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Here is where I posted The Most Difficult OOC Schedule - AG's Annual Power 5 Conference Testicle Check (2019)
Ranking college football's easiest 2019 nonconference schedules
We've pulled our trusty magnifying glass back out to examine nonconference schedules in college football, this time eyeing the easiest ones for Power 5 teams in 2019. Just as everyone agreed with our ranking of the toughest nonconference schedules, surely there won't be any debate over those nonconference slates we deem to be the easiest for the upcoming season!
It's a list dominated by Big Ten and SEC teams. In fact, those two conferences are responsible for nine of the 10 easiest nonconference slates for Power 5 teams in 2019. Absent from this list are any ACC or Pac-12 teams.
Challenging nonconference schedules (probably more precisely, challenging schedules) are supposed to matter in this era of the College Football Playoff. But Alabama was on this list a year ago and went to the College Football Playoff. And in 2016, Washington made it to the CFP despite a nonconference schedule that featured Rutgers, Idaho and Portland State, all at home.
1. Baylor
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Stephen F. Austin, Sept. 7 vs. UTSA, Sept. 21 at Rice
The Bears are accustomed to swimming in these gentle out-of-conference waters. Their 2019 nonconference slate looks even easier than their 2018 one, which featured a home game against Abilene Christian, an away game against UTSA and a home game against Duke -- which did beat the Bears 40-27. If they aren't 3-0 this season going into the Big 12 opener against Iowa State at home on Sept. 28, there's going to be some explaining to do.
2. Indiana
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Ball State in Indianapolis, Sept. 7 vs. Eastern Illinois, Sept. 21 vs. UConn
Combined, Indiana's nonconference opponents won eight games a year ago, and one of those foes, Eastern Illinois, is an FCS school with a first-year coach this season. The opener against Ball State is at least in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium. Otherwise, the Hoosiers wouldn't have to leave campus to play a nonconference game. They were eighth on this list last season, but move solidly into the top two in 2019 with no out-of-conference games against Power 5 teams.
3. Illinois
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Akron, Sept. 7 at UConn, Sept. 14 vs. Eastern Michigan
In his fourth season as Illinois' head coach, Lovie Smith could really use a good start to 2019, and the schedule is tailor-made for positivity. The Fighting Illini have yet to win more than four games in a season on Smith's watch, and any chance to get to a bowl game this year will most certainly hinge on going 3-0 in their nonconference games before Nebraska comes to town on Sept. 21. The only road trip is to UConn, which went 1-11 last season.
4. Arkansas
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Portland State, Sept. 14 vs. Colorado State, Sept. 21 vs. San Jose State, Nov. 9 vs. Western Kentucky
The Hogs could easily be sitting at the top of these rankings, as they don't leave Fayetteville for a nonconference game. And for the second straight season, they won't face a Power 5 opponent out of conference. But at least there's an excuse: Arkansas originally had a home-and-home series set up with Michigan in 2018 and 2019, but the Wolverines ponied up $2 million to get out of the deal so that they could renew their rivalry with Notre Dame.
5. Kentucky
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Toledo, Sept. 7 vs. Eastern Michigan, Nov. 23 vs. UT Martin, Nov. 30 vs. Louisville
Mark Stoops has done an outstanding job in Lexington. The Wildcats won 10 games a year ago, the first time they've won 10 or more games since 1977. But they're losing several key players from the 2018 team and a ton of experience, so having a cushy nonconference schedule in 2019 won't be all bad. The Wildcats will play all four games at home, and the only Power 5 opponent is the annual rivalry game against a Louisville team that's starting over after going 2-10 a year ago.
6. Alabama
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Duke in Atlanta, Sept. 7 vs. New Mexico State, Sept. 21 vs. Southern Miss, Nov. 23 vs. Western Carolina
For the second straight season, Alabama shows up in our top 10 -- and not the top 10 the Crimson Tide have become a fixture within. Let's face it: Their nonconference schedule in 2019 is soft, and that's putting it mildly for a team that's won four of the past eight national championships. They do open the season against Duke in Atlanta, but it's a Blue Devils team without NFL first-round pick Daniel Jones at quarterback. Alabama has locked in some marquee home-and-home series, but those are pretty far down the road. The last time Alabama lost a regular-season game against a nonconference opponent was Nick Saban's first season in 2007.
