[Jarons]

Of course using the basketball team as an analogy means very little to me because SEC basketball and SEC football is totally different in terms of strength.
But since you used it Kentucky's non conference patsies. ETSU, Portland, Boston U., Miss. Valley St., Winthrop, Coppin St., and Penn. Now what major conference are those teams in just wondering. Now exactly powerhouses.

Of course we should go against the norm unlike the rest of our SEC who all play teams in the power conferences. Looking at 4 teams that usually are considered the powerhouses of Football in the SEC.

Auburn- Ark. State, La Monroe, Chattanooga, Clemson- 3 cupcakes
Alabama- San Jose St., Penn St., Duke, Georgia St- 3 cupcakes
Florida- Miami (Ohio), S. Florida, Fla. State, App St. -3 cupcakes
LSU- N. Carolina, WVU, McNeese St., La. Monroe- 2 cupcakes

LSU is the only team out of the 4 that played 2 good teams. Of course if they had not been asked to play in a prime time game to start the college football season they would have played another cupcake.

So I guess Kentucky should go against the norm to make the fan experience more appealing. You might not care about revenue but that extra home game allows Kentucky to pay for a few more scholarships for the non-revenue teams.

Duke- cupcake yes but better than Akron or WKU
Miami- Same as Duke
South Florida- Not a cupcake I believe they are better than UofL, Akron, and WKU. South Florida is the type of team I would like to see on the schedule. Someone who is good, not great, a winnable game and would challenge UK.

[Jarons]

I agree with this, and I can see kentuckynoles point too. But West Virginia, Louisville, and Indiana are three very winnable games for UK. I think the UK-WVU game, if played yearly, would be big for both the SEC and Big East. I agree with kentuckynole that the SEC powerhouses dont play tough non conference schedules, but those are already established programs, and honestly dont really need the tougher schedules. For UK to be a top 20 team every season, beat WVU, Louisville, and IU, and if they can someday be a .500 conference team, it would do wonders for recruiting..the way the NCAA pollsters look at it is simple. If Kentucky beats Akron 48-10, and LSU beats Akron 48-10, LSU's win is greater.

Good post. That is exactly what I was trying to say

[kentuckynole]

I agree with this, and I can see kentuckynoles point too. But West Virginia, Louisville, and Indiana are three very winnable games for UK. I think the UK-WVU game, if played yearly, would be big for both the SEC and Big East. I agree with kentuckynole that the SEC powerhouses dont play tough non conference schedules, but those are already established programs, and honestly dont really need the tougher schedules. For UK to be a top 20 team every season, beat WVU, Louisville, and IU, and if they can someday be a .500 conference team, it would do wonders for recruiting..the way the NCAA pollsters look at it is simple. If Kentucky beats Akron 48-10, and LSU beats Akron 48-10, LSU's win is greater.

But is WVU, Louisville, and Indiana winnable every year.
For example if our schedule this year was
At Louisville
WVU
at Indiana
Cupcake
4 road SEC games
4 Home SEC games

That is 6 home games every year playing those teams. Losing that one home game could cost UK 5 million dollars plus a higher bowl game.

Go 3-1 non conference and 4-4 in SEC that is 7-5 still Music City Bowl. If we go 8-4 by playing 4 cupcakes we go to Outback or Peach Bowl.

Go 4-0 in non-conference and 5-3 in SEC that's 9-3 we make Cotton Bowl However if we went 3-1 and 5-3 in SEC we go to Outback or Peach.

Beating Indiana helps us none with recruiting. We don't even recruit Indiana.

Kentucky use to play tougher non-conference games back in the Claiborne days 5-6 and 6-5 every year was the norm.

Win in the SEC and the recruiting and Top 20 will be there. Look up how long it has been since Kentucky has had a winning record in the SEC. It rarely happens that is why they need to 4 cupcakes.