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| Scheduling Charleston Southern? Gotta sell tickets somehow! |
Michigan State has a decent schedule overall, fourth toughest in the Big Ten, scheduling against an average opponent rank of 59.5 The matchups against CMU and EMU are gimme-victories; but, bulking up against Boise State and ND make up for scheduling these other sins. The braggadocios down the road scheduled defending national champ 'Bama, giving them the toughest schedule.
Ranking schedules by team, and legends (L) have 5 of the 6 most difficult schedules in the Big Ten heading into 2012.
1. Michigan 54.3 L
2. Nebraska 55.6 L
3. Penn St. 58.6
4. Mich St. 59.5 L
5. Minnesota 60.3 L
6. Iowa 62.0 L
7. Ohio St. 62.6
8. Indiana 63.9
9. Northwestern 63.1
10. Purdue 66.7
11. Wisconsin 66.8
12. Illinois 70.8
WIMPY ILLINOIS GETS THE CUPCAKE NOD: Looking at Sagarin, the ES is most offended by Illinois, scheduling woeful Charleston Southern in week three. The Buccaneers sported a lovely 0-11 record last year as a member of the Big South. Their schedule is anything but a strength, a conference-worst 70.8 average.
SOME DANDY MATCHUPS: The best non-conference matchups for 2012 jumped right out. Get tickets to these games. These were placed in order by looking at the difference in Sagarin ratings between the football teams.
1. Nebraska (25) vs S Miss (24). -1.
2. MSU (18) vs ND (26). +8.
3. MSU (18) vs Boise St (9). -9.
4. Mich (11) vs Alabama (1). -10.
5. Ohio St (49) vs Cal (38). -11.
6. Mich (11) at ND (26). +15.
7. Purdue (65) at ND (26). -39.
PATHETIC CUPCAKE SCHEDULING ABOUNDS. The most pathetic non-conference matchups for 2012 were determined by looking at the difference in Sagarin ratings between the football teams. Each of these institutions should be ashamed for scheduling down to such low levels.
1. Illinois (55) vs Charleston Southern (237). +182.
2. Nebraska (25) vs Idaho St (205). +180.
3. Mich (11) vs UMass (150). +139.
4. MSU (18) at CMU (137). +119.
5. Ohio St (49) vs UAB (152). +103
6-t. Purdue (65) vs E. Kentucky (153). +88.
6-t. Iowa (45) vs CMU (137). + 88.
8. Minn (88) at UNLV (155). +67.
PLAYING WAY DOWN TO ANOTHER LEVEL: Notably, there are eight games against Division I-FCS institutions in the Big Ten this fall: Northern Iowa (#75) is lucky to schedule two Big Ten teams, vs Iowa and vs Wisconsin, New Hampshire (#120) vs Minnesota, Idaho State (#205) vs Nebraska; South Dakota (#130) vs Northwestern; Charleston Southern (#237) vs Illinois; Indiana State (#117) vs Indiana; and, Eastern Kentucky (#153) vs Purdue.
FULL SCHEDULE STRENGTH LISTING: Below, here are the schedules for each of the teams in the big ten, and their final Sagarin ranking from 2011 next to the name of each team, followed by the schedule strength (SS) average.
