2016 Razorback Football Schedule is BRUTAL!!!!

[ZERO]

We have a losing record vs. Kentucky, anyway. It's actually kind of funny the terrible luck we have in the East rotation. Five of the seven times we've faced Kentucky, they've been a Bowl eligible team, which basically never happens for them. And of course, we've only gotten to play Tennessee one time since their decline.

[ChicoHog]

Alabama  VU 14 UK 7  *Bama played VU yearly until 2002.
Arkansas  VU 6 UK 7
Auburn    VU 9 UK 6
LSU        VU 6 UK 15  *LSU played UK yearly until 2002.

You're on the right track.  Only Auburn has played one of them less times then we have (i.e. Kentucky), but collectively, all of them have played those 2 teams more then Arkansas.

The real reason our SOS is always among the best is due to the difficulty with our rotating schedule (it has very little to do with "Bama not having to face Bama", etc).  The few times we've played Vanderbilt and Kentucky are a part of that, but we've just had the bad luck? of playing rotating opponents when they're at their best a lot.  I just added up the conference-only records of our rotating opponents regular season games (i.e. no SECCG match-ups were included).  Our SEC-E rotating opponents have posted a 280-251-1 conference record since '92, which comes out to a 53% winning percentage in regular season SEC games.  Our winning percentage in SEC games is less then 0.500, so we're effectively playing a regular season rotation of teams better then ourselves.

How many other SEC teams have played a rotation of teams that have posted a winning record since '92?  I'll try to update this thread later with results for Alabama, if I have time.

Update: Alabama's SEC rotating opponents have posted a combined 242-285 since '92.  That's 46%.  If you checked the other teams, I suspect their rotating opponents would also have a losing percentage.

Great info Redeye.  Thanks.  It did seem like we get the rotating east teams when they are peaking (Tenn this year) and your stats proved it.  I knw many disagree but still would rather play decent to tough non-conf games then the rent-a-wins.  I live in California, go to one game a year in Fayetteville usually, and I want to see some marquee matchups.  In 2017 we will probably go see TCU.  then Michigan in 2 years etc.,  I am tired of seeing Bama or auburn every other year.  I want to go when weather is nice so we always go to games in september or maybe october.  Just my own selfishness!

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Hopefully we can FINALLY beat Florida.

Just need one more ref to retire and it'll be easier.

[PRORODEO51]

Anyone have an insight into who our 4th  non-conference game will be in 2016?

[hog.goblin]

Zero upside to scheduling teams like TCU non-conference.   It's their super bowl, it's our week off.

No, not really, and that's no disrespect to us.  They still have to beat KS St, Baylor, OU, and Okie St.  That's no SEC West, but it's not a breeze either.

[redeye]

Great info Redeye.  Thanks.  It did seem like we get the rotating east teams when they are peaking (Tenn this year) and your stats proved it.  I knw many disagree but still would rather play decent to tough non-conf games then the rent-a-wins.  I live in California, go to one game a year in Fayetteville usually, and I want to see some marquee matchups.  In 2017 we will probably go see TCU.  then Michigan in 2 years etc.,  I am tired of seeing Bama or auburn every other year.  I want to go when weather is nice so we always go to games in september or maybe october.  Just my own selfishness!

Thanks!  I've been wanting to start a thread on this subject forever, but I never get around to it.

[redeye]

This is a good article that covers what I was attempting to do.  Although the results were not quite what I was expecting, it still shows that Arkansas has played the 4th toughest cross-divisional schedule (2nd in the SEC-W, which includes the 3 teams at the bottom in Alabama, Ole Miss and MSU).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2014/12/06/a-close-look-at-how-unbalanced-schedules-affect-the-sec-championship/

Ironically, I'd seen this before, but forgot all about it.