Brass Cojones Award for the Hardest Strength of Schedule (SOS) Rankings
1. California 1-10, the mind boggles why a team this bad is playing such a hard schedule.
2. Colorado 10-2
3. Tennessee 10-2
4. Kansas St. 6-5
5. Auburn 7-4
6. Mississippi St. 3-8, my personal award for being the biggest disappointment of 2001.
7. Kansas 3-8, I bet the Jayhawks wish they weren’t in the Big 12.
8. Florida St. 7-4
9. Syracuse 9-3
10. LSU 9-3

Raspberry Award for weakest SOS
117. Arkansas St., and they went 2-9?
116. South Florida…oh my God! 8-3? Someone actually took advantage of a powderpuff schedule!
115. Louisiana Lafayette, and they went 3-8?
114. Buffalo, yet another 3-8 team.
113. Middle Tennessee, 8-3 (see South Florida)
112. Eastern Michigan, and they went 2-9?
111. Army, yet another 3-8 team.
110. Connecticut, another 2-9 team (some slack given for being new program)
109. Louisiana Monroe, and they went 2-9?
108. Toledo, 9-2, ranked 25th in the nation, MAC champs.

Team of the Year - Colorado.
Shocker of the Year - Anyone ranked #2 and in control of its own destiny.
Coach of the Year - TIE, Maryland's Ralph Friedgen and Illinois' Ron Turner.
The Real Heisman Winner - David Carr.

[ December 10, 2001: Message edited by: AU Tiger in LA ]

What? BYU doesn't even get an honorable mention for weak SOS? What is this world coming to?

Sorry jqueer, those are actually the bottom and top 10 from the official SOS numbers. I didn't create those numbers.
Unfortunately, the BCS doesn't issue all the teams' #s, because so many are unranked. But the CBS Sportsline (click NCAA FB tab, then go to polls, then Sportsline 117) website will show you where everyone fell.

I find it hard to believe California's schedule was the hardest when they played Rutgers. That should drag the schedule down, I'd think.

One might think so regarding the Rutgers factor, however, the Bears played Illinois (10-1), and BYU (12-1). Perhaps equally important, Cal did NOT have Arizona State on it's conference schedule. And the Sun Devils were 1-7 in the Pac-10 (next to last) and 4-7 overall. By NOT playing the 2nd worst team in the conference, the Bears had a boost in SOS from that as well.
Tough year for Cal...and I have a hard time giving them too much credit on this schedule, as the non-cof games are booked years in advance, and whodathunk that Illinois and BYU would have such stellar years in the win column?

AUTiger, you were the same guy who ripped BYU's schedule as a cupcake. Given what you just said about not being able to give Cal too much credit, I'm assuming you can no longer place too much blame on BYU when they scheduled Tulane, Cal, Mississippi State and Hawaii when they were better programs . . .

Cyd, I'm beginning to think you must be a mormon.
You've carried the Cougar banner all year, and I guess those 72 points still aren't enough for you to lay it down and give up the ghost.
This is meant in only a friendly, teasing manner, you know.

[quote]Originally posted by AU Tiger in LA:
Cyd, I'm beginning to think you must be a mormon.

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Cyd, If you WANT to be a Mormon, I'd be happy to "baptize" you. My b/f, Luke Staley, and Steve young could assist.

utahman, did you notice that according to ESPN radio Luke Staley has apparently announced that he will forego his final year at BYU (after their bowl game on Monday against Louisville) and enter the NFL draft?....what lucky team will get this stud in their backfield?

Yes, it was on the news a couple of days ago here and has been rumored for a while. Apparently, Mr. Staley wasn't much of a academic boy anyway(who cares?) and he won't be playing in the bowl game (he was on crutches at the news conference). Smart boy, if you ask me.

I'm surprised UNC isn't in the Top Ten for SOS. The Tar Heels opened the season at Oklahoma, followed with road games at ACC champ Maryland and at Texas. Carolina played eight bowl teams and one other that was bowl-eligible but not invited (Wake).