Alabama’s schedule will help Nick Saban get a crack at another crystal football. (Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
Not all schedules are created equally. Due to the combination of non-conference games set far in advance and the quirks of conference draws from year to year, some championship contenders have easier paths to Pasadena and the BCS title game than others. This isn’t about the hardest overall schedules (we see you and empathize, Cal and Arkansas), but only those belonging to teams pegged as championship contenders at this point in the preseason.
So, which teams have their work cut out for them and which have an easier walk to the title? Let’s take a look at five from each category.
Five contenders whose schedules help
Alabama – Not that the two-time defending champs need a lot of help, but they’re getting it this fall. Yes, the trip to Texas A&M, the home game against LSU and the potential SEC championship opponent will all be tough, but after that, the next hardest game is either hosting Ole Miss or the neutral site opener against Virginia Tech, both teams that went 7-6 last year. The Tide’s good fortune comes from the fact they miss Florida, Georgia and South Carolina out of the East (until the title game, at least) and two of their rivals (Auburn and Tennessee) are breaking in new coaches.
Oregon – Much like the Tide, the Ducks have one imposing road test against the only team that beat them last year, theirs being a Thursday night game at Stanford. Their non-conference schedule of Virginia and Tennessee might be imposing in a couple years, but both the Cavaliers and Vols would be happy to just make a bowl in 2013. Oregon also misses Arizona State and USC out of the Pac-12 South, and while you can laugh at Lane Kiffin all you want, the Trojans did win in Autzen in 2011. The Ducks do have to face UCLA and Oregon State at home and must travel to rival Washington in addition to a potential Pac-12 title game against one of the Arizona or Los Angeles schools, but overall, rookie Mark Helfrich will take this slate.
Texas A&M – For those predicting (or just wishing) doom and gloom on Johnny Manziel this season, look at the schedule and ask yourself: Where are the losses coming from? Yes, you’ve got the home game with Alabama and a trip to Baton Rouge, but when the third toughest game on your schedule is at Ole Miss, that’s not bad. The Aggies get lucky with their draw from the SEC East (they play Vanderbilt and Missouri, missing Florida, South Carolina and Georgia) and their non-conference is not particularly imposing, to put it kindly (Rice, Sam Houston State, SMU, UTEP). Upset Bama and even with a loss at LSU I think the Aggies would be playing in the SEC Championship for a trip to Pasadena.
Ohio State – The Buckeyes have two tricky road trips in the conference, having to travel to Northwestern and Michigan, but other than that? 13-0 seems very attainable. They miss Nebraska and Michigan State out of the Legends division, their “marquee” non-conference game against California doesn’t look as good as it did when it was scheduled and the rest of the Big Ten is so blah that it’s difficult to pick a loss out. They would have to play Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska or Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game, but compared to some overall schedules, theirs just isn’t that tough.
Continue Reading: Which championship contenders have the easiest, hardest schedules? (Dr. Saturday)
