With the ACC and SEC requiring members to play at least one power-five opponent in non-conference play each year, you’ve got to figure that some phones will be ringing more often than others.
Yes, for every one call to Alabama for a future meeting there should be at least six calls to Kentucky. In both cases, the caller will have fulfilled their obligation by playing an SEC team.
Since all schedules are not created equally, here are the top seven programs teams should target for their power five non-league requirement. None of them are above .500 in non-conference play since 2011.
These teams’ phones should be ringing off the hook.
7. Purdue (tie)
The Boilermakers are 7-7 in non-Big Ten action since 2011 and haven’t won a non-conference game since Sept. 7, 2013 when they beat FCS Indiana State 20-14.
Purdue’s last win over a power-five team in non-league play came seven years ago, in 2007, when it beat Notre Dame 33-19.
7. California (tie)
Tied with Purdue at an even .500, Cal is 5-5 in its last three seasons in non-conference play and 2-4 since 2012.
Cal’s last non-Pac-12 win came in September of 2013 when it beat FCS Portland State 37-30. The Bears’ last win over a power five out of conference came in 2010 when they beat Colorado—in its last season as a Big 12 member—52-7.
5. Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech is 7-8 (47%) in non-ACC play since 2011 and 4-6 in the last two seasons.
The Yellow Jackets beat FCS Elon (70-0) and FCS Alabama A&M (66-7) last season, but haven’t won a power-five game outside of ACC action since beating USC 21-7 in the 2012 Sun Bowl.
4. Indiana
The Hoosiers are 5-7 (42%) outside of the Big Ten since 2011, but have improved to an even 4-4 in the last two years.
Indiana beat Bowling Green (42-10) and FCS Indiana State (73-35) last season, but haven’t bested a power-five team outside of conference play since beating Kentucky 38-14 nine years ago in 2005.
3. Colorado
Colorado is 4-6 (40%) in non-league play over the last three seasons but went 3-0 last year. Included in the perfect run were wins over FCS Charleston Southern (43-10), FCS Central Arkansas (38-24) and Colorado State (41-27).
The Buffs’ most recent victory over a non-conference power-five foe came in 2010, it was still in the Big 12 then, when it beat Georgia 29-27.
1. Wake Forest (tie)
The first of two ACC teams with a 5-8 (38%) record in non-league play since 2011, Wake Forest’s last out of conference win came on Sept. 21, 2013 when it beat Army 25-11.
The Demon Deacons’ most recent win over a power-five team out of the ACC was in 2010 when it beat Vanderbilt 34-13.
1. Boston College (tie)
Boston College—like Wake Forest—is 5-8 in non-conference action since 2011 but improved to a 3-2 record last season.
The Eagles’ last non-ACC win came via a 48-34 victory over New Mexico State in 2013, but they haven’t beaten a team from a power five league since beating Michigan State 24-21 in the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl.