Rating Non-League Schedules: And The Toughest Goes To ...

   With blather about BCS rankings soon to reach a crescendo, much of the debate deals with teams' schedules outside of their league. The degree of difficulty can be a make-or-break for school vying for big bowls.

   Though the season is far from over, many SEC schools have concluded their non-league agenda. So, let's rate each member's outside-the-family games, from easiest to hardest.

   12.) Kentucky: Louisville (good), Middle Tennessee (OK), Western Kentucky (just out of Division 1, formerly known as 1-AA), AA), Norfolk State (Division I). Too many creampuffs.

   11.) LSU: Troy (decent), Tulane (not), North Texas (maybe the weakest on the top level), Appalachian State (Div. 1, but a good one). Not a single stiff test in the bunch.

  10.) Alabama: Clemson (overrated at start of season), Tulane and Western Kentucky (see above), Arkansas State (weak). Sure miss the Bama-Southern Cal classics.

   9.) Ole Miss: Wake Forest (underachiever), Memphis (OK), Louisiana-Monroe (weak), Samford (Div. 1). The Deacons turned out not to be Demons.

   8.) Mississippi State: Georgia Tech (very good), Middle Tennessee (see above), Lousiana Tech (weak), Southeast Louisiana (Div. 1). Big drop-off after the Yellow Jackets.

   7.) Tennessee: UCLA (relative softie in BCS), Northern Illinois (OK), UAB and Wyoming (both pushovers). If not for these, Phil Fulmer might be gone already.

   6.) South Carolina: Clemson (disappointing), North Carolina State (ACC punching bag), UAB (weak), Wofford (Div. 1). Credit to Gamecocks for its par of ACC foes.

   5.) Auburn: West Virginia (very good), Southern Miss (weak), Louisiana-Monroe (weak), Tennessee-Martin (Div. 1). Big drop-off after the Mountaineers.

  4.) Georgia: Georgia Tech (very good), Arizona State (disappointing), Central Michigan (decent), Georgia Southern (Div. 1). When season kicked off, Bulldogs might have been No. 1.

   3.) Vanderbilt: Duke (ascending), Wake Forest (see above), Miami Ohio (weak), Rice (weaker). Credit to Commodores for two ACC schools, though one (Duke) unexpectedly tough.

   2.) Florida: Florida State and Miami (getting better), Hawaii (rebuilding), The Citadel (Div. 1). Two in-state rivalries always puts the Gators near the front.

   1.) Arkansas: Texas (doesn't get harder than this), unbeaten Tulsa (surprise!), Louisiana-Monroe (see above), Western Illinois (Div. 1). Splitting your non-league games is not good.

   Thoughts on the list? Have we overrated anyone? Underrated?

   Overall, it seems as if the SEC has gone soft. Hard to blame schools, given that the league schedule is such a gauntlet. Still, challenging non-conference matchups are few and far between.

   Agree? Or should SEC teams go the easy route?