FOX analyst Joel Klatt offers Alabama a way to fix its schedule
One of the top storylines in college football this week has been Alabama’s schedule, coming off a game against New Mexico State, and with Southern Miss next after the game at South Carolina this week. Then there’s the kick off times, and how the Crimson Tide feel about early games and compared with other teams around the SEC.
Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt has weighed in on the subject, and taken a unique view for a solution.
“Alabama has scheduled for championships better than anybody else,” Klatt said. “When they play Power 5 opponents, they’re on neutral sites. Those neutral sites, generally speaking except one, have been closer to Tuscaloosa than their opponent’s campus. That’s just how they schedule, it’s worked out incredible well for them.”
Having said that, the Crimson Tide can’t complain about when other non-conference games are scheduled, Klatt said. Alabama not reciprocating with a home-and-home is one reason why opponents won’t come to Bryant-Denny in his mind.
If commissioner of the NCAA, Klatt would adopt an NFL model with every team playing 8 conference games, which leaves 4 non-conference games. Two of those games will be against directional lower level schools in your region to help those smaller schools with their budgets.
Then Klatt would pair “scheduling partners,” so teams would play a first-place schedule or a last-place schedule. The SEC would, for example, be paired with the Big 10 and Pac-12. Under that example, Alabama would play a home game against either Ohio State or Washington, and a road game against the other team in matchups of reigning conference champions. Then the second place team, and on down, would play the second place team in corresponding conferences.
That would allow for more parity, and more flexibility with bowl eligibility.
Fans, television networks and teams would enjoy that setup, Klatt said.
“Players don’t come to play Mercer,” he said. “You go to Alabama to play Georgia, LSU, Clemson and any other top program in the country.”
“This is how I would fix your schedule, Alabama.”
Using the NFL as a model, @JoelKlatt breaks down his solution to change non-conference scheduling in college football ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SBH7PRR7sA
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 13, 2019
This all coming from a shįt heel that came from a diluted conference, Big12-10, that he couldn’t compete in? Lmffao!!! What he needs to do is, write down his solution on a piece of paper, roll it up into a tight little ball, and shove it up his a$$!!!!
Alabama has already started to schedule better with future home and home series lined up. If Saban had his way, we’d play an extra SEC game bringing the total of Power 5 teams up to 10. If the SEC won’t change to a 9 game schedule, I can Saban staying on the powers that be to schedule another Power 5 team.
All this talk of Bama’s schedule despite A&M, LSU, and Auburn still to come. Mississippi State might even find itself in the Top 25 soon enough. That’s possibly 4 Top 25 teams on the schedule. How many does Clemson have again?
The idea sounds great. The idea of me being a multi-millionaire is great also. How do you schedule a NFL schedule when CFB schedules are made years in advance?
Before Saban and when I was at Bama, Alabama traveled to play against Memphis and Tulane and other non Power 5 teams. Of course, losing at Memphis (then Memphis State) got that series cancelled and not renewed. Saban can’t find any schools to play him, and I think that true, however, Alabama wont do one for ones or even 2 for 1’s. He can’t find many schools willing to just come to Tuscaloosa and not get a home game would be more accurate. It’s something few schools get away with, but bc Alabama is at a different level, I guess it works for him. What’s ironic is when I was a student at Bama, we loved away games to Memphis and new Orleans, or other fun cities. No one expected to lose of course, and it was rare, but Alabama did lose occasionally to those teams. With the state of the current program, that possibility is even less, so it’s surprising he refuses to travel to play teams like those. The less than 1% chance of a loss is too much of a risk for him I guess. Its disappointing as a fan to play who we play non conference, and if we had to actually travel every now and then like every other team does to get better games would be worth it to me.
“Of course, losing at Memphis (then Memphis State) got that series cancelled and not renewed. “
You should just stop making $hit up… Bama is 7-1 against Memphis with two wins coming after the loss to Memphis…
Bama’s last game against Memphis came in 1991…. I wonder what changed in 1992. Any guess?
I was at that game in 91, as a student at Alabama and in the Alabama section. Alabama escaped 13-10. Memphis missed 2 FGs too. Most bama fans I was with didn’t expect such a close game. Of course they did not expect to lose the trip before. Most loved the trip, as did I, as it was fun.. but when the contract was up, Alabama didn’t want to renew it. Maybe losing one game and almost losing another had zero to do with it, maybe it did. But Expanding the conference didn’t mean Alabama could not play them as you imply. Nor would winning a national championship. My whole point is, as an Alabama alum, I am tired of Mercer and citadel. One a year, maybe, but not 3. We refuse to travel, so we are stuck with the Mercer’s of football. I think we could fix it, but think we should not have to travel, or simply don’t want to travel for whatever reason. Bc we don’t, we can disagree on why, but the fact is we dont play true road games out of conference. I would love a trip to Orlando and watch UCF vs Bama instead of beating New Mexico by 50 at home. But some would rather just beat cupcakes by video game scores I guess.
Coincidentally, this would also help a little bit to fix the abysmal Big 10 sche–ah, no it wouldn’t. Their conference still has Rutgers.
This only works if conferences are equal , but of course they are not.
Will someone enlighten this man who is supposed to be up to date on what he is talking about? Alabama has slated home-and-home games with Texas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Wisconsin and South Florida. And is in talks with USC and others. I hate Fox Sports. Ignorance on parade.
And Notre Dame.