College Football 2011: No 1 Oklahoma vs No 2 Alabama, Who Has the Tougher Road?

The Sooners’ non-conference slate is obviously anchored by the huge Week 3 trip to Tallahassee to square off with Florida State and though Ball State shouldn’t present any problem, Tulsa is no cupcake.

Oklahoma is 38-10 against non-conference opponents since 2001.

 

Tulsa

September 3 (Week 1) in Norman

This game is the season opener for both teams. Tulsa went 10-3 in 2010 and returns 18 starters in 2011 and other than the loss of their head coach they return one of the most experienced squads in the country.

The Sooners are 16-7-1 all-time against the Golden Hurricanes and have won 10 out of their last 11 meetings.  The last time Oklahoma lost to Tulsa was 1996 in Norman.

Tulsa is easily a top 50 team in 2011.

Rating: 6

 

Florida State

September 17 (Week 3) at Florida State

The Sooners face Florida State straight off an early bye week.  FSU went 10-4 in 2010 and returns 16 starters (minus their starting QB) and work with one of the most veteran rosters in the ACC in 2011.

Oklahoma is 5-1 all time against the Seminoles and hasn’t dropped a game to FSU since the 1965 Gator Bowl.  Previous to last year’s meeting in Norman (Oklahoma prevailed 47-17) the two hadn’t met since 2001.

Oklahoma has never played a game at Florida State.

Florida State is a top 10 team in 2011.

Rating: 10

 

Ball State

October 1 (Week 5) in Norman

The Sooners will enter this game after playing their conference opener against Missouri in Norman.

Ball State went 4-8 in 2010 and returns 17 starters and 53 lettermen, they are one of the most experienced teams in the entire country but they have a new head coach coming into 2011.

Oklahoma and Ball State have never faced each other on the football field but the Sooners are 2-1 against MAC teams and haven’t lost to a current MAC team since 1942 when they dropped a game to Temple.

The 2011 Ball State squad is probably in the bottom quarter of teams in the FBS.

Rating:  1

Oklahoma: Conference Games

The Big 12’s conference scheduling was made much simpler for 2011 with the abandonment of the divisional format due to Colorado and Nebraska’s exit to greener pastures.

The Sooners will face each of the other nine Big 12 teams once during the 2011 season and they are 71-16 in conference play in the last decade.

 

Missouri

September 24 (Week 4) in Norman

Oklahoma takes on Missouri directly after the road trip to Tallahassee to face Florida State.

Missouri went 10-3 in 2010 and returns 16 starters and 50 lettermen (minus QB Chase Daniel).

The Sooners are 65-25-5 all time against the Tigers and their last loss came in 2010 when they were defeated 27-36 in Columbia.

The 2011 Missouri team is preseason ranked No. 21.

Rating: 8

 

Texas

October 8 (Week 6) in Dallas

The Red River Rivalry comes on the heels of the Sooners game against Ball State.

Texas went 5-7 in 2010 and returns 12 starters and 49 lettermen (but we all know that they have more speed and talent than do most programs in the nation).

Oklahoma is 41-59-5 against the Longhorns and before last year’s victory the Sooners dropped the previous two meetings.

The 2011 Texas team is preseason ranked No. 24.

Rating: 8

 

Kansas

October 15 (Week 7) at Kansas

The Sooners travel to Lawrence directly after facing Texas in Dallas.

Kansas went 3-9 last season and returns 15 starters and 41 lettermen making them one of the more old hand squads in the Big 12.

Oklahoma is 67-28-6 all-time against the Jayhawks and Kansas hasn’t beaten the Sooners since 1997 when they won in Lawrence.

Kansas’ 2011 team is more than likely in the bottom third of the FBS ranks.

Rating: 2

Texas Tech

October 22 (Week 8) in Norman

The Sooners welcome the Red Raiders after returning home from their road visit to Kansas.

Texas Tech went 8-5 in 2010 and returns 14 starters in 2011 but that figure does not include a starting QB.

Oklahoma is 13-5 all-time against the Red Raiders and last lost to Tech in 2009 in Lubbock.

Nationally speaking, Texas Tech is a middle of the pack team coming into 2011.

Rating: 5

Kansas State

October 29 (Week 9) at Kansas State

Oklahoma makes its second trip to the state of Kansas to face the Wildcats directly after hosting Texas Tech.

Kansas State went 7-6 in 2010 and returns just 13 starters and 45 lettermen in 2011 which makes them one of the thinnest teams in the conference.

The Sooners are 70-17-4 all-time against the Wildcats and were last upended by Kansas State in the 2003 Big 12 Championship game.

