College Football: 20 Biggest Cupcake Games This Season

With the college football season set to begin next weekend, there are certainly some high profile games in the early weeks. 

Some teams go out of their way to play top notch competition, while others sit pat and enjoy a few cupcakes. 

These cupcake games may not prepare teams for their rigors of their BCS conference, but they certainly help boost confidence and bring up morale. 

Here are the 20 biggest cupcake games for the 2011 college football season.

20. Alabama vs. North Texas

North Texas was a somewhat formidable team a few seasons ago. These days though, they are anything but. 

The Mean Green play a challenging non-conference schedule every season and this year is no different. 

Alabama and the SEC will play their fair share of cupcakes, to stay healthy for the rigors of SEC play and this kicks off the list. 

It's one thing for a team like Indiana to play North Texas and not consider it too much of a cupcake, but the Crimson Tide? 

This has blowout written all over it. 

19. Auburn vs. Samford

Auburn is not nearly as talented as they were a year ago by any stretch of the imagination. They may not even be a Top-25 team by the end of the season, but they did schedule a cupcake right before the Iron Bowl. 

Samford will come to town in the middle of November for what is looking like a southern beat down. The game will be a break from the SEC schedule for Auburn and even though they may be lacking in talent this season, they will still run Samford into the ground.  

After all, Samford finished last season 4-7 as an FCS school. 

18. Michigan St. vs. Youngstown St.

The Michigan St. Spartans had an excellent season in 2010 and will look to build on that momentum in 2011. 

They should have no trouble doing that with a season opening cupcake against Youngstown St. 

Less than a decade ago, Youngstown St. was one of the top teams in the FCS subdivision. Now they are floundering after finishing 3-8 last season. 

Kicking the year off against a Michigan St. team trying to get the bad taste out of their mouth after losing to Alabama in their bowl game last season spells doom for Youngstown St. 

17. West Virginia vs. Norfolk St.

West Virginia is by far the most talented team in a weak Big East conference. 

Norfolk St. is an FCS school who only won six games last season. 

The Mountaineers are much too athletic and talented for a team like Norfolk St. to even stand a chance against. 

This one has blowout written all over it. 

16. Illinois vs. Arkansas St.

Illinois may not be the most talented team in the Big 10, but a matchup against an Arkansas St. team from the Sun Belt conference who only won four games last season could get ugly. 

The Fighting Illini can certainly put some points on the board and Arkansas St. is playing a gruesome schedule to start off the season. 

Hard to imagine they will be able to get up for all those games and even stand a chance. 

Illinois big in this season opener. 

15. Florida vs. Furman

Florida may be a middle of the pack SEC team, but when you hear they are playing an FCS school like Furman very late in the season, the word cupcake comes to mind. 

Furman had a losing record last season at 5-6 and Florida is extremely explosive. 

Furman will not see a team nearly as talented as Florida all season and that could lead to a huge blowout on November 19. 

14. Oklahoma vs. Ball State

The sheer talent of Oklahoma could make a number of the games on their schedule cupcakes. 

Ball State just happens to be the biggest one. 

The Cardinals are a MAC school, but only finished 4-8 last season. Oklahoma is the best team in the country and should easily put up 50-60 points on Ball State in this one. 

13. Virginia Tech vs. Arkansas St.

Virginia Tech lost a lot of talent from last season's Orange Bowl team, but playing Arkansas St. in Week 3 will give their younger players a game to grow and mature. 

We all know what happened to Virginia Tech last season against James Madison, meaning there is zero chance of it happening again against an Arkansas St. team who will be coming off games against Illinois and Memphis. 

Look for Frank Beamer and the Hokies to roll big in this one. 

12. NC State vs. Liberty

The transfer of Russell Wilson to Wisconsin will certainly hurt the Wolfpack at the beginning of next season. 

Scheduling an FCS team to kick off the season will definitely be a good way to ease into the transition. 

Liberty had a solid 8-3 season a year ago and is a little more talented than some FCS teams. 

