Last week we ranked the SEC’s non-league slates, this week we move on to the Big Ten.
What sets the Big Ten apart from the SEC is the lack of FCS foes. Where the SEC has all but one member playing an FCS opponent in 2015, the Big Ten has only half of its membership—or seven teams—squaring off with FCS schools.
The other difference worth noting is that where a whopping four SEC squads won’t play a Power-Five team out of conference, only one Big Ten school will have such an easy ride through non-league play.
What the two conferences have in common is a huge gap between the most difficult non-conference schedules and those that are the easiest.
The net effect is that some programs’ road to a potential CFB Playoff bid will be easier than others.
14. Penn State
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: at Temple, Buffalo, San Diego State, Army
Not only is Penn State the only Big Ten member without a Power-Five opponent out of league play, it’s playing four teams that combined for a 22-26 record in 2014. The only saving grace is the lack of an FCS foe on the slate.
Penn State’s most recent regular-season, Power-Five opponent was in 2013 when it opened the season with a 23-17 win over Syracuse in East Rutherford, N.J.
13. Illinois
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: Kent State, FCS Western Illinois, at North Carolina, Middle Tennessee
The Illini are one of an impressive eight Big Ten teams who will hit the road to play a Power-Five non-conference game. They are also one of two Big Ten members who won’t play a winning team from last season out of league play.
Combined, Illinois’ four foes went 19-29 in 2014.
12. Rutgers
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: FCS Norfolk State, Washington State, Kansas, Army
No Big Ten team will play a combined group of non-league foes with a worse record that Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights’ opponents combined for a woeful 14-34 record in 2014, the best mark coming from an Army team that went 4-8.
On the upside, Rutgers is one of four Big Ten schools with two Power-Five teams out of conference play: Washington State and Kansas, squads that combined for a 6-18 record in 2014.
11. Indiana
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: FCS Southern Illinois, Florida International, Western Kentucky, Wake Forest
The only redeeming bits of Indiana’s non-conference schedule is a road trip to ACC Wake Forest (3-9 in 2014) and then a September date with a Western Kentucky team that went 8-5 last season.
Indiana has played Missouri out of conference play each of the last two seasons, so Wake represents an improvement that could mean bowl eligibility for the Hoosiers for the first time since 2007.
10. Nebraska
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: BYU, South Alabama, at Miami (Fla.), Southern Miss
What you’ve got to love about Nebraska’s non-Big Ten slate is its visit to Miami, where the Huskers haven’t played a regular-season game since the series between the two schools first began in 1951. That said, the Hurricanes went 6-7 last season making them not necessarily a Top 10 opponent.
On the plus side is BYU, not a Power-Five, but better than most of the bottom teams in the major conferences.
9. Iowa
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: FCS Illinois State, at Iowa State, Pittsburgh, North Texas
Iowa is the second of the four Big Ten members with two Power-Five teams out of conference in 2015. The Hawkeyes get Pitt at home and travel to Iowa State.
What hurts Iowa is the fact that only one winning team from 2014 graces its non-Big Ten schedule: FCS Illinois State, a squad that went 13-2, losing 29-27 to North Dakota State in the FCS National Championship Game.
8. Wisconsin
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: Alabama (in Arlington, TX), Miami (OH), Troy, Hawaii
With the opener vs. powerhouse Alabama in Arlington, you might expect to see Wisconsin’s non-Big Ten slate ranked higher. It’s not because its other three opponents, all home games, combined for a 9-28 record last season.
This is the first year Wisconsin hasn’t played an FCS team since 2005, when it faced Bowling Green, Temple, North Carolina and Hawaii outside of Big Ten play.
7. Maryland
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: FCS Richmond, Bowling Green, USF, at West Virginia
The Terrapins are one of only four Big Ten teams that will face three-plus winning teams from last season: FCS Richmond (9-5), Bowling Green (8-6) and West Virginia (7-6).
The class of the schedule is the road trip to Morgantown, were Maryland hasn’t played since 2012 and hasn’t won since blasting the Mountaineers 48-17 in 2002.
6. Purdue
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: at Marshall, FCS Indiana State, Virginia Tech, Bowling Green
What hurts Purdue’s non-Big Ten schedule strength is the omission of Notre Dame, a team that up until this year, it has faced consecutively since 1946.
