Where as yesterday we struggled somewhat to come up with a Top 5 Best Non-Con Games, we will have no such issues today. There is no shortage of less than exciting non-conference games on the Big 12's slate for this coming season. In fact, there are so many that we're going to leave it up to you to rank them. We'll provide you with the list of what we feel are the most suck-tastic and you can tell us which games you think team's should be the most embarrassed to have on their 2012 schedule.
So in no particular order, here are our candidates:
Baylor - vs. SMU, vs. Sam Houston State, @ Louisiana-Monroe
Honestly, the Bears non-con doesn't have one obvious blemish. SMU isn't terrible, SHSU played in the FCS championship game last year, and while Louisiana-Monroe isn't a great team to be sure Baylor is traveling to their house.
"You should be embarrassed" game = None
Iowa State - vs. Tulsa, @ Iowa, vs. Western Illinois
I should, but I don't know enough about what Tulsa is expected to be this year but they're still FBS so that one is out. At Iowa obviously isn't a candidate since we put it in our Top 5 of best non-con games yesterday.
"You should be embarrassed" game = vs. Western Illinois. Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! The Leathernecks are an FCS school and finished 2-9 last year
Kansas - vs. South Dakota State, vs. Rice, @ Northern Illinois
On it's surface, this might look like a possible clean sweep but I don't think it's quite as bad as it might appear. SDSU was a 5-6 FCS team last year, so that one is what it is. But Rice and NIU aren't totally awful. Rice is a Big 12 fixture for teams looking to schedule a 'W' (though that might not be case with this KU squad) and NIU finished a respectable 11-3 last year in the MAC.
"You should be embarrassed" game = vs. South Dakota State (though if you're KU, I'm not sure you qualify to be embarrassed to be playing anyone at this point)
Kansas State - vs. Missouri State, vs. Miami, vs. North Texas
I'm sure it's just a matter of time before Bill Snyder gets back to his ways of multiple FCS opponents, but for now, for him, a fairly respectable non-con schedule (by his standards anyway).
"You should be embarrassed" game = vs. Missouri State. Again by Snyder's standards this is par for the course, but a 2-9 FCS team from last year isn't really that impressive.
Oklahoma State - vs. Savannah State, @ Arizona, vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
Savannah State?!? An FCS team that won all of one game last year? I wonder since they have to come to Norman this year if Holder is gonna make that one their "premium" game that forces OSU fans to buy season tickets?
"You should be embarrassed" game = vs. Savannah State
Texas - vs. Wyoming, vs. New Mexico, @ Mississippi
I've got to begrudgingly give it up to the Longhorns for their non-con schedule. They've started to steer away from Mack's previous preference to schedule cupcakes. For the first time in a long time, I'd have to admit that their non-con is, at least on paper, more difficult than Oklahoma's.
"You should be embarrassed" game = None. New Mexico was one of the worst FBS teams in the country last year, but they're still FBS.
Texas Tech - vs. Northwestern State, @ Texas State, vs. New Mexico
As usual, the Tech non-con is an absolute joke. When the "best" of your non-con game is against New Mexico, you know you might be a redneck, 'er wait that's not right is it?
"You should be embarrassed" game = vs. Northwestern State & @ Texas State. Yay! Our first team with two games to be embarrassed by!
Texas Christian - vs. Grambling State, vs. Virginia, @ SMU
First year in a new conference and a respectable non-con if you ask me. Grambling is always worth it if for no other reason than halftime. Virginia is a quality opponent and SMU isn't totally awful.
"You should be embarrassed" game = None. Yeah, I'm probably giving Grambling more respect than they deserve as an opponent but whatever.
West Virginia - vs. Marshall, vs. James Madison, vs. Maryland
Rivalry game, FCS opponent on a "neutral" site, and decent-to-possible quality ACC team.
"You should be embarrassed" game = None. Maybe James Madison belongs here, but they did beat Va Tech a couple years ago so they could be tricky.
Oklahoma - @ UTEP, vs. Florida A&M, vs. Notre Dame
No point in trying to spin it, @ UTEP isn't a good game. That said, I don't think it's a game OU should be embarrassed by, but maybe that's just the homer in me? Admittedly, the Notre Dame game at this point is more cache than powerhouse match up but it's still nowhere near a game to be embarrassed about. Now Florida A&M, well that's another story.
"You should be embarrassed" game = vs. Florida A&M. Look, I know they were scrambling to fill a game, but that doesn't excuse this one away.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, but if I've got one vote for the worst non-con game for the entire conference . . .
I've got that absolute dog of an OSU vs. Savannah State game.