College Football Predictions: 25 Teams That Will Not Lose in Non-Conference Play
Non-conference play is a source of debate, interest and great matchups every season.
From BCS heavyweights fighting for supremacy early in the season to non-AQ teams scrambling to make it undefeated to conference play and have a shot at the BCS, it's always a crazy ride.
These teams have the firepower, home-field advantage and/or the "cupcake" schedule to remain perfect after their excursions out of their conferences.
While some teams falter early in the season—and even later, in some cases—against non-conference foes, these teams will remain unscathed through the rigors and challenges of play against teams outside their familiar pantheon of foes.
Check it out...
25. UConn Huskies
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The Huskies lost their starting quarterback and leading rusher, and their head coach is now at Maryland, but at least they have one of the weakest non-conference schedules in America.
If there is any doubt about the Big East being a joke, this non-con slate might confirm it.
Come on guys...
- Sept. 1: Fordham
- Sept. 10: at Vanderbilt
- Sept. 16: Iowa State
- Sept. 24: at Buffalo
- Oct. 1: Western Michigan
24. Mississippi State Bulldogs
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This is more an indication of a weak schedule than of any sort of sudden improvement by the Bulldogs.
None of these teams should even come close to challenging MSU.
Running back Vick Ballard and quarterback Chris Relf are going to have a field day, and then the reality of SEC play will hit them.
- Sept. 1: at Memphis
- Sept. 24: Louisiana Tech
- Oct. 8: at UAB
- Nov. 5: UT Martin
23. N.C. State Wolfpack
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Russell Wilson is gone, but Mike Glennon is ready to take over at quarterback.
Glennon's drop-back style is different from Wilson's, but with three solid offensive linemen returning, the Wolfpack will have a strong passing game.
As for the non-conference schedule—Liberty, really?
This is lame.
Cincinnati is going to be awful this season, and the rest of these teams couldn't keep up with some high school squads.
- Sept. 3: Liberty
- Sept. 17: South Alabama
- Sept. 22: at Cincinnati
- Oct. 8: Central Michigan
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22. Southern Miss Golden Eagles
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Southern Miss will play Houston's counterpart in the East division of C-USA.
The Golden Eagles have a stellar quarterback in Austin Davis and some experienced receivers.
The trips to Virginia and Navy will be a good barometer of how far the Eagles can actually go this season.
- Sept. 3: Louisiana Tech
- Sept. 17: Southeastern Louisiana
- Sept. 24: at Virginia
- Oct. 8 at Navy
21. Cal Golden Bears
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The Golden Bears probably won't improve too much on last season's 3-6 conference record, but they should manage a sweep of their non-conference games.
Fresno State is not the Fresno State of 10 years ago, and Presbyterian is not really a threat.
Besides, they are only playing two games not against the Pac-12 (their game against Colorado won't count on their conference record).
- Sept. 3: Fresno State (at San Francisco)
- Sept. 17: Presbyterian
20. Tennessee Volunteers
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Once again, we see an SEC team that will be undefeated in conference play by virtue of a lame schedule.
The Vols are trying to get back near the top of the heap and are headed in the right direction.
A 4-0 non-conference record would be a nice contribution to a season that should see them take a step forward.
- Sept. 3: Montana
- Sept. 10: Cincinnati
- Oct. 1: Buffalo
- Nov. 5: Middle Tennessee
19. North Carolina Tar Heels
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The Heels should be ready for James Madison after the Dukes defeated Virginia Tech last season.
After a couple of seasons of relative success, Rutgers is back to playing doormat to the rest of the Big East, and Louisville is not much better.
The intriguing matchup here is East Carolina.
It's on the road, and Pirates quarterback Dominique Davis presents some challenges, but if anyone can handle them, it's this experienced Tar Heels defense.
- Sept. 3: James Madison
- Sept. 10: Rutgers
- Oct. 1: at East Carolina
- Oct. 8: Louisville
18. Northwestern Wildcats
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Northwestern is legit.
Quarterback Dan Persa is the most accurate passer in the country, and he has some great weapons to distribute the ball to on offense.
The Wildcats' opening game against BC will be an eye-opener for many, and they will roll through their non-conference schedule with relative ease.
