Ranking FBS College Football Team's Strength Of Schedule 🏈
Ranking every FBS college football team's strength of schedule
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The NCAA's method for determining which teams face the toughest schedule is somewhat flawed, as there are teams that had great records last year that will struggle to make a bowl this season.
Baylor, for example, had a dream season with 11 wins and made it to the Sugar Bowl, but the Bears not only lose their head coach -- they also have to replace nine starters on the defense, including most of their top stars. When my magazine comes out in June, I will have an updated strength of schedule based on my power ratings for each team this season.
Here is my ranking for the strength of schedule for every FBS football team. 1. South Carolina Gamecocks
Opponent record: 102-54 (65.4 win %) South Carolina faced the toughest schedule last season and did not get a break this year, facing the toughest once again. Clemson, LSU, Florida and Georgia could all be in the preseason top 10 this year.
Opponent record: 97-57 (63.0%) I rated the AAC as the fifth-toughest conference in college football last year ahead of the ACC, so this makes sense. New head coach Jeff Scott pulls Texas and Florida Atlantic in the nonconference schedule, and the Bulls face nine teams that had a winning record last season.
Opponent record: 98-59 (62.4%) While the ACC was down last season, it does figure to be improved. Tech draws Clemson out of the ACC Atlantic and in nonconference games has to face UCF, Georgia and Notre Dame.
Opponent record: 96-58 (62.3%) The Razorbacks draw five teams out of the SEC West that made it to a bowl last season and also face Notre Dame, Nevada and Tennessee outside their division for a total of eight bowl teams.
Opponent record: 97-60 (61.8%) The Huskers had the schedule last year to make a big move up, as they faced only five teams that finished with a winning record, but went just 5-7. This year, they not only face nine teams that made it to a bowl last season but six teams that were ranked, which ties for the most.
Opponent record: 95-62 (60.5%) Weber State won 11 games last season in the FCS, which helps this percentage, but the Cowboys also draw Utah and Louisiana among eight bowl teams. Utah will not be a playoff contender like last season. This is one team that won't be in the top 10 of my toughest schedules when I finalize them in May.
Opponent record: 94-62 (60.3%) Lane Kiffin takes over here, and Ole Miss faces nine teams that were in bowls last season. The Rebels play in the SEC West and draw Florida from the East, but they might not be in my top 10, as Baylor and Southeast Missouri State had a combined 20 wins last season. This is a tough schedule but probably will not make my top 10 toughest.
Opponent record: 95-63 (60.1%) The Ducks play in an underrated Pac-12 North and pull USC and Arizona State out of the South and also face Ohio State in one of the best nonconference games of the season. The North Dakota State opener is not your typical matchup versus an FCS foe.
Opponent record: 93-63 (59.6%) In the past couple of years, Alabama's schedule has been much maligned for being soft, and last season the Tide finished with my No. 52-rated schedule. This season, Alabama takes on nine teams that made it to a bowl, including USC, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M and Auburn.
Opponent record: 93-63 (59.6%) UNLV faced my No. 101-toughest schedule last season, but new head coach Marcus Arroyo figures to go through some growing pains. UNLV draws Boise State out of the Mountain and opens with four bowl teams from last season in nonconference play, with three of those from Power 5 leagues.
Opponent record: 90-62 (59.2%) The Badgers avoid Ohio State and Penn State but play Michigan from the East and Notre Dame and Appalachian State in nonconference games. The Big Ten West will be tough this season.
Opponent record: 90-63 (58.8%) TCU faces nine teams that finished with a winning record last season, which ties for the most. The 58.8% opponent win percentage marks the toughest schedule in the Big 12.
Opponent record: (90-64 58.4%) The Wolverines play in the same division as Ohio State and Penn State. They pull Wisconsin and Minnesota out of the West and also open on the road at Washington.
Opponent record: 88-65 (57.8%) USC has 11 games versus Power 5 teams, including Alabama and Notre Dame. The Trojans likely will land in the top 10 of my toughest schedules in May despite their ranking here.
Opponent record: 87-69 (55.8%) Kent State faces nine teams that finished with a winning record, which ties for the most. Using this criteria, the Golden Flashes face the toughest schedule of any MAC team.
Opponent record: 84-69 (54.9%) Ohio State faces eight teams that made it to bowls last season and four that finished ranked. The Buckeyes also face Oregon in a nonconference game, but this opponent win percentage is in the lower half of the Big Ten. Not playing themselves is a partial reason for that.
Opponent record: 83-72 (53.5%) While WKU is just No. 56 among the toughest schedules in opponent win percentage, it is the highest out of the C-USA teams.
Opponent record: 81-73 (52.6%) Illinois has a nonconference slate of Illinois State, UConn and Bowling Green, and the Illini's opponent win percentage is the easiest in the Big Ten.
Opponent record: 79-72 (52.3%) UCF will be a prime contender for the Group of 5 New Year's Day Six bowl game and has the second-easiest schedule in the American Conference.
Opponent record: 79-73 (52.0%) LSU, which plays in the same division as Alabama (the Tide face the No. 10 schedule), faces opponents that combined for just a 52% win percentage last season. The Tigers face just six teams that finished with a winning record.
Opponent record: 78-74 (51.3%) The Pac-12 plays nine conference games, but with a nonconference slate of Northern Arizona, UNLV and BYU, the Sun Devils' opponent win percentage is the lowest in the Pac-12.
Opponent record: 77-75 (50.7%) The Gators face only five teams that made it to a bowl or had a winning record, and their opponent win percentage is second lowest in the SEC.
Opponent record: 73-78 (48.3%) The Cowboys are loaded with both RB Chuba Hubbard and WR Tylan Wallace turning down the NFL to return to Stillwater, and the Cowboys face seven teams that were not bowl-eligible last season.
Opponent record: 73-78 (48.3%) Oklahoma has the second-easiest path of any top team, as their opponents were just 73-78 last season, with six of the 12 foes not being bowl-eligible.
Opponent record: 70-81 (46.4%) Clemson is the most likely No. 1 team in the country heading into 2020, and on paper it has the easiest path to the title game. While six of the Tigers' foes made it to bowl games last season, only four finished with a winning record.
Opponent record: 62-86 (41.9%) The Flames took on my No. 130 schedule last year and parlayed it into a bowl game. This season, they take on an FBS-low four teams that made it to a bowl.
Opponent record: 56-92 (37.8%) An inexperienced UAB team faced a soft schedule last season and still played in the C-USA title game. This year, the Blazers face just four bowl teams and zero that ended the season ranked.
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Ranking FBS College Football Team's Strength Of Schedule 🏈
1. South Carolina Gamecocks
2. South Florida Bulls
3. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
4. Arkansas Razorbacks
5. Nebraska Cornhuskers
6. Wyoming Cowboys
7. Ole Miss Rebels
8. Oregon Ducks
9. Purdue Boilermakers
T10. Alabama Crimson Tide
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