Kansas State looks to be a middle of the pack team coming into this season.

Rating: 5

Texas A&M

November 5 (Week 10) in Norman

Oklahoma welcomes the Aggies to Norman straight off the heels of their road trip to Kansas State.

Texas A&M posted a 9-4 record in 2010 and returns a whopping 19 starters and 61 lettermen in 2011.

The Sooners hold an 18-11 advantage over the Aggies in their all-time series but A&M triumphed in their last meeting (33-19 in College Station) which marked their first win over Oklahoma in seven tries.

Texas A&M is preseason ranked at No. 9.

Rating: 10

Baylor

November 19 (Week 12) at Baylor

The Sooners travel to Waco after hosting the Aggies at home in Norman.

Baylor went 7-6 in 2010 and returns 14 starters in 2011 including most of their offensive firepower.

Oklahoma is a perfect 20-0 in games against Baylor and has outscored the Bears 749-271 all-time.

The surging Bears are a mid-level team going into the 2011 season.

Rating: 4.5

Iowa State

November 26 (Week 13) in Norman

The Cyclones pack their bags for Norman just after the Sooners return from their trip to Waco.

Iowa State went 5-7 in 2010 (playing one of the hardest schedules in college football) and return only 12 starters and 37 lettermen in 2011.

Oklahoma is 68-5-2 all-time against the Cyclones and last succumbed to the storm in a 1990 contest in Norman.

Iowa State falls somewhere below the middle of the FBS pack going into the 2011 season.

Rating: 3

 

Oklahoma State

December 3 (Week 14) at Oklahoma State

The Sooners 2011 finale’ comes directly off the Week 13 contest against Iowa State.

Oklahoma State went 11-2 last season and returns 14 starters but only 27 lettermen in 2011; they are also minus their offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.

Oklahoma is 81-17-7 all-time against the Cowboys and last lost to OSU in 2002 in Stillwater.

Oklahoma State is ranked No. 8 in the preseason polls.

 Rating: 9

Oklahoma: Home Games

The Sooners enjoy a huge advantage when playing at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman and haven’t lost a game there since 2005 when they dropped the season opener to TCU.

Oklahoma is a smoking 61-2 at home since 2001.

 

Tulsa

September 3 (Week 1) in Norman

The only time Tulsa has bested the Sooners since 1979 came in 1996 when they shocked Oklahoma 31-24 in Norman.

Despite this fact it seems less than likely, regardless of how good the Golden Hurricanes are, that they will beat Oklahoma in Norman.

Rating: 5

Missouri

September 24 (Week 4) in Norman

The Tigers haven’t won a game in Norman since 1966 so you could either say they’re due or that it just won’t happen.

Rating: 6

 

Ball State

October 1 (Week 5) in Norman

These two teams have never met and it’s hard to even entertain the idea that Norman will be the site of Ball State’s first triumph over the Sooners.

Rating: 0

Texas Tech

October 22 (Week 8) in Norman

The Red Raiders only win in Norman came in 1996 when they escaped town with a 22-12 victory.

Though dearly departed Mike Leach has had Bob Stoops’ number in Lubbock, Tech has suffered miserably in recent years in Norman.

This is more than likely not Tuberville’s year to turn the tide for Tech (yet).

Rating: 4

Texas A&M

November 5 (Week 10) in Norman

It seems fortuitous that the Sooners get the Aggies in Norman in 2011; A&M hasn’t won there since they embarrassed Oklahoma 51-7 back in 1997.

Regardless, this could be one of the best games of the year.

Rating: 8

 

Iowa State

November 26 (Week 13) in Norman

Iowa State hasn’t beaten Oklahoma in twenty-years and their last win came in Norman when they narrowly bested the Sooners 33-31.

Rating: 2

Oklahoma: Away Games

The Sooners are 30-13 on the road since 2001 which doesn’t include neutral games where they hold an 18-11 record.

The Red River Rivalry is not included on either the home or away slide as the longstanding neutral site presents no inherent advantage or disadvantage for either team.

Florida State

September 17 (Week 3) at Florida State

 The Sooners have never played a game at Florida State but you have got to think this may be the biggest test of their 2011 season.

Rating: 10

Kansas

October 15 (Week 7) at Kansas

 Even though the last time the Sooners lost to Kansas (1997) was a game that was played in Lawrence the difficultly level of the 2011 contest is not greatly enhanced by the venue.

Rating: 2.5

Kansas State

October 29 (Week 9) at Kansas State

 The Sooners last dropped a game in Manhattan in 1996 and they’ve won three straight against KSU on their own turf since then.

