College Football Predictions: The 20 Biggest Mismatches of the 2011 Season
You know those red-letter days in the college football season? The ones were the marquee matchups are on, and the nation tunes in with anticipation to watch two great college football teams battle it out? The ones where people talk all week before the game in excitement?
Yeah. This list isn't about those games. In fact, this list is pretty much the opposite.
The fact of the matter is, the economics of college football require, or at least encourage, the big fish of college football to feast on a minnow or two on their schedule. The minnows get a big payday, which they can use to help supplement their budgets throughout the year. And the big fish get a (probably) guaranteed win on their record. As long as we're saddled with the phenomenally flawed BCS—which rewards mismatches and punishes teams who schedule competitive and exciting non-conference games—then the mismatches will continue.
So, here is a slideshow of the best of the best (or the best of the worst, or the worst of the worst, I get confused) mismatches of the 2011 college football season. As you read on, you'll see some running themes:
- Lots of home games for the big fish.
- Lots of FCS opponents.
- Lots of September games, with a few bizarre SEC-in-November outliers.
Enjoy, and remember this: Even these mismatches will be better than NFL games that get locked out this year.
20. Idaho @ Texas A&M (September 17)
1 of 20
The Vandals went a respectable 5-7 in 2010, coming off a bowl season the year before. But they also lost their senior quarterback and face a daunting test in College Station. There are a lot more lopsided mismatches in 2011, but this game still qualifies.
19. Louisiana Tech @ Mississippi State (September 03)
2 of 20
The Bulldogs, another FBS school, went 5-7 and narrowly missed out on a bowl game. They're not a terrible opponent for the OTHER Bulldogs, but the talent level should still favor the dogs in maroon.
18. Ball State @ Oklahoma (October 01)
3 of 20
Yes, Ball State is a FBS opponent, and one not too far removed from a lofty national ranking. But the Cardinals were 4-8 last year, and Nate Davis ain't walking through that door in Norman.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
17. Louisiana-Monroe @ Florida State (September 03)
4 of 20
The Warhawks are another one of the lower-end FBS opponents that still make our mismatch list. ULM went 4-8 last year with only one win on the road. It's unlikely their trip to Tallahassee will notch a road win for them in 2011.
16. Louisiana-Lafayette @ Oklahoma State (September 03)
5 of 20
The Ragin' Cajuns (which is in my top five favorite team nicknames ever. I mean, seriously, who else has a hot pepper as their logo on their athletic department's website?) travel to Stillwater coming off a 3-9 campaign in 2010. Given Mike Gundy's reluctance to play defense, ULL might put up 20 points or so, but should still head home with a loss.
15. San Jose State @ Stanford (September 03)
6 of 20
Another FBS school on the list, but the Spartans went 1-12 last year (and, if you're having that bad of a season, playing that 13th game had to be rubbing salt into the wound) and should be nothing more than a tuneup for Andrew Luck and the new-look Cardinals.
14. New Mexico @ Boise State (TBD)
7 of 20
New Mexico is another FBS school on the list. How bad are the Lobos to make the list? Not only were they 1-11 last year, but on the school's website, the only reference to the 2010 season is a link to their press guide. No links (that I could see) to stats or results from the season, even though other seasons are listed in their archives.
Psst! Hey, New Mexico, that stuff is available other places on the Internet. The Google machine gets you there pretty quickly. Looks kinda silly if you're trying to close your eyes and pretend 2010 didn't happen. Just saying. Still, the floating clouds on top of the page are kinda cool. You can check them out here.
Needless to say, this should be a tune-up for the Smurf Turfers—whenever they get around to scheduling it.
13. Appalachian State @ Virginia Tech (September 03)
8 of 20
Everyone remembers the Mountaineers, marching into the Big House, knocking off Michigan and functionally ending Lloyd Carr's career as Head Wolverine. After that season, Michigan decided to replace Carr with Rich Rodriguez.
So, Michigan fans, you have App State to thank for your quality time with Rich-Rod.
