19 for ’19 Offseason Topics, No. 17: The most dangerous letdown – or sandwich – games for every Power Five team.
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They’re the games that all fans blow off and all coaching staffs lose sleep over.
They’re the games that are supposed to be sure wins, but won’t come close to receiving the undivided attention of the superior teams.
Each one is the song off the new album, played before the mega-hit that got it all started, and after the emotional anthem that became the big commercial success.
They’re the letdown games, or the they’re the sandwiches. On each Power Five team’s slate, there’s at least one game that they’re going to have to find an extra gear for that might not be there.
More often than not there’s not a problem, and there shouldn’t be one for almost everyone on this list. However …
You’ve been warned.
ACC ATLANTIC
Boston College Eagles
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Louisville, Oct. 5
Game Before: Wake Forest
Game After: NC State
There aren’t any real sandwiches for BC. However, the Wake Forest game will matter, and there’s a week off to look forward to before dealing with NC State and a trip to Clemson. Going to Louisville at the end of a run of six straight games should be rough.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Clemson Tigers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Wake Forest, Nov. 16
Game Before: at NC State
Game After: South Carolina
2008. That was the last time Clemson lost to Wake Forest – a run of ten games – and it hasn’t lost at home in the series since 1998. Even so, it’s in the middle of November after playing five straight games, including a trip to NC State. The rivalry against South Carolina closes things out. The positive? It’ll be Senior Day.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Florida State Seminoles
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Wake Forest, Oct. 19
Game Before: at Clemson
Game After: Syracuse
FSU gets a week off to get ready for Clemson on the road, and it has two rough games against Syracuse and Miami coming up. The Noles haven’t lost to Wake Forest since 2011, but they need to be focused, and they can’t be beaten up after the date with the defending national champs.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Louisville Cardinals
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at WKU, Sept. 14
Game Before: Eastern Kentucky
Game After: at Florida State
Eastern Kentucky shouldn’t be a problem the week before, but the focus will be totally on the ACC opener at Florida State after going to WKU. The Hilltoppers might not be amazing, but they’ll be experienced under new head coach Tyson Helton.
– Full Schedule Analysis
NC State Wolfpack
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Louisville, Nov. 16
Game Before: Clemson
Game After: at Georgia Tech
It’s not just that the game comes in mid-November after playing Clemson. It’s that Louisville is coming into Raleigh after the Wolfpack play two straight road games and then the defending national champs. The road game at Georgia Tech the week after will matter.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Syracuse Orange
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Liberty, Aug, 31
Game Before: None
Game After: at Maryland
Liberty obviously isn’t a sandwich game considering it’s the opener, but it’s on the road against a veteran team. New head coach Hugh Freeze should come up with a good start, and for the Orange, having to go to Maryland the following week and with Clemson right after will seem far more important.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Duke, Nov. 23
Game Before: at Clemson
Game After: at Syracuse
It’s late in the season, and Wake Forest will be deep in the midst of a brutal run with road games at Virginia Tech and Clemson before the home game against Duke, and a trip to Syracuse right after. However, it’s the final home game, and Senior Day.
– Full Schedule Analysis
ACC COASTAL
Duke Blue Devils
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Middle Tennessee, Sept. 14
Game Before: North Carolina A&T
Game After: at Virginia Tech
North Carolina A&T won’t be a concern, but that comes after playing Alabama. And then comes the weird trip to Middle Tennessee in a game that’s very, very losable with Virginia Tech on the road to follow. At least there’s a week off after going to Murfreesboro.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Letdown/Sandwich Game: NC State, Nov. 21
Game Before: Virginia Tech
Game After: Georgia
The problem isn’t just having to play NC State in the team’s ACC finale. It’s that it comes just five days after dealing with Virginia Tech. That gives the Yellow Jackets more time to prepare for Georgia, but it’s still Georgia. A few extra games probably won’t matter.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Miami Hurricanes
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Louisville, Nov. 9
Game Before: at Florida State
Game After: at FIU
Miami vs. Florida State is going to matter again, especially with the game on the road in Tallahassee. The city date with FIU is on the road, too, with the Hurricane players sure to hear about it weeks in advance. Taking down Louisville might be harder than it seems.
