1 Texas North Texas BYU UCLA (Arlington) 35.3
2 SMU at Baylor at North Texas Texas A&M TCU 35.5
3 Iowa State North Dakota State at Iowa Toledo 39
4 West Virginia Alabama (Atlanta) Towson at Maryland 47.3
5 USC Fresno State at Boston College Notre Dame 48.7
6 Wyoming Montana at Oregon Florida Atlantic at Michigan State 51.3
7 South Alabama at Kent State Mississippi State at South Carolina Navy 53.8
8 Hawaii Washington Oregon State Northern Iowa at Colorado at Rice 55.4
9 UMass Boston College Colorado at Vanderbilt at Penn State 56.8
10 UL-Monroe Wake Forest at LSU at Kentucky at Texas A&M 56.8
11 UTSA at Houston Arizona at Oklahoma State New Mexico 58.3
12 Toledo New Hampshire Missouri at Cincinnati at Iowa State 58.8
13 Missouri South Dakota St at Toledo UCF Indiana 61
14 Oklahoma State Florida State (Arlington) Missouri State UTSA 64
15 Florida State Oklahoma State (Arlington) The Citadel Notre Dame Florida 65.5
16 Tulane Georgia Tech SE Louisiana at Duke at Rutgers 65.8
17 Boise State Ole Miss (Atlanta) at UConn UL-Lafayette BYU 66
18 Fresno State at USC at Utah Nebraska Southern Utah 66
19 Louisiana Tech at Oklahoma at UL-Lafayette Northwestern State at Auburn 67.5
20 Nevada Southern Utah Washington State at Arizona at BYU 67.5
21 North Carolina Liberty San Diego State at East Carolina at Notre Dame 69.5
22 Minnesota Eastern Illinois Middle Tennessee at TCU San Jose State 69.8
23 Ohio State Navy Virginia Tech Kent State Cincinnati 71
24 Tennessee Utah State Arkansas State at Oklahoma UT-Chattanooga 72
25 Iowa Northern Iowa Ball State Iowa State at Pittsburgh 72.5
26 Virginia UCLA Richmond at BYU Kent State 73
27 Arkansas State Montana State at Tennessee at Miami (FL) Utah State 76.5
28 Indiana Indiana State at Bowling Green at Missouri North Texas 76.8
29 South Carolina East Carolina Furman South Alabama Clemson 76.8
30 Florida Atlantic at Nebraska at Alabama Tulsa at Wyoming 76.8
31 Tulsa Oklahoma at Florida Atlantic Texas State at Colorado State 78
32 East Carolina NC Central at South Carolina at Virginia Tech North Carolina 78.5
33 Nebraska Florida Atlantic McNeese State at Fresno State Miami (Fla) 78.8
34 UCF Penn State (Ireland) at Missouri BYU Florida Atlantic 78.8
35 Miami (OH) Marshall Eastern Kentucky at Michigan at Cincinnati 79
36 Western Kentucky Bowling Green at Illinois at Navy Army 80.3
37 Syracuse Villanova at Central Michigan Maryland Notre Dame 82
38 UCLA at Virginia Memphis Texas (Arlington) 82
39 Rice at Notre Dame at Texas A&M Hawaii at Army 83
40 Georgia Clemson Troy Charleston Southern Georgia Tech 83.8
41 San Jose State North Dakota at Auburn at Minnesota at Navy 84.5
42 Illinois Youngstown State Western Kentucky at Washington Texas State 86.5
43 Georgia State Abilene Christian Air Force at Washington at Clemson 87.8
44 UNLV at Arizona Northern Colorado Northern Illinois at BYU 88
45 Virginia Tech William & Mary at Ohio State ECU Western Michigan 89
46 Wisconsin LSU (Houston) Western Illinois Bowling Green USF 89
47 Temple at Vanderbilt Navy at Penn State Delaware State 89
48 Cincinnati Toledo Miami (OH) at Ohio State at Miami (FL) 89.3
49 Northwestern Cal NIU Western Illinois at Notre Dame 91
50 Kent State South Alabama at Ohio State at Virginia Army 91.2
51 Arizona UNLV at UTSA Nevada 92.3
52 Akron Howard at Penn State Marshall at Pittsburgh 92.3
53 Clemson at Georgia SC State Georgia State South Carolina 92.5
54 Cal at Northwestern Sacramento State BYU 93
55 UConn BYU Stony Brook Boise State Army (Bronx) 93.3
56 Washington at Hawaii Eastern Washington Illinois 94
57 Memphis Austin Peay at UCLA Middle Tenn at Ole Miss 94.3
58 Rutgers Washington State (Seattle) Howard at Navy Tulane 96.3
59 North Texas at Texas SMU Nicholls State at Indiana 96.8
60 UTEP at New Mexico Texas Tech New Mexico State at Kansas State 97.5
61 Bowling Green at Western Kentucky VMI Indiana at Wisconsin 98
62 Boston College at UMass USC Maine Colorado State 98.5
63 Oregon South Dakota Michigan State Wyoming 100
