Of the 64 schools that are members of a Power-Five conference, how many do you think won’t face a Power team out of league play in 2015?
How about 11? That’s 17% of the field with at least a one-game advantage over the 53 teams that will play a Power foe.
Think about it, while Mississippi State gets Southern Miss, FCS Northwestern State, Troy and Louisiana Tech, fellow SEC West member Texas A&M draws Arizona State, Ball State, Nevada and FCS Western Carolina.
It’s not rocket science: The Aggies have a much better chance of picking up an additional loss than do the Bulldogs.
Here’s a look at the 11 exceptions. The list consists of one team apiece from the ACC and Big Ten and three each from the Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC.
Note: BYU and Notre Dame will be considered Power Five non-conference opponents by the ACC and SEC moving forward. Both are considered as such for this article.
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: vs. Troy (Sept. 5), vs. FCS Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 12), at Old Dominion (Sept. 19), at South Alabama (Sept. 26)
The Wolfpack last played a Power team out of ACC play in the regular-season in 2012 when they opened up with a loss to Tennessee in Atlanta.
Looking ahead, NC State has Notre Dame scheduled for 2016-17, West Virginia in 2018-19 and Mississippi State in 2020-21.
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: at SMU (Sept. 4), vs. FCS Lamar (Sept. 12), vs. Rice (Sept. 26)
Baylor hasn’t had a non-Big 12 Power opponent in the regular season since 2009 when it opened up with a win at Wake Forest.
The Bears don’t have a Power team scheduled until a 2017-18 home-and-home series with Duke. Then it’s Utah in 2023-24.
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: vs. FCS South Dakota (Sept. 5), at UTSA (Sept. 12), vs. Louisiana Tech (Sept. 19)
2015 is the first season K-State hasn’t had a Power team out of conference since 2013, when it drew FCS North Dakota State, Louisiana-Lafayette and UMass. Before that, it was 2008 when it played North Texas, FCS Montana State and Louisville (then in the Big East).
As of now, the Wildcats don’t have another Power game slated until 2017, a road trip to Vanderbilt. After that, it’s Mississippi State in 2018-19 and a home game vs. Vanderbilt in 2020.
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: at Central Michigan (Sept. 3), vs. FCS Central Arkansas (Sept. 12), vs. UTSA (Sept. 19)
Oklahoma State, like fellow Big 12 member K-State, has a solid track record of scheduling Power teams out of conference. The last time it didn’t play such a game was in 2006, when it faced FCS Missouri State, Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic and Houston.
The Cowboys get rolling again in 2016-17 with a home-and-home with Pitt but, as of now, that’s the only power matchup on its future schedule.
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: at Temple (Sept. 5), vs. Buffalo (Sept. 12), vs. San Diego State (Sept. 26), vs. Army (Oct. 3)
2015 is Penn State’s second consecutive season without a Power foe outside of Big Ten play. It’s last such game came in 2013 when it opened up with a win over Syracuse in East Rutherford, N.J.
The Nittany Lions have Pitt scheduled from 2016-2019 and then pick-up future games vs. Virginia Tech (2020 and 2025) and West Virginia (2023-24).
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: vs. UTSA (Sept. 3), at Nevada (Sept. 12), vs. FCS Northern Arizona (Sept. 19)
Arizona hasn’t had a non-Pac-12, Power opponent in the regular season since beating No. 18 Oklahoma State in 2012.
Though the Wildcats do have BYU on the schedule in 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2027, its next opponent that’s a member of a Power conference is Texas Tech in 2019-20. Other than that, it’s a home-and-home series with Mississippi State in 2022-23.
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: at Hawaii (Sept. 3), vs. UMass (Sept. 12), vs. Colorado State (in Denver, Sept. 19), vs. FCS Nicholls State
Colorado last played a Power team out of conference in 2011 when it fell to Ohio State in Columbus.
Everything changes for the Buffs starting next season when they travel to Ann Arbor to face Michigan. After taking 2017 off, they get Nebraska (2018-19 and 2023-24), Texas A&M (2020-21), Minnesota (2021-22), and TCU (2022-23).
