By Steve Megargee, Special to SI.com, Rivals.com

21. West Virginia

West Virginia schedule Date Opponent Sept. 1 W. Michigan Sept. 8 at Marshall Sept. 13 at Maryland Sept. 22 East Carolina Sept. 28 at USF Oct. 6 at Syracuse Oct. 20 Mississippi State Oct. 27 at Rutgers Nov. 8 Louisville Nov. 17 at Cincinnati Nov. 24 Connecticut Dec. 1 Pittsburgh

Combined record of Division I-A opponents: 86-65 (.570)
Bowl teams: SevenHome games: Six
Division I-AA opponents: None
AP Top 25 teams: Two (one at home)

Why they're No. 21: Big East bashers might argue that West Virginia only has to play a couple of tough games all year, but the Mountaineers' schedule suggests otherwise. West Virginia didn't schedule any Division I-AA foes and faces three nonconference games against teams that went to bowls last season. That includes a Thursday night nonconference road game with a Maryland team that went 9-4 in '06. West Virginia does get Louisville at home this year, but the Mountaineers also must travel to South Florida and Rutgers. South Florida won at West Virginia last year in one of the season's biggest upsets, while Rutgers lost to the Mountaineers in triple overtime.

22. Arizona

Arizona schedule Date Opponent Sept. 1 at BYU Sept. 8 Northern Arizona Sept. 15 New Mexico Sept. 22 at Cal Sept. 29 Washington State Oct. 6 at Oregon State Oct. 13 at USC Oct. 20 Stanford Oct. 27 at Washington Nov. 3 UCLA Nov. 15 Oregon Dec. 1 at Arizona State

Combined record of Division I-A opponents: 81-60 (.574)
Bowl teams: Eight
Home games: Six
Division I-AA opponents: One
AP Top 25 teams: Four (none at home)

Why they're No. 22: Arizona has one of the nation's toughest road schedules and must travel to face four teams that won at least 10 games last season. Then again, we're guessing BYU and Oregon State might not be quite as strong as they were a year ago. Arizona might have ranked higher on this list if it hadn't included Northern Arizona on its schedule. The Wildcats are one of only two Pac-10 teams to schedule a nonconference game against a Division I-AA program (Oregon State's schedule includes a Sept. 15 date with Idaho State).

23. Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh schedule Date Opponent Sept. 1 Eastern Michigan Sept. 8 Grambling Sept. 15 at Michigan State Sept. 22 Connecticut Sept. 29 at Virginia Oct. 13 Navy Oct. 20 Cincinnati Oct. 27 at Louisville Nov. 3 Syracuse Nov. 17 at Rutgers Nov. 24 USF Dec. 1 at West Virginia

Combined record of Division I-A opponents: 78-60 (.565)
Bowl teams: Six
Home games: Seven
Division I-AA opponents: One
AP Top 25 teams: Three (none at home)

Why they're No. 23: Pittsburgh must face all three of the top Big East teams (Louisville, West Virginia and Rutgers) on the road. The Panthers probably need to get off to a fast start because they end the season by facing Rutgers, South Florida and West Virginia in consecutive weeks. A fast start should be possible because Pittsburgh's underwhelming nonconference schedule includes dates with Eastern Michigan and Division I-AA Grambling State in the first two weeks of the season.

24. Maryland

Maryland schedule Date Opponent Sept. 1 Villanova Sept. 8 at Florida International Sept. 13 West Virginia Sept. 22 at Wake Forest Sept. 29 at Rutgers Oct. 6 Georgia Tech Oct. 20 Virginia Oct. 27 Clemson Nov. 3 at North Carolina Nov. 10 Boston College Nov. 17 at Florida State Nov. 24 at N.C. State

Combined record of Division I-A opponents: 78-63 (.553)
Bowl teams: Seven
Home games: Six
Division I-AA opponents: One
AP Top 25 teams: Four (two at home)

Why they're No. 24: Maryland opens the season with a couple of cakewalks, but the schedule gets much tougher from there. A pair of nonconference games against West Virginia and Rutgers make up for the fact that Maryland's ACC schedule doesn't include Virginia Tech or Miami. Maryland's tough games come in bunches. The Terrapins face West Virginia, Wake Forest and Rutgers on consecutive weekends in September. They also battle Atlantic Division rivals Boston College and Florida State on back-to-back weeks.

25. Texas A&M

Texas A&M schedule Date Opponent Sept. 1 Montana State Sept. 8 Fresno State Sept. 15 La.-Monroe Sept. 20 at Miami Sept. 29 Baylor Oct. 6 Oklahoma State Oct. 13 at Texas Tech Oct. 20 at Nebraska Oct. 27 Kansas Nov. 3 at Oklahoma Nov. 10 at Missouri Nov. 23 Texas

Combined record of Division I-A opponents: 78-63 (.553)
Bowl teams: Seven
Home games: Seven
Division I-AA opponents: One
AP Top 25 teams: Two (one at home)

Why they're No. 25: Texas A&M's Big 12 schedule includes a trips to North Division favorites Nebraska and Missouri as well as dates with South Division rivals Oklahoma and Texas. The Oklahoma, Nebraska and Missouri games are all away from home. The Aggies also have a difficult game at Miami, though they shouldn't have any trouble in their other nonconference games unless Fresno State regains its 2005 form.