College Football 2011: 20 Schools That Got Screwed by Their Conference Schedule
There are bad football schedules, and then there are really bad football schedules.
As teams look ahead to their future foes in the college football offseason, some coaches are probably having a mental breakdown right now after seeing their strength of schedule.
In a game so predicated on preparation and game-planning, some of these coaches couldn't get started any sooner by the looks of who they have to play in 2011.
Not to mention, some perennially struggling teams just don't deserve this cruelty.
Here are my top 20 schools that got screwed by their conference schedule (with a capital "S").
20. Oklahoma State
1 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Louisiana-Lafayette
9/10/11 Arizona
9/17/11 at Tulsa
9/24/11 at Texas A&M
10/1/11 OPEN DATE
10/8/11 Kansas
10/15/11 at Texas
10/22/11 at Missouri
10/29/11 Baylor
11/5/11 Kansas State
11/12/11 at Texas Tech
11/19/11 at Iowa State
11/26/11 Oklahoma
Why They Got Screwed:
Louisiana-Lafayette isn't a bad team to start the season off with, but after that the Cowboys' schedule is spattered throughout the season with tough teams.
Arizona should be better in my opinion, Texas A&M can certainly not be overlooked, Texas should get back to its winning ways after a disappointing 2010 (they're always in the discussion), Baylor could be better, and, to top it all off, the Cowboys get to face off with the always-powerful Oklahoma Sooners led by Landry Jones.
19. Nebraska
2 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Chattanooga
9/10/11 Fresno State
9/17/11 Washington
9/24/11 at Wyoming
10/1/11 at Wisconsin
10/8/11 Ohio State
10/15/11 OPEN DATE
10/22/11 at Minnesota
10/29/11 Michigan State
11/5/11 Northwestern
11/12/11 at Penn State
11/19/11 at Michigan
11/26/11 Iowa
Why They Got Screwed:
The beginning of the year doesn't look too tough for the Cornhuskers, but that all comes to a screeching halt on Oct. 1 when they face up with Wisconsin.
The rest of the schedule has them facing powerhouses Ohio State (right when they get their suspended players back), Michigan State, Penn State, most likely a better Michigan team, and Iowa.
18. Ohio State
3 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Akron
9/10/11 Toledo
9/17/11 at Miami(FL)
9/24/11 Colorado
10/1/11 Michigan State
10/8/11 at Nebraska
10/15/11 at Illinois
10/22/11 OPEN DATE
10/29/11 Wisconsin
11/5/11 Indiana
11/12/11 at Purdue
11/19/11 Penn State
11/26/11 at Michigan
Why They Got Screwed:
Although the Buckeyes don't have tough games to start, with Akron, Toledo and Colorado, they also will have five suspended players, including QB Terrelle Pryor, during these games. They also have to face what should be a better Miami (FL) team during this stretch, as well as Michigan State.
When the suspended players get back, the team has to face Nebraska, Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan to end the year. It's going to be a tough 2011.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
17. Penn State
4 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Indiana State
9/10/11 Alabama
9/17/11 at Temple
9/24/11 Eastern Michigan
10/1/11 at Indiana
10/8/11 Iowa
10/15/11 Purdue
10/22/11 at Northwestern
10/29/11 Illinois
11/5/11 OPEN DATE
11/12/11 Nebraska
11/19/11 at Ohio State
11/26/11 at Wisconsin
Why They Got Screwed:
Nothing like facing up with Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide in your second season. Iowa should be good too. Illinois will be better. And of course you have those final three games...Nebraska, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
Terrelle Pryor and the Buckeyes should be in full swing at this point.
16. Indiana
5 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 at Ball State
9/10/11 Virginia
9/17/11 SC State
9/24/11 at North Texas
10/1/11 Penn State
10/8/11 Illinois
10/15/11 at Wisconsin
10/22/11 at Iowa
10/29/11 Northwestern
11/5/11 at Ohio State
11/12/11 OPEN DATE
11/19/11 at Michigan State
11/26/11 Purdue
Why They Got Screwed:
From the middle of the schedule to the end, tough opponents litter Indiana's schedule, starting with Penn State, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, and ending with Ohio State and Michigan State.
15. Texas A&M
6 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 SMU
9/10/11 OPEN DATE
9/17/11 Idaho
9/24/11 Oklahoma State
10/1/11 Arkansas
10/8/11 at Texas Tech
10/15/11 Baylor
10/22/11 at Iowa State
10/29/11 Missouri
11/5/11 at Oklahoma
11/12/11 at Kansas State
11/19/11 Kansas
11/26/11 Texas
Why They Got Screwed:
The first three weeks are fairly la-di-da for the Aggies, playing two games against SMU and Idaho bookending a bye-week, but after that, let's just say the Aggies better be better than advertised this season.
They play Oklahoma State and Arkansas, go to Oklahoma to play the Sooners, and finish with Texas.
