The Pac-12, when that conference existed in its previous form, for example, played nine games against other conference teams.So did the Big Ten.
The SEC, however, had just eight.With four non-conference opponents, some schools could choose to schedule four likely wins, before entering SEC play.This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.
If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.An ideal example is the 2025 Missouri Tigers.
Missouri's non-conference slate was Central Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, and Massachusetts.Four games in which they'd be overwhelming favorites, four wins secured before conference play started.FLORIDA GATORS, MISSISSIPPI STATE SOAR, USC TUMBLES IN LATEST INEXPLICABLE AP TOP 25 POLLMissouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz reacts during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri.
(Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)Missouri proceeded to win just four conference games, 29-20 over South Carolina, 23-17 over Auburn in double overtime, a 49-27 win over Mississippi State, and 31-17 over Arkansas.But, thanks in large part to their four scheduled wins, the Tigers remained in the AP Poll for most of the season, providing a "ranked" opponent for Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
They did not beat a team that finished the season with a winning record on their way to finishing 8-4.Incredibly, with this resume, the Tigers were ranked in 12 of 16 polls during the regular season.And why not? 8-4 doesn't look bad, does it? That's a solid season in a tough conference, if you aren't paying close attention.
Now remove one of those scheduled non-conference wins, and suddenly the road to 8-4 looks a lot harder.Which is the point other conferences made when arguing against the SEC's endless complaints about strength of schedule.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS C...