College Football 2011: The 27 Best Placed Bye Weeks

They bye week is the worst thing for all of us college football fans. It's that one week, or for some teams two weeks, during the season where you are stuck with nothing to do. The bye week is that horrible week that your significant other knows that you have nothing to do. The bye week is the only week that your lady friend has circled on her calendar so that she can get you to do that list of house work that needs done.

That is unless you are not a fan of just one team. Then the bye week is just a minor inconvenience in your college football television watching. If this is the case then you have given your wife, girlfriend, or fiancée no chance in separating you from the television for just one week.

However, the bye week is the best thing for teams. They get a chance to get guys healed up that are nursing injuries. They have an extra week to fix things that are not going correct in their offense or defense. And, if the bye week is placed perfectly, they get an extra week of preparation for a game that may define their season.

So without further introduction we give you today the 27-best placed bye weeks for the college football season.

27- Pittsburgh Panthers

Bye Week: Oct. 22 and Nov. 19

Pitt's three opponets before the bye: @ Rutgers, vs. Utah, vs. Connecticut.

Pitt's four oppoents after the bye weeks: vs. Cinncy, @ Louisville, @ West Virginia, vs. Syracuse

Pitt's bye week comes towards the end of their season this year. The first one is after a nice stretch of two home games. After their first bye week they have two conference games before heading into the second break before their rival game against WVU. The extra week of planning should help the Panthers in what may be the Big East championship game.

26- Miami Hurricanes

Bye Week: Sept. 10

Miami's one opponent before the bye: @ Maryland.

Miami's three opponents after the bye week: vs. Ohio State, vs. Kansas State, vs. Bethune- College

Could you imagine if say the Pittsburgh Steelers played one game then went on a bye week? It would be insane to see your players come out against a division, or in this case conference, rival then the next week be off.

Thus the case for this Hurricanes' team as they play their first game and then take a week off before their home opener against Ohio State. Yes, the bye week helps in preparing for a power house in Ohio State.

But what does this bye week do to help get players game ready?

25- Texas A&M Aggies

Bye Week: Sept. 10

Texas A&M's one opponent before the bye: vs. SMU

Texas A&M three opponents after the bye week: vs Idaho, vs. Oklahoma State, Arkansas (neutral site)

This is a bad schedule for a team that has a great chance at winning the Big 12 this year. Yes, Oklahoma has all the talent in the world this year, and Texas is on the rebound. But A&M had a great shot to rise up and take a hold of the title of "the best team in Texas."

After only one bye week and it being so early in the season, this team will more than likely be  hurting come the end of the season.

24- Florida State Seminoles

Bye Week: Oct. 1

Florida State's three opponents before the bye: vs. Charleston Southern, vs. Oklahoma, @ Clemson.

Florida State's three opponents after the bye weeks: @ Wake Forest, @ Duke, vs. Maryland

This bye week will either be one that Florida State is going to hate because of the momentum of their two big victories against OU and Clemson. Or one that they're going to love because of bad games against those same two teams.

Either way after the bye week they should have three wins ready to add in their win column.

23- Oregon Ducks

Bye Week: Oct. 1

Oregon's three opponents before the bye: vs. Nevada, vs. Missouri State, @ Arizona

Oregon's three opponents after the bye week: vs. California, vs. Arizona State, @ Colorado

The bye week will help the players get some much needed rest after their first four games make no mistake. But the real rest needed in this bye week is for the college student who is the Oregon Duck mascot.

By the time that they hit the break who knows how many points this Oregon team will have scored? And with the more points, it will mean more push-ups for this kid in the Duck costume.

22- Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Bye Week: Oct. 15

Notre Dame's three opponents before the bye: @ Pittsburgh, @ Purdue, vs. Air Force

Notre Dame's three opponents after the bye week: vs. USC, vs. Navy, @ Wake Forest

Michael Floyd, I hear you comment section of my last piece and I will not make the same mistake.

Other than that, Notre Dame takes two away and one home game before their bye week and two home and one away after their bye week. All six games look, on paper, as wins for the Irish. However, in recent years the Irish have looked good on paper, but have not turned it into BCS bowl games.