In place of the Irish is Virginia Tech, the Boilermakers’ first non-Notre Dame, power opponent since 2009 when they traveled to Eugene and lost to Oregon 38-36.
The balance of the schedule features three teams that finished last season with winning marks: 13-1 Marshall, 8-6 FCS Indiana State, and 8-6 Bowling Green.
Purdue is one of only two Big Ten schools playing all of its non-league games against winning opponents from 2014.
5. Ohio State
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: at Virginia Tech, Hawaii, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan
What gives Ohio State the edge over Purdue is three fold: First, the Bucks get the common opponent, Virginia Tech, on the road. Next up are Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, teams that combined for a 19-8 mark last season.
Though Marshall was a force to be reckoned with last season and went 10-3 in 2013, before that it hadn’t hit double digits since 2002. Northern Illinois, on the other hand, has posted 11-plus wins in each of its last five seasons. It’s the same program that that won 23-15 at Northwestern last season and won 30-27 at Iowa and 55-24 at Purdue in 2013.
4. Northwestern
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: Stanford, FCS Eastern Illinois, at Duke, Ball State
Not only does Northwestern have one of the best smart-school vs. smart-school schedules ever in 2015, its two brain battles are against Stanford and Duke, teams that combined for a 17-9 mark in 2014.
That makes Northwestern the only Big Ten school with two winning Power-Fives on its 2015 non-conference slate.
3. Michigan
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: at Utah, Oregon State, UNLV, BYU
Though Michigan isn’t necessarily going up against USC and Oregon, it will face two full-fledged Pac-12 squads and as solid an independent as you’ll find.
The only flaws are UNLV, a team that only won two games in 2014, and Oregon State, a team that went 5-7. But remember, the Beavers have a new lease on life with new head man Gary Andersen, a guy who hasn’t suffered a losing season as a head coach since 2010, his second year at Utah State.
Michigan hasn’t opened up a season with a true road game since 1998, when it lost at Notre Dame 36-20. The Wolverines’ last win in a season-opener away from Michigan Stadium came in 1991, when they traveled to Boston College and won 35-13.
2. Minnesota
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: TCU, at Colorado State, Kent State, Ohio
Minnesota will open up its season against a pair of non-Big Ten opponents that went 22-4 last season. It makes up what could be the most difficult opening salvo of the entire FBS field.
If the Gophers were to beat the Horned Frogs, a team that could be No. 1 by the time the season kicks off, it will have to rebound against a Rams’ squad that hasn’t lost at home since Nov. 2, 2013 when Boise State rolled into town and won 42-30.
2015 Non-Conference Opponents: at Western Michigan, Oregon, Air Force, Central Michigan
Not only will Michigan State host National Championship runner-up Oregon in 2015, it is one of only two Big Ten teams with four non-league games vs. four winning opponents from 2014.
Other than the 13-2 Ducks, the Spartans will wrangle with 8-5 Western Michigan, 10-3 Air Force and 7-6 Central Michigan. That equals a combined record of 38-16, by far the best mark in the Big Ten.
Amy Daughters is a contributor to FBSchedules.com.
View Comments (48)
Iowa has Pitt at home. They traveled to Pitt last season and won 24-20.
nope click on iowa and see
I watched the game last season, man. It was in Pittsburgh. Pitt is making the return trip this season.
Always hard to predict what P5 Schools will be a "power" or "threat" in out years, but give the Big Ten, as a whole, credit for scheduling their share. Amy points out interesting points, both positive and negative depending on what side of the coin you're on, but the Big Ten here has demonstrated they're not like the frighten conference from the southeast.
Three little stats are interesting to look at in comparison between the SEC and the B1G.
1) Power Five Opponents; SEC - 11 and the B1G - 17
2) Away Game NC Opponents; SEC - 7 and the B1G - 12
3) FCS Opponents; SEC - 13 and the B1G - 7
Both conferences had 54 non-conference games to schedule in 2015, so it's not like the B1G had an advantage in scheduling 6 more P5 games, or traveling 5 more times on the road, or being "forced" to schedule an FCS opponent, it's just the lack of the SEC putting themselves out there at risk on a regular basis outside of their conference. Poor Planning will Result in Poor Results.