The Mountaineers have the pedigree to upset an FBS school, but Virginia Tech was stunned by James Madison last year. Don't believe for a second Frank Beemer would allow that to happen two years in a row.
12. Youngstown State @ Michigan State (September 03)
9 of 20
When the Penguins showed up on the Buckeyes' schedule, the rationale was always that THE Ohio State should be playing in-state opponents. Last I checked, Youngstown isn't in Michigan. Should be an easy win for Sparty.
11. Samford @ Auburn (November 05)
10 of 20
Wow, Stanford at Auburn. What a great matchup! Andrew Luck going up against the defending national champs, in their own house. How did that happen?
Oh. It's Samford. Sorry. A little cupcake for Gene Chizek's kids at the end of the SEC schedule.
10. Missouri State @ Arkansas (September 03)
11 of 20
How thoughtful of the Arkansas athletic department. They hire Missouri's head basketball coach away, then schedule in-state rival Missouri State to play the Razorbacks in football to help him acclimate to his new surroundings. Really well planned.
Just don't ask the new guy to put the pig hat on and yell "Woo Pig! Sooie!" at the press conference. That hasn't worked out so well in the past.
9. Northwestern State @ LSU (September 10)
12 of 20
In 2006, the Northwestern State Demons knocked off third-seeded Iowa in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, setting the high-water mark for Northwestern State and starting a decline for Hawkeye hoops they have yet to recover from.
Unfortunately, this isn't basketball. LSU is a lot bigger and stronger than the Demons and likely, the 2006 Iowa basketball team.
8. Charleston Southern @ Florida State (September 10)
13 of 20
Well, hello, Florida State! Surprised to see you back for a double-dip at the mismatch buffet! You know, Bobby Bowden built the Seminoles as a program by playing brutal schedules year in, year out. Apparently the Jimbo Fisher era has a little different theory on scheduling.
Still, having to face that murderer's row in the...ACC Atlantic...who can really blame you?
7. Western Illinois @ Missouri (September 17)
14 of 20
Look, we get it, the Big 12 only has 10 teams this year, and you've got to play ALL of the teams from the old South division. Of all the cupcake-schedulers on this list, Mizzou probably has the most justification.
6. Georgia Southern @ Alabama (November 19)
15 of 20
The question is not why Alabama is playing an FCS school, we've gone over those reasons in detail. The question is, why on November 19?
5. Chattanooga @ Nebraska (September 03)
16 of 20
OK, get this straight. They're the Mocs. Not Mocs, short for Moccasins, either the snake or the comfortable shoe. Mocs, as in (according to Wikipedia) an "anthropomorphized northern mockingbird, in accordance with the state bird, named 'Scrappy' dressed as a railroad engineer."
Or, in other words, a total mismatch for the 'Huskers.
4. The Citadel @ South Carolina (November 19)
17 of 20
Is it "Citadel" or "The Citadel?" There's really no clear answer. Regardless, the game should be a mismatch for the Ol' Ballcoach.
And again with the November 19 cupcake game. What's up with that, SEC schedulers?
3. UC-Davis @ Arizona State (September 03)
18 of 20
If this were a baseball game, it would be a must-see matchup between two established powerhouses in the sport.
But, it's football. So it's a big-time mismatch.
2. Furman @ Florida (November 19)
19 of 20
OK, I give up. Apparently, November is "schedule a cupcake month" in the SEC. Why the self-titled best conference in the universe feels the need to schedule minnows at the back end of the football season is beyond me, though.
1. South Dakota @ Wisconsin (September 24)
20 of 20
Not only are the Coyotes an FCS opponent, but they're only three years removed from being a Division II school. And they're heading to Camp Randall to face the defending Big Ten (sorry, sorry, the B1G, apparently pronounced "BeeOneGee") conference champions. Of all the mismatches in 2011, this one is the biggest.
Like what you read? Please LIKE me here and on Facebook, re-tweet this article, and follow me on Twitter @law_talking_guy to follow my thoughts and observations on college football -- and one or two other things, perhaps.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
