Early Lines are out! Nebraska by 20.

[JGS30]

Back on topic now, I think FLorida At. will give Nebraska a good game. I say the Huskers win by 17.

[Cy the Cyclone]

KSU is and will always be, the king school of scheduling cream puffs-see their non con schedules throughout Snyder's hayday! And trust me Cy, they wouldn't be playing UCLA if Snyder had anything to say about it. They backed out of their contract with Miami Fl this year and wanted out of UCLA's.

 

I understand your points and respect your opinion, but you can't call Southern Miss a cream puff. They're of course not a powerhouse, or even a top 25 team, but they're a team that is decent. I agree that UTEP and Northern Col are a complete joke. But put yourself in Kansas's shoes. They've gone on the road against ranked teams in their non conference before and things NEVER work out well. Can you really blame them for scheduling a few fluffs??? With Texas, OU and TT on your schedule I can't.

 

Fine...Southern Miss is going to tear Kansas a new one this year. They are a monster team that will have other members of the C-USA fainting in fear whenever they take the field. Rumor has it that all the other teams in the conference are forfeiting their games against them and they are already being awarded the C-USA championship trophy because other teams are afraid the Southern Miss players will eat them. There...feel better?

 

A few "fluffs" is fine...everybody needs at least one tune up game. Kansas apparently needs more than a tune-up. The schedule over the past three years looks like a major overhaul. At least next year you take on a legit team with Georgia Tech (but considering the ease of the conference schedule, I imagine the athletic department decided they could take the risk). I'll be glad to swap schedules with Kansas in 2010 or 2011 when we're getting our asses kicked by ranked non-conference and Big 12 South teams all season while Kansas tip toes through a relatively easy two years.

[Scarlet Overkill]

Cy, I have to give you props for your debating skills, but unfortunately I have to somewhat side with the Jayhawks on this one. But just a little. I see Southern Miss as a great team on the rise, not unlike the Huskers. They finished up last year on a high note after struggling a bit earlier in the season with a first year head coach.

 

I know a lot of outlets have the USM @ KU game on upset alert already. I don't know that I would go so far to do that, but I do think it may have some Jayhawks pushing a little panic button. USM is a good team. They have 19 starters coming back, with some weapons returning on offense that could do some damage if they play the way they are capable.

 

Also, check out this link to Phil Steele's tidbits from 2008, under the top section (Most Touchdowns). It got my attention about USM the first time I saw it several months ago.

 

Bottom line is that I would not even begin to describe Southern Miss as a cupcake.

[knapplc]

Let's also not forget that Southern Miss returns the bulk of their offense, which set several school records last year. They can score, and Kansas' defense will be tested.

[HUSKER 37]

 

If last year's game in Ames is any indication then Duke and Southern Miss should be able to handle you guys rather easily....

 

Meanwhile...back to the topic of your creampuff non-conference schedule....if Southern Miss is the best you can throw up as your premier defense. Well...that's just sad. Every team in the Big 12 is playing at least one marque team in the first four weeks:

 

Baylor has Wake Forest

Colorado has West Virginia

Iowa State has Iowa

Kansas State has UCLA

Missouri has Illinois

Nebraska has Virginia Tech

Oklahoma has BYU

OK State has Georgia

A&M has Arkansas

Texas and Texas Tech have each other

 

You have Southern Miss as your big test of the non-conference schedule...a team that finished 3rd in the weak Eastern division of Conference USA and made a bowl game because (no offense to S.Miss fans) there are two many piddly bowl games and not enough teams with winning records to fill them.

... ... ... ...

 

Finally...to top off my victory in this debate:

 

Top 10 Easiest Non-Conference Schedules - per ESPN

 

2009 - #7 - Kansas

2008 - #3 - Kansas

2007 - #2 - Kansas

 

 

That's just non-conference mind you. Of course it gets tougher when Kansas has to face real teams. But, the fact is, the creampuffery of the KU non-conference schedule is apparent to all...even the morons at ESPN.

 

 

Cy..

 

You may have sorta slightly won this debate...But JGS30 DID get you to write that you consider IOWA as a quality "marquee" opponent...

 

That's gotta hurt more than pooping busted glass swans...or maybe even giraffs.

 

 

I must be a few years behind (like the schedules)..I thought USM was a perenial top 20-25 range team.

[BigRedfxtoy]

You need to look at the entirety of these schedules, not just one opponent here and there. Yeah, most everyone plays one semi-decent team, but overall these OOC schedules are pretty weak.

 

At #2, you're not alleging that Texas Tech is an OOC game for Texas, are you?

 

Oregon also plays Purdue, giving them three for three on decent OOC games. Oregon has one of the toughest schedules on paper at this point in the season. Let's hope that doesn't turn around and bite them before it's all over.

 

Oh, I'm perfectly ok with it biting them, chewing them up and spitting them out.