64 Troy at UAB Duke Abilene Christian at Georgia 100
65 Ohio at Kentucky at Marshall Idaho Eastern Illinois 100.3
66 Utah State at Tennessee Idaho State Wake Forest at Arkansas State at BYU 101
67 Maryland James Madison at USF West Virginia at Syracuse 102.5
68 Kentucky UT-Martin Ohio UL-Monroe at Louisville 102.8
69 Eastern Michigan Morgan State at Florida at Old Dominion at Michigan State 103
70 San Diego State Northern Arizona at UNC at Oregon State Idaho 103.3
71 Southern Miss at Mississippi State Alcorn State at Alabama Appalachian State 104
72 TCU Samford Minnesota at SMU 104.7
73 USF Western Carolina Maryland NC State at Wisconsin 105.5
74 Auburn San Jose State at Kansas State Louisiana Tech Samford 106.3
75 Miami Florida A&M Arkansas State at Nebraska Cincinnati 106.8
76 Utah Idaho State Fresno State at Michigan 109
77 Florida International Bethune-Cookman Wagner Pittsburgh Louisville 110
78 Georgia Tech Wofford at Tulane Georgia Southern at Georgia 110.3
79 LSU Wisconsin (Houston) Sam Houston St UL-Monroe New Mexico State 110.5
80 Middle Tennessee Savannah State at Minnesota at Memphis BYU 110.5
81 Georgia Southern at NC State Savannah State at Georgia Tech at Navy 110.8
82 Michigan State Jacksonville State at Oregon Eastern Michigan Wyoming 111.3
83 Idaho at Florida Western Michigan at Ohio at San Diego State 111.3
84 Colorado State Colorado (Denver) UC Davis at Boston College Tulsa 112
85 Arkansas Nicholls State at Texas Tech Northern Illinois UAB 112.8
86 Purdue Western Michigan Central Michigan Notre Dame (Indianapolis) Southern Illinois 114
87 Michigan Appalachian State at Notre Dame Miami (OH) Utah 115.3
88 UAB Troy at Mississippi State Alabama A&M at Arkansas 115.8
89 UL-Lafayette Southern Louisiana Tech at Ole Miss at Boise State 115.8
90 Ole Miss Boise State (Atlanta) UL-Lafayette Memphis Presbyterian 116.5
91 Penn State UCF (Ireland) Akron UMass Temple 118
92 Northern Illinois Presbyterian at Northwestern at UNLV at Arkansas 118
93 New Mexico UTEP Arizona State at New Mexico State at UTSA 118.8
94 Baylor SMU Northwestern State at Buffalo 119.3
95 Oklahoma Louisiana Tech at Tulsa Tennessee 119.3
96 Central Michigan Chattanooga at Purdue Syracuse at Kansas 119.5
97 Stanford UC Davis Army at Notre Dame 120
98 Washington State Rutgers at Nevada Portland State 120
99 Houston*
UTSA at BYU Grambling 120.7
100 New Mexico State Cal Poly at UTEP New Mexico at LSU 121
101 Texas A&M Lamar Rice at SMU at UL-Monroe 121.3
102 Oregon State Portland State at Hawaii San Diego State 122.3
103 Texas State Arkansas-Pine Bluff Navy at Illinois at Tulsa 125
104 Wake Forest at UL-Monroe Gardner-Webb at Utah State Army 126
105 Louisville Murray State at Florida International at Notre Dame Kentucky 126.5
106 Kansas SE Missouri State at Duke Central Michigan 127
107 Kansas State Stephen F. Austin Auburn UTEP 128.7
108 Colorado Colorado State (Denver) at UMass Hawaii 130.3
109 Texas Tech Central Arkansas at UTEP Arkansas 132.3
110 Pittsburgh Delaware at Florida International Iowa Akron 133.8
111 Duke Elon at Troy Kansas Tulane 134
112 Arizona State Weber State at New Mexico Notre Dame 134
113 Florida Idaho Eastern Michigan Eastern Kentucky at Florida State 135.8
114 Western Michigan at Purdue at Idaho Murray State at Virginia Tech 135.8
115 Old Dominion Hampton at NC State Eastern Michigan at Vanderbilt 140.3
116 Alabama West Virginia (Atlanta) Florida Atlantic Southern Miss Western Carolina 144.5
117 Air Force Nicholls State at Georgia State Navy at Army 146
118 Buffalo Duquesne at Army Baylor Norfolk State 147.8
119 Ball State at Iowa at Army Colgate Indiana State 148.8
120 Mississippi State Southern Miss UAB at South Alabama UT-Martin 149.3
121 Appalachian State at Michigan Campbell at Southern Miss Liberty 151.8
122 Vanderbilt Temple UMass Charleston Southern Old Dominion 153
123 NC State Georgia Southern Old Dominion at USF Presbyterian 163.8
124 Marshall at Miami (OH) Rhode Island Ohio at Akron 172.3