– Full Schedule Analysis
North Carolina Tar Heels
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Wake Forest, Sept. 12
Game Before: Miami
Game After: Appalachian State
The Appalachian State game will matter for the Tar Heels – they really, really, really can’t lose that. Playing Miami right after starting things out against South Carolina is a problem, too. Lose to Wake Forest – by the way, Clemson comes up at the end of September – and it’s going to be a disastrous start to the season.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Pitt Panthers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Ohio, Sept. 7
Game Before: Virginia
Game After: at Penn State
Ohio might just be the best team in the MAC this season. Pitt starts out the season with the ACC opener against Virginia, and it has the Penn State showdown to follow and UCF right after. Beating the Bobcats isn’t a given.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Virginia Cavaliers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Liberty, Nov. 23
Game Before: Georgia Tech
Game After: Virginia Tech
It’s a disastrously-timed game against what should be a well-motivated Liberty team. Hugh Freeze should have the Flames’ offense humming by late November, and Virginia has to deal with it while not worrying about the rivalry showdown against Virginia Tech just six days later.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Virginia Tech Hokies
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Wake Forest, Nov. 9
Game Before: at Notre Dame
Game After: at Georgia Tech
Now this is a sandwich game. It’s on the road against a Wake Forest team that will desperately need the win – its schedule is brutal in the back half. It comes right after going to Notre Dame and right before going to Georgia Tech. Worse yet, the Pitt and Virginia games to follow will matter more to the Hokies.
– Full Schedule Analysis
NEXT: Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC
BIG TEN EAST
Indiana Hoosiers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: UConn, Sept. 21
Game Before: Ohio State
Game After: at Michigan State
UConn isn’t going to start challenging or the College Football Playoff, but it’ll be better. Indiana can’t blow this off with the Big Ten opener against Ohio State before and a date at Michigan State to follow.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Maryland Terrapins
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Temple, Sept. 14
Game Before: Syracuse
Game After: Penn State
Temple on the road will be really, really dangerous early on in the Mike Locksley era. The Syracuse game will be enough of a fight, and there’s a week off after playing the Owls to get ready for the Big Ten opener against Penn State.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Michigan Wolverines
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Indiana, Nov. 23
Game Before: Michigan State
Game After: Ohio State
There just isn’t more of a sandwich possibility than this for the Wolverines. The Michigan State game is at least coming off an open date, but the pressure will be on for the Ohio State game – duh – to close things out. There can’t be a hiccup in Bloomington.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Michigan State Spartans
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Illinois, Nov. 9
Game Before: Penn State
Game After: at Michigan
There’s a week of at the right time before hosting Illinois, but the the Spartans have to play Ohio State and Wisconsin on the road and Penn State at home before dealing with the Illini. The trip up the road at Michigan comes right after.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Ohio State Buckeyes
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Miami University, Sept. 21
Game Before: at Indiana
Game After: at Nebraska
It’s the game the Buckeyes will likely forget about. The Florida Atlantic game to kick things off will get plenty of attention – thanks, Lane Kiffin – and the Cincinnati battle against Luke Fickell will be a big deal. And then comes the Big Ten opener at Indiana, followed up by a dangerous date with Miami University. Again, it’ll get forgotten about with at Nebraska and Michigan State to follow.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Penn State Nittany Lions
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Indiana, Nov. 16
Game Before: at Minnesota
Game After: at Ohio State
It’s letdown time, The Indiana game isn’t the home finale – that’s Rutgers a few weeks later – and it comes after playing at Iowa, Michigan, at Michigan State, and at Minnesota. The road date at Ohio State follows up the the date with the Hoosiers.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Liberty, Oct. 26
Game Before: Minnesota
Game After: at Illinois
It’s stuck right in the middle of the Big Ten season. Rutgers can’t take anyone lightly, and Hugh Freeze’s Liberty team is coming in for more than just a paycheck. The Scarlet Knights get Minnesota before and at Illinois after. For just about anyone else, this is an easy part of the slate.
