the Cal Poly schedule.

San Diego State, on the other hand, was one of the most underrated teams in the country last year. CP deserves credit for scheduling them and for beating them in past years!

You have a great program and a great schedule. Be proud of it, but don't try to puff it up at the same time you are scheduling Central Oklahoma.

Weber has payed at least two FBS teams every year for the past several seasons. But no, even though WSU scored 3 TDs vs #8 Utah and led a high octane Hawaii team at the half in 2008, with Western Montana on the schedule in that same year I would be embarrassed to call their schedule "one of the toughest in the country."

[SloStang]

So if Weber State were scheduled to play 10 SEC teams next year and one DII school we could not call their schedule a tough schedule because they are playing a DII team?

I must have missed the 10 SEC teams on the Cal Poly schedule.

San Diego State, on the other hand, was one of the most underrated teams in the country last year. CP deserves credit for scheduling them and for beating them in past years!

You have a great program and a great schedule. Be proud of it, but don't try to puff it up at the same time you are scheduling Central Oklahoma.

Weber has payed at least two FBS teams every year for the past several seasons. But no, even though WSU scored 3 TDs vs #8 Utah and led a high octane Hawaii team at the half in 2008, with Western Montana on the schedule in that same year I would be embarrassed to call their schedule "one of the toughest in the country."

I have never said it was one of the toughest in the country. I am just saying that you can have 10 tough games and one not so tough game and it still can be a tough schedule. I know for a fact that Cal Poly did not want to schedule a DII team, but the only other option would have been a 10 game schedule.

I am really looking forward to 2012 when Cal Poly only has 3 OOC games to schedule.

[bojeta]

[/b][/quote]
I have never said it was one of the toughest in the country. I am just saying that you can have 10 tough games and one not so tough game and it still can be a tough schedule. I know for a fact that Cal Poly did not want to schedule a DII team, but the only other option would have been a 10 game schedule.

I am really looking forward to 2012 when Cal Poly only has 3 OOC games to schedule.[/quote]

First, I appreciate the oppinions and comments of all. Not trying to split hairs on this issue, but....
I did say it was one of the toughest and stand by that. Several reasons: 1. San Diego State and Northern Illinois represent what appear to be very solid FBS opponents in 2011. 2. OOC games with Montana, Eastern WA and South Alabama represent three of the toughest OOC games one could hope for and South Dakota State is always a tough game even when their season ends at less than 500. Just a solid program! 3. Conference looks like it will be well represented this year. 4. (Really two issues here) While I have NO ARGUMENT about the probable weakness of Central OK, a single DII team in the schedule is not unique to Cal Poly or Davis. It's an unfortunate scheduling problem that faces too many FCS programs. However, simply because a team is classified as DII, does not mean they will be weak!! I think Davis will have their hands full with Humboldt and that's nothing to be ashamed of. Humboldt was a top 20 DII program last year and probably deserved a higher ranking, but their conference is so small they have to play each team twice to fill a schedule and that hurts them greatly. Keep this in mind; Cal Poly defeated Boise State the year Boise won the NCAA I-AA (FCS) championship. Cal Poly went on to win the D-II national championship! Does this mean that Cal Poly was ostensibly the FCS champions that year??

BTW, Weber is one the FCS programs I've always admired for their strength of schedule and their performance, win or lose, against FBS teams. As everyone has been saying... CAN'T WAIT FOR THE BIG SKY IN 2012!!!!

[collegesportsinfo]

Cal Poly's 2011 football schedule was released today and the similarities with UC Davis are striking to say the least. Both scheduled two strong FBS teams and both on the same dates. Both Scheduled one DII team and both on the same dates following a bye week. Both play Montana schools on the 2nd week of the season and both play two nationally ranked Big Sky teams. And of course, being in the same conference, they play those teams as well.

It's because they are car pooling. Cal Polys mom wanted me to remind UC Davis that their mom has to bring the orange wedges that week.

[Herky]

FBS might be a slight edge to Davis, but not by much. South Dakota State is much tougher than San Diego. South Alabama is tougher on the road then UTSA at home and Eastern Washington is historically tougher than Sac State.

Not so fast there, CP leads the all time series with Sac State by 1, 16-15. I don't know CP's record against EWU off the top of my head, but I'd venture to guess that there isnt enough history between the two to make an assumption like you did.

[SloStang]

FBS might be a slight edge to Davis, but not by much. South Dakota State is much tougher than San Diego. South Alabama is tougher on the road then UTSA at home and Eastern Washington is historically tougher than Sac State.

Not so fast there, CP leads the all time series with Sac State by 1, 16-15. I don't know CP's record against EWU off the top of my head, but I'd venture to guess that there isnt enough history between the two to make an assumption like you did.

No disrespect meant towards Sac State and please notice I said historically. EWU is coming off a National Championship. Our record against EWU is 1-1. What is Sac State's record against EWU?

[Herky]

Not so fast there, CP leads the all time series with Sac State by 1, 16-15. I don't know CP's record against EWU off the top of my head, but I'd venture to guess that there isnt enough history between the two to make an assumption like you did.

No disrespect meant towards Sac State and please notice I said historically. EWU is coming off a National Championship. Our record against EWU is 1-1. What is Sac State's record against EWU?

I know you said historically, but there is just a two game history between CP and EWU. So historically, and I use that term loosely in this instance, there is little history between CP and EWU. However, if you meant to say that EWU has historically been tough, then I'd have to agree.

But, when comparing Sac State and EWU when playing CP, there really isnt a comparison as the CP vs. Sac State games are always tough. Sac State is also coming off a season where they were 11 points away from a 10-1 season while returning most of their starters for the 2011 season.

I never said EWU wasnt a tough opponent, but it's 14-4 EWU.

[SDHornet]

No disrespect meant towards Sac State and please notice I said historically. EWU is coming off a National Championship. Our record against EWU is 1-1. What is Sac State's record against EWU?

I know you said historically, but there is just a two game history between CP and EWU. So historically, and I use that term loosely in this instance, there is little history between CP and EWU. However, if you meant to say that EWU has historically been tough, then I'd have to agree.

But, when comparing Sac State and EWU when playing CP, there really isnt a comparison as the CP vs. Sac State games are always tough. Sac State is also coming off a season where they were 11 points away from a 10-1 season while returning most of their starters for the 2011 season.

I never said EWU wasnt a tough opponent, but it's 14-4 EWU.

EWU should be the hands down favorite to take the BSC in '11.