NCAA Strength Of Schedule: Ranking Blindfolded

- Hawaii and Miami early in the typical 'tuneup' games.  At Tennessee and Arkansas.  LSU and SC at home.  Against Georgia, in Jacksonville, for control of the universe.  Finish up at FSU and an SEC CG birth, or look at the season as a failure.  Sounds like fun.

7.  Kansas - At South Florida early.  Every powerhouse B12 team imaginable.  A hopeful championship game berth to prove last season wasn't a fluke?  Not likely.  Pop in your March Madness DVD if things start going south.

6.  Florida St. - Biggest shocker to see their schedule this high.  Though after eating a few cupcakes while the suspended players rest, it becomes a who's who of 2007 bowl teams with some big names sprinkled in.  Miami will improve.  VT is always a problem.  Clemson feels it's their year.  So does Florida.  Plus a championship game if you make it through all of that.  Dadgummit.  

5.   Tennessee - The pendulum will likely swing the other way this year for Phil and Co.  Squeaking out game after game in '07, this year brings a trip to UCLA, Florida early, at Auburn, at Georgia, who might be looking for some revenge, and late tilts with Alabama and South Carolina.  

4.  Texas - Arkansas early.  A Colorado team that has to improve.  All of the big boys in OU, Missouri, Kansas, TTech, A&M, plus a death match against one of them all over again if they want to play in the Orange Bowl.

3.  Auburn - Southern Miss, LSU, Tennessee, and a Thursday night trip to West Virginia to chase Noel Devine around the field.  Georgia three weeks later.  Take a breath.  Go to Alabama.   Leave no one behind.

2.  Alabama - Clemson to open things up in Atlanta.  The worst road schedule I've seen requiring trips to Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, and LSU.  Auburn at home for dessert.  This is not the kind of schedule you want your young kids hanging their title hopes on.  Figure things out this year.  Kick the door down in '09

1.  Georgia - Far and away the most difficult schedule on paper in 2008.  The only team to play six ranked opponents (per Lindy's), with two separate sets of back-to-back meetings with ranked teams.  Fly to Arizona St.  Bama a week later.  Fly to LSU.  Florida a week later.  Mix in some Tennessee, South Carolina, Auburn, and Georgia Tech for additional flavor.  Dawg fans had better hope Mark Richt has three or four new pre-game stunts up his sleeve.   

Remember, this was the result of a formula used for all teams equally.  Aside from the wisecracks, there was no opinion on my part.

Tomorrow I will try to explain some of the oddities and correct for teams that I see making major improvements and declines in 2008.  That, and we'll see if there's a way to mash it all together and select the two teams who should be booking rooms for a January trip to Miami.

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