K-State fans will be ready for blood and eager to play the spoiler when Oklahoma comes to town in Week 9 but this still doesn’t represent a huge shift in the level of difficulty.

Rating: 6

 

Baylor

November 19 (Week 12) at Baylor

 Baylor is another place that just isn’t that intimidating and that plus the fact that Oklahoma has never lost to the Bears (anywhere) makes the trip to Waco seem very manageable.

Rating: 5

 

Oklahoma State

December 3 (Week 14) at Oklahoma State

 In huge rivalry games venue (or any other sort of logic) is usually less important than in other, less emotional contests.

It should come as no surprise that the Sooners haven’t lost in Stillwater since 2002 but that doesn’t mean that Boone Pickens Stadium won’t be rocking when Oklahoma comes to town in the season finale.

 Rating: 10

Oklahoma: Forecasting Road Conditions to Perfection

The Sooners’ 2011 schedule features six true home games, the road contest against Texas and five road trips, when we add up the ratings Oklahoma’s entire schedule earns the following report card:

Non-conference Games                   10

Conference Games                         54.5

Home Games                                 25

Away Games                                 33.5

Neutral Games                               8

Total Score                                  131

Alabama: Non-Conference Games

Alabama’s non-conference slate is bolstered by a Week 2 visit to Penn State and other than that the Tide face a slew of overmatched opponents outside of the SEC.

The Crimson Tide are 37-10 against non-conference foes in the last decade and haven’t dropped a non SEC game since 2008 when they lost to Utah in the Sugar Bowl.

 

Kent State

September 3 (Week 1) in Tuscaloosa

The Golden Flashes are the Tide’s opening opponent this season and Kent State went 5-7 in 2010 and return 14 starters and 44 lettermen in 2011.

Alabama has never met Kent State in football but the Crimson Tide are 4-1 all-time against MAC opponents with their only loss coming to Northern Illinois in 2003.

The Golden Flashes are a lower tier FBS team coming into the 2011 season.

Rating: 1

Penn State

September 10 (Week 2) in Happy Valley

The Crimson Tide host the Nittany Lions straight off their Week 1 opener against Kent State.

Penn State posted a 7-6 record in 2010 and return 14 starters and 45 lettermen in 2011 putting them in the upper tier of Big Ten teams in terms of veteran players.

Alabama holds a 9-5 advantage over the Nittany Lions all-time and previous to beating them 24-3 last season in Tuscaloosa the two hadn’t met since 1990 when PSU triumphed 9-0 in Tuscaloosa.

Penn State is preseason ranked No. 25.

Rating: 8

 

North Texas

September 17 (Week 3) in Tuscaloosa

The North Texas game comes directly after the Tide’s trip to Happy Valley.

North Texas went 3-9 last season and returns 12 starters and 53 lettermen in 2011.

Alabama is a perfect 3-0 all-time against the Mean Green and last beat them in 2009 (53-7) in Tuscaloosa.

North Texas is in the bottom quarter of teams in the FBS coming into 2011.

Rating: 1

Georgia Southern

November 19 (Week 12) in Tuscaloosa

The Georgia Southern game comes straight off Alabama’s Week 11 visit to Mississippi State.

Georgia Southern is an FCS team who plays in the Southern Conference; they finished the 2010 season 10-5 and are expected to be a top two finisher in the conference in 2011.

Alabama has never met Georgia Southern in football.

Georgia Southern is a solid FCS program.

Rating: 1

 

Alabama: Conference Games

Alabama: Conference Games

Alabama faces the regular slate of SEC West fixtures in 2011 and draws Florida, Tennessee and Vanderbilt from the East Division.

The Crimson Tide are 49-33 against SEC foes since 2001 and have only once made a perfect run against conference opponents in that period when they went 9-0 against conference opponents in 2009.

Arkansas

September 24 (Week 4) in Tuscaloosa

Alabama welcomes the Razorbacks to Tuscaloosa after bidding farewell to North Texas.

Arkansas went 10-3 in 2010 and returns 13 starters (minus QB Ryan Mallett) and 52 lettermen in 2011 earning them a middle of the pack depth rating in the conference.

The Tide hold an 11-8 all-time advantage over Arkansas and the last loss came in 2006 when the Razorbacks triumphed 24-23 in Fayetteville.

Arkansas is preseason ranked at No. 14.

Rating: 9

 

Florida

October 1 (Week 5) at Florida

The Crimson Tide will travel to Gainesville directly after their clash with Arkansas in Tuscaloosa.