14. Texas
7 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Rice
9/10/11 BYU
9/17/11 at UCLA
9/24/11 OPEN DATE
10/1/11 at Iowa State
10/8/11 Oklahoma
10/15/11 Oklahoma State
10/22/11 at Baylor
10/29/11 Kansas
11/5/11 Texas Tech
11/12/11 at Missouri
11/19/11 Kansas State
11/24/11 at Texas A&M
Why They Got Screwed:
UCLA could be quite good this year, despite losing Akeem Ayers to the NFL. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State hit Texas back-to-back. Missouri certainly isn't a slouch of a team. And Texas A&M will be a tough opponent away to end the year.
Texas figures to be better next year, but they also lost top corner Aaron Williams. This schedule certainly doesn't help them rise again.
13. Alabama
8 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Kent State
9/10/11 at Penn State
9/17/11 North Texas
9/24/11 Arkansas
10/1/11 at Florida
10/8/11 Vanderbilt
10/15/11 at Ole Miss
10/22/11 Tennessee
10/29/11 OPEN DATE
11/5/11 LSU
11/12/11 at Mississippi State
11/19/11 Georgia Southern
11/26/11 at Auburn
Why They Got Screwed:
Alabama is Alabama, they're going to get a tough schedule every year just based on their history and conference. After their first three games, the Crimson Tide face Arkansas, Florida, Ole Miss, LSU, Mississippi State (a rising team) and Auburn to to end the year...in Auburn.
You didn't think getting to the championship game again would be easy, now did you Alabama?
12. Baylor
9 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 TCU
9/10/11 OPEN DATE
9/17/11 Stephen F. Austin
9/24/11 Rice
10/1/11 at Kansas State
10/8/11 Iowa State
10/15/11 at Texas A&M
10/22/11 Texas
10/29/11 at Oklahoma State
11/5/11 Missouri
11/12/11 at Kansas
11/19/11 Oklahoma
11/26/11 Texas Tech
Why They Got Screwed:
Baylor may be an improving team, but starting out against TCU is not going to kick off their season on a high note.
Beyond that, they face Texas A&M, Texas, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas Tech to end the year.
All these teams could be ranked next season.
11. Texas Tech
10 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Texas State
9/10/11 OPEN DATE
9/17/11 at New Mexico
9/24/11 Nevada
10/1/11 at Kansas
10/8/11 Texas A&M
10/15/11 Kansas State
10/22/11 at Oklahoma
10/29/11 Iowa State
11/5/11 at Texas
11/12/11 Oklahoma State
11/19/11 at Missouri
11/26/11 at Baylor
Why They Got Screwed:
Texas Tech could be more talented next season, but even so, they could very well have a worse record than they did last year.
In addition to facing newcomer on the scene Nevada, they face Texas A&M, Oklahoma, OK State, Missouri and the Bears at Baylor.
Have fun.
10. Iowa State
11 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Northern Iowa
9/10/11 Iowa
9/17/11 at Connecticut
9/24/11 OPEN DATE
10/1/11 Texas
10/8/11 at Baylor
10/15/11 at Missouri
10/22/11 Texas A&M
10/29/11 at Texas Tech
11/5/11 Kansas
11/12/11 at Oklahoma
11/19/11 Oklahoma State
Why They Got Screwed:
Iowa State finished 5-7 last season. You'd think they made a BCS bowl game last year after looking at this schedule they were handed.
First they face the in-state Hawkeyes, then they get a nice little bye...before they play Texas. The rest is a nightmare for even a top team...Baylor, Missouri, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
Could it get any worse for a 5-7 team?
9. Florida
12 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Florida Atlantic
9/10/11 UAB
9/17/11 Tennessee
9/24/11 at Kentucky
10/1/11 Alabama
10/8/11 at LSU
10/15/11 at Auburn
10/22/11 OPEN DATE
10/29/11 Georgia
11/5/11 Vanderbilt
11/12/11 at South Carolina
11/19/11 Furman
11/26/11 Florida State
Why They Got Screwed:
The first four games are cake for what should be a better Gators team in 2011. But then they face that Alabama team and it's down hill from there, encountering such players as LSU's Jared Jefferson, Auburn's running game, South Carolina and in-state Florida State.
8. Oregon State
13 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Sacramento State
9/10/11 at Wisconsin
9/17/11 OPEN DATE
9/24/11 UCLA
10/1/11 at Arizona State
10/8/11 Arizona
10/15/11 BYU
10/22/11 at Washington State
10/29/11 at Utah
11/5/11 Stanford
11/12/11 at California
11/19/11 Washington
11/26/11 at Oregon
Why They Got Screwed:
Sacramento State's not a bad starting point for a Beavers team that disappointed in 2010.
But then there's Wisconsin. Then there's Arizona. Then there's incoming Utah. Then there's Andrew Luck and Stanford. And, of course, the Beavers get to cap it all off at Oregon.
The schedule alone could lead to another disappointing season.
