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Oklahoma State, whose 2015 nonconference football schedule consisted of Central Michigan, Central Arkansas and UTSA, announced a home-and-home series with Arizona State recently.

Kansas State, who played South Dakota, UTSA and Louisiana Tech last year, has scheduled four Pac-12 home-and-homes between 2016 and 2029.

Baylor, ridiculed for scheduling SMU, Lamar and Rice last season, still has Liberty, Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word on future dockets. But at least the Bears recently announced a home-and-home with BYU to go with one already scheduled with Utah.

“That’s something we really preached at the conference meeting when all of us were together, the ADs and the conference presidents — get these out-of-conference schedules tougher,” David Boren, University of Oklahoma president and Big 12 board of directors chair, said recently. “I’ve been jaw-boning that with other conference schools... It’s getting substantially better.”

Fans have the College Football Playoff to thank for that. The first guideline listed for the CFP selection committee to follow is conference championships won. The second is strength of schedule.