There are three trends to notice here. One is that nobody is playing a cupcake free schedule while playing all top of the line games outside the Pac-10 (Washington, UCLA and Oregon St on this list and USC who isn't because of expected down years for its big name opponents). Second is that many of these teams are on the list because of their encounters with the top non-BCS squads (BYU, TCU, Boise St., Utah, Houston, and Air Force all enhance schedules this year while Fresno St., Hawaii, Nevada, Southern Miss, SMU and Temple do nothing to hurt things). Third is that many of these schools are playing each other. Miami has Pittsburgh, Florida St plays Oklahoma and Oklahoma also plays Cincinnati. One other note: only BCS conference schools were considered for this list. It would be real easy to find a non-BCS school taking three bodybag games and put them on the list but thats not what this list is meant to be about
1Miami – Florida A&M, at Ohio St., at Pittsburgh, South Florida
Miami hasn't been one to take it easy over the years in this department with games over the last decade against the likes of Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Washington (and of course the annual Florida St. game before it was a conference game) and this year is no exception. While the FCS team is a black mark, everyone has one of those this year and the rest are all against BCS conference teams, two of which are the preseason favorites in their leagues and both of those are on the road. Good luck surviving that and the ACC schedule.
2Florida St. - Samford, at Oklahoma, BYU, Florida
The Seminoles also rarely take it easy in this department and in many years this would be tougher than Miami's schedule and this still could be. Ultimately, I think the two raod games put Miami over the top but if you want to argue Florida St.'s is tougher, I won't contest it.
3UCLA – at Kansas St., Houston, at Texas
Why on earth would any rebuilding school put this thing together? At least Kansas St. is not at its peak anymore or this would really be ludicrous. The Bruins are headed for the same 6-6 type record they had last season, mostly because survival will be the optimal word this season not thrive.
4Oregon St. - at TCU, Louisville, at Boise St.
Well at least the Beavers will have lots of fans, particularly in established power conference areas. That said, winning against both TCU and Boise St. isn't likely though if it happens, coach Mike Riley can expect many lavish gifts and Christmas cards for life from BCS organizers.
5Oklahoma – Utah St., Florida St., Air Force, at Cincinnati
Another difficult slate for the Sooners who have benefitted in recent years by sweeping difficult non-conference slates on their way to the BCS title game. This year is slightly weaker than it appears because of the uncertainty at Florida St. and Cincinnati but still looks plenty difficult even if Oklahoma will be favored in all of these games.
6Pittsburgh – at Utah, New Hampshire, Miami, Florida International, at Notre Dame
Two cupcakes lower the overall schedule but at Utah, Miami and at Notre Dame might be toughest trio of non-conference games anyone outside of the top three will face all season
7Washington – at BYU, Syracuse, Nebraska
Another of the traditionally suicidal non-conference schedulers, for the first time in a long time, the team might be good enough to survive. I say might because at BYU and Nebraska are by no means easy and Syracuse has some talent even if they are still rebuilding.
8Cincinnati – at Fresno St., Indiana St., at NC State, Oklahoma, Miami (OH)
This just seems to be an odd non-conference schedule for the defending Big East champs. The weird road game at Fresno St. almost looks like a holdover from the Conference USA days while the annual rivalry game with Miami (OH) looks like a bodybag game this season. Oklahoma should smash the Bearcats while the NC State game looks intriguing
9Colorado – Colorado St., at Cal, Hawaii, Georgia
Ho hum. Another difficult non-conference schedule for Colorado that should result in yet another ugly start for the seemingly overmatched Buffaloes
10Vanderbilt – Northwestern, at Connecticut, Eastern Michigan, Wake Forest
What? An SEC team made list. What the heck is going on here? What a minute... it's Vanderbilt. Oh ok, that's forgivavble. They are certainly allowed to do whatever they want since they're irrelavant and we need someone for academics. Seriously though, Vandy is going to get killed against this schedule. Wake Forest and Northwestern are not like Vandy anymore. They actually have living breathing football programs. As an aside to the SEC hate on the schedules at the beginng, LSU with games against North Carolina and West Virignia was the runner up for this list.
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