Grading Week 2's cupcakes
— -- Strength of schedule is a major component of the College Football Playoff, but its true value in the entire equation has yet to be determined. Here's what we know: It's become increasingly important, athletic directors have beefed up their future schedules in part because of the new criteria, and FCS opponents are not only scoffed at, they're quickly becoming extinct. Just not fast enough for some. With the exception of Michigan State-Oregon, USC-Stanford, Michigan-Notre Dame and Ohio State-Virginia Tech, the national schedule in Week 2 is filled with cotton balls. Lots of fluff. It's weeks like these that leave attendance struggling and have many clamoring for an all-Power 5 regular season. So how do the big boys stack up this week as far as strength of schedule? It's time to hand out some grades. Remember, this report card is only for Week 2 -- a snapshot of the schedule, not an evaluation of the entire body of work. This is not scientific, it's subjective -- just like the committee's rankings:
Pac-12
SOS grade: A
The skinny: The Pac-12 has the two best games in the country this week, highlighted by Oregon's game against 2014 Rose Bowl champs Michigan State. It only has two FCS opponents (Cal versus Sacramento State and Washington versus Eastern Washington) -- the fewest of any Power 5 conference -- and games against Fresno State, Nevada and UTSA won't be easy. It looks like an unofficial Pac-12-Mountain West challenge this week.
BIG TEN
SOS grade: A-
The skinny: No game is bigger than Michigan State's matchup against Oregon, but Michigan is also playing Notre Dame -- a storied series that will end on Saturday -- and Ohio State's home game against Virginia Tech will also be interesting. Those games help compensate for the three FCS schools that are on the schedule (McNeese State, Howard and Western Illinois).
SEC
SOS grade: C+
The skinny: There are three FCS teams on the schedule (Nicholls State, Sam Houston and Lamar), but East Carolina is catching South Carolina on the rebound, and Ohio and Toledo should be two of the better teams in the MAC in their respective divisions.
BIG 12
SOS grade: D
The skinny: There are only seven nonconference games, and four of them are against FCS opponents (Missouri State, Southeast Missouri State, Towson and Northwestern State). The BYU-Texas game should be the most intriguing in the nonconference lineup because the Cougars are expected to have all of their suspended players back and are coming off an impressive win over UConn. At least BYU, Tulsa and UTEP won their openers last week.
ACC
SOS grade: F
The skinny: Bring on the Buckeyes. Please. With six FCS opponents on the schedule this week (South Carolina State, Richmond, Gardner Webb, Florida A&M, Murray State, The Citadel), the ACC has the worst lineup of Week 2. The Big 12 was a close second, but it's not just the FCS opponents that are duds. Games against Tulane, Old Dominion, Troy and San Diego State do little to move the pulse.
