Schedule Strength

I've given you my Heisman hopefuls, and the scenarios for the Nat'l Championship. Now I thought we should look at some schedules and see what the big weekends in college football will be.

In the ACC it can determine the conference championship, and the winner usually finds its way to the BCS. Miami and FSU now play on Labor Day barring any hurricane scares. This year Miami road trips to FSU and Va Tech, and Clemson who they lost to last year. The games in the ACC with a supposed national impact are few, but none are more important that Sept. 5th.

In the Big East, while staying in alphabetical order...Its a three team race. Pitt, Louisville and West Virgina. Now I highly doubt anyone else will contend, so this makes Louisville and Pitt the big game, but what if Louisville loses to say Rutgers after a brutal Pitt game that should determine the conference. That puts the Pitt/West Virgina game into a whole other level of intensity.

The Big Ten is Michigan/Ohio ST. But lets try and be original. Michigan and Iowa. Pretty good. Texas and Ohio ST. probably the best non conference game going. I'll go with Purdue and Wisconsin on Oct 22nd. Why? Purdue has a cupcake schedule that barring any upsets should run them to 6-0 or 5-1 at worst. Wisconsin could be 6-0 or 5-1. After this game both teams only have one real legit challenge, and both are home games. This one happens in Camp Randall. Wisconsin is never considered a contender, and Purdue always falters. This could be a make or break game for each team's season.

Okay bring on the Big 12. Another easy pick Texas and Oklahoma. Boring, but vital to the national scene. I wanna look at the Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma game. A&M could come in undefeated at 9-0 maybe at worst 7-2. Same with Oklahoma, but probably 8-1. If Texas falters, or one of these teams goes undefeated this game becomes major. Then the winner gets Texas if you are Texas A&M. Or goes to Lubbock to play Texas Tech if you're a Sooner. The winner of the South usually makes the BCS and its a nasty three dog race.

Pac Ten, because Conf. USA don't count. And while were naming conferences, I'm gonna call this one Conf. USC until some one tells me different. They have no conf. rival. I know about UCLA and Cal and the others, I mean they have no competition. If Matt Leinhart went down and Reggie Bush got benched, they would still be my favorite. LenDale White and Booty, Josh and Mark Sanchez would start almost anywhere in the country. Now lets talk about the big game. There are two USC playing host to Arkansas. Yes. Houston Nutt does very well in non-conference road games. Call Mack Brown. Last, Fresno ST. Fresno is never afraid to play you, and even less afraid to beat you. Watch out. It comes after Cal and before UCLA. I'm telling you now this could be the next game the Trojans lose.

My area of expertise. SEC football. Florida and USC is the game of the year in college football. Spurrier against his old team. Gameday will be there, and it will be a big deal. USC will probably be 4-5, maybe 5-4. UF will be 6-3. Still biggest game in USC's Spurrier era comes against Central Florida. The first game, and the game we play with several suspended players. We'll see. Now about the biggest game of the year on the field. UT plays Florida and LSU in successive weeks on the road, welcome to the SEC for you outsiders. Not the biggest game though. The biggest games are great in September but important in November. I made that up. Nov. 12th Alabama against LSU in Tuscalosa. Why? LSU could be 6-2, but will be undefeated 8-0. Bama will be 7-2 but could realistically be 9-0. More than likely both will be with a loss and it may not determine the SEC West and a potential National Champ competitor. But if they both come in undefeated LSU finishes with Arkansas, and possibly UT, UF or UGA, whom they would have beaten previously save Georgia. If Alabama wins and contiues undefeated it puts the Iron Bowl against Auburn into the stratosphere. Bama rarely wins in Jordan Hare, and if undefeated against some folks co-Nat'l champ this would cause a possible big bang towards an apocalypse. If nothing else it will be the biggest game Bama would have since the probation, and the biggest for Auburn since the Sugar Bowl.