A blowout is still certainly in the cards for this one. 

11. Florida St. vs. Charleston Southern

Charleston Southern only won three games last season as an FCS squad and Florida St. is as talented as almost anybody in the country. 

The Seminoles are a Top-5 team by many accounts and will get an early season cupcake in Week 2 against Charleston Southern. 

Florida's State's athleticism and talent should give them at least a 40-point edge in this one. 

10. Iowa vs. Tennessee Tech

Tennessee Tech is another FCS squad who finished last season with a losing record making this one of the biggest cupcake games of the upcoming season. 

Iowa has to replace a lot, but did have eight wins last season, going 4-4 in the Big Ten. 

This season opener should be one of the most lopsided games of the college football season. 

9. Alabama vs. Georgia Southern

Alabama finds itself on the biggest cupcake list twice, partly because of their weak non-conference schedule, but also because of how talented they are. 

The Crimson Tide take on Georgia Southern one week before the Iron Bowl. 

While Georgia Southern did go 8-5 last season, as an FCS team, they don't stand a chance against Alabama no matter what week they are playing them in. 

8. Arkansas vs. Missouri St.

Arkansas is a team on the rise and Missouri St. is a sub-par FCS squad. 

The Bears finished 5-6 last season, playing in the Missouri Valley Conference. 

Arkansas earned a berth in the Sugar Bowl and even with the departure of Ryan Mallet, the Razorbacks have talent remaining, including a receiving corp that is as talented as almost anybody in the country. 

This one could get ugly early in Week 1 of the regular season. 

7. Pittsburgh vs. Maine

Pittsburgh may not be as good as a lot of teams on this list, but Maine is almost as bad as it gets. 

As an FCS team, they finished 4-7 last season and next to last in the Colonial Athletic Association. 

The Panthers lost a lot on defense and while they may not be a premier team, they should have no trouble handling Maine rather easily. 

6. South Carolina vs. Citadel

South Carolina may be one of the Top 10 teams in the country this season. 

Citadel finished 3-8 in the Southern Conference a year ago. 

Steve Spurrier has always loved to put points on the board and this may be his golden opportunity in 2011. 

The Gamecocks play Citadel between Florida and Clemson, so this will be a chance to get a little rest and put 60 points on the board in the process. 

5. Nebraska vs. Chattanooga

With the turmoil at Ohio State, Nebraska is one of the favorites to contend for the Big 10 title. 

A preseason Top 10 team, the Cornhuskers open the season against a Chattanooga team who won six games last season as an FCS school.

Nebraska has been on the rise in recent years and has the talent to punish the Mocs in this season opener. 

4. Wisconsin vs. South Dakota

South Dakota is a relative unknown college football team. They are an FCS Independent who went 4-7 last season. 

Wisconsin is the class of the Big 10 this season and has quite possibly the best running game in all of the land. 

Look for the Badgers to rush for at least 400 yards in this one and put up about seven touchdowns in the first half before calling off the dogs. 

3. LSU vs. Northwestern St.

LSU is one of the Top 5 teams in the country and Northwestern St. went 5-6 in the Southland Conference last season. 

Even with the recent turmoil at LSU, the Tigers could play their entire second squad and still win this game by over 20 points. 

This one will be over before it begins for Northwestern St. 

2. Oregon vs. Missouri St.

The Missouri St. Bears make this list twice, as they will take on Arkansas and Oregon within the first three weeks of the season. 

Oregon played for a National Championship last season and is the most talented offensive team in the country. 

After opening the season against No. 4 LSU, the Ducks get a breather in Week 3 with Missouri St. 

Set the over/under at 80 points for Oregon. 

1. California vs. Presbyterian

Presbyterian is one of the bottom feeders of the FCS. The Blue Hose went 2-9 last season and finished dead last in the Big South Conference. 

California may not be one of the Top 25 teams in the country, but they are talented enough to trounce the Blue Hose. 

This Week 3 matchup gives California the honor of playing the biggest cupcake game of the 2011 college football season.