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football...best-worst

Steven Muma Wrote:The Thundering Herd's slate ranks dead last among all FBS schools. It's highlighted, as it were, by Miami, which finished 2013 winless, and Rhode Island, a 3-9 FCS team.

Marshall has a very legit chance to be 12-0 at the end of the WKU game on 11/28. But even if that happens, I think their OOC will keep them on the fringe of the Top 25 -- maybe #23 or 24 at best.

It is what it is.

Even by the eyeball test, I think only Mississippi State and Vanderbilt would be the only ones that look to be as equally unimpressive as Marshall.

I agree with the statement that we will likely have a glass ceiling with this schedule, but I do think it will be a bit higher because we return the core of a team that finished 29th in the polls having beaten an ACC team, and we will likely be in the others rceiving votes to start the year. I think our ceiling will be in the 16-14 range by years end.

UNT seems to be an elite program if two of the top OOC schedules in the nation have them in it.

(02-27-2014 12:23 PM)Ole Blue Wrote:  UNT seems to be an elite program if two of the top OOC schedules in the nation have them in it.

It is based on Sagarin. My assumption is that since UNT had a good season last year, the Sagarin's numbers are implying that they will be a very good opponent this year.

Just another example of why Sagarin is a joke.

I agree Sagarin is a joke.As long as people cite it we will have to attack it for its worthlessness.

(02-27-2014 11:51 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

Steven Muma Wrote:The Thundering Herd's slate ranks dead last among all FBS schools. It's highlighted, as it were, by Miami, which finished 2013 winless, and Rhode Island, a 3-9 FCS team.

Marshall has a very legit chance to be 12-0 at the end of the WKU game on 11/28. But even if that happens, I think their OOC will keep them on the fringe of the Top 25 -- maybe #23 or 24 at best.

Even at 12-0 with that schedule they won't deserve to be ranked. It ALL depends on how the rest of C-USA does next season. If Marshall beats some teams in conference that are considered "quality" wins, they will be ranked.

Did you guys hear we have an easy schedule next year?

Not often you go into a season where anything less than 12-0 regular season would be a huge disappointment but Marshall definitely is looking at that dilemma. Louisville would have made the schedule perfect because they would have a legitimate shot at beating Louisville and if they then go undefeated they are at the top of the GO5 teams being considered for the Access Bowl.

I know Marshall fans are sick of this topic but any rumors about future OOC games ? You guys have Purdue next year and Louisville in 2016 if they do not buy it out but other then those two nothing but a away game to Navy in the future.

(02-27-2014 01:56 PM)ShoreBuc Wrote:  Not often you go into a season where anything less than 12-0 regular season would be a huge disappointment but Marshall definitely is looking at that dilemma. Louisville would have made the schedule perfect because they would have a legitimate shot at beating Louisville and if they then go undefeated they are at the top of the GO5 teams being considered for the Access Bowl.

I know Marshall fans are sick of this topic but any rumors about future OOC games ? You guys have Purdue next year and Louisville in 2016 if they do not buy it out but other then those two nothing but a away game to Navy in the future.

A few weeks ago Doc mentioned a game with Auburn in the future, but no details have come out on that.

UTSA is 11 but I think our schedule is tougher than many of the teams above us.

Glad to see Rice made it onto a top 10 most difficult schedule

Has anyone brought up Marshall's cake schedule yet?

Yeah, like I have said, Marshall will be the Vegas favorite in every game.
I seriously doubt we'll be undefeated.

GS.

The double-edged sword of our schedule is that not only must we win every OOC game, but we must do it in convincing fashion. The conference schedule is what it is and we may lose one or more games there. That's up to the team. Either way we've left no room for error. For instance a double overtime loss to VaTech would not have hurt us much and might even help in 2014 if we played them again, but beating Miami by 1-3 points will sink that ship in a hurry if they lose the bulk of their games again.

We just need to be big fans of the teams we play every other week but the one we play them. Nothing we can do about it.

When we went to Louisville and won in 2011 with Cato as a freshman I knew that 2014 was setting up to be a big year. Our OCC was going to be three MAC teams plus Louisville at home, the perfect OCC to make some noise with a quality game at home and no FCS. Just a shame that Louisville had to move that game, but not a thing we can do about it.

The top of that list is silly. I understand how they came up with the numbers, but there's no way three home (or de facto home) games against North Texas, BYU, and UCLA is the toughest OOC schedule in the country. And that's not meant to be a knock on North Texas. This needs to account for road games and not factor in the Sagarin ranking of an FCS bodybag.

Iowa State at #3 with that schedule is laughable. Same for Mizzou at #13 and countless others. You could make a case for UTSA to be in top three.

WOW! We have an easy schedule next year? I didn't know that.

Our schedule in '99 was ranked something around #111. We ended up #10 in the country and were better than that.
NIU has proven as we did - win and you'll be ranked and get noticed.

That being said, I don't think we'll go undefeated. Not the way we play on the road.

Money games are great but it doesn't help when you get beat 45-14. and start 1-3 or so. jmo.