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2025 College Football Strength of Schedule Rankings: Preseason Toughest to Easiest

2025 College Football Strength of Schedule Rankings: Preseason Toughest to Easiest

Miami Herald3 days ago
More than ever, the schedule means absolutely everything in the quest to get to ten wins - that's the unofficial goal to get into the expanded CFP discussion - as a Power Four program.Are Alabama and Georgia on your SEC schedule, or do you get Mississippi State and Kentucky? Do you get Ohio State at home, do you have to play Oregon on the road, or do you miss both of them?Are you on the business end of a home-and-home - seriously, Wisconsin, you don't willingly schedule Alabama - or do you get three light and breezy non-conference scrimmages (hey Penn State ... 'sup?)
Who has the (seemingly) easiest schedule going into 2025, and who has it the roughest? While this isn't an exact science, if you're close to the pin, you sort of know how good or bad the slate is.According to our Preview 2025 preseason rankings, each team gets points by rank. We have New Mexico at 110 in the rankings. If you play the Lobos at home, you get 110 points. Get them in Albuquerque, and you get half the points, so that counts as a 55.The lower the number and score, the harder your schedule is.. Any game against an FCS team counts as 137 points, and neutral site dates are treated like home games in the scoring.Schedules, predictions for every gameACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | SECAmerican | C-USA | ND, UConn, Pac-12MAC | Mountain West | Sun Belt
136 Liberty
Strength of Schedule Score: 1066.5 Hardest Game: Sept 27 at Old Dominion Easiest Game: Aug 30 Maine
135 Middle Tennessee
Strength of Schedule Score: 1045.5 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Wisconsin Easiest Game: Aug 30 Austin Peay
134 Toledo
Strength of Schedule Score: 1021 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Kentucky Easiest Game: Sept 13 Morgan State
133 FIU
Strength of Schedule Score: 1007 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Penn State Easiest Game: Aug 29 Bethune-Cookman
132 Buffalo
Strength of Schedule Score: 998.5 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Minnesota Easiest Game: Sept 6 St. Francis
131 WKU
Strength of Schedule Score: 997.5 Hardest Game: Nov 22 at LSU Easiest Game: Aug 30 North Alabama
130 New Mexico State
Strength of Schedule Score: 993.5 Hardest Game: Nov 15 at Tennessee Easiest Game: Aug 30 Bryant
129 Southern Miss
Strength of Schedule Score: 993 Hardest Game: Oct 4 at Georgia Southern Easiest Game: Sept 6 Jackson State
128 UTEP
Strength of Schedule Score: 989.5 Hardest Game: Sept 13 at Texas Easiest Game: Sept 6 UT Martin
127 Akron
Strength of Schedule Score: 981 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Nebraska Easiest Game: Sept 20 Duquesne
126 Northern Illinois
Strength of Schedule Score: 977 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Maryland Easiest Game: Aug 30 Holy Cross
125 Kennesaw State
Strength of Schedule Score: 974 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Indiana Easiest Game: Sept 13 Merrimack
124 Appalachian State
Strength of Schedule Score: 957 Hardest Game: Sept 27 at Boise State Easiest Game: Sept 6 Lindenwood
123 UMass
Strength of Schedule Score: 941 Hardest Game: Sept 27 at Missouri Easiest Game: Sept 6 Bryant
122 Delaware
Strength of Schedule Score: 938 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Colorado Easiest Game: Aug 28 Delaware State
121 Rice
Strength of Schedule Score: 937.5 Hardest Game: Nov 29 at USF Easiest Game: Sept 13 Prairie View A&M
