As the college football regular season heads into Week 13, the College Football Playoff hopefuls will try to standout. However, with the Southeastern Conference’s traditional “cupcake week” coming under fresh criticism, will be soon be outdated?
According to CBS Sports, the SEC’s habit of scheduling lower-tier opponents in the penultimate week has many wondering if the nine-game conference slate is working for the best?
Meanwhile, in the Big Ten a win by 7th-ranked Oregon over No. 15 USC would tighten its grip on a Playoff berth; a loss would deal a major blow. Can't say the same for No. 3 Texas A&M against Samford.
Many SEC coaches believe the committee is placing less value on brutal schedules and more weight on clean records. As one put it, it “makes no sense to go to nine games in the SEC.”
With only two regular-season games remaining for most teams, strength of schedule should mean more than record. It's an argument under the microscope right now.
The SEC’s recent success in reaching the CFP hasn’t erased the perception that its scheduling edge may be hollow. But the Ducks-Trojans battle on Saturday could reshape the playoff picture. It may also sharpen questions about the SEC’s postseason strategy.
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