ESPN Pac-12 Blog: Arizona’s non-conference schedule could hurt playoff chances
Jul 21, 2015, 12:56 PM | Updated: 1:05 pm
The Arizona Wildcats enjoyed success last season in winning their first Pac-12 South title, and appear to be in good position to have another successful season in 2015.
But will it be good enough to crack the College Football Playoff? ESPN.com Pac-12 blogger Ted Miller said no, but for reasons other than their play on the field.
Miller answered a mailbag question from a fan asking about the Wildcats’ playoff hopes, and said it could be Arizona’s non-conference schedule that hurts them the most this coming season.
You mention the “favorable nonconference schedule.” I’d rate that as a negative. As Baylor fans know, I’m a bit of an obsessive about cowardly nonconference schedules, and Arizona’s is notably weak. It’s, yes, Baylor-esque. In my mind, that pretty much disqualifies the Wildcats if they don’t go undefeated, at least in terms of comparing them to other one-loss teams that scheduled more ambitiously.
That said, Arizona is squarely in the mix to repeat as the South Division champions, and that means the Wildcats are in the mix to win the Pac-12. Winning the Pac-12 this fall will provide a strong résumé for the selection committee, poor nonconference slate or not.
Arizona’s non-conference slate opens with the season opener against UTSA in Tucson on Sept. 3, followed by a road game at Nevada on Sept. 12 and at home against NAU on Sept. 19.
The Wildcats have notable home games against UCLA on Sept. 26 and Utah on Nov. 14, with road games against USC on Nov. 7 and ASU on Nov. 21.
Miller added that there should be optimism in Tucson for the 2015 season.
So, while I’m skeptical about the Wildcats reaching the four-team CFP in 2015, I’m not skeptical of them at least playing themselves into the conversation and the overall top-10.
Arizona is now one of just three schools to claim Pac-12 South titles since the conference championship game was implemented four seasons ago, along with UCLA and ASU.
No Pac-12 South school has ever won the conference championship.
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