Rating The Out of Conference Schedules: The Big 12

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1.  Oklahoma

BYU @ Arlington, Idaho State (FCS), Tulsa, @ Miami

Outside of Idaho State, this is a good schedule.  Oklahoma actually leaves its friendly home for its two hardest games. 

The BYU game should provide a lot of scoring and give OU a credible start to the season.  Tulsa may be down this year, but it is going ot be a high scoring affair with an in-state opponent.  Miami has prestige and past glory and may be good again this year.  Plus OU is willing to travel all the way to Miami (while Oklahoma St. will be staying at home for all of its games). 

Could they not get SMU or a MAC school to come play for a paycheck, so at least all the games were against FBS schools?

2. Oklahoma State

Georgia, Houston, Rice, Grambling (FCS)

If Oklahoma State played a single road game, this might even be a good OOC schedule.  The Georgia game is great and massive props for scheduling such a tough game out of the gate.  Houston and Rice are decent Conference USA squads and both should put up plenty of points.   Playing a FCS school weakens the schedule, but hey I knew that this was not the Pac 10.

3. Colorado

Colorado State, @ Toledo, Wyoming, @ West Virginia

The traditional game against its in-state rival CSU is not in Denver this year.  While CU has largely dominated this game recently, its is always a hard fought rivalry game.  I have to give CU some credit for playing at a good MAC school.  Wyoming is way down, but at least they beat Tennessee on the road last year.  Playing at Big East contender West Virginia is huge. 

4. Baylor

@Wake Forest,  UConn, Northwestern State (FCS), Kent State

Playing at a good ACC team like Wake Forest is good, even if Wake may be going back down these days.  UConn is a Big East up-and-comer and may contend for the Big East title.  Would be number three if BU had scheduled another FBS school instead of Northwestern St.

 5. Missouri

@Illinois, Bowling Green, Furman (FCS), @Nevada

This schedule almost placed the Tigers higher on the list.  The series with Illinois has been great over the last few seasons and Illinois looks to make some noise in the Big Ten.  Bowling Green (MAC) and Furman (FCS) drag the schedule down quite a bit.  Playing at potential WAC contender Nevada is great, though Missouri better keep a tight hold on its players, as there way too many distractions in Reno and the surrounding area.

6. Nebraska

Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State, @ Virginia Tech,  La-Lafayette

Wow, three Sun Belt teams.  Nebraska really did not to risk losing an OOC game at home this year.  The game at Virginia Tech is one of the Big 12's best OOC games, but the rest of this schedule is pure garbage.

7. Iowa State

North Dakota State (FCS), Iowa, @ Kent State, Army

Outside of the rivalry game against Big 10 contender Iowa, this schedule is complete garbage. 

8. Texas A&M

New Mexico, Utah State, UAB, Arkansas

A&M is way down, but that is no excuse for this schedule.  But even so, look for A&M to lose one or two.

9. Texas

La-Monroe, @ Wyoming, UTEP, UCF

Looks like UT will passed over again due to its weak schedule.  What, they could not find a single BCS school willing to come to Austin to get beat?!?  A road game to a MWC school is nice, but they picked one of two worst teams in conference.  At least if they gone to San Diego State, the UT fans would have had a nice weekend in an absolutely beautiful city.

10. Kansas

Northern Colorado (FCS), @UTEP, Duke, Southern Miss

Look, another bad Big 12 OOC schedule!!  Southern Miss is a quality Conference USA squad, but this is just bad. 

11. Texas Tech

North Dakota (FCS), Rice, @ Houston, New Mexico

While it could be worse, not playing a single BCS conference team puts this schedule near the bottom.

12. Kansas State

UMass (FCS), @ La-Lafayette, @UCLA, Tennessee Tech (FCS)

I had a hard time deciding which Big 12 team deserved the final spot, but playing two FCS schools earned K St this honor. 

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