College Football 2011: The 25 Toughest Remaining Schedules

Five weeks of 2011 are in the books.

The Texas Techs of FCS are still undefeated, with wins over lower division teams in non-conference play.

But, their record won't stay perfect for much longer.

Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC conference schedules are going to be brutal. The pretenders are about to be schooled.

Current conference title contenders are Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan State, Nebraska, Michigan, Arizona State, Washington, Oregon, Stanford, Alabama, LSU, Florida, South Carolina, Auburn, Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders will be the first team to fall out of contention. Who will else will drop into obscurity?

The following 25 teams face the rockiest roads to the finish...

25. Notre Dame

The Irish are above .500 through a tough five game stretch.

The good news is that the schedule gets easier from here.

After Notre Dame finishes a difficult two-week stretch against Air Force and USC, the next four games should be automatic W’s. The Irish test their luck against Stanford to finish out the season.

Key games: Home—Air Force and USC. Away—Stanford.

Predicted final record: 8-4

24. Alabama

The Tide are rolling undefeated and it just might end that way.

Alabama’s schedule from here is not as rough as the remaining schedules for several other SEC giants.

Alabama hosts LSU on Nov. 5 in what will be the most significant game in the race to the SEC finish line and possibly the national championship.

Key games: Home—Tennessee and LSU. Away—Auburn

Predicted final record: 11-1

23. Clemson

Who saw that coming?

Clemson breezed through its victory over ACC bully Virginia Tech at the Hokies’ house.

These Tigers are for real.

The schedule from here is favorable for Clemson which beat Auburn, Florida State and Virginia Tech in three straight weeks.

The last time the Tigers went undefeated was in 1981.

30 years later the magic could happen again. Clemson’s chances of entering the ACC Championship game undefeated are actually not bad.

Key games: Home—North Carolina. Away—Georgia Tech and South Carolina

Predicted final record: 12-1

22. Northwestern

I have bad news, Northwestern.

Most of the remaining teams on your schedule are more talented than the teams you’ve already played.

At 2-2, Northwestern will be hard-pressed to become bowl eligible by season’s end. The Wildcats had better get guaranteed home wins in November against Rice and Minnesota or they can kiss the postseason goodbye.

Key games: Home—Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State. Away—Iowa, Nebraska

Predicted final record: 7-5

21. Georgia Tech

Enjoy your zero losses while you can, Yellow Jackets. An undefeated season is not in your future.

A BCS bowl game might be, though.

Georgia Tech hosts Clemson for a pre-Halloween party on Oct. 29. The two teams will meet again in the ACC Championship game.

Key games: Home—Clemson, Virginia Tech and Georgia

Predicted final record: 11-2

20. Oregon

It is okay, Ducks. Not to worry. There are not any more scheduled games against the SEC this year.

Oregon looks poised to contend for a bid in the Pac-12 championship game.

Now for the bad news: The road from here to there is straight up hill.

Key games: Home—Arizona State and USC. Away—Washington and Stanford.

Predicted final record: 9-3

19. Arkansas

The Razorbacks welcomed Texas A&M in what was a pre-initiation to the SEC club yesterday. Consider the Aggies’ hazing complete.

We knew Arkansas could beat the likes of Missouri State, New Mexico and Troy. Now we know they can play with and beat a more legitimate opponent.

Cue Auburn, South Carolina, Tennesee and LSU; legitimate opponents a la SEC factory.

Key games: Home—Auburn, South Carolina and Tennesee. Away­—LSU.

Predicted final record: 9-3

18. Georgia

Congrats, Dawgs!

Entering the meat of its SEC schedule, Georgia is over .500 for the first time of the season.

Scheduling a Nov. 5 date at home with New Mexico State was a smooth move. Staying above .500 will be difficult with this schedule.

Key games: Home—Florida and Auburn. Away—Tennessee and Georgia Tech

Predicted final record: 7-5

17. Washington

Do not count out the Huskies in the race with Stanford and Oregon to represent the Pac-12 North division in this year’s championship game.

Washington is beating up on Pac-12 foes and doing so as the visiting team. The Huskies won at California and Utah by a combined score of 62-37.

Will the trend continue on Oct. 22 when Washington travels to Stanford? Coach Steve Sarkisian’s team may get lucky.

