Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide have received justifiable push back for scheduling some cupcake games.
That includes the likes of New Mexico State and Western Carolina this season. The idea is to get right against lesser competition in between big time SEC matchups.
For the smaller schools, the idea is to collect a solid pay day while being seen on a national level. It normally doesn’t go too swimmingly.
It’s also in this that Portland State head coach Bruce Barnum just noted that his program turned down the opportunity to play Alabama at some point in the near future. At issue here was the payout the Vikings would receive in said game.
Currently members of the Big Sky Conference, Portland State opened up last season against Nevada and Oregon. The end result was the Vikings losing by a combined 124-33.
The program did take out the powerhouse that is known as the College of Idaho by the score of 63-14 after those two initial losses.
It really is absurd on the surface. Alabama and other top-end programs don’t have to schedule fellow powerhouses during their non-conference slate. But Portland State? Come on.