Florida posted an 8-5 record last season and along with an entire staff of new coaches returns just 10 starters but has 50 lettermen coming back making the Gators fairly thin.

Alabama is 21-14 overall against the Gators and though they won the last two meetings they lost the two previous contests (2008 and 2009 were SEC championship games).

Florida is preseason ranked No. 23.

Rating: 8

 

Vanderbilt

October 8 (Week 6) in Tuscaloosa

The Vandy game comes directly after the Tide’s road trip to Gainesville, Florida.

Vanderbilt went 2-10 last season but returns 19 starters and 56 lettermen making them one of the most veteran teams in the country.

Alabama is 57-19-4 overall against the Commodores and Vandy last upended the Tide in 1993 in Nashville.  The two teams haven’t met since 2007.

Vanderbilt comes into 2011 ranked somewhere in the bottom third of FBS teams.

Rating: 2

 

Ole Miss

October 15 (Week 7) at Ole Miss

The Crimson Tide travel to Oxford to face the Rebels straight off their home stand with Vanderbilt.

Ole Miss struggled to a 4-8 finish in 2010 and returns 13 starters and 47 letter earners in 2011, a figure that does not include the starting QB.

Alabama is 44-9-2 overall against the Rebels who last beat the Tide in 2003 in Oxford.

Ole Miss is easily still a top 50 team.

Rating: 5

 

Tennessee

October 22 (Week 8) in Tuscaloosa

The Vols come to Tuscaloosa directly after the Crimson Tide returns from its road trip to Oxford.

Tennessee posted a 6-7 record in 2010 and returns 13 starters and 46 lettermen in 2011.

The Tide hold a 47-38-7 advantage over the Volunteers all-time and last succumbed to Tennessee in 2006 in Knoxville.

Tennessee is a top 40 squad coming into 2011.

Rating: 6

 

LSU

November 5 (Week 10) in Tuscaloosa

In what looks to be a “game of the week” type scenario the Tide welcome LSU to Tuscaloosa after a bye week that follows the Tennessee game.

LSU went 11-2 in 2011 and returns 15 starters and 54 letter winners giving them a similar level of veteran representation Alabama will enjoy next season.

Alabama holds a surprising (at least to me) 45-24-5 all-time advantage over the Tigers but have won just three out of the last 10 contests.

LSU is preseason ranked No. 4.

Rating: 10

 

 Mississippi State

November 12 (Week 11) at Mississippi State

The Bulldogs host the Crimson Tide directly after the LSU game in Tuscaloosa.

Mississippi State went 9-4 last season and returns 16 starters and 44 lettermen making them one of the most experienced squads in the SEC.

The Tide are an eye popping 73-18-3 against MSU but the Bulldogs scored back-to-back victories over Alabama in 2006-07.

Mississippi State is preseason ranked No. 20.

Rating: 8

 

Auburn

November 26 (Week 13) at Auburn

The Iron Bowl is slated to be played directly after Alabama welcomes FCS Georgia Southern to Tuscaloosa.

Auburn went 14-0 last season and won the national championship but they only return six starters and 38 lettermen in 2011 (and they lose 31) and they are the least experienced team in the conference and in the entire nation.

Alabama holds a narrow 40-34-1 advantage over Auburn though they are 3-7 over their last 10 meetings.

Auburn is preseason ranked No. 19 but this should be qualified with the monumental amount of personnel turnover.

Rating: 7

 

 

 

 

Alabama: Home Games

The Crimson Tide has Arkansas, LSU and Tennessee at home in 2011 but other than that those tasty bites a big chunk of their meal is scheduled to be served out on the road.

Alabama doesn’t hold near the advantage at home that Oklahoma does and their mark over the past 10 years (53-19) serves as evidence to this claim.

Kent State

September 3 (Week 1) in Tuscaloosa

 The Kent State game taking place in Tuscaloosa does nothing but give us another reason to firmly assert that Alabama will win this game.

As an interesting side note, did you know that Nick Saban graduated from Kent State?

Rating: 0.5

 

North Texas

September 17 (Week 3) in Tuscaloosa

Again, this game taking place at home just adds fuel to the bonfire sending clear smoke signals that the Tide will, well, roll.

Rating: 0.5

 

Arkansas

September 24 (Week 4) in Tuscaloosa

 Arkansas hasn’t won a game in Tuscaloosa since 2003 when they narrowly escaped with a three-point victory.

The Razorbacks might be just as good as LSU or Alabama but this game being in Tuscaloosa is definitely a big advantage for Alabama.