-----LEGENDS-----
IOWA (#45, SS# 62.0)
1-Sep vs N Ill 47
8-Sep Iowa St 53
15-Sep N Iowa 75
22-Sep CMU 137
29-Sep Minn 88
6-Oct
13-Oct at MSU 18
20-Oct Penn St 28
27-Oct at NW 58
3-Nov at Ind 139
10-Nov Pur 65
17-Nov at Mich 11
24-Nov Neb 25
MICH (#11, SS# 54.3)
1-Sep vs Alabama 1
8-Sep Air Force 72
15-Sep Umass 150
22-Sep at ND 26
29-Sep
6-Oct at Purdue 65
13-Oct Ill 55
20-Oct MSU 18
27-Oct at Neb 25
3-Nov at Minn 88
10-Nov NW 58
17-Nov Iowa 45
24-Nov at Oh St 49
MICH STATE (#18, SS# 59.5)
1-Sep Boise St 9
8-Sep at CMU 137
15-Sep ND 26
22-Sep EMU 119
29-Sep Oh St 49
6-Oct at Ind 139
13-Oct Iowa 45
20-Oct at Mich 11
27-Oct at Wis 8
3-Nov Neb 25
10-Nov
17-Nov NW 58
24-Nov at Minn 88
MINN (#88, SS# 60.3)
1-Sep at UNLV 155
8-Sep New Hampshire 120
15-Sep WMU 78
22-Sep Syr 86
29-Sep at Iowa 45
6-Oct
13-Oct NW 58
20-Oct at Wisc 8
27-Oct Purdue 65
3-Nov Mich 11
10-Nov at ill 55
17-Nov at Neb 25
24-Nov MSU 18
NEBRASKA (#25, SS# 55.6)
1-Sep S Miss 24
8-Sep at UCLA 66
15-Sep Ark St 67
22-Sep Idaho St 205
29-Sep Wisc 8
6-Oct at Oh St 49
13-Oct
20-Oct at NW 58
27-Oct Mich 11
3-Nov at MSU 18
10-Nov Penn St 28
17-Nov Minn 88
24-Nov at Iowa 45
NORTHWESTERN (#58, SS# 63.1)
1-Sep at Syracuse 86
8-Sep Vandy 42
15-Sep BC 90
22-Sep S Dakota 130
29-Sep Indiana 139
6-Oct at Penn St 28
13-Oct at Minn 88
20-Oct Neb 25
27-Oct Iowa 45
3-Nov
10-Nov at Mich 11
17-Nov at MSU 18
24-Nov Illinois 55
-----LEADERS-----
ILLINOIS (#55, SS# 70.8)
1-Sep WMU 78
8-Sep at Ariz St 41
15-Sep Char Southern 237
22-Sep La Tech 48
29-Sep Penn St 28
6-Oct at Wisc 8
13-Oct at Mich 11
20-Oct
27-Oct Indiana 139
3-Nov at Oh St 49
10-Nov Minn 88
17-Nov Purdue 65
24-Nov at NW 58
INDIANA (#139, SS# 63.9)
1-Sep Ind St 117
8-Sep at Umass 150
15-Sep Ball St 100
22-Sep
29-Sep at NW 58
6-Oct MSU 18
13-Oct Oh St 49
20-Oct at Navy 74
27-Oct at Ill 55
3-Nov Iowa 45
10-Nov Wisc 8
17-Nov at Penn St 28
24-Nov at Pur 65
OHIO ST (#49, SS# 62.6)
1-Sep Miami OH 98
8-Sep C Fla 77
15-Sep Cal 38
22-Sep UAB 152
29-Sep at MSU 18
6-Oct Neb
13-Oct at Ind 139
20-Oct Pur 65
27-Oct at Penn St 28
3-Nov Ill 55
10-Nov
17-Nov at Wisc 8
24-Nov Mich 11
PENN ST (#28, SS# 58.6)
1-Sep Ohio 68
8-Sep at Va 71
15-Sep Navy 74
22-Sep Temple 46
29-Sep at Ill 55
6-Oct NW 58
13-Oct
20-Oct at Iowa 45
27-Oct Oh St 49
3-Nov at Pur 65
10-Nov at Neb 25
17-Nov Ind 139
24-Nov Wisc 8
PURDUE (#65, SS# 66.7)
1-Sep E Ky 153
8-Sep at ND 26
15-Sep EMU 119
22-Sep
29-Sep Marshall 79
6-Oct Mich 11
13-Oct Wisc 8
20-Oct at OSU 49
27-Oct at Minn 88
3-Nov Penn St 28
10-Nov at Iowa 45
17-Nov at Ill 55
24-Nov Ind 139
WISCONSIN (#8, SS# 66.8)
1-Sep N Iowa 75
8-Sep at Oreg St 87
15-Sep Utah St 80
22-Sep UTEP 92
29-Sep at Neb 25
6-Oct Ill 55
13-Oct at Pur 65
20-Oct Minn 88
27-Oct MSU 18
3-Nov
10-Nov at Ind 139
17-Nov Oh St 49
24-Nov at Penn St 28
