In 2010, the Iowa State Cyclones had the toughest schedule. They finished the season 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Big 12. The easiest schedule in 2010? The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, and they finished 6-7 overall and 5-3 in the Sun Belt.
Listed below are Phil Steele’s 10 toughest schedules for 2011:
- Colorado (2010 ranking: 20) – The Colorado Buffaloes have the toughest schedule in 2011 according to Steele. The Buffaloes open the season at Hawaii followed by a “non-conference game” at home against California. Next is a matchup in Denver against in-state rival Colorado State, followed by a trip to Ohio State. Nine straight Pac-12 games follow: Washington State, at Stanford, at Washington, Oregon, at Arizona State, USC, Arizona, at UCLA and at Utah.
- Iowa State (2010 ranking: 1) – The Iowa State Cyclones had the toughest ranked schedule in 2010. This year they come in second. They open the season with Northern Iowa and Iowa at home followed by a trip to face Connecticut. Nine Big 12 games are next: Texas, at Baylor, at Missouri, Texas A&M, at Texas Tech, Kansas, Oklahoma State, at Oklahoma and at Kansas State.
- Baylor (2010 ranking: 41) – The Bears open the season at home against TCU. They also have a non-conference game at home against Rice before nine straight Big 12 games: at Kansas State, Iowa State, at Texas A&M, at Oklahoma State, Missouri, at Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech (at Arlington, TX) and Texas.
- Oregon State (2010 ranking: 6) – The Beavers open the season at home against Sacramento State, but then travel to face Wisconsin and later host BYU. Pac-12 games include UCLA, at Arizona State, Arizona, at Utah, Stanford, at California and at Oregon.
- LSU (2010 ranking: 10) – The Tigers open the 2011 season with a huge non-conference game in Arlington, Texas against the Oregon Ducks. The Tigers also travel to face West Virginia the fourth week of the season. SEC games include at Mississippi State, Florida, at Tennessee, Auburn, at Alabama, at Ole Miss and home vs. Arkansas.
- Boston College (2010 ranking: 64) – The Eagles open 2010 with a non-conference game at home against Northwestern before traveling to face UCF. Late in the season, BC travels to South Bend to take on Notre Dame. ACC contests include at Clemson, at Virginia Tech, at Maryland, Florida State, NC State and at Miami (FL).
- USC (2010 ranking: 45) – The Trojans open the 2011 season with a non-conference game at home against Minnesota. USC also hosts Syracuse and later plays at Notre Dame. Pac-12 games include Utah, at Arizona State, Arizona, at California, Stanford, at Colorado, at Oregon and home vs. UCLA.
- Washington (2010 ranking: 7) – After opening against FCS team Eastern Washington, the Huskies host Hawaii and then travel to Nebraska. Their Pac-12 slate includes California, at Utah, Colorado, at Stanford, Arizona, Oregon, at USC, at Oregon State and vs. Washington State.
- Auburn (2010 ranking: 19) – The 2010 National Champions open the 2011 season at home against Utah State. Auburn travels to face Clemson and hosts Florida Atlantic and Samford. SEC games include Mississippi State, at South Carolina, at Arkansas, Florida, at LSU, Ole Miss, at Georgia and home against Alabama.
- Miami (FL) (2010 ranking: 8) – The Hurricanes open the 2011 season with an ACC game at Maryland on Labor Day. Non-conference games for Miami include Ohio State, Kansas State and at USF. Other ACC games include at Virginia Tech, at North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Virginia, at Florida State and home vs. Boston College.
A Pac-12 school owns the toughest schedule, and the recently expanded conference also has the most teams in the Top Ten with four. The ACC, Big 12 and SEC each have two schools.
The rest of the Top 25 in Phil Steele’s toughest schedule rankings are:
(11) Vanderbilt, (12) Clemson, (13) Mississippi, (14) Notre Dame, (15) Mississippi State, (16) Arizona, (17) Michigan, (18) Oklahoma State, (19) Missouri, (20) Arkansas, (21) Minnesota, (22) Texas A&M, (23) Florida, (24) Alabama, (25) Oklahoma
What do you think of Phil Steele’s rankings? Discuss them in the comments below.
View Comments (90)
And where is San Jose State on that list?
at Stanford
at UCLA
at BYU
Navy
plus Fresno State....I think SJS has a mucher more non-conference slate then just about any Schedule Easy Cupcake team....
The Spartans are 67th.
They have some tough games, but their strength is probably held down by Colorado State, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State and Utah State.
Jinzo...Your football iq is less than that of an infant child if you actually think they should be on the list...