Key games: Home—Oregon. Away—Stanford and USC.

Predicted final record: 10-2

16. Nebraska

Nebraska’s Big Ten welcome rug was swept from under its feet yesterday and the Cornhuskers left Wisconsin black and blue.

The worst is over.

The rest of the schedule is challenging but no other team in the Big Ten will cause Nebraska as many problems as the Badgers did.

The Cornhuskers will be rewarded for their success by facing Wisconsin again in the Big Ten Championship game—where they will lose to the Badgers again.

Key games: Home—Ohio State, Michigan State, Northwestern and Iowa. Away­—Michigan.

Predicted final record: 10-3

15. Stanford

Preseason favorite Stanford is still undefeated and looks like the most likely candidate to win the inaugural Pac-12 trophy.

Arizona and Colorado have come the closest to beating Stanford so far this season. Both teams lost by 27 points.

Stanford plays at the Coliseum later this season but has fared well in Los Angeles against USC in recent meetings.

Every other potential Cardinal-slayer will have to do so in Stanford’s house.

Key games: Home—Washington, Oregon and Notre Dame. Away—USC.

Predicted final record: 12-1

14. Michigan

When is Michigan going to lose its first game this season?

The equally relevant question might be IF Michigan is going to lose a game this season.

The largest obstacle on the schedule appears to be a late November date with Nebraska and the Wolverines get that one at home.

I’m picking Nebraska over Michigan by the skin of their teeth to represent the Legends Division in the championship game versus Wisconsin.

Key games: Home­—Nebraska and Ohio State. Away—Northwestern, Michigan State and Illinois.

Predicted final record: 10-2

13. USC

Good news: The Trojans only have one loss.

Bad news: The Trojans will end the season with three more losses.

It seems fitting that USC should play in the Pac-12’s first ever championship game. But, they won’t be.

NCAA sanctions aside, USC wouldn’t be able to earn its way into the championship game with a brutal home-stretch schedule.

Key games: Home—Stanford and Washington. Away—Notre Dame and Oregon.

Predicted final record: 8-4

12. Ohio State

2011: The year of the Buckeyes great fall.

What goes up illegally must come down.

The road does not get easier for Ohio State. The Buckeyes will be in a fight at season’s end to reach a bowl game.

Ohio State has not missed playing in the postseason since 1988.

Key games: Home—Wisconsin. Away—Nebraska, Illinois and Michigan.

Predicted final record: 7-5

11. Michigan State

Sparty gets a massive win at Ohio State!

Michigan State now gets two weeks to prepare for its home date with Michigan. Coming out of that matchup with a win will prove much more challenging.

Don’t look now Sparty, but the following week Wisconsin comes to town.

After hosting Michigan and Wisconsin, Michigan State travels to Nebraska. Losing the next three games on the schedule is a real possibility for the Spartans.

The schedule finally eases up in the home stretch.

Key games: Home—Michigan and Wisconsin. Away—Nebraska, Iowa and Northwestern.

Predicted final record: 8-4

10. Texas

Who in their right mind picked Iowa State to beat the Longhorns on Saturday?

A lot of people.

The country has been slow to trust Texas after the debacle of last season.

And yet, here we are going into Week 6 and the Longhorns are still undefeated after narrowly escaping BYU by one point at home in Week 2.

Oklahoma will happily take the honors of handing Texas it's first loss this Saturday. After Oklahoma the schedule does not ease up.

Key Games: Neutral—Oklahoma. Home—Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Kansas State. Away—Texas A&M and Baylor

Predicted final record: 9-3

9. South Carolina

Tough loss against Auburn, Gamecocks.

I hope you get comfortable with that feeling.

The top 10 ranking for South Carolina was too high. However, SC does land in the top 10 for most difficult schedules for the remainder of the season.

Lucky.

South Carolina will most likely crumble under the adversity ahead and wind up out of the top 25 all together.

Key games: Home—Florida and Clemson. Away—Tennessee and Arkansas.

Predicted final record: 8-4

8. LSU

LSU has not come close to being beat this season.

Florida will come close this week but the Tigers will remain undefeated.

The next four weeks will be crucial if LSU is going to have a shot at a national championship game—Florida, Tennessee, Auburn and Alabama.

