Yesterday, we suggested that maybe Nick Saban wants to make a bold move and no longer schedule FCS games. At the least, there is a current oddity that the Crimson Tide has no FCS games scheduled past the 2022 season.
The week before the 2022 Iron Bowl, Alabama will host the FCS, Austin Peay Governors. Austin Peay will have no chance against the Crimson Tide. Austin Peay was 6-5 last season, following a 4-5 season in 2020, and their all-time best season in 2019 when they finished 11-4. In their history, going back to 1940, the Governors have won just 32.5% of their games.
Based on Jeff Sagarin’s Final Rankings for the 2021 season, Austin Peay qualifies as a cupcake opponent for the Crimson Tide. In Sagarin’s ranking of 258 college football programs, Austin Peay was No. 159. Using the same source to compare, the Governors are not a much weaker cupcake than Louisiana-Monroe at No. 146 and Vanderbilt at No. 142.
Some of the worst 2022 College Football games
Before reviewing all the SEC cupcake games, here are some “embarrassing” games from outside the SEC, provided by On3’s Mike Huguenin.
- Wagner is being hosted by two FBS programs, Rutgers and Syracuse. Wagner is “1-24, since the start of 2019,”
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff (UAPB) at Oklahoma State. UAPB has won just 19 games in its last seven seasons. “In its past five games against FBS opponents (Akron, Arkansas, Arkansas State, FIU and TCU), UAPB has been outscored 239-25.”
- BYU will host Dixie State, who in a couple of months will become Utah Tech. The in-state opponent for BYU will be in only its third season as an FCS program, after moving up from Division II. Last season Dixie State won one game “over Division II Fort Lewis.”
2022 SEC Football Cupcakes
These games are listed in the order of worst cupcake to best cupcake – based on last season’s Sagarin college football rankings.
- In week two, LSU hosts Southern University. Last season the Jaguars were ranked No. 225.
- In week 12, Texas A&M hosts FBS independent, U Mass, ranked No. 211 last season. The Aggies have a good FCS opponent, Sam Houston State, ranked No. 98.
- In week five, South Carolina hosts South Carolina State. The FCS team was ranked No. 196 last season.
- In week three, Missouri hosts Abilene-Christian, (No. 188)
- In week one, Vanderbilt hosts Elon (No. 185)
- In week three, Tennessee hosts FBS Akron (No. 181). Later in the season, the Vols play FCS, Tennessee-Martin (No. 156)
- In week two, Georgia hosts FCS, Samford (No. 171)
- In week two, Ole Miss hosts Central Arkansas (No. 163)
- Alabama hosts Austin Peay (No. 159) the week before the Iron Bowl
- In week four Mississippi State hosts FBS, Bowling Green (No. 153). Before the Egg Bowl, the Bulldogs play FCS, East Tennessee State, (No. 131)
- In week one Auburn hosts FCS, Mercer (No. 147)
- In week three, Kentucky hosts Youngstown State (No. 143)
- Arkansas hosts FCS, Missouri State (No. 103) in week three
- In week five, Florida hosts FCS, Eastern Washington (No. 95)
Note: Based on FCS preseason rankings, the top 2022 FCS team, among those playing SEC teams is Missouri State.
Maybe it is unfair to label Missouri State and Eastern Washington as teams too inferior to compete with an SEC team. Both can earn a big check and a degree of respect by playing competitive games.