Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
It's really not surprising that most Big 12's non-conference schedules are reminiscent of a trip to an all-you-can-eat dessert buffet this season.
Because it seems that most schools want to feast on as many cupcakes and cream puffs as possible before conference play begins.
Big 12 teams will face only 15 opponents from schools affiliated in BCS conferences in their 48 nonconference games, compared with 10 schools from Division I-AA.
Kansas took advantage of a soft non-conference schedule last season to ready itself for a surprising run to the Orange Bowl. It seems that many other Big 12 coaches are taking a cue from Coach Mark Mangino this season.
Here's a ranking of the relative strength of each school's nonconference schedule.
1. Colorado: As usual, the Buffaloes did themselves no favors with another tough schedule that starts with grudge match against Colorado State and also includes a tough road trip to Florida State and a Thursday night challenge against West Virginia.
2. Baylor: The Bears might have overscheduled, considering games their opener against Wake Forest and a tough nonconference closer at Connecticut. Thankfully for Art Briles, both will be nationally televised.
3. Nebraska: Coach Bo Pelini breaks in as the only Big 12 team with four true home non-conference games. But his Cornhuskers will face challenges against ACC power Virginia Tech and potential MAC title contender Western Michigan. With games against New Mexico State and San Jose State, the Cornhuskers are one of three Big 12 teams that scheduled all nonconference opponents without a Division I-AA breather.
4. Texas: Maybe this is the best indicator of how weak most Big 12 nonconference schedules really are. The Longhorns will host pre-season Sun Belt favorite Florida International and will also feature a home game against old rival Arkansas that looked better when it was originally scheduled. Throw in a trip to UTEP and a cakewalk against Rice and the Longhorns should be an easy 4-0 heading into conference play. But they do receive extra credit for playing all Division I-A foes.
5. Iowa State: The Cyclones shouldn't be tested in their first two games against South Dakota State and Kent State. If they are, it doesn't bode well for the rest of the season. Coach Gene Chizik's team is the only one from the Big 12 with nonconference road games and both will be troublesome ones against Iowa and UNLV.
6. Texas A&M: Considering the high stakes that Texas A&M president Elsa Murano has placed on the Miami game, coach Mike Sherman's team should be ready for its sternest nonconference test. Home games against Army and Arkansas State and a road game at New Mexico shouldn't be too difficult, although four games are against foes from Division I-A conferences.
7. Oklahoma: The Sooners will be facing likely bowl contenders in Cincinnati and TCU and a road trip to Washington that sounds more imposing than it really is. But OU's offense might score 100 against Tennessee-Chattanooga in the opener. The Moccasins ranked 93rd in scoring defense and 102nd in rush defense in Division I-AA last season.
8. Missouri: The Tigers will be tested in an emotional battle against Illinois in St. Louis in the opener. But it goes downhill fast with trips to the pastry wagon against Southeast Missouri State, Nevada and Buffalo. Missouri won't leave the state during the non-conference part of their schedule.
9. Kansas: The Jayhawks' schedule is much tougher than last season and the nationally-televised game at South Florida will be a punishing test. But the Jayhawks shouldn't break a sweat in their other three games with laughers against Florida International, Louisiana Tech and Division I-AA Sam Houston State and QB Rhett Bomar.
10. Kansas State: It was obvious the Wildcats were intent on easing their schedule when they dropped a game against Fresno State earlier this spring. Their lone road game against Louisville sounds more imposing than it is as the Cardinals won't be as good this season without Brian Brohm. Coach Ron Prince's team should notch easy home victories against less-than-stern Sun Belt tests North Texas State and Louisiana-Lafayette along with a Division I-AA snoozer against Montana State.
11. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys' opener against Washington State in Seattle will make them the only Big 12 team to travel out of their state for their season opener. It shouldn't matter as the Cougars are likely the worst Pac-10 team. The stakes for home games against Houston and Troy have been raised for OSU players after the Cowboys lost to both teams in their most recent games against them on the road. It gets worse from there as Missouri State should be little more than a gooey cupcake.
12. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders' game against Tulsa fell through at the last minute when Golden Hurricane coach Todd Graham opted to take a late pass. That forced Tech to add Division I-AA Massachusetts at the last minute. Look for the Red Raiders to post pinball numbers against Division I-AA Eastern Washington in the opener. Previous Tech teams have struggled in games like the one against Nevada, but that shouldn't matter to this team. And the game against SMU might be the first six-hour regulation game in college football history, considering all the passing that will be going on by the two teams.
Tim Griffin joined ESPN.com in February 2008. He has covered the Big 12 since its inception, among a variety of beats during a 24-year career at the San Antonio Express-News. Griffin, a Memphis State University graduate, lives in San Antonio with his wife and son.
