[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.