Ask athletic directors what they are trying to accomplish when they build a nonconference football schedule and the objectives are mostly the same: Come up with a slate of games that allows the school to meet its competitive and financial goals.
What are those goals? The answers vary widely.
There is no national standardization in college football scheduling, which means there have been debates, complaints and ridicule for as long as marching bands have been performing at halftime.
One thing is sure: In the College Football Playoff era, the emphasis on strength of schedule is greater than ever.