College football programs are roundly criticized for scheduling cupcakes in their nonconference game to pad their resumes. These schools don’t belong on that list, with schedules that look like a murderer’s row. We tip our caps to the following schools with the Top 10 toughest schedules in 2010, though the school’s coaches might not be as thrilled.
10. Illinois
Missouri (neutral site), Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois, Ohio State, @Penn State, @Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, @Michigan, Minnesota, @Northwestern, @Fresno State
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Ron Zook’s hot seat is already scorching and coming off of a 3-9 year this schedule looks even more daunting. The Missouri game is tough enough but even the FCS match up with Southern Illinois is no gimme. The Salukis won ten straight games last season and finished 11-2. Northern Illinois was a seven-win team last season. And get luck with Ohio State and at Penn State back-to-back. enough they get to open Big Ten play against Ohio State and Penn State. We hope Zook’s bags are packed.
9. USF
Stony Brook, @Florida, Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic, Syracuse, @West Virginia, @Cincinnati, Rutgers, @Louisville, Pittsburgh, @Miami, UConn
South Florida has never been one to back down from a challenge and this season will be no different. USF always takes on all takers, especially fellow opponents in the Sunshine State. It paid big dividends when they defeated Florida State last season. Aside from traveling to The Swamp in week two, the middle of the schedule will be the toughest part. Road games at West Virginia and Cincinnati back-to-back and then Rutgers? (Shivers). Pittsburgh and at Miami back-to-back is another one-two punch that could send the Bulls to the mat this season.
8. Virginia Tech
Boise State (neutral site), James Madison, East Carolina, @Boston College, @NC State, Central Michigan, Wake Forest, Duke, Georgia Tech, @UNC, @Miami, Virginia
The Hokies will be the first team this season to test Boise State’s legitimacy and after losing to Alabama in week one last season, Frank Beamer’s national title hopes could be dashed after the first game again. Playing at Boston College early is no fun and the random non-conference game against Central Michigan in the middle of the season won’t be easy. The Hokies must also finish the year with two of the last three games on the road against UNC and Miami, not to mention a battle with Georgia Tech just before that. All three are legit contenders for the ACC title.
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7. Pitt
@Utah, New Hampshire, Miami, FIU, @Notre Dame, @Syracuse, Rutgers, Louisville, @UConn, @South Florida, West Virginia, @Cincinnati
Who made out this schedule – a West Virginia fan? It’s bad enough Pitt starts on the road against Utah. But to finish the season with three road games in the final four weeks? Brutal. And that one home game is the Backyard Brawl, so good luck finishing strong this year. The Panthers don’t even get the benefit of back-to-back weeks against a weaker opponent.
6. Oklahoma
Utah State, Florida State, Air Force, @Cincinnati, vs. Texas, Iowa State, Missouri, Colorado, @Texas A&M, Texas Tech, @Baylor, @Oklahoma State
After what should be an easy win over Utah State, the three-game stretch against Florida State, Air Force and Cincinnati won’t be a cake walk. The Seminoles and Bearcats are considered Top 25 teams to start the season and both have two elite quarterbacks in Christian Ponder and Zach Collaros. And you can never sleep on Air Force, who has reached a bowl game in each of the last three seasons. Throw in the Red River Rivalry and road games against Texas A&M and rival Oklahoma State and Bob Stoops will probably be chugging Pepto-Bismol from the bottle. And this doesn’t even include the Big 12 Championship, which will be their “prize” if they survive this gauntlet, where they would probably face resurgent Nebraska.
5. LSU
UNC (neutral site), @Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, West Virginia, Tennessee, @Florida, McNeese State, @Auburn, Alabama, Louisiana-Monroe, Mississippi, Arkansas (neutral site)
Les Miles seat has been getting warmer with a stagnant offense. So how do the Tigers start the season? By facing probably the best defense in the country, Butch Davis’s North Carolina squad full of NFL talent. There’s also a non-conference date with West Virginia and the SEC West is absolutely brutal this year. The Tigers have road games at Florida and Auburn and face nemesis Nick Saban in Death Valley. Seriously, how does an SEC coach sleep at night?
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4. Mississippi State
Memphis, Auburn, @LSU, Georgia, Alcorn State, @Houston, @Florida, UAB, Kentucky, @Alabama, Arkansas, @Mississippi
The Bulldogs are the weakest team on our list but hey, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? Well at least we think they won’t be killed. Auburn and at LSU to begin the SEC is no break. How about a nonconference game with Georgia for the fun of it – why not?! The secondary will familiarize themselves with the backs of the receivers they’ll be chasing when the Bulldogs travel to Houston and The Swamp in back-to-back weeks. And then ending the year at Alabama and Arkansas will be icing on the cake. Maybe fans won’t even be watching by that point in the season anyway.
3. Oregon State
TCU (neutral site), Louisville, @Boise State, Arizona State, @Arizona, Washington, California, UCLA, Washington State, USC, Stanford, Oregon
Almost no one is willing to travel to Boise State or TCU. No one but the Beavers. Unfortunately they decided to do this in the same season which sounds like an awful idea in hindsight. Though the TCU game is technically a neutral site, there might be a couple more Horned Frog supports in Cowboy Stadium come Sept. 4. OSU has road dates at Washington and Stanford coupled with home dates against Cal, USC and Oregon. There isn’t one nonconference patsy on this schedule. The Beavers might want to get started on a dam now because the flood gates are about to open.
