A lot different in what manner? We played the following inn2021:
FEI in 2021. We played #5, 7, 13, 14, 15 and 16. We played 16 at a neutral site, 5 at home (think they came off a bye, 7 on the road (both teams off byes) then 14 (on the road at night). That was 4 games in a row. That’s brutal. Any strength of schedule that doesn’t consider the timing and order of when games are played falls short.
Lost to a terrible KU (117) team but that was Jaylon Daniels too. If you only included his starts, they weren’t 117. Then WVU (#62) on the road.
We beat #50 Louisiana by 20. Their only loss. We put up 70 on #47 Texas Tech. Rice was 118, but we beat them 58-0. Rushed for 427 and scored none in the 4th. TCU was 79.
The defenses in 2021 included 2, 8, 17, 20 and 21. Like 5 or 6 in the top 30 of TFLs.
The back end defenses were pretty poor but they were likely worsened by playing us. We scored 58, 70, 32, and 56 against the bottom 4. All of that in the first year of the system.
As for 2023, Ok State was #39 in FEI. So at least worse than half of our 2021 opponents by 1 metric. I’m assuming the backup QBs are Bean (made a good run an NFL roster, previously started), Wyoming guy (probably didn’t matter), Hoover (retained the role the next year), Morton (retained the role the next year). Robertson (retained the role the next year).
If you want to introduce that, then you need to say that we missed the starter for MSU, UF (the 3rd guy), OU and A&M. Michigan, ULM, Kentucky (OU/A&M) all benched their guy due to ineffectiveness. Beck, Pavia, Green, McCown/Fowler-Nicosi are not Penix, Gabriel, Milroe, Howard, Becht/Hoover/Bean/Jt Daniels. Even Slovis got to hang around the NFL a bit.
In 2021, you had KJ Jefferson, Duggan, Rattler/Williams, Shough, Sanders, Purdy, Howard, J Daniels, Bohannon.
Lots of factors in play for certain. The truth is the defense has advanced more than the offense. The relative strength of our opponents defenses rank from 45 to 29 so it hasn’t changed a ton. Year 1 you’d expect more hiccups than year 4.
Also, the strength of our opponents offenses goes from 10th to 9th to 10th to 44th for 2021 thru 2024.
2024 - OFEI/ODA 31; DFEI/OOA 44
2023 - 36/10
2022 - 29/9
2021 - 45/10
There is a discussion to be had that the 2024 Texas season is the easiest in Sarks tenure. It’s the crappiest slate of offenses we’ve faced with presumably the worst QB group. I’d actually say easily the worst. And the defenses we’ve faced are on par with the other 4 seasons.
i would think once we make this run that will change, but it is noteworthy based on where we stand today. Those 2024 numbers are better based on the championship game with Georgia.