Here's a different spin on scheduling

[MSUArrowCS]

How many quality OOC games should MSU try to schedule, on average? This year, I think we tried to schedule 5-6 - Richmond, ODU, UCLA, Big East Challenge, Wright State(?), and WKU(?). How many should we go for, knowing that some won't pan out every year?

I'd vote for around 10.

I think what's killing our resume is the lack of chances for a quality win. Even if we hadn't lost to Rider and WKU, we'd still have a pretty bad resume. The SEC West is not what it used to be, and doesn't give us many conference chances to get quality wins, especially at home. We've played ONE SEC team at home this year with a top 50 RPI.

I think the games you upgrade aren't even necessarily the Texas Pan Am/Valley/Centenary games, but the Houston, San Diego, St. Bonnie, SELA, etc. And you can't tell me that the mid-major types aren't willing to do a home-and-home that's likely to include TV coverage. What say ye?

 

[Columbus Dawg]

Thesolution is that our schedule needs to be a more collaborative effort between Byrne and Stansbury instead of Stansbury having too much control. Stansbury had most of our fanbase convinced that Rider was a Sweet 16 team.

We were unlucky that UCLA sucked so bad. But we were lucky that Old Dominion upset Georgetown to skyrocket their RPI to the Top 50.

You're right about our limited opportunites at a quality win. Playing in the SEC West has turned us into a mid-major. We may have to play a tough game on the road or 2 without the promise of a return trip.

 

[MSUArrowCS]

I don't see the garbage opponents as bad - everyone plays bad opponents. The difference between us and the other bubble teams isn't that they haven't played at least a couple of 250+ RPI teams - it's that they've got 1-2 more top 50 wins.

 

[615dawg]

but search for it. We ran the numbers on playing JSU, Louisiana Tech and ULL instead of Valley, UTPA and Centenary. Cost us 8-10 spots in the RPI.

 

[MSUArrowCS]

I think we'd still be considered a bubble team in search of a signature win and not able to afford a loss to Auburn. Do you really think an RPI of 48 vs.58 would make us a lock?

 

[615dawg]

but it would give us the opportunity to lose to Auburn. With an RPI of 55 currently, a loss to Auburn drops us in the 60s where a win ver Tennessee could only get us back up to 53 or 54 or so. Like I have been saying, I think if we finish the regular season in the top 50, we are in.