LMAO who CARES????
No one gives a crap about San Jose. Their strength of schedule doesn't matter because there is no way in hell they will ever win a BCS game. They should be division 2
You can tell this guy is Big-12 biased no Big Ten representation at all, adding Nebraska to the confrence........ have you seen who Michigan State plays on the road......@Norte Dame, Ohio State, Nebraska, Iowa, and Northwestern. The Big-12 isn't what it use to be.
There are only 2 big 12 teams on the list. I don't see how this is too biased...
2 words, Youngstown State
I have to say I'm a little surprised that South Carolina isn't in the top 25, nonetheless the top 10.
The Gamecocks' schedule this year includes 10 opponents who went bowling last year, including 7 SEC opponents who did so. Plus, one of their so-called 'gimme' games (East Carolina) is a neutral-site game in Charlotte.
Again, very, very surprised by such an omission.
South Carolinas gimme game is ECU? ECU has beaten SC 5 of the last 7 games.
I'm not surprised that my Dawgs aren't up there, because they've got the easiest schedule in the SEC. ;)
I don't get how this guy ranks all these big 12 teams up there. I guess Baylor does have a pretty tough schedule, but Iowa State? Come on! The only reason they're always ranked clear up there is because they are in the big 12 north and they are terrible. You took Nebraska out of their conference games, so I don't get how Iowa State has that tough of schedule.
I'm with you, FAU prolly has a better schedule than Iowa State. @ Florid, Michigan State, and Auburn.
Well, you have to take into consideration ALL of the games. FAU plays in the Sun Belt, so every conference opponent drags their SOS down.
Yea I know that I am just saying that FAU plays a tougher no-confrence than Iowa State.
It ranked overall schedule. Not just non-conference, which ISU has a very tough non-conference for a BCS team. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M are preseason top 10 type opponents. Plus a top 25 Mizzou team that will be pretty stout. The only teams I would consider below average on ISU's schedule are Northern Iowa and Kansas. Not too many teams in the nation can say that.
The thing is, taking Nebraska and Colorado out of the Big 12 North is what MAKES their schedule so hard. Now they actually have to play all the South teams in one season. EVERY South team is at least decent. Only 1 of them didn't go to a bowl last season and one of those was Texas. You know, the team that lost the National Championship the year before. The Big 12 doesn't have push-over schools in the South, and now the North gets a wake-up call. Look for Missouri to lose 3-5 conference games after all their hype this year. They look great against the North but last time they played the worst South school (4-8 Baylor 3 years ago) Mizzou won by 3...while Mizzou was ranked in the top 5.
Iowa State plays Texas (who is now in the top 25), Baylor, Missouri (who started in the top 25), Texas A&M #9, Oklahoma St. #8 and Oklahoma #1. Plus an always tough non conference game against Iowa and this year UConn. How is that not worthy of being number 2 in SOS?
I've yet to read a schedule that's a difficult as Arkansas'. Though the schedule starts soft, as of 9/12, they play 4 top 10 teams and 6 top 25. Is there another team that plays 4 top 10 teams? Starting week 4, 6 of our last 9 games are against top 25 teams and 4 top 10's.
#2 Alabama
#3 LSU
#9 Texas A&M
#10 South Carolina
#21 Auburn
#25 Mississippi State
The ranking is whole strength of schedule buddy not out of conference. Get a grip
JEEZ don't have to be so rude just making a point......Buddy
Funny how you mention that Spartans play teams like Utah State and Idaho when Auburn and LSU also play them yet are considered to be playing a tough schedule. Not every Big 6 team is a beast...plenty of cupcakes in the ACC,SEC and Big 10....how did Middle Tennessee State get the softest schedule? I thought that was always reserved for the Florida Gators....or maybe Michigan.
i am hard pressed to believe that you think florida has anywhere near an easy schedule this year. with a stretch facing alabama, lsu, auburn, georgia, sc, and fsu in 8 weeks sounds like a cake walk to me
Where is Texas ranked?
Texas is ranked 31st.
I believe your top 10 is pretty good. I might put in Utah after their move to the Pac-12
LSU has the toughest schedule hands down.
Well,all I can say is it is easy with the Sec. Because ...well It's the Sec. All you have to do really is look at the non conf. games and whomever has the hardest non conf. pretty much has the toughest schedule.
How does LSU have the hardest schedule hands down? While they play 7 top 25 teams compared to Arkansas' 6, they only play 2 top 10 teams while Arkansas has 4 top 10 teams on their schedule...