NCAAF Top 5: Toughest Non-Conference Schedules
By DAVID PAYNE
Indiana had the lowest average attendance in the Big Ten last season. Don’t expect that to change this year.
The Hoosiers will host Towson, Akron and Arkansas State in non-conference home games. They’ll also be taking an intimidating trip to Western Kentucky to face the Hilltoppers. Geez.
But is that any worse than Arizona State, which faces Portland State and Northern Arizona, in addition to a trip to Wisconsin?
Neither the Hoosiers nor the Sun Devils enter the season with realistic conference title dreams. That means they’re goal is six wins, with five against FBS competition, and a bowl berth. So, if you’re Arizona State, how can you have two FCS opponents on your schedule? You might as well rest your starters. Doesn’t that sound like an attractive ticket?
Besides the lambasting your program receives for scheduling these cupcakes, it kills recruiting. Try selling this to a high school hot-shot: ‘Come to Arizona State, where we’ll showcase your skills against Portland State!’
In this week’s Top 5, we take a look at the programs that are doing it the manly way, the teams who won’t fear being left out of the BCS because of a weak strength of the schedule.
Top 5 Non-Conference Schedules
1. San Jose State Spartans
Welcome to San Jose State football, coach Mike MacIntyre. We return 15 starters from last year’s 2-10 team. Now, go beat Alabama, Wisconsin and Utah on the road. As a bonus, you’ll be playing in front of no one in home games against Southern Utah and UC-Davis.
San Jose State Spartans 2010 non-conference schedule:
Sept. 4: at Alabama, TBA
Sept. 11: at Wisconsin, 12 p.m.
Sept. 18: Southern Utah, 8 p.m.
Sept. 25: at Utah, 8 p.m.
Oct. 2: UC-Davis, 8 p.m.
2. Florida State Seminoles
First-year coach Jimbo Fisher better enjoy his debut against Samford, because getting out September with a winning record will be a challenge. The ‘Noles begin a home-and-home with Oklahoma in Norman, before returning home the next week to host a revenge-minded BYU team.
Florida State closes the regular season with its annual showdown with Florida. No team is happier to see Tim Tebow gone than the Seminoles. FSU lost all four meetings with Tebow by an average score of 37-13.
Florida State 2010 non-conference schedule:
Sept. 4: vs. Samford, 12 p.m.
Sept. 11: at Oklahoma, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 18: vs. BYU
Nov. 27: vs. Florida, TBA
3. Miami Hurricanes
No question, Randy Shannon has improved the program, but Top 10? That seems a little lofty for a team that got handled by Wisconsin in last year’s Champs Sports Bowl. We’ll find out just how good of job Shannon has done with Week 2’s drool-enticing game at Ohio State.
The Thursday-night trip to Pittsburgh should be one to watch, as well. The season-finale against Skip Holtz and talented South Florida isn’t one to sleep on, either, especially coming the week after a meeting with Virginia Tech that could decide the ACC Coastal Division.
Miami Hurricanes 2010 non-conference schedule
Sept. 2: Florida A&M, TBA
Sept. 11: at Ohio State, 3:40 p.m.
Sept. 23 (Thurs.): at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 27: South Florida, TBA
4. Oregon State Beavers
The Beavers will take on the best the non-BCS has to offer with a road game against TCU at Cowboys Stadium and a trip to the blue turf of Boise State, where the Broncos are 63-2 over the last 10 years.
Oregon State Beavers 2010 non-conference schedule
Sept. 4: vs. TCU, 7:45 p.m.
Sept. 18: Louisville, 5:30 p.m.
Sept: 25: at Boise State, TBA
5. Wyoming Cowboys
Coach Dave Christensen made great strides in his first year. Taking another step forward in September will be extremely difficult. Wyoming heads to Austin to take on Texas in Week 2. The Cowboys hung with the Longhorns at home last season, before falling apart in the second half of a 41-10 rout.
After taking their medicine at Texas, Wyoming makes the long haul back home to Laramie to face Boise State.
The October trip to Toledo might appear harmless, but the Rockets have one of the most underrated home-field advantages in the nation. Since 2000, Toledo is 43-13 at home and 10-3 against the spread as a home underdog.
Wyoming Cowboys 2010 non-conference schedule
Sept. 4: Southern Utah, 9 p.m.
Sept. 11: at Texas, 7 p.m.
Sept. 18: vs. Boise State, 8 p.m.
Oct. 2: at Toledo, 7 p.m.