21- Stanford Cardinals

Bye Week: Sept. 24

Stanford's three opponents before the bye: vs. San Jose State, @ Duke, @ Arizona

Stanford's three opponents after the bye week: vs. UCLA, vs. Colorado, @ Washington State

This is the year for Stanford and Andrew Luck to be the champions of college football. This is Stanford's best shot at winning the BCS National Championship. And the bye week does little to help or hurt the team. They come in the bye with two road games and come out with two home games.

Either way this team will not be hurt or benefit from a week off.

20- Utah Utes

Bye Week: Sept. 25

Utah's three opponents before the bye: vs. Montana State, @ USC, @ BYU

Utah's three opponents after the bye week: vs. Washington, vs. Arizona State, @ Pittsburgh

In Utah's first season as a member of the former Pac 10 now Pac 12 they are slated to take a bye week in the beginning stages of their season. They get a small taste of conference play when they travel to USC in week two. But then have their rivalry game at BYU.

After the bye week it's all about the new Pac 12 schedule, except for their trip across the country to Pittsburgh.

19- Arkansas Razorbacks

Bye Week: Oct. 15

Arkansas' three opponents before the bye: @ Alabama, vs. Texas A&M (neutral site), vs. Auburn

Arkansas' three opponents after the bye week: @ Ole Miss, @ Vanderbilt, vs. South Carolina

Wow, what a tough stretch of games for this Razorback team. First you have three brutal games leading into the bye week, and then you have two conference road games followed with the favorite to win the SEC East division.

If this Arkansas team can come out of these six games at 4-2, 5-1, it will be a testament to the great work that the Arkansas coaching staff has done for this year's club.

18- Michigan State Spartans

Bye Week: Oct. 8

Michigan State's three opponents before the bye: @ Notre Dame, vs. Central Michigan, @ Ohio State

Michigan State's three opponents after the bye week: vs. Michigan, vs. Wisconsin, @ Nebraska

The Big Ten is wide open this year for all 12 of their members. Yes, some teams do not have as good of as a shot as Michigan State at winning the conference title. But, this 2011 Spartan team may be the first Big Ten championship game winner. 

Their bye week benefits them by giving them an extra week of rest after what will be a brutal game in Columbus against Ohio State. The bye week gives the team an extra week to prepare for in-state rival Michigan as well. 

17- Ohio State Buckeyes

Bye Week: Oct. 22

Ohio State's three opponents before the bye: vs. Michigan State,@ Nebraska, @ Illinois.

Ohio State's three opponents after the bye weeks: vs. Wisconsin, vs. Indiana, @ Purdue

No one can predict how this Ohio State season is going to go, so with a bye week in the middle of October who knows where this team will be? It could be a team that is just resting up to get healthy before a big game against Wisconsin.

Or it could be a team that is trying to find answers to an offense that cannot score.

16- Florida Gators

Bye Week: Oct. 22

Florida's three opponents before the bye: vs. Alabama, @ LSU, @ Auburn

Florida's three opponents after the bye week: vs. Georgia (neutral site), vs. Vanderbilt, @ South Carolina

Will Muschamp's first season at Florida has a bye week that comes in the middle of their season. However, that middle portion is ruthless to his Gators' team. Games against the top-three teams in the SEC West last year will test how good his Florida team is. If they can get past that stretch with two or three wins, then their confidence heading into the bye will be at an all-time high.

The strong play at the break could lead this team to an SEC championship game in Atlanta.

15- Michigan Wolverines

Bye Week: Oct. 22

Michigan's three opponents before the bye: vs. Minnesota, @ Michigan State @ Northwestern.

Michigan's three opponents after the bye weeks: vs. Purdue, @ Iowa, @ Illinois

This is a pretty tough stretch of games for the Wolverines. They have a late bye week in October, but face a tough road trip before that. Michigan State could be a team that wins the Big Ten and Northwestern has a quarterback that may end up as the Big Ten's Heisman Trophy best hope.

After the break it doesn't get any easier. Games at Iowa and Illinois are right before their final games at home against Nebraska and Ohio State. With the style of play that Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson plays,  this team may be limping into December.

