The decision of Iowa State and the Big 12 Conference to schedule non-conference football games should prioritize strategic advantage over perceived prestige. A less challenging early-season schedule is, in fact, the most prudent approach for the conference and its teams, offering four distinct benefits. Firstly, the College Football Playoff committee often downplays the significance of early-season losses, a fact that can be exploited by securing victories against less-heralded opponents. These games are frequently eclipsed by later conference matchups, making early losses easily forgotten by the time rankings are finalized.
Secondly, if these losses are not forgotten, the Big 12 is often subjected to an unfair double standard. A loss by a Big 12 team to a formidable non-conference opponent is frequently held against them more harshly than a similar loss by a team from another Power Five conference. This unequal treatment makes taking on high-risk opponents a disadvantage with little to no upside.
Furthermore, a difficult non-conference schedule disproportionately benefits a small number of top-tier programs while harming the conference's overall depth. By scheduling easier games, more teams have a realistic path to bowl eligibility. This broadens the conference's representation in the postseason and enhances its collective standing, rather than concentrating success among just a few teams. Finally, these early-season games provide a crucial opportunity for teams to manage player fatigue. Starters can be given a lighter workload, allowing them to remain fresh and healthy for the grueling conference schedule that determines a team's championship and bowl game fate. For these reasons, the Big 12 and Iowa State should continue their current scheduling philosophy, prioritizing a path to success over the risky pursuit of non-conference notoriety.
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