USC Morning Buzz: Equal Opportunity Schedule Bashing

I’ve made quite a bit about USC’s basketball schedules in recent years. But to be clear that my issues are not USC-centric, I’m going to change the sport and again hammer an even more disgraceful situation: Washington’s football schedule.

It’s so bad it deserves repeated scrutiny. The Huskies play nonconference games at Rutgers while hosting Montana and Fresno State. One supposed excuse is that Washington was terrible when schedules were made. But that only indicts the Huskies’ administration, which showed zero confidence it would ever get better.

The Pac-12 showed its mercy with Washington playing four of its final five games at home. And the USC fans howling because the Trojans do not have a bye will be happy to know the Huskies have one the third weekend of October. And do not play USC. It’s good to be a Husky.

34 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Equal Opportunity Schedule Bashing

  1. That’s great but how about acknowledging that every school in the country plays 8 or 9 cupcakes in basketball? You act like SC’s the only one.

    • Sure, but it’s a 64-team playoff, so it doesn’t matter all that much, except as to: how the schedule prepares a given team FOR the playoffs; how to get ticket buyers to fill the school’s arena.

      The latter has proven to be an ongoing problem for USC. People got temporarily excited when USC beat UCLA the first time around. The same effect would happen if USC beat a KY, UK, MSU, etc.

      Between the students and all the people who can take the public transportation to those BB games (with very few headaches to do so), USC ought to be able to find a way to sell out every home game.

      • USC’s a football school, pure and simple. Everyone who ever went there knows it. Always been that way, always will be. Football rules and a quick look at HH and the McKay Center reinforces it hugely.

        USC hoops will never command much attendance unless the Trojans somehow start consistently going to Final Fours, and sometimes winning. That’ll never happen, while USC is expected by many to win the football NC this year (me included), only two years removed from the 2nd most brutal NCAA probation in history. That’s a football school for you.

      • Scheduling matters for seeding and for preparing to play tough competition. The PAC-12 was very soft last year and combining a weak non-conference schedule with the league, UCLA got a lower seed than expected and SC barely got in the tourney. UCLA had a couple of marquee games but a lot of cupcakes as well. Scheduling is important for seeding as well as putting fans in the seats in LA.

  2. Time will tell if Washington starts scheduling competitive non-conference games in the future. Them getting into the playoffs last year indicates Washington is presently being forgiven, based where they were 3-years ago. I wouldn’t assume forgiveness much longer…

    • Agree. I think that the selection committee is genuinely attempting to schedule the most competitive, compelling playoffs that they can–if only for TV ratings, right?

      The problem is that with a 4-team playoff, the selection committee will assemble evidence too slowly. There’s no compelling reason not to have an 8-team playoff. One more week. What’s the big deal? I have little doubt that the playoff will be expanded within 5-7 years.

      To hear the NCAA tell it, you would think that thousands of students would be affected by adding one me week. We’re talking about a few hundred young men, who seem very focused on FB anyway.

      The NCAA is behind the curve as to the major programs.

    • Actually the Huskies future schedules include the likes of Auburn, Ohio State , and Michigan. This year was probably scheduled in the old Sarkisian days

  3. With our future scheduling of powerhouses Rice and Fresno St not sure we can talk much

    • ‘Says the little gutty who comes to a USC board as a Trojan pretender who’s ashamed to admit he’s a bruin.

        • What’s wrong? You can’t look them up yourself. Typical dumb little gutty.

          • USC, led by bruin killer Darnold, is a unanimous top 5 pick in nation.

            ucla 4-8, total bottom feeder with lame duck Mora. TEXAS, with new hot shot coach, already ranked ahead of ucla in every poll.

            ucla afraid of playing ND – which has never lost to the little gutties.

            Thanks for playing little gutty. You should stick to your bruin boards where you have a fighting chance among the rest of your little gutty friends. Isn’t that why you bruins yell, Fight, Fight, Fight! despite your losing football tradition?

          • What does UCLA have to do wopith this? We are talking about Washington and USC on this topic. And of all things not a bruin fan

          • Since you are a little gutty fan, it doesn’t surprise me you can’t understand that USC’s out-of-conference football schedule is significantly more difficult than UW’s. Even UW fans readily admit that. Duh.

          • Wait til 2022 when we have Fresno St and Perennial powerhouse Rice on the schedule. Might as well be division 2 with Rice

          • Get a clue. It’s only 2017. You worried about five years down-the-line? By then ucla might be wearing all black or white uni’s every game. Just what are your uniform colors now?

          • Duh. It’s another name for baby bruin. Most all college football fans who follow west coast teams easily know this. You should read more often, spout off your bruin talk less.

  4. This article makes me laugh . Our future schedules include UNLV, Fresno St and Rice all of which would be ranked below Rutgers in 2017 of the 130 Division 1 schools.

    • Listen little gutty. Quit pretending you are a Trojan.

      When you use the word “our”, you are referring to your pitiful little gutties. With any luck you will be able to handle Hawaii and Memphis this year. If not, your season target of six wins seems beyond reach.

      USC can’t wait for November when the Trojans will once again reduce you little gutties to mush in the Coliseum. I’m predicting another 20-point victory because I sincerely doubt we’ll be able to tag you 50-0 again this soon.

    • 2 separate posts bagging on some of our upcoming opponents? That’s a bit odd considering you’re such a big SC fan.

      • It’s a bit odd that you feel the need to defend the decisions of the hired help.

  5. So, years ago, Washington scheduled a Big Ten school, a solid Mountain West school (which USC has scheduled) and a cupcake.

    It’s highly unlikely that the writer is even aware that Rutgers is in the Big Ten.

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