This Friday's list is a response to the outcry over Penn State's non-conference schedule. While it is certainly one of the nation's worst, some of the other top teams have similar out-of-conference slates.

So, here is a list of the Top 10 teams in the coaches' poll, ranked from toughest non-conference schedule to easiest:

1. Southern California
San Jose State, at Ohio State, at Notre Dame
Because the Pac-10 plays a round robin schedule with nine conference games, the Trojans have just three non-conference games -- two of which are on the road in tough environments. Six of the Trojans' first nine games are on the road, including the Sept. 12 rematch with Ohio State and the Oct. 17 visit to Notre Dame and it's foot-high grass. With trips to face the No. 6 Buckeyes -- which should be a much better game than last year -- and the improved Fighting Irish, USC gets the top spot.

2. Virginia Tech
Alabama (at Atlanta), Marshall, Nebraska, at East Carolina
The Hokies have just one pushover in four games. The trip to the Georgia Dome to face Alabama will thrust Tech into the national spotlight in the first week, and while the Hokies will be favorites in a rematch with Nebraska, it's certainly a test. Finally, they must travel to East Carolina after falling to the Pirates in Charlotte to open the 2008 season.

3. Oklahoma
BYU (at Arlington), Idaho State, Tulsa, at Miami
The season opener at the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium should be chalked up as a win for Oklahoma, but then again, no one saw Utah taking down Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. The Cougars boast an explosive offense and will be a challenge for the Sooners. The trip to Miami isn't what it once was, but the Hurricanes are continuing to build under Randy Shannon and it will still be a big game.

4. Ohio State
Navy, USC, Toledo (at Cleveland), New Mexico State
Although Navy is solid, Ohio State should cruise through three of the four games. Then there's the home game with USC, where the Buckeyes will try to get revenge for a 35-3 embarrassment at the Coliseum last season. Once again, however, it's arguably the biggest game of the non-conference season, and an Ohio State win would provide a major boost to the Big Ten's profile.

5. Alabama
Virginia Tech (at Atlanta), Florida International, North Texas, Chattanooga
Alabama's stingy defense might not allow a point in the final three games, but at least there's the showdown with Virginia Tech to start the year. This is the second year in a row the Crimson Tide opens the season at the Georgia Dome after a surprising 34-10 blowout of Clemson that set the tone for the rest of the season for both teams.

6. Florida
Charleston Southern, Troy, Florida International, Florida State
The Gators play eight home games, but at least they have the rivalry with Florida State. While, Troy is no pushover, there is still no reason the Gators won't win by 40. And, simply put, the games with FCS Charleston Southern and Florida International may not be suitable for children.

7. LSU
at Washington, Louisiana-Lafayette, Tulane, Louisiana Tech
Washington has been one of the worst programs in the country in the last several years and finished 0-12 last season. While not exactly a tough non-conference matchup, the Huskies should be much improved with a healthy Jake Locker. Outside of that, LSU decided to open its doors to every other Louisiana school aside from Louisiana-Monroe. Louisiana Tech is solid, but those three will all be laughers.

8. Texas
Louisiana-Monroe, at Wyoming, UTEP, UCF
At least the Longhorns decided to travel to Laramie, Wyo., for some reason. UTEP should be solid, but really, none of these four teams will pose any threat to the Longhorns.

9. Penn State
Akron, Syracuse, Temple, Eastern Illinois
We all know about it, and everyone hates it. Four home games, all against bad teams. Penn State didn't use to schedule FCS teams, but now that's changed with games against Youngstown State, Coastal Carolina and now Eastern Illinois. Syracuse was good when the home-and-home series was scheduled eight years ago, but that counts for nothing. The Orange went 10-3 when this game was arranged, and in the last four years combined, the Orange has gone 10-37.

10. Mississippi
at Memphis, SE Louisiana, UAB, Northern Arizona
The Rebels do make an 85-mile journey to Memphis, so at least they have a road game. But the fact that they schedule two FCS teams puts them on the bottom of this list. It's bad enough that so many big schools are scheduling FCS teams. But two? Ridiculous.

*****
Quick Hits:
-Former Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin has finally agreed to a five-year deal with the Buffalo Bills, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The holdout lasted through all of training camp, but now the No. 11 pick in the draft will finally join fellow Nittany Lions Paul Posluszny, Bryan Scott and Lydell Sargeant on the Buffalo defense.

-Illinois cornerback Miami Thomas will miss the season with a torn ACL. It's a situation similar to Jerome Hayes, as Thomas also missed the '08 season when he tore his ACL in the second game. The run of bad luck with injuries also includes off-season shoulder surgery.

*****
Video of the Day:
Some Aaron Maybin Penn State highlights:

*****
Follow the Footblog on Twitter and comment through your Facebook account by clicking "Comments" at the bottom of each post.

-Matt Brown