There's a lot of hand-wringing over Clemson's schedule this year. Their strength of schedule numbers are, to be kind, not good. But are they really all that much different from the other schools?
Let's take a quick look at the out-of-conference schedules for the top teams.
1. Ohio State
Florida Atlantic - Cincinnati - Miami (OH)
I've a feeling this is going to be one of the better OOC schedules you see at the top, but this is mostly because FAU and Cincinnati ended up at the top of their respective Group of 5 conferences.
2. LSU
Georgia State - Texas - Northwestern State - Utah State
To be fair, the Texas game a few years back, when this was scheduled, was probably expected to be a sterner test. Utah State as well. But FCS member Northwestern State follows the great tradition of SEC teams getting that cupcake week in. (more on that later)
3. Clemson
Texas A&M - Charlotte - Wofford - South Carolina
Much maligned, this OOC schedule, omitting FCS Wofford, is actually not THAT bad. You would have thought the Aggies and the Cocks would be better. It's not Clemson's fault the rest of their conference sucks.
4. Georgia
Murray Sate - Arkansas State - Notre Dame - Georgia Tech
Kudos for playing Notre Dame and, yes, they have the traditional SEC cupcake game in there in Murray State, but Arkansas State is a decent game and Georgia Tech is their in-state rival.
5. Utah
BYU - Northern Illinois - Idaho State
BYU is the Holy War, so they almost have to play that one. UNI has been pretty good up until this year so that's on OK game. Idaho State is the one that's the head-scratcher.
6. Oklahoma
Houston - South Dakota - UCLA
Outside of South Dakota this probably looked to be a tough OOC schedule a few years ago when it was made. I'm still not a fan of power teams scheduling the FCS (again, more on that later) but I understand why it happens.
7. Baylor
Stephen F. Austin - UT - San Antonio - Rice
This is truly pathetic, and the main reason the Bears are getting little respect this year. Granted, these schedules were made years in advance so hopefully Baylor stops following the Art Briles' recipe for scheduling in the coming years.
8. Florida
Miami (FL) - Tennessee Martin - Towson - Florida State
In-state rivalry games always make their schedule tougher, but there's no excuse for a top 10 team to be playing TWO FCS opponents every year.
9. Alabama
Duke - NM State - Southern Miss - WCU
Duke has been better of late than they were this year, but Southern Miss and NM State have been awful. There's no excuse for Bama playing WCU in any year.
10. Auburn
Oregon - Tulane - Kent State - Samford
Kudos for playing Oregon, and Tulane and Kent State were decent, although not good, Group of Five teams this year, but Samford?
Of course, (and here's the "more on that later" bit) the SEC always points to the need to play a cupcake FCS team because of the "Grind of the SEC Season". The problem with that logic, over the last few years, is that playing against many of the mid-to-lower tier SEC teams hasn't been that much of a grind at all. Outside of the top 4, many of whom do not play each other every year, the SEC is relatively weak, something that's played out during the regular season and in bowl season.
You can blame Clemson for Charlotte and Wofford, but not for the rest of their OOC schedule which, at the time of booking, probably looked to be pretty difficult. Nor can you blame them for the collapse of the ACC this year. You HAVE to play your conference games after all, you don't get to set that schedule.
