The first installment was the October schedules for the SEC teams because of how difficult many of them are. Now we go to the first month of the season and see which teams have the toughest starts to 2011.
I rank them in order because I can.
1. LSU: Oregon, Northwestern State, Mississippi State, at West Virginia. Huge opener, huge SEC opener and then to the land of the burning couches.
2. Georgia: Boise State, South Carolina, Coastal Carolina, at Ole Miss. The Doggies whole season could be defined by those first two games.
3. Alabama: Kent, at Penn State, North Texas, Arkansas. Two breathers and two beauties.
4. Mississippi State: at Memphis, at Auburn, LSU, Louisiana Tech. Those middle two games are brutal.
5. Auburn: Utah State, Mississippi State, at Clemson, FAU. Of course, you never know how good Clemson will be.
6. Ole Miss: BYU, S. Illinois, at Vanderbilt, Georgia. Every game will be tough for the Rebels.
7. South Carolina: East Carolina, at Georgia, Navy, Vanderbilt. Gamies better watch out for the Midshipmen.
8. Florida: FAU, UAB, Tennessee, at Kentucky. Meat of Gators’ schedule is later in season.
9. Kentucky: Western Kentucky, Central Michigan, Louisville, Florida. Schedule gets harder gradually, eh?
10. Vanderbilt: Elon, UConn, Ole Miss, South Carolina. Do you smell a 1-3 start?
11. Arkansas: Missouri State, New Mexico, Troy, at Alabama. Easy, easy, easy, bam!
12. Tennessee: North Texas, Cincinnati, at Florida, Buffalo. If those were the Bills it would rank higher. But not much.
This must be Pat’s way of trying to break the monotony of a slow sports news day. At least it was interesting.
Look at: LSU/Oregon, Georgia/Boise State, Alabama/Penn State, Auburn/Clemson, Ole Miss/BYU, and even Tennesse/Cincinnati, and it’s enough to make you sick that Florida is stuck playing pansies the first two games of EVERY SEASON. If it’s not UAB, it’s Miami Ohio, or Charleston Southern and Troy, or Western Kentucky, then Troy. This is because we have to play Georgia in Jacksonville every year, rather than have the opportunity to play a quality opponent, on a home and home basis, every other year when Georgia would be an away game!
When there was an 11 game season the Gators had a good argument tht they could not go home and home with an additional big-time school. Georgia proves it can be done (and they do it) with a 12 game schedule.
However, the revenue produced by the extra home game every year is one of the reasons we have a top sports program. It is about the money.
We do not always play pansies the first 2 games of the year. I think we have played USF and Miami early in the season during the 2000’s. Additionally, I think we should offer to play Boise State or TCU on a one game contract in Gainsville to see if they are really serious about their ” anybody,any place, any time” bravado.
I would place both Kentucky’s and Vanderbilt’s september schedules ahead of Florida’s.
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IGTBAG!
Ciao
PS: @chris: We played USF in our second game last season (and UMiami in the 2nd in ’08).
PPS: If Boise State spanks Georgia, watch how long it takes the dogs (not Dawgs!) to “backslide” from their own bravado! [still, I always root for SEC teams in non-conference games].
no matter what they say, big time college ball is about big time $$$$.
this “anyone,anywhere,anytime”talk always comes from some program that
simply is not “there yet”… but man I sure miss football the most during this
time of year.. cant we start an SEC flag football summer league ?
Gary, you do know that the Gators play FSU every year at the end of the season??? Very rarely do those other teams you list play such a quality non-conference opponent as the Seminoles late in the season (Georgia plays Georgia Tech, but they’re not close to FSU in the big picture). Personally, I’m glad the Gators play their tough non-conference game at the end of the year, when both teams are at their peak, often with significant BCS implications for at least one of the teams. Go Gators!
None of the schools you referenced have an ongoing homr and home series with a team of FSU’s caliber.
Although I agree that it would be nice to see us play an additional top team each year, our schedule is tough enough. Maybe you should convince Florida to end the series with FSU.
The reality is Florida needs seven homes games to pay the bills associated with one the very best total athletic programs.
Just gotta ask, “When does that magic plzy from our first string quarterback start now that the “comfortable” pro set is in place. I will not be able to stand another year of hot potatoe blame in fixing an inept offense ( quarterback play, line play, goofed assignments, receivers running the wrong way ). Please, please fix this now!! Does there have to be a golden child at any position (or is it really pewter with gold plating )?