Good overview Billy. But SEC schedule is not the result of poor planning. It is exactly how the SEC wanted to schedule. And when we refer to the SEC as a whole, it is clear there are differences between the upper tier and the lower tier of the conference. Particularly Ol Miss, Miss St and Vanderbilt. And Missouri is still having issues assembling their schedule since moving from the Big12.
And you can understand why Alabama has a horrible home schedule as the Tide are unwilling to schedule home-and-home, and instead just want to play a so-called "neutral field" game every season in southern region pro stadium. The neutral site kickoff games are all the rage now but I suspect that idea will begin to wane as other power programs begin to refuse to play in such games. It all comes down to TV money.
Note that four SEC programs have the advantage of non-conference rivalry games (Geo, Fla, SC, Ky).
The only reason the SEC is mandating every program play at least one non-conference game against a P5 opponent is because national perception was going against the SEC and the SEC saw the change was needed to increase conference opportunities to play in the CFP. But the mandate was not because those impacted programs wanted to change. It is strange how some SEC fans take delight in attending multiple uncompetitive cupcake games at home where the opposition is likely to get slaughtered.
"The neutral site kickoff games are all the rage now but I suspect that idea will begin to wane as other power programs begin to refuse to play in such games. It all comes down to TV money."
Don't forget the big paychecks these teams/programs get to cash in the end. Of course it is about the money & not worrying about the scheduling conflicts & avoiding arguments, arrangements of a home n home series in which now if you noticed is very hard to do. Some teams are having to schedule home n home in which they are not even back to back years anymore. You may have a point that this is a wane but these neutral sites games keep popping up everywhere, from California to Georgia now up to New York & the best teams in the P5 are participating in them so I don't see them leaving anytime soon. I rather enjoy them, its like having a bowl at the start of the year.
Ohio States would improve if Gene Smith - had Hawaii's game moved to Away and Add - Air Force on 8/30/2015 at FedExField in Washington D.C.
You want OSU to schedule 3 road OOC games? I don't think even the low-level Sun Belt teams do that.
Not impressed one bit with the OOC games. I'm definitely not going to hate but this is nothing special. Nice to see them playing Alabama, Oregon and TCU. But let's face it Oregon won't be as good as they were the last few and TCU won't be this good for a while and hope they can live up to the hype this year. But dot think it will be all that hard to be successful in the Big12. Not trying to hate. Other than that nothing impressive. And let's not try and compare the weaker D1 and P5s to the strong FCS programs. They really aren't that much different. However some people really want to think so. Throw all the stats you may but when it comes to football on the field, teams like App St, North Dakota St, Furman and many more like those are not different than teams like Bowling Green, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, Kent St,, Ball St and some others. Those numbers look awfully telling until you look a little closer and see the actual teams. But not much different on the football playing field. It seems some people might be a little confused on the level of football some of these teams play on. If they can even differentiate between the two. Nice to shift back into college football mode for a few. Two weeks away from spring practice at Clemson boys and we are just reloading. Get ready, "We Too Deep"
Every comment you have is so ridiculous. The Big 10 and the PAC 12 have the best out of conference schedules. Your ACC and SEC are horrendous. Please, enough with your comments
Patrick Ryan, please..... You know (or should know) that you can not tell what P5 teams or Other Five teams will be good or not good in 3+ years. You may think you can, but you can't. Probations, Sanctions, Coaching Changes, all occur and can change the dynamics of a team in a heart beat. The one variable that is somewhat stable is the "Conferences" as a whole. Of course there are teams within each conference that have peaks and valleys, but each conference as a whole as been fairly stable. With this said, the P5 Conferences are truly the best of the Football conferences and to schedule any team within one of these conferences in out years is to your strength of schedule advantage. You say your "not impressed one bit", but yet only the ACC has more P5 OCC games scheduled and of course that is greatly aided by the Notre Dame factor.
I've shared before, but in 2015 the Big Ten has the best Strength of Schedule OCC Schedule of the P5 Conference. The B1G scored 2.36 on the OCC Score, followed by the ACC with 2.27, the Pac12 with a 2.21 score, the Big 12 with a 2.03 score and finally the SEC with a 1.88 score.
Sometimes you are guilty by association and sometimes you benefit from the environment you are surrounded by. Each of the P5 Schools, for better or worse, are surrounded by their fellow conference members.