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: at Boise State (Sept. 4), vs. FCS Sacramento State (Sept. 12), vs. Utah State (Sept. 19)
2015 is the first season since 1979 that Washington hasn’t technically played at least one non-conference game vs. a team from a Power league. That was the year it faced Wyoming (WAC), Utah (WAC), Fresno State (PCAA) and Pitt (an Independent).
The Huskies get back on track in 2016-17 with a home-and-home with Rutgers. After that it’s another delay, until 2020-21, for a series with Michigan. They do have independent BYU (technically a Power team as per the SEC and ACC) in 2018-19.
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: at Southern Miss (Sept. 5), vs. FCS Northwestern State (Sept. 19), vs. Troy (Oct. 10), vs. Louisiana Tech (Oct. 17)
Mississippi State last played a non-SEC power team in 2013, when it opened up with a loss to No. 13 Oklahoma State in Houston.
The Bulldogs take advantage of the new BYU rule with games vs. the Cougars slated in 2016-17 and then have K-State (2018-19), NC State (2020-21) and Arizona (2022-23).
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: vs. FCS UT Martin (Sept. 5), vs. Fresno State (Sept. 12), vs. New Mexico State (Oct. 10), at Memphis (Oct. 17)
Ole Miss played a Power team as recently as the home-and-home series with Texas in 2012-13.
After two years off-line, the Rebels ramp things up big time by opening up the 2016 season with Florida State in Orlando. After that, it’s spotty with Cal in 2017 and 2019, Georgia Tech in 2022-23 and Wake Forest in 2024-25.
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: vs. Western Kentucky (Sept. 5), vs. FCS Austin Peay (Sept. 19), at Middle Tennessee (Oct. 3), at Houston (Oct. 31)
Vanderbilt’s most recent non-SEC Power opponent was Wake Forest, who it played in 2012 along with Northwestern.
Looking ahead, the Commodores get Georgia Tech in 2016, K-State in 2017 and 2020, Stanford in 2021, 2024-2025 and 2027 and Wake Forest in 2023.
Amy Daughters is a contributor to FBSchedules.com.
View Comments (54)
Shame on these teams for the weak scheduling and I hope the committee frowns upon them in the rankings. Schedule up AD's!
Yup, I think a victory over a non-power opponent should count as a half victory. Losses to them equals 2 losses.
The power of labels. Washington does not play any OOC against a team from a wealthy conference, but you cannot convince me that their OOC schedule is weak.
Next year it will again be the weakest in the PAC12 just like last years series of 4 cupcakes, Hawaii, Illinois, Eastern Washington and Georgia St. Next year (2016) they draw @ home Rutgers, Idaho and Portland State-probably one of the weakest OCC schedules in the country.
They need it as Coach Petersen did nothing in 2014 to improve the win/loss record and 2015 looks to be much worse with no decent quarterback and 4 top draft picks gone. It will certainly be their worst season since the Tyrone Willingham disaster of 2009 (0-12)
I would like to see the article of Non Big 5 teams that are better than these bad Big 5 teams. Boise St, Cincinnati and Utah St would lead my list of good Group of 5 teams, Purdue, Colorado, and Vanderbilt (without James Franklin) would lead my list of weaker teams to play.
Of the Pac 12 schools, I can cut UW some slack----Boise St. might as well be "Power 5", and is certainly a more challenging opponent than Rutgers, who replaces them on next years's schedule. CU has been down, so I guess I can understand, but there is no excuse for U of A's lame schedule.
Thank goodness for the BYU exception or you could add Missouri with their stellar 2015 schedule of; Southeast Missouri, @ Arkansas State, UConn, and BYU in Kansas City. Funny thing, Mizzou is another SEC team.
Hey Amy, here's another interesting tidbit. Of the 64 P5 schools there are only 7 schools that will not play a non-conference away game or have a "neutral site" NC game more than 120 miles (two hour bus ride) in 2015. They contain; 5 from the SEC, 1 B1G, and 1 Big 12. Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, & Texas A&M from the SEC, and Rutgers from the Big 10 and West Virginia from the Big 12. Does anyone else see a common trend here when discussing facts about weak non-conference scheduling?
