Good afternoon, Conference USA Universe! Watched a brief segment of a sports program talking about which teams by conference, have the toughest & or weakest regular season schedules, ITO, of course.

I'd like to get your opinions as it relates to our favorite Conference, we know how tough the games are in Conference USA play when we play one another, but overall, which team has, IYO, the toughest and weakest football schedule going into the 2014 season? I'm looking at printed copies of every C-USA team, and will submit my offering later on this evening. Thank you for your feedback, and good luck to whoever you're rooting for (until you play UAB, of course! )...

Looks to me that Marshall has the easiest schedule. Southern Miss is as tough as usual with SEC's Bama, and MSU on the docket.

Thank you, "Colonel"...Sure is shaping up to look like Southern Miss having the most brutal schedule in the conference. Save for maybe the Alcorn State game, none of their matchups are pushovers...Looks like they're trying to get back to what they were before they were infected by the "Ellis Johnson Virus." With all due respect, I wouldn't go to sleep on Marshall's games with the MAC teams, especially the Ohio matchup, the last couple of years, that game's come down to the wire both times. I would also like to think that under HC Terry Bowden, Akron's ready to bust out of L Seven by now.

I will go with Marshall for the weakest schedule, but UTSA gets my vote for the toughest playing Houston, Oklahoma State and Arizona.

(08-21-2014 04:23 PM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  I admit to not checking all the schedules, but if anybody has a tougher schedule than UTSA (Houston, Oklahoma State and Arizona), please let me know who it is.

Damn! All 3 of them back to back? Man, that is tough! Southern Miss does have a bit of a break with Alcorn State but between them is "Moo-U" & Alabama, and that in itself, even though I absolutely loathe the former, that is a hell of a road to travel, "Beep-Beep - U" is at home for at least one of their 3 epic battles, the Arizona game, and I give them a fighting chance with that one for sure. Southern Miss has to go into the "Land Of The Cowbells" (Starkville) as well "Nicktoon territory" (Tuscaloosa), I don't like their chances, but I would just if they upset the crimson blight on their home field. 2 of Rice's first 3 games are against Notre Dame and Texas A&M, both on the road as well.

I did this a couple months ago ...forgot ODU.....

I used last years record of the teams you play this year. Which doesn't mean much because it's easy to have a 2 to 3 game swing in college football from year to year

(08-21-2014 05:12 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  I did this a couple months ago ...forgot ODU.....

I used last years record of the teams you play this year. Which doesn't mean much because it's easy to have a 2 to 3 game swing in college football from year to year

And ODU plays NC State, Vanderbilt, Rice, Marshall, MTSU, WKU as its toughest games. UTep, NTex and FAU in the tough but not toughest bracket and Hampton, EMichigan, FIU and LaTech in the "I think we can win" category.

We (Tech) play two top five teams plus the projected winner of the Sun Belt. That sounds like a tough schedule.
Oklahoma, Auburn, ULL

(08-21-2014 04:41 PM)Matrix Wrote:  2 of Rice's first 3 games are against Notre Dame and Texas A&M, both on the road as well.

It's actually our first two, with "bye" between the trip to South Bend and the trip to College Station. I don't see either the Irish or the Aggies as Top 20 this year, but it is hard to sneak by a really good opponent on the road.

(08-21-2014 05:12 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  I did this a couple months ago ...forgot ODU.....

I used last years record of the teams you play this year. Which doesn't mean much because it's easy to have a 2 to 3 game swing in college football from year to year

Admittedly I don't know much about this topic, so I ask is the higher overall rating good or bad? A better way to ask: Does the higher rating(s) translate into a tougher schedule?

Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App

(08-21-2014 08:00 PM)ENCPir87769 Wrote:  

(08-21-2014 05:12 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  I did this a couple months ago ...forgot ODU.....

I used last years record of the teams you play this year. Which doesn't mean much because it's easy to have a 2 to 3 game swing in college football from year to year

Admittedly I don't know much about this topic, so I ask is the higher overall rating good or bad? A better way to ask: Does the higher rating(s) translate into a tougher schedule?

Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App

It's not a rating just the combine W/L overall and conference games. So if you assume a team that was good last year...or bad will be that way this year...

the higher number of wins by your opponents would mean a tougher schedule ...except where FCS are involved.

Going by that I would say Tech & S. Miss would have the toughest overall schedules with FAU 3RD

LA Tech has OU, Auburn and ULL all on the road. Throw in UTSA, North Texas and Rice and I would say we have the toughest out of anybody.

(08-21-2014 06:05 PM)BuzDawg73 Wrote:  We (Tech) play two top five teams plus the projected winner of the Sun Belt. That sounds like a tough schedule.
Oklahoma, Auburn, ULL

Agreed. Not very many teams in our conference have a picnic schedule, when they start clashing in conference play, the cream's gonna rise to the top based on how they fare with their OOC opponents, esp. the matchups with the so-called "Power 5"...Which conference did East Carolina join, by the way? I'm gonna miss jawing with their fans now that they've moved on...Love seeing the Sun Belt teams ascend into a more competitiive bunch, as well.

Looks as if a lot of love for this topic has been heaped on: Louisiana Tech, UTSA, & Southern Miss. The Hilltoppers are tossing their names into the hat on this also. Love the spirit being shown here, thank you all for wading in thus far.

(08-21-2014 04:29 PM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  I will go with Marshall for the weakest schedule, but UTSA gets my vote for the toughest playing Houston, Oklahoma State and Arizona.

I'd say FAU's OOC is way tougher than that

Alabama
Nebraska
Tulsa
Wyoming

(08-22-2014 08:26 AM)Ragu Wrote:  

(08-21-2014 04:29 PM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  I will go with Marshall for the weakest schedule, but UTSA gets my vote for the toughest playing Houston, Oklahoma State and Arizona.

I'd say FAU's OOC is way tougher than that

Alabama
Georgia
Tulsa
Wyoming

I certainly will not argue with you. That is a tough OOC schedule.

(08-21-2014 05:19 PM)monarx Wrote:  And ODU plays NC State, Vanderbilt, Rice, Marshall, MTSU, WKU as its toughest games. UTep, NTex and FAU in the tough but not toughest bracket and Hampton, EMichigan, FIU and LaTech in the "I think we can win" category.

I agree with your overall take on the Monarchs' schedule except that ODU does not play UNT this year.

Marshall obviously has the easiest schedule, no need to further point that out.

As for hardest, LaTech, USM, UTSA, and FAU all are up there.

(08-22-2014 08:26 AM)Ragu Wrote:  

(08-21-2014 04:29 PM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  I will go with Marshall for the weakest schedule, but UTSA gets my vote for the toughest playing Houston, Oklahoma State and Arizona.

I'd say FAU's OOC is way tougher than that

Alabama
Georgia
Tulsa
Wyoming

Isn't Tulsa still in the Conference? If not, which conference are they in now? Big 12 would be a perfect fit for them, I hope it's not the "Big East" again.

(08-23-2014 01:29 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 08:26 AM)Ragu Wrote:  

(08-21-2014 04:29 PM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  I will go with Marshall for the weakest schedule, but UTSA gets my vote for the toughest playing Houston, Oklahoma State and Arizona.

I'd say FAU's OOC is way tougher than that

Alabama
Georgia
Tulsa
Wyoming

Isn't Tulsa still in the Conference? If not, which conference are they in now? Big 12 would be a perfect fit for them, I hope it's not the "Big East" again.

Tulsa is in the AAC now.

I did make a mistake though. It is Nebraska instead of Georgia this season. I edited my post.