14- Alabama Crimson Tide

Bye Week: Oct. 29

Alabama's three opponents before the bye: vs. Vanderbilt, @ Ole Miss, vs. Tennessee

Alabama's three opponents after the bye week: vs. LSU, @ Mississippi State, vs. Georgia Southern

For Alabama the bye week is always met with joy since it's a time to get some rest after the first wave of SEC games. This year is no different. As before the break they have two home one away and a break before one of their biggest games of the year.

Yes, the bye week will give head coach Nick Saban and the rest of the coaching staff plenty of time to prepare for whatever tricks LSU can throw at them the following week.

12- Auburn Tigers

Bye Week: Nov 5

Auburn's three opponents before the bye: vs. Florida, @ LSU, vs. Ole Miss

Auburn's three opponents after the bye week: @ Georgia, vs. Samford, vs. Alabama

The defending champions have taken the biggest hit in this off-season. They lost their best players on both offense and defense. But, they will take the talent that is left over from that national championship team and try to defend both their BCS and SEC titles.

The bye week is a late one for the Tigers. It's a good chance that they are limping into their break after two or maybe three straight losses. Coming out of the break it isn't easier as they are in Athens before having two home games to end the season.

12- Penn State Nittany Lions

Bye Week: Nov. 5

Penn State's three opponents before the bye: vs. Purdue, @ North Western, vs. Illinois

Pen State's three opponents after the bye week: vs. Nebraska, @ Ohio State, @ Wisconsin

Penn State's bye week this year comes at the end of their year. Coming into the bye week they have a nice stretch of home-away-home against some of the weaker teams in the Big Ten at home and a weaker non-conference game on the road.

The bye week is going to get the Penn State team ready for a brutal end of the year schedule. 

11- LSU Tigers

Bye Week: Oct. 29

LSU's three opponents before the bye: vs. Florida, @ Tennessee, vs. Auburn

LSU's three opponents after the bye week: @ Alabama, vs. Western Kentucky, @ Ole Miss

Much like their SEC West division rival, Alabama, the LSU Tigers have their bye week before their big match at Alabama. The bye week for both of these teams should provide for some great game plans from both coaching staffs.

The bye week for both teams will not only help the players and coaches get ready for the game. But will help in giving these fan basis two whole weeks to prepare for what could be the SEC West division championship game.

10- Wisconsin Badgers

Bye Week: Oct. 8

Wisconsin's three opponents before the bye: vs.Northern Illinois (neutral site), vs. South Dakota, vs. Nebraska 

Wisconsin's three opponents after the bye week: vs. Indiana, @ Michigan State, @ Ohio State

The bye week for Wisconsin this year comes after consecutive home games. Two of those are against non-conference "cup cakes". And their final game before the break is against the new conference powerhouse Nebraska.

After the break they get another hypothetical "bye week" in a home game against Indiana. These two weeks off will help in getting the team healthy for two road games against the Big Ten's best.  

9- South Carolina Gamecocks

Bye Week: Oct. 22

South Carolina's three opponents before the bye: vs. Auburn, vs. Kentucky, @ Mississippi State

South Carolina's three opponents after the bye week: @ Tennessee, @ Arkansas, vs. Florida

The favorites to win the SEC East division has an okay bye week built into their schedule this year. They head into their break with two home one road game(s). The game against Mississippi State on the road before the break could be a trap game for Cocky. 

The break does allow South Carolina the extra week of rest to get this team healthy for their big division matches against Tennessee and Florida. 

8- Texas Longhorns

Bye Week: Sept. 24, Oct. 22

Texas' three opponents before the bye: vs. Rice, vs. BYU, @ UCLA.

Texas' three opponents after the bye weeks: vs. Texas Tech, @ Missouri, vs. Kansas State

This is a great first bye week for this still young Longhorn team. First they get to test out how quarterback Garret Gilbert is going to play. If he is struggling then they can fix whatever it is early. If they're playing well, then just keep working on that.

The second bye week, in the middle of October, is well placed again. They will be done with the Red River Rivalry and will be looking towards a strong finish in the new Big 12.