2. Iowa State
Northern Illinois, @Iowa, vs. Kansas State, Northern Iowa, Texas Tech, Utah, @Oklahoma, @Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, @Colorado, Missouri
Just looking at this schedule makes you wince. Northern Illinois is a fresh way to start the season, as they made a bowl game. At Iowa is worse than a trip to the dentist. The last time ISU played Texas Tech they lost 42-17 in ’07. Utah is a “break” from the brutal conference schedule. Not only is ISU unlucky by drawing both Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12 South, they face them in back-to-back weeks – on the road. And don’t forget that home date with Nebraska. Then you look to see whose schedule it is and even you start to cry when you notice it’s the Cyclones.
1. Miami
Florida A&M, @Ohio State, @Pittsburgh, @Clemson, Florida State, @Duke, North Carolina, @Virginia, Maryland, @Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, South Florida
After a suicidal schedule to start last season as well, Randy Shannon may want to meet with the athletic department just to say, “Are you freaking kidding me?” Nonconference road games at Ohio State and Pittsburgh? One home game (against Florida State) between September 11 and October 16? This is Miami football not an FCS school looking for cash games. How did they allow themselves to have so many road dates that early?
After a brutal stretch on the road, they return home for their final two games to host national title contender Virginia Tech and giant killer USF. If they survive the gauntlet and win the Coastal as many expect, that would probably set up a rematch with either Clemson or Florida State in the championship game, forcing them the ‘Canes to beat either team twice en route to a national title. Expectations are about as high as they’ve been since the early ‘00s. We hope people don’t hurt themselves falling off the bandwagon.
How is Iowa State not No. 1. Don’t you take into account that Iowa State also sucks.
randy shannon is screwed. No way they win a conference title this season or do well overal
What about Vandy? Northwester, LSU, @Ole Miss, @UCONN, Eastern Mich, @Georiga, South Carolina, @Arkansas, Florida, @Kentucky, Tennessee, Wake.
Playing an SEC with those Non-Conf is pretty daunting.
Miami is gonna be good, and it’s gonna be an interesting game against Ohio St. and against my Noles as well of course too…..Iowa St. is only # 2prman cuz they won’t have the pressure on them ike Miami will….considering that they won’t have much pressure to win a conference championship much less a National Championship….they prolly shouldn’t be ranked as high as #2. Although they should be ranked a little high for the schedule is a BIG 12 Beast…..
This is laughable, Pitt and VT top 10 schedules? Haha clearly a Big East homer made this list. Possibly an ACC diehard. Pathetic list
Still trying to figure out why Oregon State decided to sign up for the most grueling non-conference schedule in the country. They need to take a page out of Florida’s book and schedule South Mississippi State Online Community College late in the season instead.
I can maybe understand Penn State not having the toughest schedule, but to not be in the top 10 is absurd. I believe it is the first time a team will EVER face 3 BCS game WINNERS on the ROAD. @ Alabama, @ Ohio State, @ Iowa. Clearly I am a PSU fan, but you can’t argue those facts. Poor article. Do some research.
That is all.
Where is FSU? FSU should be in the top 5. @ Oklahoma, @ Miami, vs BYU. vs Floirda, vs UNC, vs Clemson, @ BC
Mississippi State will do better than most think.
Miss State – Georgia is a conference game. they’re both in the SEC…
Dude, no UCLA? Seriously? The Bruins have to play at Texas, at a revitalized KSU and then get Houston at home (ever heard of Case Keenum?). Then play a round robin Pac-10 slate. Oh yeah, but all those schools playing McNeese state, Northern Iowa, New Hampshire, UAB, Alcorn State, FIU, James Madison, Stony Brook, et al. are really playing tough out of conference slates.
UCLA plays a tougher schedule than any of the schools you have listed by a wide margin: @K-State, @Texas, @Kal, @Oregon, @Washington, and @ASU. Then the rest of the P10 round-robin along with a very strong Houston team in the Rose Bowl. Hello out there?
Who created that top ten list David Letterman? What a complete joke.
@Texas is hard but the rest is not that bad. Houston? They lost UCF last year. lol
Where the hell is Penn State. @Alabama, @IOWA, @Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern.
Good list, but what about Wyoming?
@ Texas, BYU, and TCU
Home vs. Boise State and Utah
to not have FSU on this list makes this list a farce, they play UM, FL, OK, plus some tough folks in the ACC, do your homework next time and please stop drinking the SEC koolaid
We have to play 6 teams coming off of their bye weeks… all on the second half of the season. South Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, LSU, Mississippi St., and Auburn. Every single one of them will have 2 weeks to prepare while bama only has one. The only exception will be a much needed bye week before LSU (bama has a bye week). Definitely the hardest schedule in all of college football.
what about Minnesota? 9 of the 12 teams they played were ranked. and texas totally blew so that negates some of those teams. 4 games against teams that will end in the top 12 in the BCS standings. Minnesota should without doubt be in the top 3