T119 UConn
Strength of Schedule Score: 931.5 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Syracuse Easiest Game: Aug 30 Central Connecticut State
T119 Missouri State
Strength of Schedule Score: 931.5 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at USC Easiest Game: Sept 20 UT Martin
118 Georgia Southern
Strength of Schedule Score: 923 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at USC Easiest Game: Sept 20 Maine
117 Louisiana Tech
Strength of Schedule Score: 921 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at LSU Easiest Game: Aug 30 Southeastern
116 Jacksonville State
Strength of Schedule Score: 918.5 Hardest Game: Aug 28 at UCF Easiest Game: Sept 20 Murray State
115 Marshall
Strength of Schedule Score: 918 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Georgia Easiest Game: Sept 13 Eastern Kentucky
114 Ohio
Strength of Schedule Score: 916.5 Hardest Game: Sept 13 at Ohio State Easiest Game: Sept 20 Gardner-Webb
T112 Eastern Michigan
Strength of Schedule Score: 916 Hardest Game: Oct 18 at Miami Easiest Game: Sept 6 LIU
T112 Army
Strength of Schedule Score: 916 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Kansas State Easiest Game: Aug 29 Tarleton State
111 Coastal Carolina
Strength of Schedule Score: 914.5 Hardest Game: Nov 22 at South Carolina Easiest Game: Sept 6 Charleston Southern
110 James Madison
Strength of Schedule Score: 905 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Louisville Easiest Game: Aug 30 Weber State
109 Louisiana
Strength of Schedule Score: 900 Hardest Game: Sept 13 at Missouri Easiest Game: Sept 6 McNeese
108 Bowling Green
Strength of Schedule Score: 893.5 Hardest Game: Sept 20 at Louisville Easiest Game: Aug 28 Lafayette
107 North Texas
Strength of Schedule Score: 892 Hardest Game: Sept 20 at Army Easiest Game: Aug 30 Lamar
106 Texas State
Strength of Schedule Score: 890 Hardest Game: Sept 13 at Arizona State Easiest Game: Sept 20 Nicholls
105 Ball State
Strength of Schedule Score: 889.5 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Auburn Easiest Game: Sept 13 New Hampshire
104 Miami University
Strength of Schedule Score: 889 Hardest Game: Aug 28 at Wisconsin Easiest Game: Sept 27 Lindenwood
103 Sam Houston
Strength of Schedule Score: 885.5 Hardest Game: Sept 20 at Texas Easiest Game: Nov 15 Delaware
102 UNLV
Strength of Schedule Score: 882.5 Hardest Game: Oct 18 at Boise State Easiest Game: Sept 13 Idaho State
101 San Jose State
Strength of Schedule Score: 882 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Texas Easiest Game: Sept 20 Idaho
100 Western Michigan
Strength of Schedule Score: 881.5 Hardest Game: Sept 13 at Illinois Easiest Game: Sept 27 Rhode Island
99 Navy
Strength of Schedule Score: 879 Hardest Game: Nov 8 at Notre Dame Easiest Game: Aug 30 VMI
98 Old Dominion
Strength of Schedule Score: 877 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Indiana Easiest Game: Sept 6 NC Central
97 Fresno State
Strength of Schedule Score: 873 Hardest Game: Nov 1 at Boise State Easiest Game: Sept 13 Southern
96 Troy
Strength of Schedule Score: 866 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Clemson Easiest Game: Aug 30 Nicholls
95 Hawaii
Strength of Schedule Score: 864 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Arizona Easiest Game: Sept 13 Portland State
94 Central Michigan
Strength of Schedule Score: 860 Hardest Game: Sept 13 at Michigan Easiest Game: Sept 20 Wagner
93 Tulsa
Strength of Schedule Score: 858 Hardest Game: Sept 20 at Oklahoma State Easiest Game: Aug 30 Abilene Christian
