Published April 20, 2012 - 9:43am
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We come to the top two toughest schedules in the SEC. The Alabama Crimson Tide, coming off a 2011 national championship, will be looking to reload in 2012. The Tide will have plenty of incoming talent to remain highly competitive, but the schedule will make it difficult to run the table. The Crimson Tide have the 2nd toughest schedule in 2012 in the conference.
2012 Alabama Crimson Tide Schedule
- Sep 01 – Michigan Wolverines (Arlington, TX)
- Sep 08 – Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
- Sep 15 – at Arkansas Razorbacks
- Sep 22 – Florida Atlantic Owls
- Sep 29 – Ole Miss Rebels
- Oct 06 – BYE
- Oct 13 – at Missouri Tigers
- Oct 20 – at Tennessee Volunteers
- Oct 27 – Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Nov 03 – at LSU Tigers
- Nov 10 – Texas A&M Aggies
- Nov 17 – Western Carolina Calamounts
- Nov 24 – Auburn Tigers
The Numbers
- 7 Home Games
- 4 Road Games
- 1 Neutral Site Game
- 1 legit non-conference game (Michigan)
- 3 Cupcakes (Western Kentucky, FAU, Western Carolina)
- 3 top 25 opponents (#3 LSU#11 Arkansas, #14 Michigan) using ESPN’s early top 25 estimate
- 4 top 25 opponents (#1 LSU, #4 Arkansas, #11 Michigan, #23 Auburn) using an early SI poll
Rank
- SEC West: 2nd
- SEC: 2nd
Notes
While playing fewer top 25 ranked teams than Auburn (according to early unofficial polls), why would we place Alabama’s schedule difficulty ahead of Auburn? It’s simple really. Alabama plays three games away from home against top teams in Michigan (neutral site), Arkansas and LSU. Auburn plays one (at Alabama); two, if you also consider Clemson a top team. These three games put Alabama over the top and into the 2nd slot on our rankings.
Moreover, Alabama gets the always competitive Iron Bowl at home and tough road games in Tennessee and Missouri. Even Miss State and Texas A&M at home aren’t cake walks.
Yes, it is quite impressive that Alabama was able to register the 2nd most difficult schedule in the SEC since of course they can’t play themselves. However, if you think this schedule is tough… wait for the #1 toughest schedule in 2012.
