College Football 2011: Which Teams Have the Most Top 25 Opponents Scheduled?
Not all college football schedules are created equal.
This is a factual statement that is the foundation of much of the heated discussion regarding the fairness of college football.
Yes, a team can go 10-2 or 12-0, but who did they play and what conference do they call home?
Indeed, one team’s 7-5 is sometimes just as impressive as another team’s 10-2.
But, who truly controls scheduling and who can convince a top-tier team (with everything to lose) to play an up and comer (with nothing to lose and everything to gain)?
Along those same lines, who polices the over-scheduling of “gimmee” teams and FCS opponents (above and beyond the one per year rule) and what reward is there for a team that consistently schedules quality opponents?
And finally, should a team really “pay the price” for being the member of a non-BCS conference?
All are compelling questions which can be brought back to life when reviewing the following slideshow that identifies eight teams that play more preseason top-25 opponents than other FBS teams (these are programs that play six or more ranked foes, meaning their schedule consists of 50 percent or more of higher caliber teams).
Some have ugly slates due to their conference affiliation while others have stepped up and added a top ranked opponent to their schedule.
Regardless, these are the teams that have the steepest slope to climb (at least from a preseason perspective) to win any sort of title.
As a disclaimer, to identify top-25 opponents several rankings have been used so the definition is liberal (meaning teams mentioned in some but not all listings are used, making the list, in reality, more than just 25).
Baylor
1 of 8
Baylor should continue to improve in 2011, especially with much of their offensive firepower returning, but this season’s upcoming schedule does the Bears absolutely no favors.
September 2 TCU
October 15 at Texas A&M
October 29 at Oklahoma State
November 5 Missouri
November 19 Oklahoma
December 3 Texas
Kansas State
2 of 8
Bill Snyder has Kansas State looking like contenders again but a nasty Big 12 slate plus the game against Miami (FL) will make progress in 2011 hard work.
September 24 at Miami (FL)
October 8 Missouri
October 29 Oklahoma
November 5 at Oklahoma State
November 12 Texas A&M
November 19 at Texas
Michigan State
3 of 8
Sparty’s 11-2 run in 2010 was magical and many of the important pieces are back in place in 2011 for a repeat performance. The big difference for State this upcoming season is a schedule that will make 11 wins an enormous feat.
September 17 at Notre Dame
October 1 at Ohio State
October 15 Michigan
October 22 Wisconsin
October 29 at Nebraska
November 26 at Northwestern
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Arizona
4 of 8
Mike Stoop’s eighth campaign at Arizona and his subsequent quest to finally bring the Wildcats to the Promised Land will no doubt be majorly hamstringed by a scary schedule.
September 8 at Oklahoma State
September 17 Stanford
September 24 Oregon
October 1 at USC
November 5 Utah
November 19 at Arizona State
Colorado
5 of 8
The Buffaloes inaugural season as members of the Pac-12 won’t be a tip toe through the tulips and will provide a serious test for a young team destined to play better in the future.
September 24 at Ohio State
October 8 at Stanford
October 22 Oregon
October 29 at Arizona State
November 4 USC
November 26 at Utah
Arkansas
6 of 8
Ryan Mallett is gone but Knile Davis and many of his friends are back making the 2011 Razorbacks look more than just promising.
Other than the quarterback concerns the other gnawing question for Arkansas fans is how their beloved Hogs will cope with a schedule that is ugly even by SEC standards.
September 24 at Alabama
October 1 Texas A&M (at Arlington, Texas)
October 8 Auburn
November 5 South Carolina
November 19 Mississippi State
November 25 at LSU
Auburn
7 of 8
Rebuilding projects are made tremendously more difficult when facing a perilous schedule; a task that defending national champion Auburn will be charged with in 2011.
September 10 Mississippi State
October 1 at South Carolina
October 8 at Arkansas
October 15 Florida
October 22 at LSU
November 26 Alabama
LSU
8 of 8
Winning the award for the most Top 25 opponents in 2011, the LSU Tigers are a Top 5 team with a schedule that will either make or break a potential champion.
You may not care for the Tigers from Cajun country but you absolutely have to respect their schedule.
September 3 Oregon (at Arlington, Texas)
September 15 at Mississippi State
September 24 at West Virginia
October 8 Florida
October 22 Auburn
November 5 at Alabama
November25 Arkansas
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