92 South Alabama
Strength of Schedule Score: 856.5 Hardest Game: Sept 13 at Auburn Easiest Game: Aug 30 Morgan State
91 Florida Atlantic
Strength of Schedule Score: 856 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Maryland Easiest Game: Sept 6 Florida A&M
90 Georgia State
Strength of Schedule Score: 844 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Ole Miss Easiest Game: Sept 13 Murray State
89 East Carolina
Strength of Schedule Score: 843 Hardest Game: Aug 28 at NC State Easiest Game: Sept 6 Campbell
88 Kent State
Strength of Schedule Score: 839.5 Hardest Game: Oct 4 at Oklahoma Easiest Game: Aug 30 Merrimack
87 Colorado State
Strength of Schedule Score: 839 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Washington Easiest Game: Sept 6 Northern Colorado
86 New Mexico
Strength of Schedule Score: 838 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Michigan Easiest Game: Sept 6 Idaho State
85 Arkansas State
Strength of Schedule Score: 837 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Arkansas Easiest Game: Aug 30 SE Missouri State
T83 Boise State
Strength of Schedule Score: 825.5 Hardest Game: Oct 4 at Notre Dame Easiest Game: Sept 6 Eastern Washington
T83 Air Force
Strength of Schedule Score: 825.5 Hardest Game: Oct 4 at Navy Easiest Game: Aug 30 Bucknell
82 ULM
Strength of Schedule Score: 817 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Alabama Easiest Game: Aug 28 Saint Francis
81 San Diego State
Strength of Schedule Score: 816.5 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Washington State Easiest Game: Aug 28 Stony Brook
80 Utah State
Strength of Schedule Score: 815.5 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Texas A&M Easiest Game: Sept 20 McNeese
79 Memphis
Strength of Schedule Score: 808.5 Hardest Game: Sept 20 Arkansas Easiest Game: Aug 30 Chattanooga
78 Charlotte
Strength of Schedule Score: 806 Hardest Game: Nov 22 at Georgia Easiest Game: Sept 13 Monmouth
77 Tulane
Strength of Schedule Score: 798 Hardest Game: Sept 20 at Ole Miss Easiest Game: Nov 29 Charlotte
76 UAB
Strength of Schedule Score: 796.5 Hardest Game: Sept 20 at Tennessee Easiest Game: Aug 28 Alabama State
75 Nevada
Strength of Schedule Score: 793.5 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Penn State Easiest Game: Sept 6 Sacramento State
74 Wyoming
Strength of Schedule Score: 792.5 Hardest Game: Sept 13 Utah Easiest Game: Sept 6 Northern Iowa
73 Temple
Strength of Schedule Score: 766.5 Hardest Game: Sept 13 Oklahoma Easiest Game: Sept 6 Howard
72 USF
Strength of Schedule Score: 766 Hardest Game: Sept 13 at Miami Easiest Game: Sept 20 South Carolina State
71 Washington State
Strength of Schedule Score: 756.5 Hardest Game: Oct 11 at Ole Miss Easiest Game: Aug 30 Idaho
70 Oregon State
Strength of Schedule Score: 743.5 Hardest Game: Sept 20 Oregon Easiest Game: Oct 18 Lafayette
69 Texas Tech
Strength of Schedule Score: 690 Hardest Game: Sept 20 at Utah Easiest Game: Aug 30 Arkansas-Pine Bluff
68 Wake Forest
Strength of Schedule Score: 683 Hardest Game: Nov 1 at Florida State Easiest Game: Sept 6 Western Carolina
67 UCF
Strength of Schedule Score: 666.5 Hardest Game: Nov 15 at Texas Tech Easiest Game: Sept 6 North Carolina A&T
66 Virginia
Strength of Schedule Score: 657.5 Hardest Game: Oct 4 at Louisville Easiest Game: Sept 13 William & Mary
65 Louisville
Strength of Schedule Score: 642.5 Hardest Game: Oct 17 at Miami Easiest Game: Aug 30 Eastern Kentucky
64 Cincinnati
Strength of Schedule Score: 626 Hardest Game: Nov 1 at Utah Easiest Game: Sept 13 Northwestern State
63 Missouri
