With the way that the Big 10 (+1) has been playing as of late, a strong out-of-conference (OOC) schedule would benefit the teams.  When one of the top 2 teams in your conference is on the verge of a 6 win season *chough…Michigan*cough *cough, your conference may be lacking in the quality opponent category.  The ACC and Big East are getting more love from top to bottom than the Big 10 (+1).  I got an idea.  If you want to beat a team like LSU or Florida, then try to play some of the same team they do.   Let us see who had the Rocky Mountain Oysters to schedule some competition OOC.  In case you missed my other grades here are the links: Big XII, ACC, SEC, Pac-10, and Big East.

Ohio State – Youngstown State, Ohio, USC, Troy.  I like this OOC schedule because they want to play USC.  Sure Youngstown St is a patsy, but to go out and willfully schedule arguably the most successful team over the last 5-6 years shows moxy.  That is gutsy considering that you will probably will be competing for a national cahmpionship yourself.  That subscribes to my philosophy of beating the best to be the best.  I can’t say that Ohio is a patsy, but I can say that they stand no chance against OSU.  Troy is a very decent team, but they stand little chance here against the Buckeyes.  Here’s my best Ali G impersonation “Respect! Boo-Ya-Ya!”  Grade: A

Michigan State – California, Eastern Michigan, Florida Atlantic, Notre Dame.  The Spartans did go out and get a game with a quality team in Cal.  I understand the need to play the Eastern, Western, and Central Michigans every year.  What I really like about this schedule is that there are no FCS(Div-1AA) teams.  If you want to be considered one of college footballs elite, then you have to stop shceduling non-Div-1 teams.  Notre Dame is the Spartans’ prison girlfriend year in and year out.  Watch out for Florida Atlantic this year.  They have shed that “patsy” title and will upset some one in the OOC.  Could it be the Spartans?  Quite Possibly.  That Cal game will be really tough for the Spartans.  Grade:  A-

Purdue – Northern Colorado, Oregon, Central Michigan, Notre Dame.  I give a little credit for having Notre Dame on the schedule because they have a potential of giving a good game.  Not this year, but in years past.  The Ducks are a consistently good team.  They are certainly a Top-25 team year-in and year-out.  Central Michigan is like Ohio in that they will fight hard, but it is hard for them to compete with the talent level difference.  Although, Central Michigan has a great quarterback in LeFevour.  N. CO stinks and there is too much stabbing going on in the special teams. Grade:  B+

Illinois – Missouri, Eastern Illinois, Louisiana-Lafayette, Western Michigan.  Illinois is certainly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Big 10 (+1).  It would seem that Coach Zook may have the foundation for something special.  Mizzou is a serious test for Illinois right off the bat.  Then they get a few weeks to recover.  The rest of their OOC schedule is cream-puff city.  I wonder if they had the thought that Mizzou was going to be a top-10 team when they contracted the games.  I guess they just got lucky.  I don't think they need to have both Eastern Illinois and Louisiana-Lafayette on the schedule.  One of those two and substitute a Div-1A cream-puff like Buffalo for the other.  Grade:  C- (that is all dumb luck having Top-10 Missouri on the schedule)

Northwestern – Syracuse, Duke, Southern Illinois, Ohio.  I guess if you are Northwestern this schedule is somewhat competitive, but I call it giving up.  Syracuse and Ohio are the only teams of any kind of note in this one.  Ohio is the best team on the OOC schedule?  My, my how far we have fallen since the glory days with Barnett.   Syracuse has not been the same since McNabb left and that was a long time ago.  I love the Salukis, but they are no good at football.  Duke is at least from the ACC and they are a BCS conference.  I guess that is something.  Right?  Grade: C

Iowa – Maine, Florida International, Iowa State, Pittsburg.  At least there are two teams from BCS conferences in IA St and Pitt.  Iowa always gets Iowa State’s best shot of the year.  I love that game because whoever wins seems to do worse throughout the rest of the season.  Pitt did beat WVU, much to the chagrin of the refs and the Mountaineer faithful.  That is something that Oklahoma couldn’t even come close to doing.  Maine and FIU are bad patsies.  With the way Iowa has been playing lately, maybe they deserve a break here.  Grade:  C- 

Wisconsin – Akron, Marshall, Fresno State, Cal Poly.  Wisconsin is trying to be the cream of the Big 10 (+1).  They’re just not trying very hard.  I love Pat Hill and Fresno State.  These guys will play anyone/anywhere.  I give credit to Wiscy for the Bulldogs on the schedule, but Akron?  Cal Poly?  UGH.  That is U-G-L-Y.  Akron should have been the weakest team on the schedule.  They could step it up a bit and get a team from a BCS conference.  Marshall is ok, but it is not really a test, is it? Why not switch-out the Cal-Poly game for a game with Baylor or Vanderbilt?  For the Badgers it is still a probable win, but it looks much, much better than beating up on Div-1AA or Div-2 teams. Grade:  C-

Indiana – Western Kentucky, Murray State, Ball State, Central Michigan.  Again, like Northwestern and Minnesota before them, Indiana really can’t be blamed too much for the smelly ####-fest that is their OOC schedule.  Central Michigan will probably beat Indiana this year.  Western Kentucky has recently made the move from Div-1AA to Div-1A.  The Hilltoppers shouldn't put up much of a fight here.  The same could be said about Murray State.  Ball State had one heck of an offense last year as teams in the MAC found out the hard way.  Indiana needs to be careful with this one.   Grade: D 

Minnesota – Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, Montana State, Florida Atlantic.  For the Golden Gophers it has been tough.  I can’t really say anything about this OOC schedule.  They may not be favorites in a couple of them.  GO GOPHERS!!  I'm being hard on the Gophers here, but they should lose to Florida Atlantic and Bowling Green.  Grade: D

Penn State – Coastal Carolina, Oregon State, Syracuse, Temple.  This OOC schedule is pretty bad.  Oregon St is ok, but the rest is stinking up the joint here.  For a team of Penn St’s status, this is disappointing to say the least.  They need another middle-of-the-road BCS conference team to ####e it up a bit like Oklahoma State or South Carolina.  If Oregon St was Oregon, then it would be respectable to have the three flaky, cream-centered pastries. This is very unlike a typical Penn State OOC schedule.  Grade: F+

– Utah, Miami (OH), Notre Dame, Toledo.  This is not really good , but it is not quite as bad as it looks.  Notre Dame may be the worst team on this OOC schedule.  Utah has not been able to put it back together since losing Meyer, but they are ok.  Miami (OH) is like Ohio and Central Michigan…not going to win but they will fight hard.  Toledo may or may not put up a fight.  I suppose I should cut Michigan some slack after last year’s 0-2 start.  Naw.  This is pitiful for a team that wants to be considered elite.  Grade: F

Michigan