Top 5 Easiest/Toughest P5 Schedules for 2018

[WizardHawk]

ok state is playing those teams.

Ok jr plays Texas, @Baylor, @Oklahoma, WV, and @TCU to close out the season after their bye.

But lol at comparing Boise State to any of the 3 on your OOC. That's awesome.

 

[4down20]

And you've proven to be a fvkn idiot once again. That report was posted online. Try again.

You still didn't read it liar.

 

[7Samurai13]

No offense, but if both Stanford and UW lose to Oregon they aren't nearly what their preseason ranking would suggest they are and I'd expect both to fall (and lose at least one more game).

Either way, the south is almost an embarrassing joke. There's USC, maybe kind of sort of Utah, and? That's a division in pure early rebuilding mode. UCLA, ASU, and UA are all with new staffs and none were killing it before the changeover. Only the cats have a QB worth raising an eyebrow over at this point. Colorado? Please.

You have to face reality and the Pac right now is trying to climb out of a hole. As a collective they should finish better than last year, but do you see real substantial gains with all of that uncertainty up and down? I don't. And that will matter in the final rankings for every team within it. That's why having at least one quality win outside of the conf is a pure must right now.

UW could actually lose to Auburn and still find a way to the playoffs, but an outside chance with a lot of help needed. Outside of that, a win against Auburn and a loss anywhere else would probably still ensure their ticket. That game is really the only thing their season will be built off of because of how bad the perception is of the rest of the conf right now.

That's just reality.

PAC12 South=Big10 West=SEC East=Big12=ACC Coastal.

One good team, one iffy team (if that) and then trash.

 

[HuskerinBig10]

Duke projects to be significantly better than Colorado. Either way Northwestern's is tougher, albeit slightly, IMO.

Eight opponents are the same Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Akron
They play each other that is nine games. Game is played in Evanston.

That means three opponents are different

2017 Northwestern
Duke 7-6 beat Northern Illinois in bowl game, Northern Illinois finishes 8-5
Rutgers 4-8
Notre Dame 10-3 beat LSU in bowl game, LSU finishes 9-4
total 21 wins, 17 losses

2017 Nebraska
Colorado 5-7
troy 11-2 beat North Texas Mean Green in bowl game, North texas finishes 9-5
Ohio State 12-2 beat USC, USC finishes 11-3
total 28 wins, 11 losses

Using USA Today preseason ranking
5. Ohio State
16. Notre Dame

CBS rankings
4. Ohio State
17. Notre Dame

SI preseason
3. Ohio State
20. Notre Dame


Notre Dame goes to Evanston, Nebraska travels to Columbus.

I stick to my statement, Nebraska's schedule is tougher than Northwestern's.

 

[B_dub]

PAC12 South=Big10 West=SEC East=Big12=ACC Coastal.

One good team, one iffy team (if that) and then trash.

Calling West Virginia or TCU trash is kind of a reach. As long as we’re the “good team”, then I’ll allow it though.

 

[7Samurai13]

Calling West Virginia or TCU trash is kind of a reach. As long as we’re the “good team”, then I’ll allow it though.

West Virginia gave the PAC their only bowl win last season. Trash.

 

[Boise4Life]

TCU and Oklahoma State have proven to be the next best teams to Oklahoma in recent years. We'll see if Texas has anything to say about that. They have the new coach and the massive 2018 recruiting haul. But it's certainly been an embarrassing ten plus years no doubt.

 

[B_dub]

West Virginia gave the PAC their only bowl win last season. Trash.

They didn’t have their QB, but whatever you say boss. I don’t give a crap about anyone but us as far as the conference, but half of those teams have us a better fight than your league champion. Even playing in their house.

 

[7Samurai13]

They didn’t have their QB, but whatever you say boss. I don’t give a crap about anyone but us as far as the conference, but half of those teams have us a better fight than your league champion. Even playing in their house.

I’m just giving shit, but I guess Michigan State was better than Oklahoma in 2016 because we gave Ohio State a better fight than you did.

And if losing one player means a team falls apart, it’s not really going to prove the point that they are a good team.

 

[B_dub]

I’m just giving shit, but I guess Michigan State was better than Oklahoma in 2016 because we gave Ohio State a better fight than you did.

And if losing one player means a team falls apart, it’s not really going to prove the point that they are a good team.

Oh I agree with that. But losing your starting quarterback is the biggest hit you can take.

That is unless your Iowa State, then you take your 3rd stringer and go into Norman and win..

 

[WizardHawk]

Oh I agree with that. But losing your starting quarterback is the biggest hit you can take.

That is unless your Iowa State, then you take your 3rd stringer and go into Norman and win..

One of my fav playoff games of all time was the buck nuts putting a thumping on the ducks with a 3rd string QB.

Still gives me a warm fuzzy feeling just thinking about that.

 

[ericd7633]

Eight opponents are the same Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Akron
They play each other that is nine games. Game is played in Evanston.

That means three opponents are different

2017 Northwestern
Duke 7-6 beat Northern Illinois in bowl game, Northern Illinois finishes 8-5
Rutgers 4-8
Notre Dame 10-3 beat LSU in bowl game, LSU finishes 9-4
total 21 wins, 17 losses

2017 Nebraska
Colorado 5-7
troy 11-2 beat North Texas Mean Green in bowl game, North texas finishes 9-5
Ohio State 12-2 beat USC, USC finishes 11-3
total 28 wins, 11 losses

Using USA Today preseason ranking
5. Ohio State
16. Notre Dame

CBS rankings
4. Ohio State
17. Notre Dame

SI preseason
3. Ohio State
20. Notre Dame


Notre Dame goes to Evanston, Nebraska travels to Columbus.