7. Ohio State
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Florida Atlantic, Sept. 7 vs. Cincinnati, Sept. 21 vs. Miami (OH)
The Buckeyes won't have to leave Ohio Stadium to play a nonconference game in 2019. Not only that, but they won't face a Power 5 nonconference opponent this season. Originally, Ohio State and TCU were set for a home-and-home series in 2018 and 2019, but that series was converted to one game last season at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (both teams received $5 million). And sure, Cincinnati is hardly a pushover after going 11-2 last season, but it would be quite a shock if the Buckeyes were to lose that game at home.
8. Penn State
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Idaho, Sept. 7 vs. Buffalo, Sept. 14 vs. Pittsburgh
It's fair to say Pitt will come ready to play a year after James Franklin said beating the Panthers was "just like beating Akron." As Franklin said at the time, "interpret that however you want," but the reality is that Penn State's three nonconference games are all at Beaver Stadium against teams the Nittany Lions will be heavily favored to beat. And looking on down the schedule, the Nittany Lions ought to be 5-0 going into that Oct. 12 game at Iowa.
9. Tennessee
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Georgia State, Sept. 7 vs. BYU, Sept. 14 vs. Chattanooga, Nov. 2 vs. UAB
Tennessee's schedule looks to be much more manageable in Jeremy Pruitt's second season as coach. In fact, the Vols join Arkansas as the only two teams in the SEC not playing a nonconference game against a Power 5 opponent or Notre Dame. Most notably, a home game against BYU this season replaces a neutral-site game a year ago against West Virginia and Will Grier. While it's impossible in June to pinpoint one game that could make or break a team's season, that home game against BYU in Week 2 looks to be a good candidate.
10. Rutgers
Schedule: Aug. 30 (Friday) vs. UMass, Sept. 21 vs. Boston College, Oct. 26 vs. Liberty
If anybody deserves a cushy nonconference schedule, it's Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights suffered through a 1-11 season a year ago, the lone win coming over Texas State in the season opener. So it's been a while since Rutgers has won a game, but a perfect opportunity awaits to open the 2019 season with a home game against UMass. The other two nonconference games are also at home. Boston College has won seven games each of the past three seasons under Steve Addazio, and this will be Hugh Freeze's first season at Liberty.
Ranking college football's easiest 2019 nonconference schedules
We've pulled our trusty magnifying glass back out to examine nonconference schedules in college football, this time eyeing the easiest ones for Power 5 teams in 2019. Just as everyone agreed with our ranking of the toughest nonconference schedules, surely there won't be any debate over those nonconference slates we deem to be the easiest for the upcoming season!
It's a list dominated by Big Ten and SEC teams. In fact, those two conferences are responsible for nine of the 10 easiest nonconference slates for Power 5 teams in 2019. Absent from this list are any ACC or Pac-12 teams.
Challenging nonconference schedules (probably more precisely, challenging schedules) are supposed to matter in this era of the College Football Playoff. But Alabama was on this list a year ago and went to the College Football Playoff. And in 2016, Washington made it to the CFP despite a nonconference schedule that featured Rutgers, Idaho and Portland State, all at home.
1. Baylor
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Stephen F. Austin, Sept. 7 vs. UTSA, Sept. 21 at Rice
The Bears are accustomed to swimming in these gentle out-of-conference waters. Their 2019 nonconference slate looks even easier than their 2018 one, which featured a home game against Abilene Christian, an away game against UTSA and a home game against Duke -- which did beat the Bears 40-27. If they aren't 3-0 this season going into the Big 12 opener against Iowa State at home on Sept. 28, there's going to be some explaining to do.
2. Indiana
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Ball State in Indianapolis, Sept. 7 vs. Eastern Illinois, Sept. 21 vs. UConn
Combined, Indiana's nonconference opponents won eight games a year ago, and one of those foes, Eastern Illinois, is an FCS school with a first-year coach this season. The opener against Ball State is at least in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium. Otherwise, the Hoosiers wouldn't have to leave campus to play a nonconference game. They were eighth on this list last season, but move solidly into the top two in 2019 with no out-of-conference games against Power 5 teams.
