Many Roads To Success

In determining which BCS member schools play the toughest schedules in 2005 and which ones play the easiest, SI kept one question in mind: Is a school scheduling competitive games or automatic wins? Because of conference obligations, schools can control whom and where they play for only three, occasionally four, spots on their slates. Here are SI's top five in each category, giving big props to teams who hit the road to play tough nonconference foes.

THE GUTSIEST

1. NOTRE DAME (AP RANK: NR) Nonconference games: Does not apply

The independent Fighting Irish (above) have a schedule that is in a class by itself. They have dates with five Top 25 teams: visits to Pitt, Michigan and Purdue, plus home games against USC and Tennessee. Notre Dame's "weak" opponents? BYU, Stanford (on the road) and Syracuse.

2. USC (1) at Hawaii, Arkansas, at Notre Dame, Fresno State

Two nonconference games on the road is a rarity this fall for a major conference school--and the home game against Fresno State (following a visit to Cal) will be no easy W.

3. TEXAS (2) Louisiana-Lafayette, at Ohio State, Rice

In a year when the Longhorns are a national championship contender, the Sept. 10 trip to Columbus is a big risk.

4. ARKANSAS (NR) Southwest Missouri State, at USC, Louisiana-Monroe

No team in the SEC has a tougher nonconference road game than the Hogs' Sept. 17 matchup against the Trojans.