College Football 2011: 10 Teams with the Easiest November-December Schedules

The road to a BCS game can be long and hard, and scheduling plays a key role in the trip a team takes down that road.

It has been a trend in recent seasons that the later you lose in the season, the more it hurts you in the BCS rankings. (See 2010 Michigan State)

Somehow, the following teams managed to schedule the easy part of the conference slate in the last two months of the season.

What's better than starting the season 5-0?

Ending it 5-0.

And these 10 teams have the late-season cupcakes to make this possible...

10. TCU Horned Frogs

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PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Quarterback Scott Tolzien #16 of the Wisconsin Badgers is sacked by linebacker Tank Carder #43 of the TCU Horned Frogs during the 97th Rose Bowl game on January 1, 2011 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Gett

Tank Carder has one of the best names in college football. (No bromance involved here)

TCU has one of the best defenses in the game.

Throw this together with a late-season slate of Wyoming, Boise State, Colorado State, a bye and UNLV, and you have a recipe for three straight BCS bowls.

The Broncos will give the Frogs a run for their money, but that is the only game that should be within single digits at the end of TCU's season.

9. Michigan State Spartans

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ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 01: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Michigan State Spartans hands the ball off to Edwin Baker #4 during the Capitol One Bowl against the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Florida Citrus Bowl on January 1, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike

Michigan State lost all credibility for their argument about the Rose Bowl when they were decimated by Alabama.

The Spartans are going to be looking for a Big Ten title, especially as the race may be wide open if OSU is on probation or something of that nature.

The Spartans have the soft part of their schedule immediately after Halloween, including games against Indiana and woeful Minnesota in East Lansing.

If the Spartans can weather the storm of early conference schedule brutality, they will make a run for the Big Ten Championship game in November/December.

8. Utah Utes

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LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 22: Doug Martin #22 of the Boise State Broncos is tackled by Boo Andersen #45 of the Utah Utes during the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas at Sam Boyd Stadium December 22, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Boise State won 26-3. (Photo by Ethan Mil

Most of the teams heading into new conferences next season face a pretty brutal conference slate.

Nebraska and Colorado in particular.

Not so for the Utes.

Somehow, they managed to avoid both Stanford and Oregon, and after an October meeting with ASU, the Utes have a cakewalk to the end of their schedule.

Oregon State, Washington State, Arizona and Colorado round out their end of season schedule.

Not a roll call of teams that strike fear into the hearts of every opponent they face...

7. Virginia Tech Hokies

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MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 03: Head coach Frank Beamer of the Virginia Tech Hokies looks on against the Stanford Cardinal during the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium on January 3, 2011 in Miami, Florida. Stanford won 40-12. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/

Beamerball.

It's a tradition found only at Va. Tech.

And the Hokies could take their style of play all the way to the BCS National Championship Game next season,.

Just check out how their schedule plays out, especially the end of October through the end of the regular season.

Duke, Bye, at Georgia Tech, North Carolina, at Virginia.

North Carolina might be a tussle, but is nothing unmanageable, and with Logan Thomas proving to be a suitable replacement for Tyrod Taylor, the Hokies have got to feel good about their chances here.

6. Mississippi State Bulldogs

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GAINESVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 16: Quarterback Chris Relf #14 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs hands off to running back Vick Ballard #28 against the Florida Gators October 16, 2010 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschm

Can Mississippi State ascend to the top of the SEC food chain?

They have a brutal schedule, including games against predicted SEC frontrunners, but all of those except one are before Halloween.

The difficulty in playing Alabama Nov. 11 seems to be offset by the powder puff UT-Martin scheduled for the week prior.

Arkansas will not be the same as last year, and Ole Miss is still down, so the Bulldogs have a schedule that leans in their favor as the season wanes to a close.

Can Vick Ballard, Chris Relf and Co. seize the opportunity?

That remains to be seen.

5. Syracuse Orange

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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 30: Travis Tannahill #80 of the Kansas State Wildcats is tackled by Thomas Shamarko #21 of the Syracuse Orange during the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 30, 2010 in New York, New York. (Photo by Chris McGrat

Look, as much as we all know the Big East is almost as bad as Grandma's fruitcake, the Orange have set themselves up to succeed with a pretty manageable late-season schedule.

They have a bye Nov. 19, and while their games in November and December feature trips to UConn and Pitt, both of those teams are in some major transitions right now.

The bye will be a big factor for 'Cuse, and it is their second one of the season.

Of course, their entire BCS hopes could have been shot to pieces by West Virginia and USC earlier in the season, but if they can negotiate those two and come out with at least one win, they will still be very much in the Big East hunt.

4. Wisconsin Badgers

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MADISON, WI - OCTOBER 16: Beau Allen #96 of the Wisconsin Badgers rests on the bench during a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Camp Randall Stadium on October 16, 2010 in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin defeated Ohio State 31-18. (Photo by Jonathan D

If Wisconsin can find a quarterback who can complete a pass or two, the Badgers will be very tough next season.

Coupled with the recent off-the-field woes in Columbus and their potent running game, the Badgers hope to make a splash in the newly realigned Big Ten.

Their late-season competition of Minnesota, Purdue, Penn State and Illinois will contribute to their success.

3. Georgia Bulldogs

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ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 27: Head coach Mark Richt and Hairy, mascot of the Georgia Bulldogs, celebrate their 42-34 win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Sanford Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Yeah, yeah, no schedule in the SEC is easy.

The Bulldogs have it about as easy as it gets, especially in the last couple months of the season.

The Dawgs managed to get Florida on Oct. 29, immediately following their bye week, and while that game is always a dog fight (no pun intended), the Gators are not exactly top-flight SEC material.

Then we get to November.

New Mexico State, Auburn and Kentucky at home, and the rivalry game with Georgia Tech to finish off the regular season.

Not exactly "Murderer's Row."

If the Dawgs suffer an early season setback at the hands of Boise State, South Carolina or Mississippi State, their favorable schedule to end the season gives them a good shot at finishing out strong.

2. Arizona State Sun Devils

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TEMPE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 04: (L-R) Gregory Smith #17, head coach Dennis Erickson, Vontaze Burfict #7 and Keelan Johnson #10 of the Arizona State Sun Devils lead teammates out onto the field prior the college football game against the Portland State Vikings

The Sun Devils are loaded with speed on both sides of the ball and are a dark horse candidate to take the Pac-12.

While the Devils have a tough matchup with Oregon taking place on Oct. 15, from Oct. 29 to the end of the regular season, their schedule plays out very favorable.

ASU will face UCLA and Washington State on the road and stay home to face Arizona, Cal and Colorado.

Those five teams averaged just over five games apiece last season.

1. Florida State Seminoles

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ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Nigel Bradham #13 of the Florida State Seminoles against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl at Georgia Dome on December 31, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The Seminoles defense is scary good this year, and they may find a way to go without a blemish all season.

That being said, if they trip up early in the year against Oklahoma, they will have plenty of time to gain confidence and wins going into the ACC championship game.

While the games against Florida and Miami always loom large due to the rivalries, neither of those teams poses much of a threat to FSU.

Jimbo Fisher and the 'Noles have the perfect opportunity to set themselves up for a title run with this slate of contests.