– Full Schedule Analysis
BIG TEN WEST
Illinois Fighting Illini
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Eastern Michigan, Sept. 14
Game Before: at UConn
Game After: Nebraska
Eastern Michigan was able to tag Purdue early on last season, and this time around it’s not going to be intimidated in any way by going to Champaign. Going to UConn the week before shouldn’t matter for the Illini, but the Big Ten opener a week later against Nebraska will be a big deal.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Iowa Hawkeyes
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Middle Tennessee, Sept. 28
Game Before: at Iowa State
Game After: at Michigan
The Middle Tennessee game comes after a week off, but it also comes after going to Iowa State, and having to deal with a trip to Michigan followed up by Penn State. The Blue Raiders are going to be good enough to pull this off.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Georgia Southern, Sept. 14
Game Before: at Fresno State
Game After: at Purdue
Minnesota didn’t have any problems with the Georgia Tech option offense to close out last season, but this year, it’ll have to get ready for what Georgia Southern brings after traveling back from Fresno State. There’s a week off to follow, and then comes the Big Ten opener at Purdue.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Maryland, Nov. 23
Game Before: Wisconsin
Game After: Iowa
If all goes according to plan, Nebraska should get off to a decent start. But late in the season, to win the West – or be in the mix – it’ll have to beat Wisconsin, and it’ll have to take down Iowa. Both games are in Lincoln, but there’s a trip to Maryland in between them.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Northwestern Wildcats
Letdown/Sandwich Game: UNLV, Sept. 14
Game Before: at Stanford
Game After: Michigan State
Northwestern is one of those programs that seems to find ways to lose an early game it shouldn’t – once in a while. Last year, it was a collapse at home in a loss to Akron. This time around early in the season, UNLV might just be that game coming after a trip to Stanford and before the Big Ten opener against Michigan State.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Purdue Boilermakers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Illinois, Oct. 26
Game Before: at Iowa
Game After: Nebraska
It comes in a no-man’s land on the schedule. Four games are played before the date with Illinois, and there are two more to follow – there’s just no break. The focus can’t be won playing Nebraska the following week, and there can’t be any hangover – one way or another – after going to Iowa.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Wisconsin Badgers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Illinois, Oct. 19
Game Before: Michigan State
Game After: at Ohio State
There are several big moments on the slate, and not looking ahead to the Ohio State game is going to be one of them. The Badgers have to play Michigan State the week before going to Illinois – the first road game in six weeks.
– Full Schedule Analysis
NEXT: Big 12, Pac-12, SEC
BIG 12
Baylor Bears
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Kansas, Nov. 30
Game Before: Texas
Game After: None
Talk about waiting to exhale. West Virginia, at TCU, Oklahoma, Texas, and then … at Kansas to close. It’ll be the home finale for the Jayhawks – and almost certainly the season finale – while Baylor should be fried.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Iowa State Cyclones
Letdown/Sandwich Game: ULM, Sept. 21
Game Before: Iowa
Game After: at Baylor
ULM will have just enough of a dangerous offense to give Iowa State a nightmare of a time. The Iowa game is always emotional and always a tone-setter, and the Big 12 opener at Baylor comes after dealing with the Warhawks.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Kansas Jayhawks
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Coastal Carolina, Sept. 7
Game Before: Indiana State
Game After: at Boston College
There’s no such thing as a letdown game for Kansas – and there’s no real sandwich game on the slate – but after the fun of the opener against Indiana State is over, and with a trip to Boston College to follow, Coastal Carolina should be more pesky than Les Miles might like.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Kansas State Wildcats
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Bowling Green, Sept. 7
Game Before: Nicholls
Game After: at Mississippi State
The Bowling Green game is right after the opener for new head coach Chris Klieman against Nicholls, and right before a trip to Mississippi State. The Falcons should get roasted in Manhattan, but they should have enough of an offense to put up a fight.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Oklahoma Sooners
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Kansas State, Oct. 26
Game Before: West Virginia
Game After: Iowa State
The Sooners have the showdown against Texas on October 12th, and follow it up with a visit from former OU QB Austin Kendall and West Virginia to follow. There’s a needed week off coming up, but not before a trip to Kansas State for what will be the third game away from Norman in four weeks.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Tulsa, Sept. 14
Game Before: McNeese State
Game After: at Texas
It’s truly a “nothing to lose” game for Tulsa in what should be a spirited fight. If Oklahoma State is as good as it’s expected to be, the Golden Hurricane won’t be anything more than a slight breeze. However, with a showdown at Texas to kickoff the Big 12 season to follow, there can’t be a slip.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Texas Longhorns
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Louisiana Tech, Aug. 31
Game Before: None
Game After: LSU
Last year it was Maryland, and in 2017, too. Throw in the 2015 loss to Notre Dame, and Texas has lost three of its last four openers. All of the focus will be on the LSU game in Week 2 of the season, but first, Louisiana Tech will be good enough to pull off a stunner.
