College Football Preview: Ranking Each Big 12 Rep's Strength of Schedule

The Big 12 hosts just a couple of college football programs that can be identified as powerhouse programs, namely Texas and Oklahoma.

So grinding through what is believed to be an average conference schedule raises the stakes for the out-of-conference matchups, which generate much more weight and talking power towards the end of the season.

Scheduling good non-conference fixtures means arming the program with ammunition when it comes to the BCS algorithms. Coupled with a spotless conference record, it often materializes into a bid into the National Championship game.

Here are the rankings for SOS in the Big 12.

No. 12—Kansas Jayhawks

Georgia Tech sticks out on the Jayhawks' schedule, but the rest of the non-conference contests are worthy of mentioning. The away matchup with Southern Miss is a little of a bright spot.

Kansas also misses Texas and Oklahoma this season, either of which would have boosted the SOS.

Sept. 4: vs. North Dakota State

Sept. 11: vs. Georgia Tech

Sept. 17: at Southern Miss

Sept. 25: vs. New Mexico State

Oct. 2: at Baylor

Oct. 14: vs. Kansas State

Oct. 23: vs. Texas A&M

Oct. 30: at Iowa State

Nov. 6: vs. Colorado

Nov. 13: at Nebraska

Nov. 20: vs. Oklahoma State

Nov. 27: at Missouri

No. 11—Kansas State Wildcats

While UCLA provides a great Pac-10 name, the Bruins are getting a bad rap by not performing to their usual standards. By the end of the year it could look different, but home setups with Missouri State and Central Florida ultimately are a drag on Kansas State's schedule.

Finishing up with a trip to Denton to face North Texas isn't exactly a marquee matchup either.

Sept. 4: vs. UCLA

Sept. 11: vs. Missouri State

Sept. 18: vs. Iowa State

Sept. 25: vs. Central Florida

Oct. 7: vs. Nebraska

Oct. 14: at Kansas

Oct. 23: at Baylor

Oct. 30: vs. Oklahoma State

Nov. 6: vs. Texas

Nov. 13: at Missouri

Nov. 20: at Colorado

Nov. 27: at North Texas

No. 10—Missouri Tigers

Four non-conference games at home, and against these programs, don't shout out a whole lot as far as strength.

But having to travel to play the Aggies, Cornhuskers, and Red Raiders are formidable tasks. An upset on any of those road trips would look good on a resumé.

Sept. 4: vs. Illinois

Sept. 11: vs. McNeese State

Sept. 18: vs. San Diego State

Sept. 25: vs. Miami (OH)

Oct. 9: vs. Colorado

Oct. 16: at Texas A&M

Oct. 23: vs. Oklahoma

Oct. 30: at Nebraska

Nov. 6: at Texas Tech

Nov. 13: vs. Kansas State

Nov. 20: at Iowa State

Nov. 27: vs. Kansas

No. 9—Baylor Bears

The Bears have a nice road win opportunity in Forth Worth against the Horned Frogs, and should Baylor pull off the upset, it could go a long way to getting a bid into a worthy bowl game.

The remaining out-of-conference contests don't hold much weight, but a key win on a neutral field against Texas Tech or a shocker against Oklahoma State in Stillwater could also add up nicely.

Sept. 4: vs. Sam Houston State

Sept. 11: vs. Buffalo

Sept. 18: at TCU

Sept. 25: at Rice

Oct. 2: vs. Kansas

Oct. 9: at Texas Tech (at Cotton Bowl)

Oct. 16: at Colorado

Oct. 23: vs. Kansas State

Oct. 30: at Texas

Nov. 6: at Oklahoma State

Nov. 13: vs. Texas A&M

Nov. 20: vs. Oklahoma

No. 8—Oklahoma State Cowboys

The Cowboys have some turnover to take care of with the loss of some key players to the next level and graduation, but the schedule is still mediocre.

Washington State is the peak of Oklahoma State's non-conference schedule, as home matchups against Troy and Tulsa are softies.

Sept. 4: vs. Washington State

Sept. 11: vs. Troy

Sept. 18: vs. Tulsa

Sept. 30: vs. Texas A&M

Oct. 8: at Louisiana-Lafayette

Oct. 16: at Texas Tech

Oct. 23: vs. Nebraska

Oct. 30: at Kansas State

Nov. 6: vs. Baylor

Nov. 13: at Texas

Nov. 20: at Kansas

Nov. 27: vs. Oklahoma

No. 7—Texas Longhorns

In the past, the Longhorns typically have weaker schedules, but having the talent to run the table with a key win over Oklahoma every year puts them in the race for a BCS title game berth.

Texas won't face any juggernauts in its non-conference play, as UCLA makes a trip to Austin in late September.

