Interesting Note on SoS

[joshuahuskers]

Here's an interesting note on strength of schedule.  According to Boyd's World, we have the #30 strength of schedule so far this season (I know it's early, but it gives some idea of the quality of our OOC competition).  Here is the entire Big Ten:

12. Illinois
30. Nebraska
56. Michigan State
70. Purdue
96. Penn State
117. Ohio State
133. Minnesota
177. Indiana
193. Northwestern
209. Michigan

For some reason, Iowa isn't showing up on Boyd's World.  Odd.  I am guessing our Numbers will go up after this weekend, as he has Cal ranked 37th in his ISR ratings.  (Nebraska is 34th, FWIW).

Here is the INTENDED strength of schedule for the Big Ten, which uses this years schedule based on last year's results:

83. Nebraska
107. Illinois
125. Indiana
128. Ohio State
138. Michigan State
142. Purdue
144. Penn State
146. Minnesota
147. Michigan
150. Iowa
180. Northwestern

These numbers are lower than the first set because this takes into account the entire season, and obviously every Big Ten team's SoS will probably fall when conference play starts.

Now, my point is, although the Big Ten has a reputation for being pretty terrible at baseball, it looks like we are scheduling better OOC games than our Big Ten counterparts.  Illinois currently has an SoS ranked higher than us, BUT their intended strength was lower than ours.

We will need to continue to "out-schedule" our Big Ten peers if we want to become nationally relevant in baseball again.  I know there's a perception that "oh noez, the Big Ten sucks at baseball, we will get no respect," and while that may be partially true, it looks like we are doing a pretty good job of scheduling some teams in the out of conference to get us some bonus points when it comes to NCAA selection time (at least more so than our Big Ten peers).  Just thought I'd point that out.

[joshuahuskers]

Also, Gonzaga is #8 in the RPI and #3 in Boyd's ISR right now.  So that first weekend isn't looking quite so terrible right now....

[SUHnami]

I would like us to schedule Texas, FSU, Florida, etc as part of our non-conference schedule in the future.

[HuskersNC949597]

Also, Gonzaga is #8 in the RPI and #3 in Boyd's ISR right now.  So that first weekend isn't looking quite so terrible right now....

Definitely, if Nebraska played them again I think they'd take at least 1.

[Busticket]

Also, Gonzaga is #8 in the RPI and #3 in Boyd's ISR right now.  So that first weekend isn't looking quite so terrible right now....

Definitely, if Nebraska played them again I think they'd take at least 1.

We really should have taken two.  If we knew Huber was our closer at that point in time, things would have been waaay different.  Tough matchup for a team truly trying to understand its working parts.  Our team is really coming together now.

[joshuahuskers]

I would like us to schedule Texas, FSU, Florida, etc as part of our non-conference schedule in the future.

Oh, me too, but this year is the exception because of the transition to the Big Ten - our OOC schedule was probably built for the Big 12.  Hopefully we can get some marquee names on the schedule in future years.  I am just saying, we are already scheduling better than the rest of the B1G, so hopefully that will help shake the perception that since we play in the B1G now, we can't be respected nationally again.