- Sept. 3: at Boston College
- Sept. 10: Eastern Illinois
- Sept. 17: at Army
- Nov. 12: Rice
17. Texas Tech Red Raiders
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Nevada may pull it off, but not likely.
The Red Raiders are about the fourth-best team in the state of Texas right now, but they are still better than any of their non-conference foes.
Even a road trip to New Mexico should not concern TTU, as it seems like New Mexico has not won anything of note since before the Reagan administration.
- Sept. 3: Texas State
- Sept. 17: at New Mexico
- Sept. 24: Nevada
16. Iowa Hawkeyes
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Yes, Iowa State is a rivalry game, but the Cyclones haven't been close to good in a long time.
Tennessee Tech and ULM are both games that should be easily won.
The one game that might give new quarterback James Vandenberg pause is the tangle with Pitt, but it is at home, and Pitt QB Tino Sunseri is no Dan Marino.
- Sept. 3: Tennessee Tech
- Sept. 10: at Iowa State
- Sept. 17: Pittsburgh
- Sept. 24: ULM
15. Virginia Tech Hokies
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No challenge here.
After losing their first two non-conference contests last season, the Hokies are taking the safe route this year.
App State is not the same team that upset Michigan a few years ago, and Arkansas State and Marshall are some of the dregs of FBS football.
East Carolina's Dominique Davis is very talented, but the Hokies defense should have little trouble containing him, even on the road.
- Sept. 3: Appalachian State
- Sept. 10: at East Carolina
- Sept. 17: Arkansas State
- Sept. 24: at Marshall
14. Ohio State Buckeyes
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As much as anybody who is not an Ohio State fan is gloating over its misfortune, it's time to check that and take a look at reality.
Even without Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor, the Buckeyes are a very talented team.
The road trip to Miami will be tough, but they will have two games before that to test their wings.
Good luck straightening out that mess, Luke Fickell.
- Sept. 3: Akron
- Sept. 10: Toledo
- Sept. 17: at Miami (FL)
- Sept. 24: Colorado
13. TCU Horned Frogs
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Much of the talent on the offensive line is gone, and Andy Dalton is NFL-bound, but the Horned Frogs are still going to have a very good team in '11.
The defensive unit is always a strength of Gary Patterson's clubs, and TCU's is still relatively intact from a squad that was tough last season.
Baylor and BYU are both big games for the Frogs, but the biggest challenge may be the tangle with SMU.
June Jones has two great weapons in quarterback Kyle Padron and running back Zach Line.
It will be interesting to see if TCU' s offense can match the defensive production.
- Sept. 3: at Baylor
- Sept. 17: ULM
- Sept. 24: Portland State
- Oct. 1: SMU
- Oct. 28: BYU (at Arlington, TX)
12. Oklahoma State Cowboys
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Circle that game against Tulsa on your calendars.
It should be one of the highest-scoring games of the year.
Warning: If you are looking for defense, you won't find it here.
- Sept. 3: Louisiana-Lafayette
- Sept. 10: Arizona
- Sept. 17: at Tulsa
11. Houston Cougars
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Fortunately for the Cougars, quarterback Case Keenum is expected to return to form this fall.
Unfortunately for the rest of the FBS, he will be just as good as he was before his injury.
Houston not only has a great shot at finishing the non-conference slate undefeated, but of finishing the season undefeated as the next "BCS buster" as well.
- Sept. 3: UCLA
- Sept. 10: at North Texas
- Sept. 17: at Louisiana Tech
- Sept. 24: Georgia State
10. Nebraska Cornhuskers
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Nebraska's inaugural season in the Big Ten starts out with a very manageable non-conference slate.
Unfortunately, the conference schedule is much more difficult.
And who in their right mind agreed to travel to Wyoming?
Isn't it already below freezing there in September?
- Sept. 3: Chattanooga
- Sept. 10: Fresno State
- Sept. 17: Washington
- Sept. 24: at Wyoming
9. South Carolina Gamecocks
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Dominique Davis has already been mentioned for East Carolina, so we won't dwell on him.
Navy and the Citadel are going to be kicked around by a very good SC team.
In-state rival Clemson has some talent, but not near enough to hang with the Gamecocks, and besides, it's tough to take a team seriously whose coach is named "Dabo"
- Sept. 3: East Carolina (at Charlotte, NC)
- Sept. 17: Navy
- Nov. 19: The Citadel
- Nov. 26: Clemson
8. Wisconsin Badgers
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Wisconsin boasts one of the best running back tandems in the country.