I'd love to see you try to drive a bus in two hours from Auburn's Athletic Complex into downtown Atlanta to get to the Georgia Dome. Especially on a game day. So who else are you trying to reject with that phony 120 miles? Why not say 135? (It's 112 from AU to the Georgia Dome, and 130 for South Carolina to get to Clemson).
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It's a road trip for Auburn. They go up the day before, stay the night in a hotel... it's a game on the road against a Power 5 school. It isn't a home game.
What about teams like Utah how can play BYU but avoids them because thy might loose
David, go ahead pick a distance. I choose 120 miles not only for the team bus, but fans that are based in the area. So I'm not trying to "reject" any particular team, just drawing a line in the sand. I think you would have to admit it's hard to call a game less than 120 miles away from your campus stadium a neutral site game. Your point about the hotel stay the night before makes no sense, as most all D1 teams stay in a team hotel the night before even for home games for various reasons we can further talk about if you'd like. My facts stay as they are; 5 SEC, 1 B1G, and 1 Big 12 schools that will have no away or neutral site non-conference games over 120 miles in 2015. By the way, this a common occurrence for the SEC.
Washington plays at Boise State ...that is certainly a bigger challenge than playing most of the ACC or B10.
Penn State had Rutgers scheduled OOC for 2014-15 before they joined the Big Ten. 2014 was the only year since PSU joined the B1G without a Power 5 team OOC.
I'm a Penn State fan. It's a shame James Franklin has to bring along bad habits he learned in the SEC. I like it when the Lions play a non-con that you can really root against like USC, Alabama, or Miami. Glad they are bringing Pitt back (wish it would be every year), but they should not play two or three other wussies. I like beating the best to be the best! We have to win the conference to get into the Football Four any way. A shame to become another Baylor.
1. robconstant - great point about the fact Penn State had scheduled Rutgers before RU joined the B1G, thus eliminating the OOC game and requiring PSU to scramble for a new OOC game.
2. Steve-o - Coach Franklin very little to absolutely zero input on this 2015 schedule. The Temple and Buffalo games were agreed to before the 2011 season, the San Diego State game was scheduled before the 2013 season and was probably a result of Rutgers becoming a B1G team with BO'B / Joyner scheduling this game, and the Army game was scheduled just after the Croke Park Classic by Franklin and Barbour. After the Croke Park Classic, there were only limited options and I would rather play a FBS school like Army than a FCS school, period.
3. With all due respect to every other school mentioned, Penn State's schedule required such poor opponents in hopes to rack up the wins during a time they were expected to play with the brutal sanctions. I think everyone needs to take a step back and realize Penn State needed Wins more than anything during the sanctions and this schedule is partially a result of such sanctions.
4. Personally, I wrote to Sandy Barbour after UAB announced their intent to drop football and requested she consider eliminating the agreement with Temple and scheduling Tennessee instead (a game in Nashville). Instead, Tennessee scheduled Bowling Green.
5. I think we will need a few years to see how the CFP will impact scheduling before we 100% get worried. I admit, I would love to see 1 major Power 5 OOC game, 1 winnable Power 5 OOC game, and 1 AAC/MAC OOC game each year for PSU going forward. Ideally, Pitt and Temple annually with 1 big name opponent.
This site really needs to stop acting like all P5 schools are automatically better opponents than all G5 schools. It's really tiring and extremely lazy.
Yeah and we have so many teams scheduling great G5 teams. That's sarcasm by the way.
As a whole, P5 teams are better than G5 teams. Scheduling them shows you are making a competitive effort. Obviously there are exceptions as bad P5 teams and good G5 teams, but overall it's not even close when comparing the two!
We don't do that. The article simply states facts, Power Five teams that don't have another Power Five team on their non-conference schedule.
Who in the world considers Pitt a power match-up? LOL
I can be a little more forgiving for the teams playing a road non conference game.