Rating: 8

 

Vanderbilt

October 8 (Week 6) in Tuscaloosa

 Vandy hasn’t triumphed in Tuscaloosa since 1984 which pretty much says it all.

Rating: 1

 

Tennessee

October 22 (Week 8) in Tuscaloosa

 You have to go back to 2003 to find a Volunteer win in Tuscaloosa, which was a defensive struggle that ended in a 51-43 Tennessee victory.

The Vols will be an improved squad in Derek Dooley’s second season but drawing Alabama at home doesn’t do them any favors.

Rating: 5

 

LSU

November 5 (Week 10) in Tuscaloosa

 LSU last beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2007 and amazingly the Tigers won the four previous contests in Alabama as well (2005, 2003 and 2001).

This will be a huge game against two very good teams and really, it’s hard to say how much of an advantage Alabama has by playing at home but I guess it might be best approached by saying at least the Tide won’t have to go to Baton Rouge, at night.

Rating: 9

 

Georgia Southern

November 19 (Week 12) in Tuscaloosa

 An FCS program visiting Tuscaloosa late in the season… really, it’s not a good scenario.

Rating: 0

 

Alabama: Away Games

Alabama hits the road to seductive destinations such as Happy Valley, Gainesville, Starkville and Auburn in 2011 making their already tricky tract even trickier.

The Tide are 25-19 on the road over the last decade but went undefeated in their travels in both 2008 and 2009.

Penn State

September 10 (Week 2) in Happy Valley

 Penn State is Alabama’s only non-conference road opponent in 2011 and it should be a doozy.

The Tide last won in State College in 1989 where they are 3-2 all-time.

You have to think that this game will certainly more difficult for Alabama on the road than it would have been in Tuscaloosa.

Rating: 9

Florida

October 1 (Week 5) at Florida

 The Crimson Tide haven’t won a game in Gainesville since 1999, but that should be qualified by saying they’ve only visited their twice in the last 20 years (the other meetings between the two have been in Tuscaloosa and via three SEC title games).

Regardless, this game is absolutely made more difficult by its “away from home” venue, especially when it’s an unfriendly swamp were the folks want to make you Gator Bait.

Rating: 9

 

Ole Miss

October 15 (Week 7) at Ole Miss

 Alabama last scored a victory in Oxford in 2009 and they haven’t lost there since 2003.

Though this game won’t be markedly harder to win on the road it is still not Tuscaloosa and Ole Miss is still a classic spoiler team.

Rating: 6

 

Mississippi State

November 12 (Week 11) at Mississippi State

 Alabama has lost in Starkville as recently as 2007 when they fell to MSU 12-17; in 2011 clashing with the Bulldogs (on the road) represents on of the stiffest tests on the Tide’s schedule.

Especially given the fact that it falls directly after the LSU game.

Rating: 9

 

Auburn

November 26 (Week 13) at Auburn

 Not unlike the Sooners’ closer against Oklahoma State, Alabama’s finale against Auburn is a rivalry game which means anything could happen (but, honestly the Iron Bowl is considerably more amped up than almost any current rivalry in the greatest game).

Alabama won at Auburn in 2009 but previous to that victory they dropped three straight in Jordan-Hare.

This game falling at the end of the season, when Auburn will have had a chance to solve their attrition woes and Alabama may be undefeated, is nothing short of delectable and it will definitely be made more difficult for the road team.

Rating: 9

 

Alabama: Forecasting Road Conditions to Perfection

The Crimson Tide face seven home opponents and five road games in 2011 and their overall report card is as follows:

Non-conference Games                   11

Conference Games                         55

Home Games                                 24

Away Games                                  42

Total Score                                   132

Who Has The Tougher Road?

So, who has the tougher road to 12-0?

According to the numbers Alabama has a slight edge (by one full point, 132 to 131) over Oklahoma and really it comes down to who the Crimson Tide have to play on the road.

Both teams play one high-tier non-conference BCS opponent on the road (Florida State and Penn State), both play an almost equal level of conference opponent strength and both play approximately the same amount of quality opponents at home (even though Oklahoma has a bigger advantage of at home, which was taken into consideration).

But, Alabama’s trips to Florida, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Auburn outshines Oklahoma’s visits to Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor and Oklahoma State; and this is true even when you throw in partial credit for the neutral game against Texas.

And so the Crimson Tide are declared the winner of our “tougher road” sweepstakes, a statement that must be quantified by saying that this is about as close as a race, in terms of schedule vs. schedule, that you could devise, especially given that these are the top two ranked teams in the land (for now).

Who else can’t wait for September 1^st?