Strength of Schedule Score: 625.5 Hardest Game: Oct 11 Alabama Easiest Game: Aug 30 Central Arkansas
62 Penn State
Strength of Schedule Score: 601 Hardest Game: Nov 1 at Ohio State Easiest Game: Sept 13 Villanova
61 North Carolina
Strength of Schedule Score: 598.5 Hardest Game: Oct 4 Clemson Easiest Game: Sept 13 Richmond
60 Tennessee
Strength of Schedule Score: 596.5 Hardest Game: Oct 18 at Alabama Easiest Game: Sept 6 ETSU
59 Arizona
Strength of Schedule Score: 596 Hardest Game: Nov 29 at Arizona State Easiest Game: Sept 6 Weber State
58 Oklahoma State
Strength of Schedule Score: 592 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Oregon Easiest Game: Aug 30 UT Martin
57 Cal
Strength of Schedule Score: 585.5 Hardest Game: Nov 8 at Louisville Easiest Game: Sept 6 Texas Southern
56 Virginia Tech
Strength of Schedule Score: 582.5 Hardest Game: Nov 22 Miami Easiest Game: Sept 20 Wofford
55 Arizona State
Strength of Schedule Score: 582 Hardest Game: Oct 11 at Utah Easiest Game: Aug 30 Northern Arizona
54 Kansas State
Strength of Schedule Score: 569 Hardest Game: Nov 22 at Utah Easiest Game: Aug 30 North Dakota
53 Indiana
Strength of Schedule Score: 566 Hardest Game: Nov 8 at Penn State Easiest Game: Sept 13 Indiana State
52 Maryland
Strength of Schedule Score: 563 Hardest Game: Nov 22 Michigan Easiest Game: Sept 13 Towson
51 NC State
Strength of Schedule Score: 557 Hardest Game: Oct 11 at Notre Dame Easiest Game: Oct 4 Campbell
- CFN Preseason Rankings
50 BYU
Strength of Schedule Score: 556 Hardest Game: Nov 8 at Texas Tech Easiest Game: Aug 30 Portland State
49 Florida State
Strength of Schedule Score: 553 Hardest Game: Aug 30 Alabama Easiest Game: Sept 6 East Texas A&M
48 Georgia Tech
Strength of Schedule Score: 544.5 Hardest Game: Nov 28 Georgia Easiest Game: Sept 6 Gardner-Webb
47 Kansas
Strength of Schedule Score: 541.5 Hardest Game: Sept 6 at Missouri Easiest Game: Aug 30 Wagner
46 Georgia
Strength of Schedule Score: 541 Hardest Game: Nov 15 Texas Easiest Game: Sept 6 Austin Peay
45 Iowa State
Strength of Schedule Score: 540.5 Hardest Game: Nov 8 at TCU Easiest Game: Aug 30 South Dakota
44 Illinois
Strength of Schedule Score: 539 Hardest Game: Oct 11 Ohio State Easiest Game: Aug 30 Western Illinois
43 Houston
Strength of Schedule Score: 538.5 Hardest Game: Oct 25 at Arizona State Easiest Game: Aug 30 Stephen F Austin
42 Ole Miss
Strength of Schedule Score: 536 Hardest Game: Oct 18 at Georgia Easiest Game: Nov 8 The Citadel
41 Nebraska
Strength of Schedule Score: 526.5 Hardest Game: Nov 22 at Penn State Easiest Game: Sept 13 Houston Christian
40 SMU
Strength of Schedule Score: 525.5 Hardest Game: Oct 18 at Clemson Easiest Game: Aug 30 East Texas A&M
39 Duke
Strength of Schedule Score: 523.5 Hardest Game: Nov 1 at Clemson Easiest Game: Aug 30 Elon
38 UTSA
Strength of Schedule Score: 518.5 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Texas A&M Easiest Game: Sept 13 Incarnate Word
37 Minnesota
Strength of Schedule Score: 518 Hardest Game: Oct 4 at Ohio State Easiest Game: Sept 6 Northwestern State
36 Clemson
Strength of Schedule Score: 507.5 Hardest Game: Aug 30 LSU Easiest Game: Nov 22 Furman
35 Pitt
Strength of Schedule Score: 506.5 Hardest Game: Nov 15 at Notre Dame Easiest Game: Aug 30 Duquesne
34 West Virginia
Strength of Schedule Score: 506 Hardest Game: Nov 15 at Arizona State Easiest Game: Aug 30 Robert Morris
33 Auburn
Strength of Schedule Score: 502.5 Hardest Game: Nov 29 Alabama Easiest Game: Nov 22 Mercer
32 Rutgers
Strength of Schedule Score: 501.5 Hardest Game: Nov 29 Penn State Easiest Game: Sept 13 Norfolk State
31 LSU