– Full Schedule Analysis
TCU Horned Frogs
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Texas Tech, Nov. 16
Game Before: Baylor
Game After: at Oklahoma
TCU will always care about the Baylor game – especially after playing Texas and at Oklahoma State. It’ll also really, really care about going to Oklahoma, and closing things out against West Virginia. In the midst of all of that is the trip to Lubbock.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Kansas, Oct. 26
Game Before: Iowa State
Game After: at West Virginia
The big problem for the Red Raiders might be road weariness. It’ll be the fourth road game in a six date run, and it comes just before getting a week off – and then a trip to West Virginia. This is a late October dog day game for Matt Wells’ new club.
– Full Schedule Analysis
West Virginia Mountaineers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Iowa State, Oct. 12
Game Before: Texas
Game After: at Oklahoma
Iowa State is hardly going to be overlooked considering the Mountaineers’ 30-14 loss last year in Ames. But this is about as sandwichey a game as it gets, coming in between Texas and at Oklahoma. It’s also the last home game before a run of three road games in four dates.
– Full Schedule Analysis
NEXT: Pac-12, SEC
PAC-12 NORTH
California Golden Bears
Letdown/Sandwich Game: North Texas, Sept. 14
Game Before: at Washington
Game After: at Ole Miss
The North Texas offense is potent enough to all but end this if Cal doesn’t have an offensive of its own this season. Coming after playing Washington in the Pac-12 opener and before going to Ole Miss is going to be a big, big problem in this quirky non-conference game.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Oregon Ducks
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Washington State, Oct. 26
Game Before: at Washington
Game After: at USC
Oregon has lost four straight to Washington State – it’s not like the focus won’t be there. However, this still falls into the definition of a sandwich game – at least a little bit. The week before? At Washington. The week after? At USC. In terms of letdown one way or another, watch out or the home opener against Nevada coming off the season opener against Auburn.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Oregon State Beavers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Cal Poly, Sept. 14
Game Before: at Hawaii
Game After: Stanford
Cal Poly is supposed to be the cupcake game – but it might just be a fight. Oregon State has a rough run against Oklahoma State to kick things off, travels to Hawaii in what should be an intense battle, and then comes a week off to get ready for the Pac-12 opener against Stanford.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Stanford Cardinal
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Oregon State, Sept. 28
Game Before: Oregon
Game After: Washington
The Cardinal get Oregon and Washington at home in Palo Alto, but the key games to the Pac-12 North season are wrapped around the trip to Oregon State. The date in Corvallis comes off a run of Northwestern, at USC, at UCF and Oregon.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Washington Huskies
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Arizona, Oct. 12
Game Before: at Stanford
Game After: Oregon
Going to Arizona is hardly easy no matter what, but it’s worse considering what the defending Pac-12 champs have around this. Try to say there’s no letdown after playing USC and at Stanford and with Oregon and Utah to follow.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Washington State Cougars
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Oregon State, Nov. 23
Game Before: Stanford
Game After: at Washington State
If the Cougars are in the Pac-12 North title chase, they’re going to need the game against Stanford in mid-November, and they can’t blink in the home finale against Oregon State. It’s a true sandwich date with the Cardinal the week before and the Apple Cup showdown at Washington to follow.
