[yvonne]

Here's what BCS champion Alabama's schedule looked like last year.

vs Kent State
@ #23 Penn State
vs North Texas
vs #14 Arkansas
@ #12 Florida
vs Vanderbilt
@ Ole Miss
vs Tennessee
vs #1 LSU
@ Mississippi State
vs Georgia Southern
@ #24 Auburn

OOC: 3 weaklings (one of which was an FCS team) and one traditional power. There's no need to schedule all powerhouses. Moreover, in a system that chooses teams to play in the championship based largely on win-loss record, or more accurately, the absence of any losses, it make no sense whatsoever to schedule difficult out of conference opponents. Playing them is only going to increase the likelihood of tarnishing a perfect record.

Northwestern used to have an abominable record that included the nation's longest losing streak, but that's no longer the case, so I see no downside to playing them. I do, however, agree with Terry that playing one team too long will be very boring. In fact, that's how I feel about playing ND.

[yvonne]

Here's what BCS champion Alabama's schedule looked like last year.

vs Kent State
@ #23 Penn State
vs North Texas
vs #14 Arkansas
@ #12 Florida
vs Vanderbilt
@ Ole Miss
vs Tennessee
vs #1 LSU
@ Mississippi State
vs Georgia Southern
@ #24 Auburn

OOC: 3 weaklings (one of which was an FCS team) and one traditional power. There's no need to schedule all powerhouses. Moreover, in a system that chooses teams to play in the championship based largely on win-loss record, or more accurately, the absence of any losses, it make no sense whatsoever to schedule difficult out of conference opponents. Playing them is only going to increase the likelihood of tarnishing a perfect record.

Northwestern used to have an abominable record that included the nation's longest losing streak, but that's no longer the case, so I see no downside to playing them. I do, however, agree with Terry that playing one team too long will be very boring. In fact, that's how I feel about playing ND.