3. Illinois
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Akron, Sept. 7 at UConn, Sept. 14 vs. Eastern Michigan
In his fourth season as Illinois' head coach, Lovie Smith could really use a good start to 2019, and the schedule is tailor-made for positivity. The Fighting Illini have yet to win more than four games in a season on Smith's watch, and any chance to get to a bowl game this year will most certainly hinge on going 3-0 in their nonconference games before Nebraska comes to town on Sept. 21. The only road trip is to UConn, which went 1-11 last season.
4. Arkansas
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Portland State, Sept. 14 vs. Colorado State, Sept. 21 vs. San Jose State, Nov. 9 vs. Western Kentucky
The Hogs could easily be sitting at the top of these rankings, as they don't leave Fayetteville for a nonconference game. And for the second straight season, they won't face a Power 5 opponent out of conference. But at least there's an excuse: Arkansas originally had a home-and-home series set up with Michigan in 2018 and 2019, but the Wolverines ponied up $2 million to get out of the deal so that they could renew their rivalry with Notre Dame.
5. Kentucky
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Toledo, Sept. 7 vs. Eastern Michigan, Nov. 23 vs. UT Martin, Nov. 30 vs. Louisville
Mark Stoops has done an outstanding job in Lexington. The Wildcats won 10 games a year ago, the first time they've won 10 or more games since 1977. But they're losing several key players from the 2018 team and a ton of experience, so having a cushy nonconference schedule in 2019 won't be all bad. The Wildcats will play all four games at home, and the only Power 5 opponent is the annual rivalry game against a Louisville team that's starting over after going 2-10 a year ago.
6. Alabama
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Duke in Atlanta, Sept. 7 vs. New Mexico State, Sept. 21 vs. Southern Miss, Nov. 23 vs. Western Carolina
For the second straight season, Alabama shows up in our top 10 -- and not the top 10 the Crimson Tide have become a fixture within. Let's face it: Their nonconference schedule in 2019 is soft, and that's putting it mildly for a team that's won four of the past eight national championships. They do open the season against Duke in Atlanta, but it's a Blue Devils team without NFL first-round pick Daniel Jones at quarterback. Alabama has locked in some marquee home-and-home series, but those are pretty far down the road. The last time Alabama lost a regular-season game against a nonconference opponent was Nick Saban's first season in 2007.
7. Ohio State
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Florida Atlantic, Sept. 7 vs. Cincinnati, Sept. 21 vs. Miami (OH)
The Buckeyes won't have to leave Ohio Stadium to play a nonconference game in 2019. Not only that, but they won't face a Power 5 nonconference opponent this season. Originally, Ohio State and TCU were set for a home-and-home series in 2018 and 2019, but that series was converted to one game last season at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (both teams received $5 million). And sure, Cincinnati is hardly a pushover after going 11-2 last season, but it would be quite a shock if the Buckeyes were to lose that game at home.
8. Penn State
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Idaho, Sept. 7 vs. Buffalo, Sept. 14 vs. Pittsburgh
It's fair to say Pitt will come ready to play a year after James Franklin said beating the Panthers was "just like beating Akron." As Franklin said at the time, "interpret that however you want," but the reality is that Penn State's three nonconference games are all at Beaver Stadium against teams the Nittany Lions will be heavily favored to beat. And looking on down the schedule, the Nittany Lions ought to be 5-0 going into that Oct. 12 game at Iowa.
9. Tennessee
Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Georgia State, Sept. 7 vs. BYU, Sept. 14 vs. Chattanooga, Nov. 2 vs. UAB
Tennessee's schedule looks to be much more manageable in Jeremy Pruitt's second season as coach. In fact, the Vols join Arkansas as the only two teams in the SEC not playing a nonconference game against a Power 5 opponent or Notre Dame. Most notably, a home game against BYU this season replaces a neutral-site game a year ago against West Virginia and Will Grier. While it's impossible in June to pinpoint one game that could make or break a team's season, that home game against BYU in Week 2 looks to be a good candidate.
10. Rutgers
Schedule: Aug. 30 (Friday) vs. UMass, Sept. 21 vs. Boston College, Oct. 26 vs. Liberty
If anybody deserves a cushy nonconference schedule, it's Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights suffered through a 1-11 season a year ago, the lone win coming over Texas State in the season opener. So it's been a while since Rutgers has won a game, but a perfect opportunity awaits to open the 2019 season with a home game against UMass. The other two nonconference games are also at home. Boston College has won seven games each of the past three seasons under Steve Addazio, and this will be Hugh Freeze's first season at Liberty.