– Full Schedule Analysis
PAC-12 SOUTH
Arizona Wildcats
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Oregon State, Nov. 2
Game Before: at Stanford
Game After: at Oregon
Oregon State is the easy letdown game for several Pac-12 teams this season, and it’s a big moment for an Arizona team coming of road trips to USC and Stanford and with a much-needed week off to follow. The game after dealing with the Beavers at Oregon is going to be a problem.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Arizona State Sun Devils
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Oregon State, Nov. 16
Game Before: USC
Game After: Oregon
Okay, okay, so Oregon State can’t be every team’s letdown/sandwich game, but it sort of is time after time. For Arizona State, there’s a trip to Corvallis right after dealing with USC, and right before the final two home games of the year against Oregon and Arizona. The Beavers need to be rocking and rolling at this point.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Colorado Buffaloes
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Air Force, Sept. 14
Game Before: Nebraska
Game After: at Arizona State
The Buffs were able to slip past Nebraska last year in Lincoln, but this time around, the stakes are even higher considering both programs want to get out to a good start. That’s big, and so is Pac-12 opener at Arizona State. If the Air Force offense works, look out.
– Full Schedule Analysis
UCLA Bruins
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Colorado, Nov. 2
Game Before: Arizona State
Game After: at Utah
It’s not just that the Bruins get a week off right after playing Colorado, it’s that the focus will likely be on road games at Utah and USC. The Arizona State game will be big after losing a tight battle in Tempe last year, and that’s following a road trip to Stanford. Colorado might fall through the cracks.
– Full Schedule Analysis
USC Trojans
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Cal, Nov. 16
Game Before: at Arizona State
Game After: UCLA
USC is going to hear all about how the 2018 season effectively ended with the loss to Cal, but that’s not going to make up for how weary the team should be in the rematch. The Trojans play five straight games in the second half of the season before going to Berkeley with tough showdown after tough showdown. With UCLA to follow, the Cal game will be tough.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Utah Utes
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Northern Illinois, Sept. 7
Game Before: at BYU
Game After: Idaho State
Yeah it’s the home opener, and yeah there’s a layup against Idaho State after it, But the Northern Illinois game is a landmine. First, it comes after the Holy War against BYU to kick things off. Second, the road game at USC is coming up to open up the Pac-12 slate just 13 days later. And finally, the Huskies gave the Utes a hard time in a 17-6 loss last year, beat BYU in Provo, and beat Nebraska on the road the year before. The program won’t be afraid of the road trip.
– Full Schedule Analysis
NEXT: SEC
SEC EAST
Florida Gators
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Missouri, Nov. 16
Game Before: Vanderbilt
Game After: Florida State
Okay, so UT Martin is the big sandwich game between Miami and at Kentucky, but there won’t be any worries about beating the Skyhawks. The Missouri game matters after last year’s clunker of a Gator loss, but it comes in the middle of November with the end in sight. It’ll be the fourth game in five away from Gainesville, and just before a needed week off to prepare for FSU.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Georgia Bulldogs
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Missouri, Nov. 9
Game Before: Florida
Game After: at Auburn
Georgia has won five straight against Missouri going back to 2013, but it’s going to be ripe to be picked off if the full focus isn’t there. The Dawgs play Florida before dealing with the Tigers, and they have to go to Auburn right after. Kelly Bryant and Mizzou get a week off to get ready for their trip to Athens.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Kentucky Wildcats
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Arkansas, Oct. 12
Game Before: at South Carolina
Game After: at Georgia
In one of the more stunning streaks going, Kentucky has won five straight against Kentucky. Even so, the UK vs. USC game will still be a big battle, and there’s a week off right after. The Georgia road game will once again be a really big deal, and in between, the first game against Arkansas since 2012 – a 49-7 loss for UK – might be tougher than fans might like.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Missouri Tigers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Troy, Oct. 5
Game Before: South Carolina
Game After: Ole Miss
It’s not your normal sandwich game – home games against South Carolina and Ole Miss are manageable – except for one thing: Troy has a habit of winning games like this. It’s a new coach and a new era, but a slew of players are still around who beat Nebraska last year in Lincoln and took down LSU in Baton Rouge in 2017. The Trojans almost took down Clemson in 2016.
