This is the third installment of my little series on grading the out of conference (OOC) schedules of BCS conferences.  I have already done the ACC, Big East, Pac-10, Big 12 and the Big 10 (+1).  I want to make clear the criteria I am taking into consideration because I know how touchy SEC fans can get.   I take into account the talent level of the team.  This means I would be more critical of LSU’s OOC than I would Vanderbilt’s.  Then, I look for any team from another BCS conference on the OOC schedule.  Next, I look at the talent level of the OOC opponent based mostly on how they performed last year and expect to perform this year.  Lastly, I will try not to take into account the status of the program when the team was scheduled.  Example: This year Nebraska will not count much more than Iowa State or Baylor on a team’s OOC schedule.  It is a crappy BCS team.  Conversely, if South Florida is on the schedule, I will give that some credit due to the recent success there.  Got it?

The Southeastern Conference has been considered by many the most competitive conference from top to bottom for a number of years now.  That’s fine, but do they attempt to play anyone outside of the SEC.  Let’s take a look at the OOC (out of conference) schedule for the teams in the SEC.

Georgia – Georgia Southern, Central Michigan, Arizona State, Georgia Tech.  This is one of the toughest, if not the toughest, OOC schedules I have seen so far.  50% from BCS conferences and the reigning conference champion from the MAC.  As it was correctly pointed out to me in a previous post, Central Michigan has one of the best QB’s in the country in Dan LeFevour.  You could make the argument that Georgia Tech is every bit as good as Florida State.  I know that GT is on the schedule every year, but that shouldn’t count against Georgia.  Arizona State has proven that they are a force to be reckoned with.  Georgia seems to have done a tremendous job in timing a great OOC schedule and an awesome returning team.  Where’s Trev Alberts when you need him.  Wherever he is, I am sure he has Georgia penciled in as the next National Champion.  Grade: A

Florida – Hawaii, Miami, Citadel, Florida State.  This is another nice job of OOC scheduling in the SEC.  The Citadel is the only game that the Gators should be able to relax and sleepwalk through.  Hawaii will put up a fight, but does not have the depth to threaten anything past the second quarter.  As for Miami and Florida State, these are two teams that are just waiting to explode with all the talent they have.  50% of the OOC is from BCS conferences and 25% is the reigning WAC conference champion.  This is the way a top-tier team should schedule year-in and year-out.  Kudos to the boys in Gainesville for showing they are not yellow-bellies.  They should try to get South Florida and Florida Atlantic on the OOC schedule along with Miami and Florida State for the ultimate Battle Royale for the Sunshine State.  Grade: A

Vanderbilt – Miami (OH), Rice, Duke, Wake Forest.  This is a nice schedule for Vanderbilt.  If this were the schedule for just about any other team in the SEC, then I would be much more critical.  What I like is that they have a legitimate test in WF.  They have a strong tune-up game with Miami(OH) (Vandy may not even be favored in that one.)  What I like most about the Commodores’ OOC schedule is that all the opponents are Div-1A.  If any team in the SEC would be forgiven for scheduling a non-Div-1A team, it would have been Vandy.  Duke and Rice are not good teams, but they are at least Div-1.  Good  job.  Grade: B+

Mississippi State – Louisiana Tech, Southeastern Louisiana, Georgia Tech, Middle Tennessee State.  Here is an example of aggressive but cautious scheduling from a BCS team that is appropriate.  They have a huge test on the schedule with the Yellow-Jackets.  LA Tech and Middle Tennessee St are middle-of-the-road teams from the WAC and Sun Belt respectively.  MTS gave Louisville all they could handle last year, and LA Tech almost beat Hawaii.  Sure there is a stinker in SE Louisiana, but for the Bulldogs of Mississippi State this is a pretty good schedule.  Grade: B- (would have been much higher if SE Louisiana was not scheduled)

Auburn – Louisiana-Monroe, Southern Mississippi, West Virginia, Tennessee-Martin.  Auburn has done a good job of mixing up the competition in their OOC scheduling.  WVU is a huge test.  Auburn will be able to tell where they are for the season in the game with the Mountaineers.  That game garners much props.  Southern Miss is a good tune-up game.  The Tigers should win, but Southern-Miss will challenge them throughout the game.  Louisiana-Monroe is a middle-of-the-road team from the Sun Belt.  This should have been the patsy of the schedule for Auburn.  Unfortunately, Tennessee-Martin was scheduled.  A team like Auburn should not be playing teams like Tennessee-Martin.  It just shouldn’t be happening.  Sorry.  Grade: C+ (this would have been much higher if it were all Div-1 competition)

