Kirk Herbstreit: Early non-conference games a ‘difference maker’ for playoff hopes

Kirk Herbstreit is ready for the 2016 college football season to kickoff, and he thinks these early big non-conference games are good for the sport.

ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit loves the game of college football, loves interacting with fans, and loves the fact that the first week of the 2016 schedule is loaded with big-time matchups.

Speaking with Herbstreit on the phone this week, I had the chance to pick his brain about this upcoming season, his work with Allstate on the #StreitCred promotion and even a few predictions.

If you aren’t familair with StreitCred, it’s another way Herbstreit has to interact with fans and to give some credit to teams or players who may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

From Allstate:

"Throughout the regular college football season, each week @KirkHerbstreit and @Allstate will announce on social media the winning recipient of #StreitCred, giving schools and fans the ultimate badge of honor and bragging rights. Fans are encouraged to follow along the conversation on social media using hashtag StreitCred and campaign for which teams they think are most deserving. Herbstreit will make his weekly Allstate #StreitCred pick taking into account the strongest team performances and standout moments, regardless of individual school rankings."

And as Herbstreit is watching all the huge games scheduled for this best opening week of college football ever, he’ll be looking to fans to help him make his #StreitCred picks.

What else is Herbie looking forward to?

“I dont know if there’s necessarily one game I’m excited about,” Herbstreit told me. “I”m one of these guys who turns on five or six [games] at one time, watching them and reacting to them.”

There will certainly be no shortage of games to watch over the Labor Day holiday, and unlike some years past, we’ll have a lot of games between ranked Power-5 teams instead of a slate full of cupcakes and creampuffs. To Herbstreit, that’s good for college football.

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“The good thing is, instead of speculating, we can actually have some concrete evidence of teams and who they might be,” the former Ohio State quarterback told me. “I think that’s as exciting as anything. It’s no longer wondering and forecasting. You can actually see these teams and see these quarterbacks and see how it will play out.”

Schools do take a risk by scheduling a tough opponent to open the season, but in Herbstreit’s opinion, that’s to their advantage in terms of the playoff committee, even if they should compete well but end up losing the game.

“The smart athletic directors are scheduling the early non-conference games big, and it can be a difference-maker for the committee when evaluating teams. If you’re willing to go out there and play a heavyweight, even if you lose but you compete, it’s chance to really go out there and separate yourselves.”

Herbstreit has never been shy about voicing his displeasure for teams who schedule easy non-conference matchups or even FCS opponents early in the season (and especially if they do it in November), and he hopes these bowl atmosphere neutral-site games are the start of a trend to do away with the cupcakes.

“Having covered a lot of these neutral-site games, I like them,” he told me. “It has the feel of a big heavyweight bowl game. Fans come in for 48 hours and you see the team colors all over the city that their in, with fans hanging out and going to bars. They’re just having a great time.”

I think it’s fun, I think it’s great. It gives the players a chance to go into a big-time atmosphere and see if they’re able to compete.”

Of course, no chat with Herbstreit would be complete without some predictions, and while it’s still early to start asking for playoff predictions or conference champs, I did ask Herbstreit which of last year’s four playoff teams – Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma and Michigan State – he thought would have the toughest road back to the College Football Playoff.

“I think definitely it would have to be Michigan State,” Herbstreit said. “Based on who they lost, such key players in such key spots. I still think they can still be very competitive, I think they’re kind of a forgotten team, but I think they have their hands full in trying to get back to the playoff.”

And how about a dark horse team from a Group of Five conference?

“Boise State. I know a lot of people like Houston, but I think this year might be a little more challenging for them because people now know about them and what to expect from them. But I think Boise State has a real shot to be competitive and to make a run.”

Interesting that both teams he mentioned are candidates to possibly be invited to join the Big 12. Should one of them make the playoffs, that could very well seal the deal.

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The main part of the 2016 schedule kicks off this Thursday evening, with the biggest game of the night coming at 7:30 pm, when No. 9 Tennessee takes on Appalachian State at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.