Sept. 4: at Rice

Sept. 11: vs. Wyoming

Sept. 18: at Texas Tech

Sept. 25: vs. UCLA

Oct. 2: at Oklahoma (at Cotton Bowl)

Oct. 16: at Nebraska

Oct. 23: vs. Iowa State

Oct. 30: vs. Baylor

Nov. 6: at Kansas State

Nov. 13: vs. Oklahoma State

Nov. 20: vs. Florida Atlantic

Nov. 25: vs. Texas A&M

No. 6—Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech's out-of-conference schedule isn't tough, but it also isn't a batch of cupcakes.

The trip to Albuquerque could be a trap game, and the Red Raiders' last game of the season against Houston could be a difference-maker come bowl selection.

Sept. 5: vs. Southern Methodist

Sept. 11: at New Mexico

Sept. 18: vs. Texas

Oct. 2: at Iowa State

Oct. 9: vs. Baylor (at Cotton Bowl)

Oct. 16: vs. Oklahoma State

Oct. 23: at Colorado

Oct. 30: at Texas A&M

Nov. 6: vs. Missouri

Nov. 13: at Oklahoma

Nov. 20: vs. Weber State

Nov. 27: vs. Houston

No. 5—Texas A&M Aggies

Three lackluster home contests to kick off this season speaks nothing for the Aggies' schedule.

But the Oct. 9 matchup with Arkansas at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas will have larger implications at the end of the season.

A victory Texas A&M in that game and another against the likes of Nebraska, Oklahoma, or Texas could push the Aggies into a quality bowl game.

Sept. 4: vs. Stephen F. Austin

Sept. 11: vs. Louisiana Tech

Sept. 18: vs. Florida International

Sept. 30: at Oklahoma State

Oct. 9: at Arkansas (at Cowboys Stadium)

Oct. 16: vs. Missouri

Oct. 23: at Kansas

Oct. 30: vs. Texas Tech

Nov. 6: vs. Oklahoma

Nov. 13: at Baylor

Nov. 20: vs. Nebraska

Nov. 25: at Texas

No. 4—Nebraska Cornhuskers

In their final season in the Big 12, the Cornhuskers aren't exactly going out with a bang, but a solid Idaho team and a trip to Seattle to play the Huskies aren't the cakewalks some may expect.

Playing Oklahoma on the schedule would make it heavier, but this one gives Nebraska a good chance at a solid final season in the conference.

Sept. 4: vs. Western Kentucky

Sept. 11: vs. Idaho

Sept. 11: at Washington

Sept. 25: vs. South Dakota State

Oct. 7: at Kansas State

Oct. 16: vs. Texas

Oct. 23: at Oklahoma State

Oct. 30: vs. Missouri

Nov. 6: at Iowa State

Nov. 13: vs. Kansas

Nov. 20: at Texas A&M

Nov. 26: vs. Colorado

No. 3—Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa and Utah headline the out-of-conference lineup for the Cyclones.

Having to travel to Norman and Austin in consecutive weeks makes for a tough month of October.

Though Iowa State doesn't have much of a program to boast, at least a good schedule is in order.

Sept. 2: vs. Northern Illinois

Sept. 11: at Iowa

Sept. 18: at Kansas State

Sept. 25: vs. Northern Iowa

Oct. 2: vs. Texas Tech

Oct. 9: vs. Utah

Oct. 16: at Oklahoma

Oct. 23: at Texas

Oct. 30: vs. Kansas

Nov. 6: vs. Nebraska 

Nov. 13: at Colorado

Nov. 20: vs. Missouri

No. 2—Colorado Buffaloes

The other Big 12 team jetting the conference for other lands, Colorado put together a nice mix of games, including a Pac-10 contest away against Cal and a home matchup against Georgia.

Hawai'i has been a surprising team in the past, but that flair has begun to burn out as of late.

Away games in conference against Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska give the Buffs one tough road this season.

Sept. 4: vs. Colorado State

Sept. 11: at Cal

Sept. 18: vs. Hawai'i

Oct. 2: vs. Georgia

Oct. 9: at Missouri

Oct. 16: vs. Baylor

Oct. 23: vs. Texas Tech

Oct. 30: at Oklahoma

Nov. 6: at Kansas

Nov. 13: vs. Iowa State

Nov. 20: vs Kansas State

Nov. 26: at Nebraska

No. 1—Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners come away with the toughest schedule in the conference, despite missing Nebraska on the table.

With Florida State coming to Norman in the second week, and traveling to Cincinnati two weeks later, Oklahoma put two BCS contenders on its map.

Running the table would certainly means a title game bid, but even a one-loss season could still result in a BCS game berth.

Sept. 4: vs. Utah State

Sept. 11: vs. Florida State

Sept. 18: vs. Air Force

Sept. 25: at Cincinnati

Oct. 2: vs. Texas (at Cotton Bowl)

Oct. 16: vs. Iowa State

Oct. 23: at Missouri

Oct. 30: vs. Colorado

Nov. 6: at Texas A&M

Nov. 13: vs. Texas Tech

Nov. 20: at Baylor

Nov. 27: at Oklahoma State