CBS: Power Five teams with the easiest 2015 schedules (#5. TCU, #3 wisc, #1. Iowa)

[BleedGopher]

per CBS:

5. TCU: Don't worry, I was a little surprised too, and this is where I feel the need to remind you that none of these schedules are extremely easy, as we're dealing with Power Five conference schedules. That being said, the overall 2014 win percentage of the teams on TCU's schedule is 48.7 percent. Also, while the last two games on the schedule are going to be especially difficult (at Oklahoma, versus Baylor on a short week), everything before that is relatively manageable. The most difficult road game outside Oklahoma is either Minnesota or Oklahoma State. Both of those teams are formidable, but neither is daunting. Plus, aside from the Minnesota game to start the season, the rest of the non-conference schedule is Stephen F. Austin and SMU.

3. Wisconsin: We move north to Madison and Big Ten country. The Badgers have a very difficult start to the season as they'll face Alabama in the season-opener, but after that things get a lot less strenuous. Now, things remain somewhat difficult as Wisconsin's two biggest challengers in the West Division (Nebraska and Minnesota) will both be road games for the Badgers. But Wisconsin also catches a break in its cross-divisional scheduling. While Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan and Penn State all reside in the East, the two teams from the East the Badgers will face this season are Maryland and Rutgers. Finally, outside Alabama, the rest of the nonconference slate consists of Miami (Ohio), Troy and Hawaii -- three teams that are very familiar with my Bottom 25 rankings.

1. Iowa: And we return to the Big Ten West where we find the Hawkeyes of Iowa sitting pretty. We'll start with the bad news, as Iowa has to play both Wisconsin and Nebraska on the road, which is a large obstacle en route to a possible division title. Outside of those two games, though, it's not bad at all. The nonconference schedule consists of Illinois State (which was a tough FCS team last year), Pitt, North Texas and a road game against hated Iowa State. In conference play, the Hawkeyes draw both Indiana and Maryland from the East; like Wisconsin, they avoid any of the Big Ten's better half's heavy hitters. Outside the Nebraska and Wisconsin games, the toughest road test is either Northwestern or Iowa State. The most difficult home game is either Pitt or Minnesota. If Iowa has another 7-6 season it won't have any excuse for it.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...e-power-five-teams-with-the-easiest-schedules

Go Gophers!!

 

[matt]

Having done little research, I'm surprised Baylor isn't on that list.

 

[gopher56]

Having done little research, I'm surprised Baylor isn't on that list.

Wasn't that everyone's argument to have TCU ranked above Baylor last year (even though TCU lost to Baylor in a crazy game) because TCU played MN, which was by far either TCU's or Baylors hardest OOC game? I can't 100% remember.

I still can't believe WI somehow misses out on OSU, MI, and PENN.

Edit. Forgot to add MSU too.

 

[MaxyJR1]

per CBS:

5. TCU: Don't worry, I was a little surprised too, and this is where I feel the need to remind you that none of these schedules are extremely easy, as we're dealing with Power Five conference schedules. That being said, the overall 2014 win percentage of the teams on TCU's schedule is 48.7 percent. Also, while the last two games on the schedule are going to be especially difficult (at Oklahoma, versus Baylor on a short week), everything before that is relatively manageable. The most difficult road game outside Oklahoma is either Minnesota or Oklahoma State. Both of those teams are formidable, but neither is daunting. Plus, aside from the Minnesota game to start the season, the rest of the non-conference schedule is Stephen F. Austin and SMU.

3. Wisconsin: We move north to Madison and Big Ten country. The Badgers have a very difficult start to the season as they'll face Alabama in the season-opener, but after that things get a lot less strenuous. Now, things remain somewhat difficult as Wisconsin's two biggest challengers in the West Division (Nebraska and Minnesota) will both be road games for the Badgers. But Wisconsin also catches a break in its cross-divisional scheduling. While Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan and Penn State all reside in the East, the two teams from the East the Badgers will face this season are Maryland and Rutgers. Finally, outside Alabama, the rest of the nonconference slate consists of Miami (Ohio), Troy and Hawaii -- three teams that are very familiar with my Bottom 25 rankings.

1. Iowa: And we return to the Big Ten West where we find the Hawkeyes of Iowa sitting pretty. We'll start with the bad news, as Iowa has to play both Wisconsin and Nebraska on the road, which is a large obstacle en route to a possible division title. Outside of those two games, though, it's not bad at all. The nonconference schedule consists of Illinois State (which was a tough FCS team last year), Pitt, North Texas and a road game against hated Iowa State. In conference play, the Hawkeyes draw both Indiana and Maryland from the East; like Wisconsin, they avoid any of the Big Ten's better half's heavy hitters. Outside the Nebraska and Wisconsin games, the toughest road test is either Northwestern or Iowa State. The most difficult home game is either Pitt or Minnesota. If Iowa has another 7-6 season it won't have any excuse for it.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...e-power-five-teams-with-the-easiest-schedules

Go Gophers!!

This is dumb. Really, Iowa has the easiest schedule by playing two power 5 conference teams in non-conference and going on the road to two of it's biggest rivals Nebraska and Wisconsin? Wisconsin plays Alabama and goes on the road to MN and Nebraska. I think he could have found better candidates.

 

[gopher56]

There is a living social deal for Gophers-TCU ticktes: https://www.livingsocial.com/events/1494110-university-of-minnesota-football-game-ticket?pos=0

 

[Cayman]

This is dumb. Really, Iowa has the easiest schedule by playing two power 5 conference teams in non-conference and going on the road to two of it's biggest rivals Nebraska and Wisconsin? Wisconsin plays Alabama and goes on the road to MN and Nebraska. I think he could have found better candidates.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/feiplus

In 2014 F/+ rankings, Iowa State is behind every Big Ten team, and the 4th worst team in Power 5, ahead of only Kansas, Wake Forest, and Vanderbilt. They were also behind a handful of MAC and Sun Belt teams. Probably a little better than your average non-conference patsy, but not by a ton. Maybe the level of an above-average MAC team.

Pitt seems decent, though obviously not on the level of Wisconsin's matchup with Alabama.

As for conference schedule, the Big Ten West isn't a very strong division. We only have one team ranked in the preseason coaches' poll, for whatever that's worth, in Wisconsin at #18. And I'm not sure something like this takes home/road splits into account for strength of schedule purposes. While they do play both Wisconsin and Nebraska on the road, they also get Maryland, Illinois, and Purdue at home. I'd guess that the people who wrote this article looked at Iowa's schedule and saw that they play in a weak division with no great teams, and they get a friendly crossover against potentially the two worst teams in the East.

Iowa and Wisconsin both play in the Big Ten West, and they are the only teams in the division (and the conference) who don't play any of the likely top 4 in the East of Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State, and Michigan.

Outside of Alabama, Wisconsin's other three non-conference opponents were all in the bottom 30 of FBS teams in F/+ rankings. Iowa's opponent North Texas was the 4th worst team in FBS last year, and their other opponent, Illinois State, is FCS, though I think they're supposed to be a pretty good FCS team.