[BigdaddyQH]

Aparently so. Even the other SEC teams agree. Alabama plays 6 teams (Auburn, LSU, Mississippi, Miss. State, South Carolina and Tennessee) who have bye weeks before their games with Alabama. Alabama has had 16 such scheduleing games in the past 3 years. The second place team in ths catagory, LSU, has had 5. The only one of those opponents that Alabama faces after their bye week is LSU. Look for the SEC schedule to be corrected in May to even this out, or so says the SEC, however that is a lot easier said than done.

Speaking of bye's, all Pac 10 teams play their last game on 12/4, so all of them get two bye weeks except USC, who goes to Hawaii and has opted to play a 13th game instead. USC also plays 7 away games, though one of them is in Pasadena. Obviously no other team in any BCS conference would have enough guts to play 7 games away from home. Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State and Tennessee lead the wimp brigade playing a total of 4 away games and 8 home games. Michigan State is right behind with 4 away games and a game at Ford Field.

[ZBOIZ]

this is old news in sec country. we been talking about this for years

[Terrapin Station]

Didn't the same thing happen to the Chargers a few years ago? Everyone had a bye week before they played them.

Relatively speaking, USC has a pretty decent non-conference schedule this season.

[BigdaddyQH]

USC plays a lot of games this year, but going to Hawaii and Minnesota should not be major tests. They get Virginia and Notre Dame at home. I think 4-0 for their non-con schedule would not be going out on a major limb here, considering that USC has not lost a regular season non-con game since 2002, a record of 23-0.

[stingray14]

BigDaddy, I have mentioned this very thing several times at the ole water cooler at work.....bottom line is in the toughest conference in ncaa football teams allways get up for Bama even when Bama was in transition and not playing well......another tough aspect of Bama's schedule is 10 of the 12 teams Bama plays played in bowl games last year and dont forget Penn St. is coming to town......Last years Tenn. game was as close as it was because of exhaustion...Bama's D played 80 plays the week before against So Car. I know an offense that sustains more drives is the best rest for a defense in a game situation....I just cant wait till Kick off

[stealthyburrito]

tough schedule, i think bamas slips up at least once in that stretch

[BigdaddyQH]

I agree. Losing 9 starters on defense is going to hurt Alabama. The good news is that everyone that Alabama plays, with the exception of Arkansas and Auburn, will be on down years, especially Penn State and Florida, who lose their starting QB's, Tennessee who is losing players at an alarming rate, and LSU, who is seemingly falling apart. That, plus the fact that 'Bama only plays 4 away games and plays their last 3 games at home, lead us to believe that their only loss, if any, will come at Arkansas. Their schedule is filled with big name teams who will be having down years, and traveling to Alabama. Don't let the schedule fool you. It is not that tough.

[MendozaLine]

. Im pretty sure there was a rule change last year because of that

Didn't the same thing happen to the Chargers a few years ago? Everyone had a bye week before they played them.

Relatively speaking, USC has a pretty decent non-conference schedule this season.

[BigdaddyQH]

. Im pretty sure there was a rule change last year because of that

You know, I thought the same thing, but maybe it did not affect this year's schedule.

[Jasonal_98]

I admit that I'm a total homer before you read this, so take it with a grain of salt.

Bigdaddy is correct in everything he's saying about Bama's schedule. I'm actually a little more worried about the trip to Columbia than the Arkansas game, just because I think Spurrier may actually get it together this season. Overall, though, I really can't see more than 1 loss on the schedule and a probable return trip to Atlanta. Depending on how things unfold, it could be enough to get to another BCS title game.

I agree. Losing 9 starters on defense is going to hurt Alabama. The good news is that everyone that Alabama plays, with the exception of Arkansas and Auburn, will be on down years, especially Penn State and Florida, who lose their starting QB's, Tennessee who is losing players at an alarming rate, and LSU, who is seemingly falling apart. That, plus the fact that 'Bama only plays 4 away games and plays their last 3 games at home, lead us to believe that their only loss, if any, will come at Arkansas. Their schedule is filled with big name teams who will be having down years, and traveling to Alabama. Don't let the schedule fool you. It is not that tough.

[cjewell83]

brutal schedule, bama fan here but it is going to be tough probably will lose at least one

[ironchef69]

BOL

[spal2811]

at least 2....