Commentary Sports

Round table: Assessing the out-of-conference competition

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The Cougars off-season wait is almost over, and they’ll be looking to start the season right with out-of-conference games against opponents such as Louisville in the second week. | File photo/The Cougar

With the fall semester is rapidly approaching, teams are preparing for their preseason opponents. Men’s basketball recently announced a trip to China in addition to their out-of-conference games, while football is looking forward to their four out-of-conference match-ups.

Do the Cougars need to start scheduling stiffer opposition to be taken more seriously? The Cougar sports staff discusses all this and more.


Men’s basketball recently announced their out-of-conference schedules, featuring match-ups with some quality opponents. What do you anticipate from the Cougars in the preseason?

Staff writer J.D. Smith: The match-ups should provide good preparation as the Cougars head into the conference season. Louisiana State University and the University of Wyoming both made the tournament last year, and Murray State University made the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament, so these teams will test the Cougars early.

Staff writer Michael Calderon: There are some good teams on the schedule that should provide a good measuring stick for UH, but we saw last season that early success doesn’t necessarily equal wins down the stretch. I expect a strong showing from the Cougars, but would just be cautious about reading too much into it.

Staff writer Francisco Casillas: The match-ups that I want to see are with LSU and Wyoming. I believe these two teams will provide a good challenge for the Cougars and Coach Sampson. Getting a chance to play some tournament-quality opponents should be good for UH.

Football also has a pretty interesting out-of-conference schedule, featuring opponents like former conference rival University of Louisville and BBVA Compass Bowl opponent Vanderbilt University. What do you make of the Cougars non-conference opposition?

JS: The football out-of-conference schedule should give a nice boost to the record as the only tough match-up is Louisville, and an upset would show big things are to come. Vanderbilt is on the rise, however, and Texas State University will be looking to score another upset like they did in 2013.

MC: Louisville and Vanderbilt both play against top-tier teams on a regular basis, so they should provide an opportunity for the Cougars to prove their position as an up-and-coming program. The other non-conference teams should be easy match-ups, but only if they show up ready to play.

FC: Besides Louisville, the out-of-conference schedule looks pretty decent. A win against the Cardinals would provide a good boost in morale among the players and fan base.

Do you think the UH football and basketball programs need to start striving to schedule tougher opponents to be taken more seriously?

JS: Until the move to a Power 5 conference, the football team will need to schedule at least one top-tier team a season. The American Athletic Conference does not provide the same quality and depth if they want to be in top 25 talk. The AAC is stronger in basketball, but scheduling top programs can only help the team as they face higher-quality opponents and help the strength of their schedule by March.

MC: Scheduling tougher opponents could be a double-edged sword for UH. On one hand, if they can pull an upset or two on a national stage, it can bring positive attention to the school. On the other hand, if they are not ready to play against that tougher competition, they could get embarrassed and lose confidence. I think that the risk is worth it, however, as the positives far outweigh the potential negatives.

FC: The AAC does not provide the same quality as other conferences like the Big 12. They need at least one top-tier school to be involved in their schedule. The higher in quality the opponent is, the more chance of being involved in the top 25 conversation.

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