USC has never played an FCS team. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

While the ACC and SEC’s new rule requiring that members play at least one non-conference game against a power-five team seems like progress, it overlooks another major issue with schedule equality—games with FCS foes.

Before dictating which level of the FBS power programs draw a single non-league game from, wouldn’t it make sense to first require that all out-of-conference games be played against FBS teams?

According to an AP report via USA Today, Nick Saban advocates that the entire regular season be played against power fives, indirectly supporting the end of FBS versus FCS games.

If it was totally up to me, I’d say you’ve got to play all 12 games in the Big 5…If we did that, I think we would be less averse to playing more conference games because I think we have such a great conference.

In 2014, only 23 of the 128 FBS teams—or 18 percent—won’t play an opponent from the FCS.

Of the 23, only seven are power-five members. That means that 89 percent of power-five teams draw an FCS team this season. It’s intriguing that there are no ACC or SEC members on this list.

Here’s a look at this year’s non-FCS honor roll, only three have a long-term commitment to an all-FBS schedule.

Oklahoma

Non-Conference Games in 2014: Louisiana Tech, at Tulsa, Tennessee

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Florida A&M in 2012 (69-13 win)

Texas

Non-Conference Games in 2014: North Texas, BYU and UCLA (at Arlington, Texas)

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Sam Houston State in 2006 (56-3 win)

Penn State

Non-Conference Games in 2014: at UCF (Dublin, Ireland), Akron, UMass, Temple

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Indiana State in 2011 (41-7 win)

Arizona

Non-Conference Games in 2014: UNLV, at UTSA, Nevada

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Northern Arizona in 2013 (35-0 win)

Colorado

Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Colorado State (at Denver, Colo.), at UMass, Hawaii

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Charleston Southern in 2013 (43-10 win)

UCLA

Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Virginia, Memphis, Texas (at Arlington, Texas)

Most Recent FCS Opponent: San Diego Navy in 1954 (67-0 win)

USC

Non-Conference Games in 2014: Fresno State, at Boston College, Notre Dame

Most Recent FCS Opponent: San Diego Navy in 1952 (20-6 win)

Notre Dame

Non-ACC Games in 2014: Rice, Michigan, Purdue (at Indianapolis, Ind.), Stanford, Navy (at Landover, Md.), at Arizona State, Northwestern, at USC

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Carnegie Mellon in 1941 (16-0 win)

Cincinnati

Non-Conference Games in 2014: Toledo, Miami (Ohio), at Ohio State, at Miami (Fla.)

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Northwestern State in 2013 (66-9 win)

SMU

Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Baylor, at North Texas, Texas A&M, TCU

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Montana State in 2013 (31-30 win)

Tulsa

Non-Conference Games in 2014: Oklahoma, at Florida Atlantic, Texas State, at Colorado State

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Nicholls State in 2012 (66-16 win)

Florida Atlantic

Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Nebraska, at Alabama, Tulsa, at Wyoming

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Wagner in 2012 (7-3 win)

Western Kentucky

Non-Conference Games in 2014: Bowling Green, at Illinois, at Navy, Army

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Morgan State in 2013 (58-17 win)

Rice

Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Notre Dame, at Texas A&M, Hawaii, at Army

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Nicholls State in 2007 (16-14 loss)

UTEP

Non-Conference Games in 2014: at New Mexico, Texas Tech, New Mexico State, at Kansas State

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Stony Brook in 2011 (31-24 win)

UTSA

Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Houston, Arizona, at Oklahoma State, New Mexico

Most Recent FCS Opponent: McNeese State in 2012 (31-24 win)

Kent State

Non-Conference Games in 2014: South Alabama, at Ohio State, at Virginia, Army

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Liberty in 2013 (17-10 win)

UMass

Non-Conference Games in 2014: Boston College, Colorado, at Vanderbilt, at Penn State

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Maine in 2013 (24-14 loss)

Boise State

Non-Conference Games in 2014: Ole Miss (at Atlanta, Ga.), at UConn, UL Lafayette, BYU

Most Recent FCS Opponent: UT-Martin in 2013 (63-14 win)

New Mexico



Non-Conference Games in 2014: UTEP, Arizona State, at New Mexico State, at UTSA

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Southern in 2012 (66-21 win)

Idaho

Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Florida, Western Michigan, at Ohio, at San Diego State

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Old Dominion in 2013 (59-38 loss)

South Alabama

Non-Conference Games in 2014: at Kent State, Mississippi State, at South Carolina, Navy

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Southern Utah in 2013 (22-21 loss)

ULM

Non-Conference Games in 2014: Wake Forest, at LSU, at Kentucky, at Texas A&M

Most Recent FCS Opponent: Grambling State in 2013 (48-10 win)

