The SEC eats itself every year with the meat grinder schedule. This year it got Alabama, but it has claimed many other SEC schools over the years.
Our road schedule is what got us. @ Texas, @ Arkansas, @ Tennessee, @ LSU, @ Ole Miss. Getting everyone's best shot. Texas had the whole summer to plan for us.
Compare that to Ohio State's road schedule. @ Michigan State, @ Penn State, @ Northwestern, @ Maryland.
Or Michigan's road schedule. @ Iowa, @ Indiana, @ Rutgers, @ Ohio State
Or even Georgia's road schedule. @ South Carolina (early in the season), @ Missouri, @ Miss. State, @ Kentucky
USC had @ Stanford, @ Oregon State, @ Utah, @ Arizona, @ UCLA.
TCU @ Colorado, @ SMU, @ Kansas, @ West Virginia, @ Texas, @ Baylor
TCU had more road games than home games, with each road game being within one score except the Colorado one.