CollegeFootballPoll.com Message Board

Now, I'm not precisely certain as to what transpired, however; I left the room to talk to the Mrs & the score was 21-17... UL-Lafayette's lead.

I'm sure I wasn't gone all that long... and yet, the score became, 38-28 Okie State's favor. And they have the ball, looking like they're about to score again...

Fantastic...



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I just got home from Lafayette LA...they were talking about this game on the radio like it was a big deal. It was rather odd that I went there, since this is the only team Ga has beaten this year.

If anyone ever goes there, check out "Prejeans" (Pre-johns). Cajun restaurant.

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This kind of stuff happens all the time for non-BCS schools. If this game is in Stillwater, ULL probably loses by 40 points. The fact that they have a (relatively) big name school on their home field on national TV is a big deal to the program.

And the larger point I'm making is that big-name schools too often chicken out of playing road games against non-BCS teams. I think they benefit a lot from having the upper hand perception-wise. You'd see a lot more upsets if BCS conference teams played their cupcakes on the road.

Eric wrote:And the larger point I'm making is that big-name schools too often chicken out of playing road games against non-BCS teams. I think they benefit a lot from having the upper hand perception-wise. You'd see a lot more upsets if BCS conference teams played their cupcakes on the road.

I agree. It was a couple of years ago when Ok State went to Troy and lost. I guess they are not afraid to go on the road. However, it usually has to do with money. Big schools stay home with their massive stadiums and make more money.

Yea; and this game was scheduled to play on a fridaynight, when Stadiums generally have a hard time filling seats anyway, so, I assume that may have played a part in Oklahoma States agreement to play on the road, for this one.

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How much does it really help you in being competitive by playing in your own stadium? I understand that some value it as a three point difference. Interestingly, in the last four seasons of the Miami/FSU game, it was the traveling team that won.

Hope the pattern holds.

billybud wrote:How much does it really help you in being competitive by playing in your own stadium? I understand that some value it as a three point difference. Interestingly, in the last four seasons of the Miami/FSU game, it was the traveling team that won.

Hope the pattern holds.

I think the 3 point difference isn't even close. I've long said it is more like 6 or 7 points. I think it is even more than that now, and there are dependencies. WVU-Pitt is one base example. I think as rivaled as you get, but you there is just no "travel" component. I don't think the home-away difference is any more than 3 or 4 points in base form. In a heated rivalry the Boo's are just like cheers for the away team. What matters is how much you audible...then it doesn't matter, noise is noise and it makes things more difficult! There is also the factor of how familiar you are with the stadium, the turf, and the general feel. Pitt-WVU or Miami-FSU this component doesn't contribute much then. Night games, more differential added in, the type of lighting creates different feels too, great lighting compared to a different great lighting....no biggy. (The crowd has more edge too often times.) But fields where you create shadows and highly light saturated areas and lights being lower creating some down field glare (smaller stadiums usually) well that is different. Then you have the surface, there are slow fields, fast fields, and different drainage slopes on some field from center to sidelines. Many thing can add together to create entirely different "road" situations. You also have weather! And going into a storied place, that is different too, especially if you have never been there...if you take a team like Tulsa going into The Shoe! (Small school,rather far away, pass-happy quick offense) I think they are down 13 points before the coin toss, compared to the situation being reversed! And imagine a school like Central Florida or San Diego St going into The Big House, say next weekend, and ac old front has settled in, it could be 35 to 50 degrees colder than what they have seen any time this year!

choosea wrote:Would someone be interested to help put together a poll for this H vs. A point difference? Maybe some would be interested to post some team statistics showing this.

Here is H vs. A for Cal from the '08 and '09 seasons (combined):

Venue...................Point difference.........Win %
Home Games..........+17.85....................84.6
Away Games...........-1.55......................45.5
Net H vs. A...........+19.40...................+39.1

(Balanced conference schedule over 2 years)
Home Conference.....+11.0......................77.8
Away Conference......-2.56......................44.4
Net H vs. A...........+13.56...................+33.4

I'll try to remember to look at WVU's Friday night...I'll be busy all week. But that looks more like what I expect, and doing a couple of years the conference schedule is the right approach.

Trouble is...it's cupcakes who play a "one and done" at your stadium.

You would have to isolate the same teams playing a long series of "home and homes" to see if the home field has any advantage.

There is a home field DISADVANTAGE, it seems, in the FSU-Miami rivalry. The visiting team has won the last five meetings.

billybud wrote:Trouble is...it's cupcakes who play a "one and done" at your stadium.

You would have to isolate the same teams playing a long series of "home and homes" to see if the home field has any advantage.

There is a home field DISADVANTAGE, it seems, in the FSU-Miami rivalry. The visiting team has won the last five meetings.

That is why I looked at his latter stats....the in-conference games. I will be examining the same.

This home field advantage got me thinking how Ark has done against it's big three SEC West foes: Alabama, Auburn, and LSU. I went back to 1998 and here is what I found (I could have went back a few years farther but I think 12 years will give us a good picture).

Arkansas vs Auburn (since 1998 Ark is 7-5 vs Auburn):
Ark at home (Fayetteville) 3-3 against Auburn
Ark on the road 4-2 against Auburn

Arkansas vs LSU (since 1998 Ark is 5-7 vs LSU):
Ark at home (Little Rock) 4-2 against LSU
Ark on the road 1-5 against LSU

Arkansas vs Alabama (since 1998 Ark is 5-8 vs Bama):
Ark at home (Fayetteville) 4-3 against Bama
Ark on the road 1-5 against Bama

I see a home field advantage for the home teams in the Bama and LSU series...however, the Auburn series is strange. Ark has the advantage when playing Auburn in Auburn and they have split in Ark...so, Ark does not have the advantage playing Auburn in Ark. Makes me feel a little better about Ark going into Auburn this next Sat.