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College Football: Ranking the 10 most difficult FBS schedules in 2017

By Zach Bigalke

Oct 15, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange wide receiver Brisly Estime (1) returns a punt as Virginia Tech Hokies defensive tackle Dalton Roe (90) prepares to make a tackle during the fourth quarter of a game at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange wide receiver Brisly Estime (1) returns a punt as Virginia Tech Hokies defensive tackle Dalton Roe (90) prepares to make a tackle during the fourth quarter of a game at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 19, 2016; Provo, UT, USA; Massachusetts Minutemen wide receiver Bernard Davis (88) catches the ball and breaks away from Brigham Young Cougars defensive back Kai Nacua (12) during the first quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2016; Provo, UT, USA; Massachusetts Minutemen wide receiver Bernard Davis (88) catches the ball and breaks away from Brigham Young Cougars defensive back Kai Nacua (12) during the first quarter at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports /

The toughest schedule in the country will not be played by an SEC or an ACC school. And among independents, neither BYU nor Notre Dame have schedules that come close to the challenges UMass will face on aggregate in 2017. The Minutemen are the only team in the nation whose 12-game schedule comes against teams who won more than 100 combined games last year. It all starts at home against Hawaii (7-7 in 2016) on August 26.

September opens with three straight games against teams that won 10 games in 2016: at newly-transitioned FBS member Coastal Carolina, at home against Old Dominion, and at AAC champion Temple. The month wraps up with a game at Neyland Stadium against Tennessee (9-4) and a home showdown against 2016 MAC East champ Ohio (8-6).

The Minutemen then get two weeks before facing South Florida (11-2) in Tampa. Georgia Southern on Oct. 21 is their only opponent who won fewer than six games in 2016.

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With a schedule like this, the Minutemen will be hard pressed to win more than the two games that they managed to steal last year. Independence has been unkind to UMass since they moved up from the FCS in 2012. A bowl game is a distant dream for Massachusetts fans at this point.

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