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FSUViking

Top 12 non-conference games of 2011

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#12

 

sandiegostate_statslogo.gif @ Michigan.png

 

September 24th, Ann Arbor, Michigan

 

The buzz: The Aztecs are coming off a rare bowl appearance, and they'll travel to The Big House to play against Brady Hoke, the coach who led them to that rare bowl appearance. This should be an interesting quarterback battle between Michigan's Denard Robinson and San Diego State's Ryan Lindley. Unless the Wolverines' secondary has made some strides, Lindley is going to pick it apart. San Diego State has lost 23 consecutive games to Big Six opponents, by an average of 17.2 points.

 

(Source: Rivals.com)

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Yikes. Must be a bad year for NCF games if this makes their Top 12. I get it - Brady Hoke's old team vs Brady Hoke's new team. Is anyone really gonna go out of their way to watch this one?

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#11

 

Pittsburgh.png @ Iowa.png

 

September 17th, Iowa City, Iowa

 

The buzz: Pitt opens with two gimmes at home, and this will be the first road game for new Panthers coach Todd Graham. Graham has promised a more explosive offense, but the Hawkeyes' defense should be a tough test. Conversely, Pitt's defense could prove tough for a revamped Hawkeyes offense to solve.

 

(Source: Rivals.com)

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Yeah the first game sucks but Pitt/Iowa has the potential to be a really good game.

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#10

 

arizona_statslogo.gif VS OklahomaState.png

 

September 10th, Stillwater, Oklahoma

 

The buzz: Arizona fell apart late last season and got mauled by Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl. The Wildcats won't have to wait long in an attempt to get payback. It's going to take a big effort from QB Nick Foles for Arizona to win, but the Foles-Juron Criner pass-catch combo should be quite potent this season. The problem for the Wildcats is that the Cowboys' pass-catch duo of Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon should be even better. Oklahoma State's offense is better than Arizona's, but Arizona's defense is better than Oklahoma State's. How much better is what matters, as this has the earmarks of a shootout.

 

(Source: Rivals. com)

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#9

 

ArizonaState.png VS Illinois-1.png

 

September 17th, Tempe, Arizona

 

The buzz: Arizona State played a pitiful non-conference schedule last season, but that's not the case this season; this is one of two Sun Devils games on this list. This is one of five Big Ten/Pac-12 regular season games this season, and it matches a dark-horse Pac-12 contender against a Big Ten team that could be a pleasant surprise if QB Nathan Scheelhaase develops into a competent passer.

 

(Source: Rivals.com)

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I'm not pumped about any of these games so far. I guess it is true that everyone's OCC schedule blows.

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Finally, they start to get good.

 

#8

 

LSU.png VS WestVirginia.png

 

September 24th, Morgantown, West Virginia

 

The buzz: LSU won by six in Baton Rouge last season, and now WVU gets a chance to return the favor in Morgantown. Both will be coming in off tough road games -- WVU at Maryland and LSU at Mississippi State. Indeed, this will be LSU's fourth game of the season and the third one away from home. We should have a good idea by this time of the season how WVU's offense looks under new coordinator Dana Holgorsen. We also should have a good idea by this time how LSU QB Jordan Jefferson is responding to new Tigers coordinator Steve Kragthorpe.

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#7

 

Alabama.png VS PennState.png

 

September 10th, State College, Pennsylvania

 

The buzz: These teams met amid much fanfare last season, but the game was as boring as the teams' helmets with the Tide winning 24-3. Each has a weak opponent in the opener, so this will be a truer measure of each team's worth. Both should be strong defensively, so will either offense be able to move the ball consistently?

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#6

 

BrighamYoung.png VS Texas.png

 

September 10th, Austin, Texas

 

The buzz: BYU opens with three Big Six opponents in a row, including this visit to Austin. BYU finished 2010 strong while Texas limped home. The Longhorns open with Rice, so this matchup with the newly independent Cougars will be the first real test of the season. BYU should be quite good on offense, but the defense could have some issues, especially in the secondary. Can a tweaked Texas offense, now coordinated by former Boise State assistant Bryan Harsin, take advantage?

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#5

 

Missouri.png VS ArizonaState-1.png

 

September 10th, Tempe, Arizona

 

The buzz: Mizzou has two tough road games in September >-- this trek to the desert and a Sept. 24 visit to Norman, Okla. Arizona State will be a trendy pick to win the Pac-12 South, and its defense will be going against a rebuilt Mizzou offense. Mizzou may have to rely on its defense early in the season. Arizona State opens against FCS member UC Davis, meaning we won't really know much about the Sun Devils' offense until this matchup.

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WTF is with ASU making the list twice? Does Jake Plummer have an extra year of eligibility or something?