Man I love you guys. Haha. Again what predictions did I make about records or scores for years in advance or even next year? And yes I said I was not impressed. That doesn't mean I was disappointed, I just think they could all do a better job. Again I am a fan of Clemson and the ACC, so have fun with that one. Haha I just have respect for the quality of football played in the SEC. So you guys can spare me all your irrelevant stats. And to be honest would like to see even them play a few more better games a year. But then again I have no problem with them playing a few FCS schools. And once again, please let me know when I said the P5s weren't the strongest conferences with the best football played. Id love for some more clarification. And yes I want to see more P5s schedule more P5s OOC. But at the same time there are some really good programs that don't belong to the P5s, not to mention better football is played at the 1AA level than it seems some believe. So go ahead and reference those comments that you believe I have made please. I did voice my opinion about a matchup that I am very excited about seeing. Excited about seeing for many difderent reasons, especially with the way OSU ended the season. I have a personal belief that the SEC is the strongest conference year in and year out but will have down years due simply to the parity in college sports in general. Again go tigers baby. Everyone will again be introduced to one of the best players in college football and who will start next season as one of the best dual threat Qbs in the nation but at the same time will be one of the top pocket passing Qbs and on top of that he will be a true sophomore. Mariota and Winston redshirted.Those are some predictions that you may take do with as you please.
"Again what predictions did I make about records or scores for years in advance or even next year? "
Um, you said Oregon won't be as good this year. In the universe I live in that's a prediction.
Huh. Guess it depends on how you look at it. If you want to look at it that way, ok you got me. I meant it as an opinion! They could have a better record than last year but still not be as good as they were this year with Mariota, or have a worse record but be better than the year before. Some clarification for you. And those are pretty valid reasons for those assumptions. What's your take on how they will be? Or do you just wait til after the fact and recite numbers like computer. Anyone can do that. Oh and what universe is it that you live on? Haha
@petie3
Why don't to check out Mavericks (goose) predictions. Those are predictions.
Not bad, certainly more impressive than the SEC non-conference schedule, but that's not really saying a whole lot to begin with.
Hands down my favorite game on this list is Vt vs Ohio St. As bad as VT ended last season, they lost many close games. I am sure that both these schools have it marked on their calendar in their locker room. But I bet VT wants this one even more and with the way OSU ended the season I could see them overlooking VT. With the downfall of the program over the last few years Vt needs to get off to a great start and what a way it would be to start 2015 off with a win against the defending national champs. This one has been marked on VT's calendar long before it was on OSUs. VT's defense showed to be a major problem at home last season and I expect whoever is under center for OSU will experience something similar. Big games to open the season become even tougher and set the tone for the season. This one is definitely marked on my list and I will be pulling for the underdog. However, don't get me wrong I would never put any money on this one. After seeing what Urban Myer did last season I have no doubt they will show up ready to play as well as call the plays. He has proven over many seasons that he has an exact understanding of what his players can and can't be successful in doing. And he puts them in the right positions (calls the right plays) to be successful. They simply made fewer mistakes last season and it turned out to be the difference. But hey, go Hokies.
I don't like how teams like WF, Vandy, Colorado, Kansas are considered P5 teams when they basically suck, and especially WF and Vandy wouldn't be in power conferences if college sports started today.
Why are Boise St and Marshall not considered p5 teams, and iowa st and Syracuse are?
@PatrickRyan
You come across sounding like a fortune teller, announcing you know how programs will perform next season. Tone it down a bit please.
"Not trying to hate" Enough with the juvenile cliches please.
Just curious in what way do I seem like a fortune teller? And feel free to fill me in on the clinches please? I made no predictions of scores or future records. Made a pretty obvious statement that due to Marriota being done, Oregon won't be the same team they have been. I do think a large part of ther success is from the system them run, however they will miss his patience and maturity. R those not obvious? I didn't say they would or wouldn't win the pac12. I said they aren't going to be as good. Pretty simple assumption. And many times in the paragraph I wrote did I mention, I actually think VT would win? I am just excited about the matchup. Hope we continue to see more like this one, Big10 vs ACC, etc... I would be happy to make some predictions along with a few others on these cites and we can see who is closer to being right next season. Do you even make comments about the article written or do you just comment on people's posts who's views are different than yours? And none of you guys ever seem to mention who your teams are when I ask. Who's yours? Schoup? John?