The last week of the season versus Arkansas is not going to be a walk in the park either.

I predict LSU to win the SEC but they wont escape without a loss.

Key Games: Home—Florida, Auburn and Arkansas. Away—Tennessee and Alabama.

Final record: 12-1

7. Florida

Losing 38-10 to Alabama hurts.

Next up, LSU.

Ugh.

After LSU, four of the remaining six games on the Gator's schedule could potentially hurt just as bad.

Florida will rebound and wind up playing LSU again for the SEC Championship where the Gators will rack up loss No.5 on the season.

Key games: Home—Georgia and Florida State. Away—LSU, Auburn and South Carolina.

Predicted final record: 8-5

6. Texas A&M

College Station was talking national championship for the Aggies final Big 12 season.

Instead, Texas A&M has dropped two in a row and could make it three at undefeated Texas Tech this week.

The Big 12 teams are not going to throw a heart-warming going away party for the traitor school. A Nov. 19 home date with Kansas is the only guaranteed win left on the Aggies' schedule.

Key games: Home—Baylor and Texas. Away—Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Kansas State.

Predicted final record: 8-4

5. Maryland

Yellow, black, white and red helmets?

No, no, Maryland.

After beating Miami in Week 1, it seemed like this team was going to build on the successes of last year to possibly be a contender in the ACC.

Then came home losses against West Virginia and Temple.

More losses are headed your way, Terrapins. The college football scheduling gods did not smile upon you this season.

It is unlikely that Maryland will win any of the games listed below.

Key games: Home—Clemson and Notre Dame. Away—Georgia Tech and Florida State.

Predicted final record: 6-6

4. Oklahoma

Many are picking Oklahoma to win it all.

The Sooners road to an undefeated season is next to impossible. Kansas State, Baylor and Oklahoma State are all hosting Oklahoma later this season.

Get through the Big 12 gauntlet unscathed, Oklahoma, and you are the undisputed No.1 team in the country.

Key games: Neutral—Texas. Home—Texas Tech and Texas A&M. Away—Kansas State, Baylor and Oklahoma State.

Predicted final record: 11-1 

3. Texas Tech

Undefeated Texas Tech is not accustomed to losing in 2011.

That will change.

This team is going to lose a lot in the Big 12 against better prepared teams that have played better preseason competition.

Luckily for the Red Raiders, most of the difficult competition travels to Lubbock to battle it out.

The worst news though, is that there is not a guaranteed win left on the schedule.

Texas Tech will be lucky to win three more games.

Key games: Home—Texas A&M, Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Baylor. Away—Oklahoma and Missouri.

Predicted final record: 7-5

2. Kansas State

This week undefeated Kansas State finally broke into the Top 25 where the Wildcats belong.

The remaining schedule is not going to be kind to Kansas State. However, they should compete well enough to stay in the Top 25 through the end of the season.

Key games: Home—Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Away—Texas Tech, Oklahoma Sate and Texas

Predicted final record: 9-3

1. Tennessee

You win, Volunteers.

The most difficult schedule from here through the end of 2011 belongs to Tennessee.

The Nov. 5th date with Middle Tennessee at home will be saving grace.

The Volunteers have the talent to compete in the SEC this season but too many difficult games will spell doom. At Alabama and Arkansas and a home date with LSU will all pile up L's on Tennessee's 2011 campaign.

Key games: Home—Georgia, LSU and South Carolina. Away—Alabama and Arkansas.

Predicted final record: 7-5

And More

First, Oklahoma State should be No.8 on this list with LSU.

Preparing this article, I mistakenly wrote a No.8 next to both LSU and Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys are going to reckon with Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas State in a clash of the titans for Big 12 supremacy.

With home games against Baylor, Kansas State & Oklahoma and away games against Texas and Texas Tech, watch for Oklahoma State to go 10-2 on the year and finish second in the Big 12.

Second, thank you to your reader comments it has been brought to my attention that I overlooked Auburn.

The Tigers will face Florida and Alabama at home with road trips to Arkansas, LSU and Georgia still on the schedule.

The difficulty of Auburn's schedule should place them tied for No.4 with Oklahoma on this list.

Auburn's predicted final record after it's completed this grueling shedule: 8-4.