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Ranking the nonconference schedules

Cheers to USC and Colorado; LSU and Kentucky should be embarrassed

AP file
Year in and year out USC's Pete Carroll and the rest of the Pac-10 should be applauded for their tough nonconference schedules, writes Sporting News columnist Matt Hayes.

Pac-10
1. USC: at Virginia, Ohio State, Notre Dame
2. Washington: BYU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame
3. UCLA: Tennessee, at BYU, Fresno State
4. Oregon State: at Penn State, Hawaii, at Utah
5. California: Michigan State, at Maryland, Colorado State
6. Arizona State: Georgia, Northern Arizona, UNLV
7. Oregon: Utah State, at Purdue, Boise State
8. Washington State: Oklahoma State, at Baylor, Portland State
9. Stanford: at TCU, San Jose State, at Notre Dame
10. Arizona: Idaho, Toledo, at New Mexico

Quick observations:
Let's all take notes, shall we? Here is how you schedule (this means you, SEC and Big Ten): play everyone in your conference and play realistic non-con games. Please, a moment of thanks to the Pac-10 ADs.

I don't think I'm going overboard when I say USC has the best non-con schedule in the nation every season. And you know what? The Trojans — surprise! — are among the top five teams in the nation every year. SEC fan: "We play rough here in the SEC, son. We don't have to play tough non-con schedules." Get over yourselves.

Say this much for Washington: If Ty Willingham gets through this non-con gauntlet, he should keep his job. Then again, if the Huskies whiff on all three (very possible), this season looks a whole lot like 4-8.

I'm all for the reinvention of UCLA under Rick Neuheisel/Norm Chow/DeWayne Walker. Three terrific coaches. But it's rough sledding in those three non-con games with JC QB Kevin Craft leading the offense.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a Bill & Mary or Coastal Carolina slipped in somewhere?

How bad is the Arizona schedule? All three of its non-con games are among the top five worst in the league.

Top five games: Ohio State at USC; Georgia at Arizona State; Oklahoma at Washington; Tennessee at UCLA; Michigan State at California.

Bottom five games: Northern Arizona at Arizona State, Portland State at Washington State; Idaho at Arizona, Toledo at Arizona; New Mexico at Arizona.

Games against BCS schools: 14 (out of 30 possible): 47 percent.

Games against Championship Subdivision schools: 2 (out of 16 possible): 13 percent.

SEC
1. Florida: Hawaii, Miami, Citadel, at Florida State
2. Tennessee: at UCLA, UAB, Northern Illinois, Wyoming
3. Georgia: Georgia Southern, Central Michigan, at Arizona State, Georgia Tech
4. South Carolina: North Carolina State, Wofford, UAB, at Clemson
5. Auburn: Louisiana-Monroe, Southern Miss, at West Virginia, Tennessee-Martin
6. Ole Miss: Memphis, at Wake Forest, Samford, Louisiana-Monroe
7. Arkansas: Western Illinois, Louisiana-Monroe, at Texas, Tulsa
8. Alabama: vs. Clemson, Tulane, Western Kentucky, Arkansas State
9. Mississippi State: at Louisiana Tech, Southeastern Louisiana, at Georgia Tech, Middle Tennessee.
10. Vanderbilt: at Miami (OH), Rice, Duke, at Wake Forest
11. LSU: Appalachian State, Troy, North Texas, Tulane
12. Kentucky: at Louisville, Norfolk State, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky

Quick observations:
Louisiana-Monroe is a member of the SEC West by proxy. How's this for generating revenue: Get your butt handed to you three times, collect nearly $3 million. Unless, of course, Alabama is on the list. Then you get $800K and a nice win.

Imagine if this season were earlier this decade, and look at Florida's schedule. Even with FSU and Miami's decline -- and Hawaii's natural regression this fall -- the Gators still have the league's toughest noncon schedule. Of course, it wouldn't be the SEC if a I-AA (Championship Subdivision) team weren't sprinkled in there somewhere.

LSU and Kentucky should be embarrassed. Kentucky, to a point, is understandable: three gimme games are a must to reach bowl status. But LSU? Shameful.

Top five games: Georgia at Arizona State; Auburn at West Virginia; Alabama vs. Clemson (in Atlanta); Tennessee at UCLA; Arkansas at Texas.

Bottom five games: Citadel at Florida; Wofford at South Carolina; Tennessee-Martin at Auburn; Norfolk State at Kentucky; Southeastern Louisiana at Mississippi State.

Games against BCS schools: 15 (out of 48): 31 percent.

Games against Championship Subdivision schools: 9 (out of 33 remaining): 27 percent.

© 2012 Sporting News


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               TERRIFIC TROJANS

Since 2002, USC has finished in the top 4 in every final AP poll. No other school has finished in the top 12 every year. In fact, USC, Ohio St., Oklahoma and Texas are the only schools to end each of the last seven seasons in the Top 25.

SeasonAPCoaches
200832
200732
200644
200522
200411
200312
200244