<TABLE class=cnnTMbox cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=550 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=cnnIEBoxTitle>THE WIMPIEST</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnTMcontent><!-- tabled content area --><TABLE class=cnnTM cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">1. TEXAS TECH (21) Florida International, Sam Houston State (I-AA), Indiana State (I-AA)</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">With not one but two Division I-AA home games, plus a third against a team in its first year of I-A, the Red Raiders (above) easily earn this distinction. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">2. PENN STATE (NR) South Florida, Cincinnati, Central Michigan</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">There's an easy explanation for the Nittany Lions' scheduling three cupcakes at home: Penn State has gone 0-5 in nonconference road games over the past five seasons. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">3. WASHINGTON STATE (NR) Idaho, at Nevada, Grambling State (I-AA)</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">This easy slate should take some of the sting out of having to go on the road to play Pac-10 rivals Cal and USC. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">4. ALABAMA (24) Middle Tennessee State, Southern Miss, Utah State</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">The Tide should roll early. Even their SEC schedule is home-loaded with Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee and LSU coming to Tuscaloosa. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">5. OKLAHOMA STATE (NR) Montana State (I-AA), at Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">The Cowboys look like bottom-feeders, picking on two of the lowest-ratedDivision I-A programs. New coach Mike Gundy breathes a sigh of relief.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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Gutsiest
<TABLE class=cnnTMbox cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=550 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=cnnIEBoxTitle>THE GUTSIEST</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnTMcontent><!-- tabled content area --><TABLE class=cnnTM cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">1. NOTRE DAME (AP RANK: NR) Nonconference games: Does not apply</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">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. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">2. USC (1) at Hawaii, Arkansas, at Notre Dame, Fresno State</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">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. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">3. TEXAS (2) Louisiana-Lafayette, at Ohio State, Rice</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">In a year when the Longhorns are a national championship contender, the Sept. 10 trip to Columbus is a big risk. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">4. ARKANSAS (NR) Southwest Missouri State, at USC, Louisiana-Monroe</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">No team in the SEC has a tougher nonconference road game than the Hogs' Sept. 17 matchup against the Trojans. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">5. GEORGIA TECH (NR) at Auburn, Connecticut, Georgia</TD></TR><TR class=cnnIERowAltBG><TD class=cnnIEColTxtL style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px">If that triumvirate isn't daunting enough, the Yellow Jackets get no respite in their ACC itinerary, which features dates at Miami and Virginia Tech. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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