http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/vie...p?t=422378

They've got Pittsburgh ranked as the toughest schedule in The BEast? How tough does Bowling Green, Buffalo, Iowa, @Navy, @Notre Dame sound to you? Frankly, one game against Auburn is tougher than Pitt's entire slate. The fact that they don't play any Division 1AA schools is irrelevant. The only school of real substance they play OOC is Iowa. The rest should present no problem - including ND.

It's the "they're playing Notre Dame so it must be tough" syndrome. I actually think West Virginia has the toughest schedule. Auburn was a Top 20 team last year, Colorado is improved and WVU has to go to Boulder to play them. East Carolina is very good, an 8 win team coming off a bowl win against a Top 25 team. And WVU plays them in Carolina.

CatsClaw Wrote:It's the "they're playing Notre Dame so it must be tough" syndrome.

No sh!t. I love the national media. Don't you?

The top 13 teams in the FCS are better than the 13 teams in the MAC. Last year's MAC Champion Central Michigan got pounded 44-14 by a FCS team (North Dakota St.) that wasn't even in the FCS playoffs. Sagarin had last year's Villanova team (which barely missed the playoffs) ranked ahead of Bowling Green, Buffalo, Akron, and Marshall and just a little bit behind Notre Dame.

Syracuse has the toughest OOC schedule

I'd stack up WVU opponents ECU, Colorado, and Auburn against anyone on Syracuse's OOC schedule. The only team of substance on it is Penn State, and possibly Akron. Notre Dame isn't going to bounce back like they think, and Northwestern and Northeastern would present no problem to a good team. What kind of problem they present to the Orange remains to be seen.

However, if you're talking about schedules, and how they relate to the talent your team has, then yes, Syracuse has the toughest schedule. Otherwise, if you're talking about the talent on the teams you play, they don't.

LastMinuteman Wrote:Last year's MAC Champion Central Michigan got pounded 44-14 by a FCS team (North Dakota St.) that wasn't even in the FCS playoffs.

I believe they weren't in the FCS playoffs because they weren't eligible. Closer inspection would remind people that they were ranked #2 in the FCS polls prior to the playoffs.

NDST also beat Minnesota, 29-24.

Central Michigan could've beaten Minnesota last year. The Gophers were pretty bad, even for Big Tin standards.

mattsarz Wrote:

LastMinuteman Wrote:Last year's MAC Champion Central Michigan got pounded 44-14 by a FCS team (North Dakota St.) that wasn't even in the FCS playoffs.

I believe they weren't in the FCS playoffs because they weren't eligible. Closer inspection would remind people that they were ranked #2 in the FCS polls prior to the playoffs.

They weren't eligible because they recently moved up from Division II. Good team though, obviously. The point is, the top 10 FCS playoff teams plus North Dakota State went 7-4 against the FBS, all road games, including 3 wins over bowl teams. When evaluating strength of schedule, it makes a big difference which FCS teams you're talking about. Could be some non-scholarship outfit with a 1500 seat stadium, could be a full scholarship program with a bunch of FBS transfers. There's a broader range in the FCS than there is in the FBS, which is part of why that division may disappear or be further sub-divided someday soon.

UC also plays at Hawaii.

bearcatfan Wrote:UC also plays at Hawaii.

We need to lay a major $%^#$-whuppin on the Warriors down there for what happened last time. Go Cats!

PS: I hope the team gets to wear bulletproof vests and riot gear......