I blame the schedule for our USC loss

[ProudUte]

Actually there are many reasons we lost to USC.  However, one reason is the schedule. If I was the AD, I would not play FCS teams at all.  If I were to schedule them, I would only schedule them the first week of the season. It’s not a horrible idea to play a lesser team in game one to get the kinks out. 

Our schedule this year worked against us IMO. We played two lesser teams the two weeks prior to the USC game. Playing Idaho State the week before USC hurt us IMO. We were not ready to play a team that was much bigger, faster and stronger.  We were not prepared to be hit that hard or chase receivers that fast and talented. 

Granted, we made many mistakes in that game including 16 penalties. I think some of the penalties were at least indirectly a result of playing weaker teams the two weeks prior to our opening conference game. 

It is true that most SEC teams including Alabama play cupcakes late in the season.  This is different because you have already played the good teams. These games are simply a glorirified bye where non starters get a chance for playing time and key injured players can heal before they play their rivalry game. 

[Tony (admin)]

Yes I’ve been saying this.  Playing Idaho State was not helpful with all the 5* USC speed and intensity the next week. We were not ready for USC.

[EagleMountainUte]

Whitt said he would prefer to never play TDS game one again. 

[SalUteopia]

On a different note, the USC loss may also be the reason we haven’t lost a game since. I like to think that it served as a wake-up call. The hype was getting out of control, and we didn’t seem ready to handle it.

I still hate that we lost to those suckers, and if we go 11-1, it is going to feel bittersweet, especially if USC wins the South. If there was ever a chance to go undefeated in the PAC, it was this year. Of course, all of this needs to be taken in the context of this year.

 

[EagleMountainUte]

USC has road games to go. They also will lose to Oregon. 

[SalUteopia]

Yes, I agree. But hypothetically, imagine a scenario where we go 11-1 and win P12. Will likely not happen, but it is not a stretch. Will that get us into the playoffs? Unless major chaos happens, don’t think so, especially given our OOC and P12 perception.

It will still be a very, very special season and I’ll be ecstatic, but will it have the heft of being in the playoffs (from a national perspective)? And all because we lost to a very beatable USC. All I’m saying is we could be a 3-loss team and still be in the Rose Bowl, but the playoffs are near impossible to make for a team like Utah, and it would suck if the USC loss was the difference maker.

Again, not complaining, just contemplating.

[ProudUte]

This is true.  But, it’s like Clemson’s coach said when they barely got by North Carolina, “It’s a lot easier to learn when you played bad and still won.”  We did need a wakeup call, it would have been nice if we could have still pulled out a victory.  Oh well.

[SalUteopia]

This is so true. Eke out a win, and we’d still have learnt our lessons.

[Sweetness]

Maybe it makes a difference in the outcome if we play a harder OOC schedule, maybe not, but it takes an incredible amount of oversight/stupidity to schedule biggest game in the south race fora Friday night in September…so unreal that happened. So easy to foresee Utah and USC being top teams in the south.

[homer]

Jon Wilner has suggested the PAC12 have a committee that strategizes scheduling to maximize TV exposure, conference interest and promote the winner into the playoffs. He says the SEC, and others do that to benefit their respective conferences.

Having $C and Utah meet first conference game expecting both to contend for the South was dumb. Build some national momentum and interest.

Same is true of the Dawgs vs Nike yesterday. Wait till season’s end, build intrigue.

[EagleMountainUte]

SC will never play in Utah in November. EVER!  You can take that to Vegas. 

[Sweetness]

That may be true, but don’t put the freaking game on a Friday night. Make it your afternoon ABC/Fox game or in a prime time FS1/ESPN spot Saturday night.

This conference and TV man…literally screwing pooches all the time. Drives me crazy!

[Heike]

* nor in Colorado