Out of Conference Scheduling

It is a football cliche that the best you can do is beat all the teams on your schedule. For some teams, that is easier than others. Your team's schedule is an issue every year, and frequently has more of an impact that you'd like. I think we can all agree, too, that particularly for the fans, watching good teams play is better than watching one of the juggernauts play against patsies. A tough schedule can alleviate a poor record for the coaches.

I think that out of conference games are important; they impact recruiting, have national title implications, and are fun. As a result, teams that play hard games out of conference deserve credit, and those that play particularly poor ones deserve derision. I want to point out some conference trends, my top 10 teams as far as quality OOC scheduling ant the 10 that are just padding their stats.

The Big Ten, Big XII, and SEC each only have 2 teams that have scheduled 2 or more BCS teams or BCS level teams outside of their required slate. (I count Boise State, TCU, Utah, Notre Dame and BYU as the BCS level schools. I considered ECU, but decided against counting them.) The Pac 10 has 6, but bear in mind they play 9 conference games instead of the usual 8, so they probably win this little game of mine as far as scheduling tough. The ACC is next with 8. The Big East also has 8, but they only play 7 conference games, and they only have 1 team with 3 BCS level opponents, so they're sneaky about it.

Looking over the teams, these are the top ten most notable:

1. Oregon (@Boise State, Purdue, Utah) - Every one of their 12 games are against BCS quality opponents. Purdue might be their weakest OOC opponent, too, so kudos to them. They are ranked #14 and #16 in the two major polls, so they could play themselves into a at large BCS bid with a good season.
2. USC (San Jose State, @Ohio State, @Notre Dame) - Two away games, only one game that isn't against a BCS opponent, and this team and the last team are probably the two favorites to win the Pac10 (although I think Cal will be good, too). They have a tough road to hoe, and if they make the title game, they will have earned it.
3. FSU (Jacksonville State, @BYU, USF, UF) - The weird one is that they travel to Provo to play the Cougars. Their schedule is brutal this year, with the usual Florida and the replacement of their usual cupcake. Good on the 'Noles.
4. Virginia Tech (#Alabama, Marshall, Nebraska, @ECU) - Two traditional powers on their schedule, one of them neutral site. ECU played spoiler for a couple of teams last year.
5. Georgia (@OkSU, ASU, Tennessee Tech, @GT) - This and the one above are almost interchangeable. UGa is also the only SEC team willing to travel to play opponents (South Carolina is the other team from the mighty Southeastern to play more than one BCS opponent outside of conference), and they do not mess around this year. @OkSU and @GT are both games they could lose, but ASU will probably not give them much. Still impressive, and they deserve credit.
6. Oklahoma (#BYU, Idaho St, Tulsa, @Miami) - Tulsa can score points, neutralish site against BYU, and in Miami is a pretty darn respectable schedule.
7. Miami (OU, FAMU, @UCF, @USF) - It's weird that Miami is traveling to Central Florida twice, but hey, whatever.
   
8. Washington (LSU, Idaho, @ND) - While an awful team, they host LSU and go to Notre Dame, so that's cool. When you suck, big time teams want to play you.
9. UConn (@Ohio, UNC, @Baylor, URI, @ND) - This is the team in the Big East that plays the equivalent of 2 other BCS teams. It's decent, UNC and Notre Dame should be improved this year, and Baylor is better than they have been in a long, long time.
10. Georgia Tech (Jacksonville State, @Mississippi State, @Vandy, UGa) - While not exactly picking the cream of the SEC, they do have three teams from their conference. It'll be fun to see the 'Dores against the Old Gold this year.

The flip side of this is important, too. If Florida somehow loses a game, and so does Southern Cal, how does that edge get decided? Florida will almost certainly get the benefit of the doubt because they are an SEC team. However, Florida is easily at the top of this next list. I defer to higher profile teams, because teams like Iowa State and Kentucky are just trying to win games. The bigger programs should know better.

1. Florida (Charleston Southern, Troy, FIU, FSU) - While FSU should probably push them a little lower on the list, the fact that they are the biggest bully on the block should give them a little more impetus to leave the Sunshine State. But then again, they didn't pick FSU...
2. Penn State (Akron, Syracuse, Temple, Eastern Illinois) - Syracuse is technically a BCS team, but really, JoePa? You're a hall of fame coach, for crying out loud.
3. Texas Tech (North Dakota, Rice, @Houston, New Mexico) - Continuing the trend of not wanting to leave the warm confines of your home state, if Texas Tech is anything less than 9-3 this year, this has to be a disappointing season. I do love listening to Mike Leach talk, though.
   
4. Michigan (Western Michigan, Notre Dame, Eastern Michigan, Delaware State) - This is almost as maddening as Florida's, because they play ND every year. They are lower on the list because they were so awful last year.
5. Ole Miss (@Memphis, SErn Louisiana, UAB, N. Arizona) - Southeastern Louisiana? Really? I think Ole Miss is going to be exposed this year, and these cupcakes aren't going to help them later on in the season.
6. Rutgers (Youngstown St, Howard, FIU, @Maryland, Texas Southern) - Remember that Maryland puts them at 8 BCS games. Rutgers does not have the pedigree that the other teams on the list have, but good gracious.
7. Texas (Ul-Monroe, @Wyoming, UTEP, UCF) - Should probably be higher on this list, actually. Oh well. UCF almost upset them in Orlando until the rain ruined all the momentum. That was pretty cool.
8. Auburn (LaTech, WVU, Ball State, Furman) - If Auburn went undefeated with this schedule, they should be left out again.
9. Wisconsin (NIU, Fresno St, Wofford, @Hawaii) - Ending your season in Hawaii in December from Madison is pretty awesome.
10. LSU (@Washington, UL-Laf, Tulane, LaTech) - At least they left the state. However, UW was like the worst team in D1A, so not quite as much cred for the Bayou Bengals.

Honorable Mention: Boston College (Northeastern, Kent State, Notre Dame, CMU), Kansas (Northern Colorado, @UTEP, Duke, USM), the rest of the SEC other than UGA and SoCar. Arkansas was wondering if they could play that high school team from Friday Night Lights.