7. Ole Miss
14 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 BYU
9/10/11 Southern Illinois
9/17/11 at Vanderbilt
9/24/11 Georgia
10/1/11 at Fresno State
10/8/11 OPEN DATE
10/15/11 Alabama
10/22/11 Arkansas
10/29/11 at Auburn
11/5/11 at Kentucky
11/12/11 Louisiana Tech
11/19/11 LSU
11/26/11 at Mississippi State
Why They Got Screwed:
Ole Miss figures to be a better team in 2011, but they also have a brutal second half of the season that could legitimately sink them.
After their bye, it's an absolute nightmare. They could conceivably end 2-5.
6. Colorado
15 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 at Hawaii
9/10/11 OPEN DATE
9/17/11 Colorado State
9/24/11 at Ohio State
10/1/11 Washington State
10/8/11 at Stanford
10/15/11 at Washington
10/22/11 Oregon
10/29/11 at Arizona State
11/5/11 USC
11/12/11 Arizona
11/19/11 at UCLA
11/26/11 at Utah
Why They Got Screwed:
The Buffaloes were 5-7 last year. Now they get to find out what it feels like to get run over by a buffalo (I've never been, but I'm pretty sure it sucks).
How does Ohio State, Stanford, Washington, Oregon, an improved USC, Arizona, UCLA and Utah sound?
Sounds like a charging buffalo headed straight for you.
5. Auburn
16 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Utah State
9/10/11 Mississippi State
9/17/11 at Clemson
9/24/11 Florida Atlantic
10/1/11 at South Carolina
10/8/11 at Arkansas
10/15/11 Florida
10/22/11 at LSU
10/29/11 Ole Miss
11/5/11 OPEN DATE
11/12/11 at Georgia
11/19/11 Samford
11/26/11 Alabama
Why They Got Screwed:
This is an understandable screwing (if there is such a thing). After all, the Tigers did go undefeated and win the BCS title last year. But not only are they without Cam Newton and Nick Fairley, they have to battle a rising Mississippi State team, a better Clemson team at Clemson, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Georgia and Alabama to end the season.
Undefeated repeat?
Ya, and Grizzly Adams shaved.
4. Mississippi State
17 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 at Memphis
9/10/11 at Auburn
9/15/11 LSU
9/24/11 Louisiana Tech
10/1/11 at Georgia
10/8/11 at UAB
10/15/11 South Carolina
10/22/11 OPEN DATE
10/29/11 at Kentucky
11/5/11 UT Martin
11/12/11 Alabama
11/19/11 at Arkansas
11/26/11 Ole Miss
Why They Got Screwed:
For the record, I like Mississippi State as a team this season. Also for the record...this is the type of schedule you give someone when you want them to start flipping out and running in circles, panicked and delirious.
I know the Bulldogs rose last year, but c'mon, this is just cruel.
3. Arkansas
18 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Missouri State
9/10/11 New Mexico
9/17/11 Troy
9/24/11 at Alabama
10/1/11 Texas A&M
10/8/11 Auburn
10/15/11 OPEN DATE
10/22/11 at Ole Miss
10/29/11 at Vanderbilt
11/5/11 South Carolina
11/12/11 Tennessee
11/19/11 Mississippi State
11/26/11 at LSU
Why They Got Screwed:
The first three games are just fine and dandy for the Razorbacks, then they are faced with a nightmare stretch run. They could conceivably be No. 2 on this list.
It doesn't help they have to face all these teams with Ryan Mallett gone and headed to the NFL.
2. Washington
19 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Eastern Washington
9/10/11 Hawaii
9/17/11 at Nebraska
9/24/11 California
10/1/11 at Utah
10/8/11 OPEN DATE
10/15/11 Colorado
10/22/11 at Stanford
10/29/11 Arizona
11/5/11 Oregon
11/12/11 at USC
11/19/11 at Oregon State
11/26/11 Washington State
Why They Got Screwed:
QB Jake Locker may have disappointed last year, but the Huskies also probably won't have a better performance this season by their new man under center.
While last year was somewhat of a letdown for the Huskies, a bad record this year is simply expected.
There's basically three games in the Huskies' entire 2011 season that are locks for wins; as for the rest, "ugh" is the appropriate word.
1. LSU
20 of 20
The Schedule:
9/3/11 Oregon
9/10/11 Northwestern State
9/15/11 at Mississippi State
9/24/11 at West Virginia
10/1/11 Kentucky
10/8/11 Florida
10/15/11 at Tennessee
10/22/11 Auburn
10/29/11 OPEN DATE
11/5/11 at Alabama
11/12/11 Western Kentucky
11/19/11 at Ole Miss
11/25/11 Arkansas
Why They Got Screwed:
I know LSU went 11-2 last season and won the Cotton Bowl, but c'mon!
Talk about a load of ranked teams.
Not only do the Tigers face a plethora of ranked teams, they also face teams that have gotten better since last year.
I still like the Tigers, but their schedule is something that can lead a coach to drinking...heavily.
The Tigers might have to hire a shrink for Les Miles this year.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