Mississippi – Memphis, Wake Forest, Samford, Louisiana-Monroe.  This schedule is almost a carbon-copy, save for the top-game, of the Arkansas OOC schedule.  Memphis is a decent team from CUSA.  Memphis competed well in its conference and should give Ole Miss a run for its money.  Wake Forest will be a test for the Rebels.  Mississippi will certainly be underdogs in that one.  Louisiana-Monroe is on the schedule for many SEC teams, but this is the best chance for the Warhawks to get a win in the SEC.  I have them graded higher than Arkansas because Mississippi is not of the same caliber as Arkansas.  Grade: C+

Arkansas – Western Kentucky, Louisiana-Monroe, Texas, Tulsa.  I am probably giving too much credit to Texas being on the schedule, but Texas should be better this year than last.  Tulsa is the reigning Conference USA Champion.  The Golden Tornados (I know it is the Golden Hurricanes, but that just doesn’t make any sense to me at all) will give a good fight for 2-3 quarters.  Western Kentucky and Louisiana-Monroe will not to be confused with good teams for some time to come, but at least they are Div-1A. Arkansas did well in getting Texas and even Tulsa, but they could have tried harder to upgrade one of the lesser two teams a little.  It would have been nice to see two BCS conference teams.  Grade: C

South Carolina – North Carolina State, Wofford, UAB, Clemson.  This is not really as good as it may initially look.  Wofford should not be on the schedule at all.  If South Carolina wants to be considered on of the better teams in the SEC, then they should not be playing teams like Wofford.  UAB has one of the worst teams in Div-1A football.  I will give some credit for scheduling NC State and Clemson.  NC State is at least from a BCS conference.  I know that Clemson is the in-state rival, but that should not be counted against SC.  Clemson is still on the OOC schedule.  Grade: C-

Tennessee – UCLA, UAB, Northern Illinois, Wyoming.  This is not a good schedule if you want to challenge your team.  UAB is a bad team from CUSA.  Northern Illinois is a bad team from the MAC.  Wyoming is a pretty bad team from MWC.  UCLA is the only bright spot on this schedule, and I have serious doubts if UCLA will be any good at all this year.  The only good thing I can say about this OOC schedule is that they are all Div-1A teams.  Is it the Vols’ fault that UCLA stinks now?  No, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Bruins do stink and this game should be nothing more than an over-hyped tune-up.  I do like the Vols, but this should be embarrassing to them.  Shame.  Grade: D

Kentucky – Louisville, Norfolk State, Middle Tennessee State, Western Kentucky.  I know that Kentucky has been bad a football for a long time, but that is no excuse for this kind of schedule.  Louisville is the lone redeeming factor for this debacle of an OOC schedule, and it really isn’t all that redeeming.  Middle Tennessee State will end up being the second best game on the schedule.  This is coming from an SEC team!  Not good at all.  Grade: D-

Alabama – Clemson, Tulane, Western Kentucky, Arkansas State.  Clemson is the biggest test OOC?  Alabama’s not even trying.  Sure, Clemson is good, but there is a huge difference between Clemson and Tulane.  There should be a team in there closer to Clemson’s talent level.  Tulane should towards the bottom of the talent Alabama should be seeing in the OOC schedule not towards the top.  For the Tide, playing teams like Western Kentucky and Arkansas State should be embarrassing.  This is shameful.  Grade: F

LSU – Appalachian State, Troy, North Texas, Tulane.  This schedule stinks up the place.  This ranks right up there with Texas Tech’s OOC schedule.  The difference is LSU has been good for years and years.  Where is the test here?  For LSU, there is no test or even a real tune-up game.  This is absolutely the worst in the SEC.  Alabama has the excuse that they have not been as good as they want to be.  LSU has been at the top of the SEC for years.  The two national championships in the past few years warrants taking the OOC schedule up a couple notches.  Troy is probably the toughest team on this schedule.  TROY!  Come on LSU!  Let’s get with the program.  Grade: F-