Playoff contenders with easiest schedules
By Travis Haney | ESPN INSIDER
At Insider, we often talk about title tracks, and the paths are now somewhat wider for every team thanks to the advent of the four-team playoff format. One thing hasn't changed, though: The Big Ten still maintains the clearest path to the title. And this year its best threat, Ohio State, must capitalize on it. That's a direct way of saying the Buckeyes have the easiest schedule in the easiest league to win.
Urban Meyer and Ohio State lead our discussion of the playoff contenders with the softest schedules. A rep from each of the other four power conferences follows. And here's an early tease: Our ACC selection might surprise you. It certainly surprised me as I examined the schedules.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
Swing games: Virginia Tech (Sept. 6); at Michigan State (Nov. 8); Michigan (Nov. 29).
Scheduling Virginia Tech probably looked better when it was originally put in the books. It would be a big surprise if the Hokies could pull off an early-season upset, or even keep the game close. Still, credit coach Frank Beamer and the program for continuing to schedule big-name opponents year after year.
In the league, the Buckeyes avoid both Wisconsin, a team that really pushed them a year ago, and Nebraska. <!--offer-->They do have to go to East Lansing to avenge their Big Ten title game loss that kept OSU from the BCS title game.
The 2014 schedule is still a step up from a year ago, but only a small one. The Buckeyes' road is another reason to like their chances for reaching the playoffs. How much the defense progresses will determine the team's ceiling. That, and Braxton Miller's health; he must stay on the field.
2. Pittsburgh Panthers
Swing games: Virginia Tech (Oct. 16); Georgia Tech (Oct. 25); Duke (Nov. 1); at North Carolina (Nov. 15); at Miami (Nov. 29).
Is Pitt a playoff threat? That feels like a stretch, but here's what I know: In their second year in the ACC, the Panthers don't play Clemson or Florida State, or even newcomers Louisville and Notre Dame.
You see the moderately challenging games above, but the overall schedule is really a healthy game of dodgeball as Paul Chryst works to elevate the program in the new league. Plus, Pitt has a solid, developing core on offense. Elite 11 quarterback Chad Voytik is on the rise, and he has a weapon in Tyler Boyd, who had 1,174 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman. And running back James Conner rushed for 229 of his 800 yards in the bowl win. He's a name to note.
So maybe it isn't all that far-fetched. Duke proved the Coastal Division can be taken by surprise, and if Pitt gets in a one-game scenario in the title game, who knows?
3. Oklahoma Sooners
Swing games: Tennessee (Sept. 13); versus Texas (Oct. 11); Baylor (Nov. 8); Oklahoma State (Dec. 6).
Butch Jones might have Tennessee on the right track, but the Sooners are still catching them at a good time, early in the season as they get their personnel pieces set. There are still potential pitfall road games, such as at West Virginia (Sept. 20) and at Texas Tech (Nov. 15), but the bulk of OU's heavy-lifting conference games are in Norman, and then there's the usual neutral-site series, the Red River Rivalry in Dallas.
The early-season schedule is as favorable as any in the country, so the Sooners -- including quarterback Trevor Knight, a late-season revelation -- have a good chance to sustain the momentum built with their Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama.
4. Missouri Tigers
Swing games: at South Carolina (Sept. 27); Georgia (Oct. 11); at Florida (Oct. 18); at Texas A&M (Nov. 15).
For an SEC schedule, this is as good as it's going to get: no Alabama, Auburn or LSU. The presence of those three teams is why an SEC West team would never make a soft-schedule post.
Even with trips to Columbia, S.C., and Gainesville, Fla., it isn't unfathomable that Missouri could again win the division, even if it isn't able to sneak up on opponents like it did in 2013. The downside is that Mizzou must play the East's top three teams in consecutive weeks. However, given the team's non-conference September schedule of South Dakota State, Toledo, UCF and Indiana, the Tigers should be 4-0 before entering that stretch.
Maty Mauk's experience filling in for James Franklin figures to be big for Mizzou at the quarterback position. Shane Ray could be the Tigers' next star on the defensive line, though it'll be tough to top the performances from Sheldon Richardson, Michael Sam and Kony Ealy over the past couple years.
5. Arizona State Sun Devils
Swing games: UCLA (Sept. 25); at USC (Oct. 4); Stanford (Oct. 18); at Washington (Oct. 25); Notre Dame (Nov. 8).
Finding a manageable Pac-12 schedule for a conference contender is difficult. The league has come a long way in a short period of time, and that trend likely will continue with Steve Sarkisian heading to USC and Chris Petersen filling his former post at Washington. Ultimately, Arizona State receives the nod because it avoids Oregon in the regular season and plays the bulk of its big games at home.
That said, ASU hosted last year's Pac-12 title game, and was still run over by Stanford. So maybe home-field advantage isn't everything. Even so, it's a program that has improved under Todd Graham, including an 8-1 league record in 2013.
As you see above, if the Devils weather the early portion of the season, the back end features a close of Oregon State, Washington State and Arizona. Another South title isn't out of the question despite the team suffering significant losses, such as running back Marion Grice and end Carl Bradford.
