No-Win Road Trips

[TheUpperHand]

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=824363

South Florida at Florida International, Sept. 20: USF struggled to put away Florida Atlantic, FIU's biggest Sun Belt Conference rival, last season. But FIU isn't FAU's class, much less USF's. This should be a rout – emphasis on the "should be." If USF struggles, that bodes ill.

[feardabull]

Do your job, boys

[MechanicalBull]

FIU should not be overlooked.  We barely beat them in 06 at RayJay 21-20. 

I know different year different team, but I'm sure they have this game marked on their Calendars.

[feardabull]

FIU should not be overlooked.  We barely beat them in 06 at RayJay 21-20. 

I know different year different team, but I'm sure they have this game marked on their Calendars.

Not to mention 18 starters back from a team that managed to win their last game of last season.

[Jamie]

Not to mention 18 starters back from a team that managed to win their last game of last season.

Big deal. They beat North Texas. There are high school teams in Florida that could have beaten North Texas last year. They only gave up 45 points per game.

[BULL-IT]

We need to beat teams like that the same way we beat ucf last year, big numbers, we are in the big time now, no more ********.

I can hear it now, That over ranked USF team barely beat fiu. I hope we dont have to hear that.

[RegretaBull]

Mike Huguenin needs to get a life.

[BullMedic]

Mike Huguenin needs to get a life.

There are only so many things you can write about in the off season.

[ChiTownBull]

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=824363

Mike Huguenin

Rivals.com College Football Editor

We're more than a little intrigued by Texas' decision to play at UTEP this season (the first time the Longhorns have played the Miners in El Paso), so we went looking for a few more games where the visiting team has a lot to lose and not much – or anything – to gain.

We came up with a few:

Sylvester Croom and Mississippi State could lose more than a game at Louisiana Tech.

•Mississippi State at Louisiana Tech, Aug. 30: This is the first time an SEC team has deigned to travel to Ruston to play the Bulldogs. Mississippi State's defense should be too much for Tech. Still, the goodwill Mississippi State built up in finally going to another bowl last season would be greatly dissipated by a loss in this one.

•Maryland at Middle Tennessee, Sept. 6: Virginia barely got out of Murfreesboro, Tenn., alive last season, winning by two. How will the Cavaliers' ACC foe fare? MTSU has some issues on defense, but Blue Raiders QB Dwight Dasher will make things difficult for the Terps' defense.

•Minnesota at Bowling Green, Sept. 6: Big Ten teams annually play a number of MAC opponents, but this is a rare case where the MAC team probably will be favored. Bowling Green has a potent offense. As for Minnesota's defense … well, the Golden Gophers last season would've had issues stopping your kid's Pop Warner team. Maybe a new year – and a new coordinator and a new scheme and a bunch of new players – will make a difference for Minnesota.

•Texas Tech at Nevada, Sept. 6: The Red Raiders' non-conference schedule is a joke, and this is the toughest test. Yes, Tech's offense should have its way with Nevada's defense. But the Wolf Pack's "Pistol" offense has the potential to give what is expected to be an improved Red Raiders defense a stern test.

•Texas A&M at New Mexico, Sept. 6: This has "trap game" written all over it for the Aggies. A&M still will be getting used to new coach Mike Sherman, and the Lobos' blitz-happy defense is tough to prepare for – and to handle. New Mexico gets another chance to beat up on a "big boy" the next week, when Arizona comes calling. The Lobos won in Tucson last season.

•South Florida at Florida International, Sept. 20: USF struggled to put away Florida Atlantic, FIU's biggest Sun Belt Conference rival, last season. But FIU isn't FAU's class, much less USF's. This should be a rout – emphasis on the "should be." If USF struggles, that bodes ill.

[usfgrad84]

Stupid.

As the author pointed out, FIU is not anywhere near FAU.  The only thing that would make them a rival is the geographic proximity.  You can't compare a 1-11 team to a conference champ and bowl team.  I am sure there are better non conference matchups to write about.