INTERESTING NON-CONFERENCE MATCHUPS in 2008

[BIG_IKE]

Here are some of the games I find interesting this fall...

Hawaii @ Florida 8/30
West Virginia @ Colorado 9/27
Colorado @ Florida State 9/20
Cincinatti at OU 9/6
Boise State @ Oregon 9/20
West Virginia @ Auburn 9/6
Arkansas @ Texas 9/13
Georgia @ Arizona State 9/20
Fresno State @ Kansas State 9/16
Wisconsin @ Fresno State 9/13 (Im calling upset here, Bulldogs win)
Virginia Tech @ Nebraska 9/27
Miami @ Texas A&M 9/20
Kansas @ South Florida 9/13
Illinois vs. Missouri 8/30
Tennessee @ UCLA 9/16
Ohio State @ USC 9/13
Troy State @ Ohio State 9/20
Troy State @ LSU 9/16

( I say Troy has blood on their teeth after going 8-4, and losing to Georgia by only 10, putting up 26 on Arkansas and 31 on Florida, blowing OklaHOMA sTATE OUT....only to not even receive a Bowl Bid. I say they win against tOSU or LSU or scare the crap out of them...watch)

[Sco]

Colorado has a pretty tough non-conference schedule this time around.

[KingDavid]

Kudos to the buffs for taking the road less traveled.

[soonerlaw]

tOSU v. USC.... I guess if either tOSU makes another mnc if they win or loses all consideration after this game if they get blown out.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Colorado has a pretty good history of playing a tough non conference..

The Hawaii game doesnt look as intriguing to me now after the Sugar Bowl...Not to mention the QB graduating and the top3 WRs all declaring for the draft or graduating...And the coach leaving

I think Colorado beats WV.

tOSU USC to is the one I look forward too

[illinisooner]

Illinois beats Mizzou! It's not on the list, but USC plays Virginia at Charlottesville, that should be a good one.

[oudivesherpa]

Illinois beats Mizzou! It's not on the list, but USC plays Virginia at Charlottesville, that should be a good one.

Ron Zook, will change the Big X. I grew up in Illinois, they have a lot of good athletes but many go out of state.

[Salt City Sooner]

Colorado ALWAYS has a good OOC. That goes back to when McCartney got that lifetime contract.

[snp]

Illinois beats Mizzou! It's not on the list, but USC plays Virginia at Charlottesville, that should be a good one.

Not so sure about UVA being good. They were way overrated this entire year, just lost their other stellar DE along with a top-5 pick Chris Long and their QB didn't make grades so he isn't a lock to be back by next year either.

[Salt City Sooner]

SC last lost a regular season OOC game in 2002 when they lost to KSU in Manhattan, & it's not because they don't play good teams, because year in & year out, they do. It's within the Pac-10 that they keep screwing up.

[SteelClip49]

Troy beat Oklahoma State, put up 31 on Florida and 34 on Georgia this past season. Troy is gaining a lot of respect for the ooc opponents they are playing; also getting some good money in return. The SunBelt only has one bowl tie in therefore was denied a bowl due to losing to FAU which decided the head to head conference winner. Troy deserved a bowl and would have put up a fight. Troy is at tOSU and LSU so it will be tough but don't be surprised if they make both teams work for it.

[aj44mc]

Being from AZ i am excited to see GA coming this way. This could be an early test to see if ASU is going to be a powerful program or if they return to underachieving.

[Collier11]

Here are some of the games I find interesting this fall...

Hawaii @ Florida 8/30
West Virginia @ Colorado 9/27
Colorado @ Florida State 9/20
Cincinatti at OU 9/6
Boise State @ Oregon 9/20
West Virginia @ Auburn 9/6
Arkansas @ Texas 9/13
Georgia @ Arizona State 9/20
Fresno State @ Kansas State 9/16
Wisconsin @ Fresno State 9/13 (Im calling upset here, Bulldogs win)
Virginia Tech @ Nebraska 9/27
Miami @ Texas A&M 9/20
Kansas @ South Florida 9/13
Illinois vs. Missouri 8/30
Tennessee @ UCLA 9/16
Ohio State @ USC 9/13
Troy State @ Ohio State 9/20
Troy State @ LSU 9/16




Look at just the games that could really impact the MNC hunt before October

[Flagstaffsooner]

Kudos to the buffs for taking the road less traveled.The Buffs take alot of roads less traveled...and not always the high road.;)

[illinisooner]

Ron Zook, will change the Big X. I grew up in Illinois, they have a lot of good athletes but many go out of state.

Yeah I'm from there too, if Illinois starts to lock up the top players from Chicago, watch out. Notre Dame, Michigan, and pretty much any other big time program generally take all of the top players...save a few guys who want to stay in state. Zook is gonna change that for the better. Unfortunately it's becoming the same way for basketball, but that's a different issue.

Someone else mentioned UVA not being too good next year; I didn't realize their QB might not be back. I agree they were a little overrated last year (lots of wins by small margin, barely beating MTSU), but it should be better than the traditional USC non conference romp. Certainly better than that Nebraska series.

[BillyBall]

Unfortunately it's becoming the same way for basketball, but that's a different issue.


Weber is a good to great coach and a decent to mediocre recruiter. To lose both Derrick Rose and Eric Gordon out of your home state in the same year is crippling. Self would have landed both of them if he was still there, IMO.

[Salt City Sooner]

Gordon's from Indianapolis.

[redpurple]

Not TCU @ OU??????????????????

[illinisooner]

Weber is a good to great coach and a decent to mediocre recruiter. To lose both Derrick Rose and Eric Gordon out of your home state in the same year is crippling. Self would have landed both of them if he was still there, IMO.

Yeah Gordon is from Naptown, but he got the commit from him until Sampson came in and made some illegal phone calls...I wish I could be in Champaign next Wednesday when the Hoosiers come to town. Anyway, Weber cannot recruit Chicago, at least the top players. Of the top of my head, Sherron Collins, John Scheyer, and Derrick Rose, all 5 star guys who went to other big time programs outside of the Big 10. He's got some good ones coming in a few years (Luther Head's younger bro comes to mind, but I think he's only a soph or junior now), but I don't know if Bruce will be around to coach them.

There's not a whole lot of real talented guys waiting in the wings already on the roster, certainly no one of the Williams/Head/Brown caliber. I hope I'm wrong, because I like Weber as a coach...Self couldn't have gotten them to the Final Four in 04-05 (My favorite team of all time). He only used Head as an off the bench guy to come in and dunk every once in a while, but Weber turned him into an NBA first rounder. Sorry to threadjack with Illini hoops...it's the only other team I follow as much as OU football.

[hybridworks]

From that list, here are the only ones that look enticing:

Cincinatti at OU 9/6 - I'm always worried about OOC games, even if at home

Virginia Tech @ Nebraska 9/27 - Bo bringing the black shirts back?

Kansas @ South Florida 9/13 - If South Florida starts off on fire like last year, this should be a good test for the 08-09 Big 12 North Champs.

Illinois vs. Missouri 8/30 - I think Mizzou handles the Illini in this one.

Ohio State @ USC 9/13 - OUr MNC opponent comes out of this game.