That duo of James White and Montee Ball should serve them well in non-conference play while a new quarterback can be broken in.
The Badgers' tangle with Northern Illinois will be tougher than most expect, as NIU quarterback Chandler Harnish presents some unique challenges for a defense still trying to find its identity, but the Badgers should emerge with a "W."
Besides, the Badgers haven't lost to a regular season non-conference foe since 2003.
- Sept. 3: UNLV
- Sept. 10: Oregon State
- Sept. 17: Northern Illinois (at Chicago, IL)
- Sept. 24: South Dakota
7. Boise State Broncos
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Unfortunately, Georgia fans, the Dawgs just don't have the horses to hang with the Broncos.
You see, BSU's biggest game of the year will be Sept. 3 in Atlanta, while yours is later in the year.
Boise also has a powder-puff non-conference schedule to go with its powder-puff conference schedule.
So while you are going to lose the opener, at least you can rejoice in the fact that it was to a team with one other quality opponent on its schedule.
Hope this brings you some comfort.
- Sept. 3: Georgia (at Atlanta, GA)
- Sept. 17: at Toledo
- Sept. 24: Tulsa
- Oct. 1: Nevada
- Oct. 8: at Fresno State
6. Alabama Crimson Tide
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Even thought the Tide travel to Happy Valley this season for their matchup with Penn State, the result will be similar to last year.
The Nittany Lions just don't have the talent to hang.
The rest of the non-conference schedule is a joke.
- Sept. 3: Kent State
- Sept. 10: at Penn State
- Sept. 17: North Texas
- Nov. 19: Georgia Southern
5. Michigan State Spartans
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The Spartans are going to have another solid season.
The only challenge on their non-conference schedule is a trip to Notre Dame.
The Spartans won't need a trick play to take this one, as the explosive combo of Edwin Baker running the ball and Kirk Cousins passing will be a little too much for the Irish to handle.
Should be another great game between two programs on the rise.
- Sept. 3: Youngstown State
- Sept. 10: Florida Atlantic
- Sept. 17: at Notre Dame
- Sept. 24: Central Michigan
4. Arizona State Sun Devils
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If ASU had to travel to Mizzou instead of vice versa, it would lose.
But it doesn't.
Illinois is a middle of the road Big Ten team and should not challenge the Sun Devils, but Missouri is a different animal entirely.
It should be better than last season.
The Sun Devils will only be as good as quarterback Brock Osweiler and the offense let them be.
- Sept. 1: UC Davis
- Sept. 9: Missouri
- Sept. 17: at Illinois
3. Arkansas Razorbacks
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Texas A&M will be the first team to really challenge Arkansas, but the Razorbacks are just too good to lose that early.
A&M will score, no doubt, but its defense is much weaker than Arkansas', and the Hogs offense is going to put up tons of points.
- Sept. 3: Missouri State
- Sept. 10: New Mexico
- Sept. 17: Troy
- Oct. 1: Texas A&M (at Arlington, TX)
2. Florida State Seminoles
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The 'Noles start off with some fairly pedestrian opponents, as you can see.
After that, the level of difficulty gets ratcheted up.
Oklahoma is coming to Tallahassee Sept. 17, and while the Sooners seem to be ranked first or second in every preseason poll, they have plenty of questions that need to be answered.
FSU has home-field advantage, and if it can get the passing game going, it will squeak by the Sooners.
The trip to Florida is not nearly as scary, as long as their focus is on the Gators and not a BCS bowl by that time of year.
- Sept. 3: ULM
- Sept. 10: Charleston Southern
- Sept. 17: Oklahoma
- Nov. 26: at Florida
1. Oregon Ducks
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Oregon is going to be scary good again this season.
Darron Thomas and LaMichael James are exactly the type of players that can give LSU fits, and the Ducks defense, though not as solid as last season, will still be very, very good.
LSU may still be having quarterback issues that could contribute to some mistakes in this one, but the ability of Chip Kelly's offense to put points on the board will be the deciding factor.
- Sept. 3: LSU (at Arlington, TX)
- Sept. 10: Nevada
- Sept. 17: Missouri State
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