I stick to my statement, Nebraska's schedule is tougher than Northwestern's.

And I'll disagree, and agree with FPI in this instance.

 

[B_dub]

One of my fav playoff games of all time was the buck nuts putting a thumping on the ducks with a 3rd string QB.

Still gives me a warm fuzzy feeling just thinking about that.

Has AG healed yet?

 

[FSU rules]

Florida State's regular season schedule in 2014 might actually be worse than Oregon's this season. It was awful. Only played two ranked teams in #15 Clemson and #24 Louisville, only had four road games, etc.

And it wasn't just the schedule, it was the way they were winning. So ugly. That's the reason the committee seeded them behind Alabama and Oregon in the playoffs even though those two teams each had losses.

not even close. Oregon will have one of the worst P5 schedules. FSU was 27th, not great but certainly not awful.

NCAA College Football Strength of Schedule Rankings & Ratings

 

[Olyduck]

Ok jr plays Texas, @Baylor, @Oklahoma, WV, and @TCU to close out the season after their bye.

But lol at comparing Boise State to any of the 3 on your OOC. That's awesome.

i wasnt comparing just pointing out they have no P5 team

 

[Boise4Life]

not even close. Oregon will have one of the worst P5 schedules. FSU was 27th, not great but certainly not awful.

NCAA College Football Strength of Schedule Rankings & Ratings

A big reason this model says they finished 27th is because they played #8 Georgia Tech in the conference championship and #2 Oregon in the playoffs. That'll do wonders for your final SOS. As far as their regular season schedule is concerned it was not good. Best opponents were #15 Clemson and #24 Louisville, only four road games, etc. That's an awful schedule for a Power 5 team.

 

[Olyduck]

Ok jr plays Texas, @Baylor, @Oklahoma, WV, and @TCU to close out the season after their bye.

But lol at comparing Boise State to any of the 3 on your OOC. That's awesome.

7-6 Texas and 1-11 Baylor 7-6 WVU? whats your point?

 

[Olyduck]

No offense, but if both Stanford and UW lose to Oregon they aren't nearly what their preseason ranking would suggest they are and I'd expect both to fall (and lose at least one more game).

Either way, the south is almost an embarrassing joke. There's USC, maybe kind of sort of Utah, and? That's a division in pure early rebuilding mode. UCLA, ASU, and UA are all with new staffs and none were killing it before the changeover. Only the cats have a QB worth raising an eyebrow over at this point. Colorado? Please.

You have to face reality and the Pac right now is trying to climb out of a hole. As a collective they should finish better than last year, but do you see real substantial gains with all of that uncertainty up and down? I don't. And that will matter in the final rankings for every team within it. That's why having at least one quality win outside of the conf is a pure must right now.

UW could actually lose to Auburn and still find a way to the playoffs, but an outside chance with a lot of help needed. Outside of that, a win against Auburn and a loss anywhere else would probably still ensure their ticket. That game is really the only thing their season will be built off of because of how bad the perception is of the rest of the conf right now.

That's just reality.

if you are a real fan of the Pac you also know that teams like Cal, WSU, Arizona and Arizona state will have a tremendous season as soon as you count them out.

 

[WizardHawk]

7-6 Texas and 1-11 Baylor 7-6 WVU? whats your point?

You do know this is getting into a weird place if I'm forced to show you where ok light's schedule is actually even slightly higher than yours right? I hate doing ANYTHING to throw light on that program so you both have that in common anyway.

Carry on.

 

[WizardHawk]

if you are a real fan of the Pac you also know that teams like Cal, WSU, Arizona and Arizona state will have a tremendous season as soon as you count them out.

Fuck the Pac. I'm a fan of UW and UW alone.

If you mean student of Pac 12 football then by all means, but don't dare call me a Pac12 'fan'.

No one knows what to make of Sumlin and some of that talent at zona. Most predict ASU to be a bottom dweller and if it was any other coach there I would say that makes it a slam dunk to find them in the hunt in the south, but Herm? I mean I just can't. Until I see it.

Bowers had flashes here and there and... well that's about it?

Every time WSU seems ready to take another step they coug it and remind us who they always are and always have been outside of a 2-3 year stretch with Bledsoe and/or Price. That QB thing hangs large over them and I'm not sure they have as much talent to receive at so many positions to make that offense as dangerous as they need to be.

I don't think the beavs will be quite as bad as predicted, but they still might not find many W's in year one. Ducks will get 9 wins with a still scary offense, but I wouldn't expect miracles even with that crap sandwich schedule.

USC and Utah have established teams and the trojans always have a boat load of very high level talent. Will they finally put together a full season campaign worthy of their heritage? Can Utah finally really get a solid push and string together the run that has thus far eluded them? They have a fairly soft schedule as well getting UW and USC at home with no real threats on their OOC slate. But they went like 6-6 last year and haven't had a big time program win in a couple of years.

There is just too much uncertainty and too much recent weakness to give any street cred to almost every program in the conf right now until they actually get up and buck the trend and do something in big time games.