BTI's Rants and Ramblings: UK's Non-Conference Scheduling Compared to SEC
[caption id="attachment_166753" align="alignnone" width="300"]
Mark Zerof | US Presswire[/caption]
The fact of the matter is that the SEC has developed a reputation in football of having teams with creampuff non-conference schedules. And it's pretty much deserved for most of the league. Of course SEC fan will argue there is no reason to challenge yourself in the non-conference if the conference is that strong. But frankly UK hasn't even attempted to challenge itself, outside of Louisville, for a very long time. Do you realize that UK has not played a non-conference game against a BCS opponent not named Louisville since 2005 (Indiana). They haven't played a non-conference opponent not named UL or Indiana since 1990 (North Carolina). That's not really pushing yourself much. And maybe many of you don't care. But I'd just like to see the schedule beefed up a little for enjoyment and to see where this program stands.
So who in the SEC schedules the hardest in the non-conference? My rankings are below. I took into account games schedule outside of normal rivalries, willingness to play true road games, and consistency playing tough opponents.
1. GEORGIA
2015: at Georgia Tech
2014: #16 Clemson, #16 Georgia Tech
2013: at #8 Clemson, at Georgia Tech
2012: Georgia Tech
2011: #5 Boise State (neutral), at #25 Georgia Tech
2. TENNESSEE
2015: Oklahoma
2014: at #4 Oklahoma
2013: at #3 Oregon
2012: NC State (neutral)
2011: Cincinnati
3. ALABAMA
2015: Wisconsin (neutral)
2014: West Virginia (neutral)
2013: Virginia Tech (neutral)
2012: #8 Michigan (neutal)
2011: at Penn State
4. LSU
2015: at Syracuse
2014: #14 Wisconsin (neutral)
2013: #20 TCU (neutral)
2012: Washington
2011: Oregon (neutral), at West Virginia
5. SOUTH CAROLINA
2015: North Carolina (neutral), Clemson
2014: at #21 Clemson
2013: North Carolina, #8 Clemson
2012: at #12 Clemson
2011: Clemson
6. AUBURN
2015: Louisville (neutral)
2014: at Kansas St
2013: Washington St.
2012: #14 Clemson (neutral)
2011: at Clemson
7. FLORIDA
2015: Florida St
2014: at #3 Florida St,
2013: at Miami (FL), #12 Florida St
2012: at #10 Florida State
2011: Florida State
8. OLE MISS
2015: None
2014: Boise St (neutral)
2013: at #15 Texas
2012: #14 Texas
2011: BYU
9. MISSOURI
2015: BYU (neutral)
2014: Indiana
2013: at Indiana
2012: Arizona State, Syracuse
2011: at Arizona State
10. ARKANSAS
2015: Texas Tech
2014: at Texas Tech
2013: at Rutgers
2012: Rutgers
2011: Texas A&M (neutral)
11. KENTUCKY
2015: Louisville
2014: at Louisville
2013: Louisville
2012: at #25 Louisville
2011: Louisville
12.VANDERBILT
2015: None
2014: None
2013: Wake Forest
2012: Wake Forest
2011: UCONN, at Wake Forest
13. TEXAS A&M
2015: Arizona State (neutral)
2014: None
2013: None
2012: None
2011: Arkansas (neutral)
14. MISSISSIPPI STATE
2015: None
2014: None
2013: #14 Oklahoma St (neutral)
2012: None
2011: None
Mark Zerof | US Presswire[/caption]
The fact of the matter is that the SEC has developed a reputation in football of having teams with creampuff non-conference schedules. And it's pretty much deserved for most of the league. Of course SEC fan will argue there is no reason to challenge yourself in the non-conference if the conference is that strong. But frankly UK hasn't even attempted to challenge itself, outside of Louisville, for a very long time. Do you realize that UK has not played a non-conference game against a BCS opponent not named Louisville since 2005 (Indiana). They haven't played a non-conference opponent not named UL or Indiana since 1990 (North Carolina). That's not really pushing yourself much. And maybe many of you don't care. But I'd just like to see the schedule beefed up a little for enjoyment and to see where this program stands.
So who in the SEC schedules the hardest in the non-conference? My rankings are below. I took into account games schedule outside of normal rivalries, willingness to play true road games, and consistency playing tough opponents.
1. GEORGIA
2015: at Georgia Tech
2014: #16 Clemson, #16 Georgia Tech
2013: at #8 Clemson, at Georgia Tech
2012: Georgia Tech
2011: #5 Boise State (neutral), at #25 Georgia Tech
2. TENNESSEE
2015: Oklahoma
2014: at #4 Oklahoma
2013: at #3 Oregon
2012: NC State (neutral)
2011: Cincinnati
3. ALABAMA
2015: Wisconsin (neutral)
2014: West Virginia (neutral)
2013: Virginia Tech (neutral)
2012: #8 Michigan (neutal)
2011: at Penn State
4. LSU
2015: at Syracuse
2014: #14 Wisconsin (neutral)
2013: #20 TCU (neutral)
2012: Washington
2011: Oregon (neutral), at West Virginia
5. SOUTH CAROLINA
2015: North Carolina (neutral), Clemson
2014: at #21 Clemson
2013: North Carolina, #8 Clemson
2012: at #12 Clemson
2011: Clemson
6. AUBURN
2015: Louisville (neutral)
2014: at Kansas St
2013: Washington St.
2012: #14 Clemson (neutral)
2011: at Clemson
7. FLORIDA
2015: Florida St
2014: at #3 Florida St,
2013: at Miami (FL), #12 Florida St
2012: at #10 Florida State
2011: Florida State
8. OLE MISS
2015: None
2014: Boise St (neutral)
2013: at #15 Texas
2012: #14 Texas
2011: BYU
9. MISSOURI
2015: BYU (neutral)
2014: Indiana
2013: at Indiana
2012: Arizona State, Syracuse
2011: at Arizona State
10. ARKANSAS
2015: Texas Tech
2014: at Texas Tech
2013: at Rutgers
2012: Rutgers
2011: Texas A&M (neutral)
11. KENTUCKY
2015: Louisville
2014: at Louisville
2013: Louisville
2012: at #25 Louisville
2011: Louisville
12.VANDERBILT
2015: None
2014: None
2013: Wake Forest
2012: Wake Forest
2011: UCONN, at Wake Forest
13. TEXAS A&M
2015: Arizona State (neutral)
2014: None
2013: None
2012: None
2011: Arkansas (neutral)
14. MISSISSIPPI STATE
2015: None
2014: None
2013: #14 Oklahoma St (neutral)
2012: None
2011: None 
Loading comments...