The SEC have the last six national titles to claim as being the best conference in College Football. Year after year, their out of conference schedule often looks quite terrible, as Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Auburn, Texas A&M and Kentucky have all scheduled FCS opponents on week 12.

Who isn’t getting involved in the cupcake marathon? Arkansas (4-6) are playing Mississippi State (7-3) in a conference game; Ole Miss (5-5) are playing against LSU (8-2); Syracuse are playing Missouri while Tennessee (4-6) play Vanderbilt (6-4). The rest? One of the reasons people heavily criticize SEC scheduling.

Some will argue that because of the SEC’s brutal schedule, there’s a need for some sort of off week between Week 11 and rivalry week. Still, you’d expect teams to find better opposition than FCS opponents.

Alabama, #4 in the nation with a 9-1 record, prepare for the Iron Bowl by hosting Western Carolina. The Catamounts are 1-9 this season, losing their only game to an FBS team (Marshall) 54-24. Their only win came against Mars Hill.

Florida, #6 in the nation with a 9-1 record prepare for their rivalry game against Florida State by playing against Jacksonville State. The same Gamecocks (6-4) that have lost to Arkansas (49-24) on the opening weekend of the season.

South Carolina, 8-2, #9 in the nation. They have a game against Clemson coming up next week. They play one of the best in the FCS, Wofford. The Terriers will play against an FBS team for the first time this season.

The SEC East champions, Georgia, have the Georgia Tech game to prepare to. How? By playing Georgia South, another 8-2 team from the FCS. The Eagles will also be playing an FBS opponent for the first time this season.

Sad and pathetic Auburn at 2-8 shouldn’t be getting the ammount of criticism their better SEC sisters are getting, but they never expected to be this bad when the season began, going 0-7 in the SEC and the Alabama game waiting at the end of the line. Their preparing with Alabama A&M, a 7-3 team from the SWAC.

Texas A&M, #8 in the nation, before playing Missouri on the final week of the season, get to relax against Sam Houston State. Yes, the same A&M that beat Alabama last week. The Bearkats played an FBS team this season, Baylor, losing 48-23.

Last but not least is one of the worst teams in the nation, Kentucky, with a 1-9 record and 0-7 in the SEC. They’ll be playing Samford, 7-3 this season. Don’t be too surprised if the Bulldogs win this one.