Strength of Schedule Score: 501 Hardest Game: Nov 8 at Alabama Easiest Game: Sept 20 SE Louisiana
T29 Vanderbilt
Strength of Schedule Score: 498.5 Hardest Game: Nov 1 at Texas Easiest Game: Aug 30 Charleston Southern
T29 Northwestern
Strength of Schedule Score: 498.5 Hardest Game: Oct 11 at Penn State Easiest Game: Sept 6 Western Illinois
28 Syracuse
Strength of Schedule Score: 497.5 Hardest Game: Nov 22 at Notre Dame Easiest Game: Sept 12 Colgate
27 Utah
Strength of Schedule Score: 496 Hardest Game: Nov 15 at Baylor Easiest Game: Sept 6 Cal Poly
26 Colorado
Strength of Schedule Score: 487.5 Hardest Game: Oct 25 at Utah Easiest Game: Sept 6 Delaware
25 Texas A&M
Strength of Schedule Score: 486.5 Hardest Game: Nov 29 at Texas Easiest Game: Nov 22 Samford
24 Michigan State
Strength of Schedule Score: 484.5 Hardest Game: Nov 15 Penn State Easiest Game: Sept 13 Youngstown State
23 Texas
Strength of Schedule Score: 480.5 Hardest Game: Aug 30 at Ohio State Easiest Game: Sept 27 Sam Houston
22 Miami
Strength of Schedule Score: 479 Hardest Game: Aug 31 Notre Dame Easiest Game: Sept 6 Bethune-Cookman
21 Michigan
Strength of Schedule Score: 478.5 Hardest Game: Nov 29 Ohio State Easiest Game: Sept 13 Central Michigan
20 Baylor
Strength of Schedule Score: 474.5 Hardest Game: Nov 15 Utah Easiest Game: Sept 13 Samford
19 Oregon
Strength of Schedule Score: 473.5 Hardest Game: Sept 27 at Penn State Easiest Game: Aug 30 Montana State
18 Washington
Strength of Schedule Score: 471.5 Hardest Game: Sept 27 Ohio State Easiest Game: Sept 6 UC Davis
17 TCU
Strength of Schedule Score: 471 Hardest Game: Sept 27 at Arizona State Easiest Game: Sept 6 Abilene Christian
16 Boston College
Strength of Schedule Score: 467.5 Hardest Game: Nov 1 Notre Dame Easiest Game: Aug 30 Fordham
15 USC
Strength of Schedule Score: 458.5 Hardest Game: Oct 18 at Notre Dame Easiest Game: Aug 30 Missouri State
14 Ohio State
Strength of Schedule Score: 455.5 Hardest Game: Nov 1 Penn State Easiest Game: Sept 6 Grambling State
13 Iowa
Strength of Schedule Score: 452.5 Hardest Game: Oct 18 Penn State Easiest Game: Aug 30 UAlbany
12 Kentucky
Strength of Schedule Score: 447 Hardest Game: Oct 18 Texas Easiest Game: Nov 15 Tennessee Tech
11 Purdue
Strength of Schedule Score: 444.5 Hardest Game: Sept 20 at Notre Dame Easiest Game: Sept 6 Southern Illinois- CFN Preview 2025: All 136 Teams
10 Oklahoma
Strength of Schedule Score: 440.5 Hardest Game: Nov 15 at Alabama Easiest Game: Aug 30 Illinois State
9 South Carolina
Strength of Schedule Score: 435.5 Hardest Game: Oct 25 Alabama Easiest Game: Sept 6 South Carolina State
8 Stanford
Strength of Schedule Score: 435 Hardest Game: Oct 25 at Miami Easiest Game: Sept 27 San Jose State
7 Alabama
Strength of Schedule Score: 434 Hardest Game: Sept 27 at Georgia Easiest Game: Nov 22 Eastern Illinois
6 Notre Dame
Strength of Schedule Score: 422 Hardest Game: Aug 31 at Miami Easiest Game: Nov 8 Navy
5 Arkansas
Strength of Schedule Score: 416 Hardest Game: Nov 22 at Texas Easiest Game: Aug 30 Alabama A&M
4 Mississippi State
Strength of Schedule Score: 409 Hardest Game: Oct 25 Texas Easiest Game: Sept 13 Alcorn State
3 UCLA
Strength of Schedule Score: 376.5 Hardest Game: Nov 15 at Ohio State Easiest Game: Sept 13 New Mexico
2 Wisconsin
Strength of Schedule Score: 368.5 Hardest Game: Sept 13 at Alabama Easiest Game: Sept 6 Middle Tennessee
1 Florida
Strength of Schedule Score: 343.5 Hardest Game: Oct 4 Texas Easiest Game: Aug 30 LIU
Related: 2025-2026 Preseason College Football Playoff Predictions, Bracket, and National Championship Pick
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