7- Nebraska Cornhuskers

Bye Week: Oct. 15

Nebraska's three opponents before the bye: @ Wyoming, @ Wisconsin, vs. Ohio State

Nebraska's three opponents after the bye week: @ Minnesota, vs. Michigan State, vs. Northwestern

Nebraska's first year in the Big Ten has their scheduled break after their first two conference games. It's a well placed bye week since they will have time to see where they are at in their new division. Also, like Michigan, the bye week will help in getting a week of rest for their quarterback Taylor Martinez. His style of play is one that hurt his team last year at the end of the season.

It helps when he is healthy in that Nebraska is one of the deadliest offense. But, when he takes a big hit or two and is hurt he cripples the offense.  

6- TCU Horned Frogs

Bye Week: Oct. 15, Nov. 26

TCU's three opponents before the bye: @ Portland State, vs. SMU, @ San Diego State

TCU's one opponent after the bye week: vs. UNLV

Two bye weeks can only help this TCU team. They have a new quarterback leading this team and an easy schedule leading into their bye. After the second bye week they have one game wrapping up their season.

That last game before their second bye week may act as a season finale for some starters. As their last game against UNLV should not pose a great threat to their bowl standing.

5- Virginia Tech Hokies

Bye Week: Nov. 1

Virginia Tech's three opponents before the bye: @ Wake Forest, vs. Boston College, @ Duke

Virginia Tech's three opponents after the bye week: @ Georgia Tech, vs. North Carolina, @ Virginia

The Tech bye week this year comes before their final three games of the year. Nothing bad came come from having this late of a bye week since it gives coach Fran Beamer a chance to get his starters rested up for the end of the regular season and the potential ACC championship game. 

Before the bye week two road games against weak ACC conference teams and a home game against Boston College, easies this team into what maybe another great ACC year. 

4- Boise State Broncos

Bye Week: Sept. 10, Oct. 29

Boise State's one opponent before the bye: vs. Georgia (Neutral Site)

Boise State's three opponents after the bye weeks: @ UNLV, vs. TCU, @ San Diego State

Another one of the play one game take a week off teams. But this bye week for the Broncos could signal the end of their season. Yes, it's hard to believe, but a loss against Georgia in the opener and their hopes of a championship season are gone.

The second bye week comes a two weeks before their second biggest game of the year when they are home against TCU. A loss against Georgia in week one and this game isn't as big as it can be, if they win in their opener.

3- Oklahoma Sooners

Bye Week: Sept. 10, Nov. 12

Oklahoma's one opponent before the bye: vs.Tulsa.

Oklahoma's three opponents after the bye weeks: @ Baylor, vs. Iowa State, @ Oklahoma State

Okay it's tough to say that it's great to have your first bye week after game one. But, let's say that this team's hype, much like the one with Sam Bradford in his senior year, has the same fate as that team. Week one a Tulsa defensive lineman comes breaking through and crushes Landry's collar bone. Well, now you have an extra week of practice to get the backup ready for the season.

With the second bye week it comes at the end of the season before they have their end of the year game with Oklahoma State.

2- Oklahoma State Cowboys

Bye Week: Oct. 1, Nov. 26

Oklahoma State's three opponents before the bye: vs. Arizona, @ Tulsa, @ Texas A&M

Oklahoma State's one opponents after the bye weeks: vs. Oklahoma

Two bye weeks are always a blessing for teams. Maybe not for the fan base as that's two weeks that you are off with nothing to watch or do, but the coaches and players love it. And to have your second bye week be before your biggest game of the year is a blessing. 

It seems as if every year Oklahoma State has a good team, but they are never good enough to be Oklahoma. This year, it's a two-week build up for the biggest game in Stillwater. 

1- West Virginia Mountaineers

Bye Week: Oct. 15, Nov. 19

West Virginia's three opponents before the bye: vs. LSU, vs. Bowling Green, vs. Connecticut

West Virginia's two opponents after the bye weeks: vs. Pittsburgh, @ South Florida

Two great bye weeks for the West Virginia program this year. In fact this team has the best bye weeks in all of college football this year. They're the pre-season Big East champions. They're the most talented team in the conference. Their bye weeks come after three home games and the second before their biggest game of the year.

West Virginia's schedule sets them up for a BCS game this year. 

That's it for this week see yeinz next time. Twitter:@tjmcaloon