The SEC provides its members with the highest in-conference level of difficulty of any conference in college football, but these 5 teams have decided to take it one step further in 2015 by stacking their out-of-conference schedules with plenty of landmine games. Here's our list of The 5 Toughest Out Of Conference Schedules In The SEC In 2015.
5. Georgia Bulldogs
2015 Non-Conference Slate: UL Monroe, FCS Southern, Georgia Southern, at Georgia Tech
Georgia appears to have three cupcakes on their out-of-conference schedule, but its non-power slate is actually a touch more difficult than most teams in the SEC. The clincher here is a brutal road game against a Georgia Tech team that could be a dark-horse contender for a College Football Playoff berth after finishing last season ranked #8 in the final AP Poll.
4. Tennessee Volunteers
2015 Non-Conference Slate: Bowling Green (in Nashville), Oklahoma, FCS Western Carolina, North Texas
Bowling Green is a much tougher draw than people might think, and that Oklahoma game looms large as a potential crux point for the Vols' season. The Sooners will be reloaded and ready to go after an inconsistent 2014, and that means a huge challenge for Butch Jones' crew.
3. Texas A&M Aggies
2015 Non-Conference Slate: Arizona State (in Houston), Ball State, Nevada, FCS Western Carolina
The Aggies' season opener against the Arizona State Sun Devils will be the first out-of-conference Power 5 clash for Texas A&M since they made the move to the SEC. Along with facing a high-powered ASU team in Houston, A&M draws two other teams that had winning records in 2014: Nevada (7-6) and FCS Western Carolina (7-5).
2. Florida Gators
2015 Non-Conference Slate: New Mexico State, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Florida State
We all know how tough the program's rivalry game against FSU is every year, but the Gators also host an East Carolina squad that upended #17 Virginia Tech and North Carolina in 2014. That's two toughies for the Gators in addition to a brutal SEC schedule.
1. South Carolina Gamecocks
2015 Non-Conference Slate: North Carolina (in Charlotte), UCF, FCS Citadel, Clemson
South Carolina is the only SEC team in 2015 to face two Power 5 schools during their out-of-conference slate (North Carolina, Clemson), and they also have to contend with a talented UCF program that's posted a 31-9 record over the past three seasons. If the Gamecocks can get through all of that unscathed, they'll be in damn good shape.
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