By Dan Zealley
Matt Rhule went on The Triple Option podcast to discuss scheduling with host Urban Meyer reports On3 Sports.
NEW: Matt Rhule on Big Ten teams scheduling a hard non-conference slate:
“Why in the world would a Big Ten team who’s already playing nine conference games, why would you ever play one of those games?”
(via @3xOptionShow) https://t.co/16S3Pnc5LT pic.twitter.com/RmbZoi57X5
— On3 (@On3sports) February 26, 2025
While discussing the Ohio State-Texas game next year Rhule responded, “Why in the world would a Big Ten team who’s already playing nine conference games, why would you ever play one of those games?”
That is a very valid question. Since the beginning of the College Football Payoffs, the committee has proven that scheduling is not an important factor in selection. Wins are what they are looking for. With expanded conferences and tougher conference schedules, why take the risk of a non-conference loss?
“They proved to us this year when they did the seeding and all this stuff that early season wins didn’t mean a thing,” Rhule said. “That really was, at the end of the day, what you looked like in the last month of the season. That’s what it all proved to us.”
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Nebraska recently canceled a home-and-home series with Tennessee. Nebraska said that it was because of renovations to Memorial Stadium. The capacity will be down and they want to make up that loss of income with an additional home game. With Rhule’s comments, maybe that is not the entire story.