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#4

 

OhioState.png VS Miami.png

 

September 19th, Miami, Florida

 

The buzz: Ohio State won by 12 last season in Columbus in a game in which Miami QB Jacory Harris threw four interceptions. This will be the first home game for new Hurricanes coach Al Golden, and it's part of a tough opening stretch in which UM plays six bowl teams from last season in its first seven games. Ohio State will be without coach Jim Tressel and five key players, including QB Terrelle Pryor, RB Dan Herron and WR DeVier Posey.

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#3

 

BoiseState.png VS Georgia.png

 

September 3rd, Atlanta, Georgia

 

The buzz: Boise State traveled east to play the Bulldogs in 2005 and got hammered, 48-13, in Athens. This one will be at the Georgia Dome, and we don't think the Broncos will get hammered like that again. Boise State seems likely to open the season in the top 12, while Georgia looks as if it will be a fringe top-25 team in the preseason. There are some questions about Boise's secondary, but there are more questions about Georgia's wide receivers. Boise QB Kellen Moore is going to enter the season as a top Heisman contender, but those hopes would be dealt a big blow if the Bulldogs prevail in what should be a highly partisan crowd. Boise beat Virginia Tech in its opener last season and spent the bulk of the season as a national title contender; the same thing would happen this season if the Broncos can beat Georgia.

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What a joke. Boise had to play a "neutral site" game vs Va Tech in Washington D.C. and now another "neutral site" game vs Georgia in Atlanta? It's bad enough that these pussy schools won't schedule a home-and-home with them but it's a real slap in the face to say "let's play a neutral site game a tee shot away from our campus." :dry:

Edited by FSUViking

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What a joke. Boise had to play a "neutral site" game vs Va Tech in Washington D.C. and now another "neutral site" game vs Georgia in Atlanta? It's bad enough that these pussy schools won't schedule a home-and-home with them but it's a real slap in the face to say "let's play a neutral site game a tee shot away from our campus." :dry:

 

That's college football for ya. Nature of the beast, and another reason why the NFL is better.

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Can't wait for BSU-UGA. Being SEC fans, all the UGA fans down here never shut up about Boise's "phoniness". I hope the Broncos win by 60.

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BSU is obviously fine with traveling to other programs' second sites.. why can't everyone else just let that go? The Broncos go in and defeat them, embarrassing them even more. BSU has grown a lot since 2005, while UGA has been struggling to keep their head over water. And even if BSU loses, they have the excuse that it was a home game for UGA. Plus, it allows them to recruit heavier in those areas.

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The winner of this game......

 

#2

 

Oklahoma.png VS FloridaState.png

 

September 17th, Tallahassee, Florida

 

The buzz: These teams played in Norman last season, and Oklahoma drilled the Seminoles by 30. This one is in Tallahassee, and this FSU team should be better than last season's. Indeed, this should match two top-10 teams, and a victory by the Seminoles over OU -- which should be the preseason No. 1 -- would be concrete evidence that FSU is back among the elite.

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...will play the winner of this game, in the BCS Title Game.

 

LSU.png VS Oregon.png

 

September 3rd, Dallas, Texas

 

The buzz: Last season, Cowboys Stadium was the site of the Oregon State-TCU season opener. That was an important game, but not as important as this. Oregon played in the 2010 title game, and LSU has designs on playing in the 2011 version. Both should open this season in the top 10. Oregon has a rebuilt defensive line, and LSU should have no problems running right at the Ducks. While the Ducks also will have a rebuilt offensive line, LSU is replacing both starting defensive tackles and star MLB Kelvin Sheppard. And Oregon does have QB Darron Thomas and a deep group of tailbacks headed by LaMichael James. James is a Texas native, as is reserve Lache Seastrunk, a redshirt freshman who should make his college debut in this showdown.

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Damn those are two awesome games, both fairly early in the season too.

 

And I won't be working on Saturdays this fall. :devious:

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LSU makes the list twice.. why? They won't even win the SEC.

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Alabama-PSU and Texas-BYU are two potentially exciting match-ups. Also I agree with everyone that Boise-Georgia is going to be great.

 

I don't know how ASU-Illinois made it on there.

 

Also FSU-OU should be good. OU is looking really good this year, but they've got a difficult non-conference schedule. I'm suprised they're only on here once.

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lolwtf.......their non-con outside of FSU consists of Tulsa and Ball State. What the fuck are you talking about?

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lolwtf.......their non-con outside of FSU consists of Tulsa and Ball State. What the fuck are you talking about?

Sorry I have a friend who is an OU fan and he told me they had a really difficult non-conference schedule. I guess not. My apologies.

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