– Full Schedule Analysis
South Carolina Gamecocks
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Appalachian State, Nov. 9
Game Before: Vanderbilt
Game After: at Texas A&M
Everyone will tell South Carolina to be careful of a Sun Belt team in early November. But the Appalachian State game comes before Texas A&M and Clemson, and just a few weeks after going to Tennessee. The Gamecocks need to be very, very focused.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Tennessee Volunteers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: UAB, Nov. 2
Game Before: South Carolina
Game After: at Kentucky
The Vols have to go on a run of at Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, at Alabama and South Carolina before supposedly getting – supposedly – a week off against UAB. Last year in this spot, Tennessee had to fight to get by Charlotte in a 14-3 win.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Vanderbilt Commodores
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Northern Illinois, Sept. 28
Game Before: LSU
Game After: at Ole Miss
Vanderbilt can’t take anyone lightly, and it can be told to death that Northern Illinois will be a test. But after playing Georgia, at Purdue, and LSU, good luck getting the energy for this.
– Full Schedule Analysis
SEC WEST
Alabama Crimson Tide
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Arkansas, Oct. 26
Game Before: Tennessee
Game After: LSU
When was the last time Bama lost to Arkansas? It was 13 times ago back in 2006. This time around, the Hogs should have an offense again, and they just might be able to catch the Tide napping – at least for a half. Alabama is coming off a trip to Texas A&M and then the Tennessee rivalry date, and then comes the week off after playing the Hogs to get ready for LSU.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Arkansas Razorbacks
Letdown/Sandwich Game: WKU, Nov. 9
Game Before: Mississippi State
Game After: at LSU
Arkansas can’t take anyone lightly, and it can’t drop the date against Western Kentucky if it wants to go bowling. With a run of Auburn, at Alabama and Mississippi State before, and with a week off right after before going to LSU, the battle with the Hilltoppers should be a bit of a letdown.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Auburn Tigers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Samford, Nov. 23
Game Before: Georgia
Game After: Alabama
Of course Auburn isn’t going to lose to Samford. Of course it’ll go through the motions, and then wake up in time to come up with a blowout win. Of course the trip to Arkansas that comes between road games at Florida and LSU is the more appropriate and dangerous letdown game. But the date with Samford is here because it’s sandwiched in between Georgia and Alabama. If ever a team was going to be mentally checked out, at least for a quarter, it’ll probably be the Tigers on November 23rd.
– Full Schedule Analysis
LSU Tigers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Arkansas, Nov. 23
Game Before: at Ole Miss
Game After: Texas A&M
The Arkansas game comes late in the year right after a run of Florida, at Mississippi State, Auburn, at Alabama, and at Ole Miss. If it was the home finale, that might be different, but that comes the week after against Texas A&M. There might be a wee bit of hype around that.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Ole Miss Rebels
Letdown/Sandwich Game: New Mexico State, Nov. 9
Game Before: at Auburn
Game After: LSU
New Mexico State can’t and shouldn’t be an issue for the Rebels. However, it’s late in the season, Ole Miss might be snoozing, and it’s not going to care after playing at Auburn and with LSU and at Mississippi State to follow.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Abilene Christian, Nov. 23
Game Before: Alabama
Game After: Ole Miss
Of course there shouldn’t be a problem against the Wildcats of Abilene Christian, but it comes right after the Alabama showdown and just before the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss. The battle against the Rebels is just five days after playing ACU. Want a true sandwich? The trip to Arkansas comes between at Texas A&M and Bama.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Texas A&M Aggies
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Lamar, Sept. 14
Game Before: at Clemson
Game After: Auburn
There won’t be the slightest issue with the Cardinals of Lamar, but … it comes right after a date at Clemson, and before the SEC opener against Auburn. In terms of dangerous sandwiches, the Arkansas game is in Arlington before Alabama and after Auburn.
– Full Schedule Analysis