By Travis Haney | ESPN INSIDER
At Insider, we often talk about title tracks, and the paths are now somewhat wider for every team thanks to the advent of the four-team playoff format. One thing hasn't changed, though: The Big Ten still maintains the clearest path to the title. And this year its best threat, Ohio State, must capitalize on it. That's a direct way of saying the Buckeyes have the easiest schedule in the easiest league to win.
Urban Meyer and Ohio State lead our discussion of the playoff contenders with the softest schedules. A rep from each of the other four power conferences follows. And here's an early tease: Our ACC selection might surprise you. It certainly surprised me as I examined the schedules.
Swing games: Virginia Tech (Sept. 6); at Michigan State (Nov. 8); Michigan (Nov. 29).
Scheduling Virginia Tech probably looked better when it was originally put in the books. It would be a big surprise if the Hokies could pull off an early-season upset, or even keep the game close. Still, credit coach Frank Beamer and the program for continuing to schedule big-name opponents year after year.
In the league, the Buckeyes avoid both Wisconsin, a team that really pushed them a year ago, and Nebraska. <!--offer-->They do have to go to East Lansing to avenge their Big Ten title game loss that kept OSU from the BCS title game.
The 2014 schedule is still a step up from a year ago, but only a small one. The Buckeyes' road is another reason to like their chances for reaching the playoffs. How much the defense progresses will determine the team's ceiling. That, and Braxton Miller's health; he must stay on the field.
Swing games: Virginia Tech (Oct. 16); Georgia Tech (Oct. 25); Duke (Nov. 1); at North Carolina (Nov. 15); at Miami (Nov. 29).
Is Pitt a playoff threat? That feels like a stretch, but here's what I know: In their second year in the ACC, the Panthers don't play Clemson or Florida State, or even newcomers Louisville and Notre Dame.
You see the moderately challenging games above, but the overall schedule is really a healthy game of dodgeball as Paul Chryst works to elevate the program in the new league. Plus, Pitt has a solid, developing core on offense. Elite 11 quarterback Chad Voytik is on the rise, and he has a weapon in Tyler Boyd, who had 1,174 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman. And running back James Conner rushed for 229 of his 800 yards in the bowl win. He's a name to note.
So maybe it isn't all that far-fetched. Duke proved the Coastal Division can be taken by surprise, and if Pitt gets in a one-game scenario in the title game, who knows?
Swing games: Tennessee (Sept. 13); versus Texas (Oct. 11); Baylor (Nov. 8); Oklahoma State (Dec. 6).
Butch Jones might have Tennessee on the right track, but the Sooners are still catching them at a good time, early in the season as they get their personnel pieces set. There are still potential pitfall road games, such as at West Virginia (Sept. 20) and at Texas Tech (Nov. 15), but the bulk of OU's heavy-lifting conference games are in Norman, and then there's the usual neutral-site series, the Red River Rivalry in Dallas.
The early-season schedule is as favorable as any in the country, so the Sooners -- including quarterback Trevor Knight, a late-season revelation -- have a good chance to sustain the momentum built with their Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama.
Swing games: at South Carolina (Sept. 27); Georgia (Oct. 11); at Florida (Oct. 18); at Texas A&M (Nov. 15).
For an SEC schedule, this is as good as it's going to get: no Alabama, Auburn or LSU. The presence of those three teams is why an SEC West team would never make a soft-schedule post.
Even with trips to Columbia, S.C., and Gainesville, Fla., it isn't unfathomable that Missouri could again win the division, even if it isn't able to sneak up on opponents like it did in 2013. The downside is that Mizzou must play the East's top three teams in consecutive weeks. However, given the team's non-conference September schedule of South Dakota State, Toledo, UCF and Indiana, the Tigers should be 4-0 before entering that stretch.
Maty Mauk's experience filling in for James Franklin figures to be big for Mizzou at the quarterback position. Shane Ray could be the Tigers' next star on the defensive line, though it'll be tough to top the performances from Sheldon Richardson, Michael Sam and Kony Ealy over the past couple years.
Swing games: UCLA (Sept. 25); at USC (Oct. 4); Stanford (Oct. 18); at Washington (Oct. 25); Notre Dame (Nov. 8).
Finding a manageable Pac-12 schedule for a conference contender is difficult. The league has come a long way in a short period of time, and that trend likely will continue with Steve Sarkisian heading to USC and Chris Petersen filling his former post at Washington. Ultimately, Arizona State receives the nod because it avoids Oregon in the regular season and plays the bulk of its big games at home.
That said, ASU hosted last year's Pac-12 title game, and was still run over by Stanford. So maybe home-field advantage isn't everything. Even so, it's a program that has improved under Todd Graham, including an 8-1 league record in 2013.
As you see above, if the Devils weather the early portion of the season, the back end features a close of Oregon State, Washington State and Arizona. Another South title isn't out of the question despite the team suffering significant losses, such as running back Marion Grice and end Carl Bradford.
