Stop With All the Pointless Games

Last week the top 25 FBS team won by an average score of 33.74 points. The only top 25 team that lost was Arizona State and that was because they played Stanford, another top 25 team. Take a look at the four scores below. They are the first four that show up on Yahoo Sports scores and schedules page. Only Georgia vs North Texas was even close, and saying that is a real stretch.

North Texas Almost had 'em

So, why do I bring this all up? Because FBS teams scheduling FCS (NCAA Division II) teams for a free win is getting out of control. It needs to stop.

If you exclude bowl games, most teams only get three out of conference games a season. These games are the only chance for fans of top teams to see how their team stacks up against other teams from around the country. If they schedule other Division I teams, fans would get to see top talent in the country up close and personal. The games would bring excitement to the season and they are sure to sell out. It would also keep season ticket holders from getting ripped off and having to pay big money to witness a blowout, as currently happens. Basically, scheduling Division I teams is an all around win for fans.

It is not just the fans that would benefit from improving the non conference schedules. Playing a tough out of conference schedule also gives teams a chance at a signature win. This kind of a win is really important for teams that want to make it into a BCS bowl game.It sticks i nthe voters minds. It is also important to help build a teams confidence in themselves. Even in a loss, as long as it isn't an embarrassment, knowing they can stay with a great team can build confidence as well. However, a win over a top tier opponent can rocket launch a team into their conference play.

Playing big games will also bring in more revenue as both teams and help the universities. Stations like ESPN, Fox and NBC would play big money to broadcast the game. For D1 versus D2 games, only regional channels will broadcast the game, which brings in way less money. ROOT just can't pay the same as ESPN. Compared to a match up like Idaho State vs Washington, where Washington had to pay Idaho for the right to throttle them, playing other Division I teams is a definite money maker.

If teams insist on playing push overs there are always bad Division I teams. The University of Washington Huskies scheduled Illinois, a team that plays in the Big ten but went 2-10 last year. They were basically a free win for the Dawgs. Yet, the Fighting Illini still offer a little bit of prestige, especially compared to a Division II team.

Basically, using your non conference schedule to play tomato cans is a waste. Only the teams record benefits. However, playing other Division I teams is a win for the fans, the teams and the university.