Schedule-Gasms!

Granted, we are still months away from football season, but the fall will be here sooner than you know it. With that comes the return of the Cardinals and Wildcats to the football field. First we take a look at the Fighting Cardinals of Ball State...

Sept. 3 vs. North Texas
Sept. 12 vs. New Hampshire
Sept. 19 at Army
Sept. 26 at Auburn
Oct. 3 vs. Toledo
Oct. 10 at Temple
Oct. 17 vs. Bowling Green
Oct. 24 at Eastern Michigan
Oct. 31 vs. Ohio
Nov. 12 at Northern Illinois
Nov. 18 vs. Central Michigan
Nov. 24 at Western Michigan

Really, the schedule itself isn't all that daunting. At Auburn is challenging, but winnable, as they all are. The Cardinals get two warm ups before their first road game to West Point, and at worst, will be sitting 3-1 when conference play opens. As it usually does, the battle for the MAC West will come down to three games in November, two of them on the road. The Cardinals got the flip-side of this last year, with 2 of them at home. As for the conference games, expect the Cardinals to probably drop one of their last three, and perhaps one other throughout the season.

Chalk it up as a W: North Texas, New Hampshire, @ Army, Toledo, @ Temple, Ohio
Chalk it up as an L: None
Toss up: @ Auburn, BG, @EMU, @NIU, CMU, @ WMU

Assuming we split the toss ups, that's 9-3. At worst.

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For the Wildcats, it's more of the same, as a relative "Who's Who" shows up on the SEC slate for Big Blue.

Sept. 5 vs. Miami (Ohio) (in Cincinnati)
Sept. 19 vs. Louisville
Sept. 26 vs. Florida
Oct. 3 vs. Alabama
Oct. 10 at South Carolina
Oct. 17 at Auburn
Oct. 24 vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Oct. 31 vs. Mississippi State
Nov. 7 vs. Eastern Kentucky
Nov. 14 at Vanderbilt
Nov. 21 at Georgia
Nov. 28 vs. Tennessee

The good news for Kentucky is that the non-conference games are dispersed somewhat equally throughout the season, instead of right at the front. That means that should UK find themselves in the midst of a losing streak, there is a good possibility for some good karma points with a Louisiana-Monroe slumpbuster in October. They get Florida and Bama at home, and early, and if there's ever a time or location to play them, I guess that would be it. Road contests at Auburn, SC, Vandy and Georgia make the road a winnable place for UK this year. Young Mr. Kiffin makes his first trip as a Vol to Commonwealth on November 28.

Chalk it up as a W: Miami, Louisville, Louisiana-Monroe, Eastern Kentucky
Chalk it up as an L: Florida, Bama, @ Georgia
Toss up: @ South Carolina, @ Auburn, Mississippi State, @ Vanderbilt, Tennessee

Assuming the Cats can win three of their five "toss up" games, and that's a conservative estimation, then they're looking at 7-5. Not fantastic, but I think this team has great potential to do much much better than that. A lot of it will ride on how close the Florida and Alabama games play out. A close showing, or even an upset, will tip momentum and attitude in the Cats' favor and make a special season possible.

Either way, we're getting closer by the day to pigskin. And it can't get here soon enough.