Monday with Mike: Schedule Analysis

[Hawkeye]

Looking at schedules can be fun, enlightening – and dangerous.

It's fun to look for intriguing non-conference games and embarrassingly easy non-conference schedules. It's enlightening to find out who can get off to a fast start because of a kind schedule-maker. But it's also dangerous to read too much into those aspects of football.

Rivals.com College Football - Monday with Mike: June schedule analysis

Ok, we all know it's not how you start, it's how you finish.....so Okie State and Kansas in Texas' last five games should give them a test. Still they should be in the NC hunt.

I can't see OSU being expected to go 5-1 or being a NC contender when they face USC, Illinois, Penn St, Iowa and Michigan. USC, Penn State and Iowa are all capable of beating them. We keep hearing that Illinois is much improved and you can't dismiss any game against Michigan.

I like how a 7-0 start seems likely for PSU. Nevermind they have Iowa in that stretch and we have lost much less than they have. They also have to travel to Illinois.....who we keep hearing is much improved. Still, NC contenders? Their schedule is weaker than last year if that is possible: Akron, Syracuse, Temple, Eastern Illinois, Indiana. I was high on them last year with all the talent they had....even after they played a weaker game against Ohio St than I thought they would. When I saw how Iowa was able to make second half adjustments and shut them down, I wasn't as impressed anymore. This year they have lost a lot, so while they may still have 10 wins, their SOS shouldn't get them a whiff of a title shot.

[Hawkeye]

If you take a look at the top 11 contenders for the NC title game, this is how I would list them if there were an undefeated three-way tie (assuming that they ran their conferences, their OOC SOS would be key):

1-Georgia-at Oklahoma St, Arizona St, Tennessee Tech, at GT
2-VT-Alabama, Marshall, Nebraska, at ECU
3-Oklahoma-BYU, Idaho St, Tulsa, at Miami
4-USC-San Jose St, at Ohio St, at ND
5-USF-Wofford, at WKU, Charleston Southern, at FSU, Miami
6-Ohio St-Navy, USC, Toledo
7-Texas-UL Monroe, at Wyoming, UTEP, UCF
8-Alabama-at Virginia Tech, FIU, North Texas, Chattanooga
9-Florida-Charleston Southern, Troy, FIU, FSU
10-LSU-at Washington, UL Lafayette, Tulane, Louisiana Tech
11-Penn St-Akron, Syracuse, Temple, Eastern Illinois