ESPN Ranked CFB Toughest Schedule, 2021 Season
According to ESPN, the toughest schedules for the 2021 FBS season (the top 25) are the following:
25. Houston Cougars
24. Memphis Tigers
21. East Carolina Pirates
21. Tennessee Volunteers
21. Michigan State Spartans
Opponent record: 89-64 (58.2%)
The Spartans face five teams that finished ranked last season, tied for the third-highest total along with Maryland.
19. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
19. Michigan Wolverines
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.
18. BYU Cougars
17. TCU Horned Frogs
15. Louisville Cardinals
15. Iowa Hawkeyes
Opponent record: 92-64 (59.0%)
The Hawkeyes pull both Ohio State and Penn State out of the Big Ten East.
14. Wisconsin Badgers
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.
13. Florida State
12. Maryland Terrapins
Opponent record: 91-62 (59.5%)
The Terrapins face five teams that finished ranked last season, which is tied for the third-highest total.
10. UNLV Rebels
10. Alabama Crimson Tide
9. Purdue Boilermakers
Opponent record: 93-62 (60.0%)
Purdue faces six teams that finished ranked last season, tops for most in the FBS.
8. Oregon Ducks
7. Ole Miss Rebels
6. Wyoming Cowboys
5. Nebraska Cornhuskers
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.
4. Arkansas Razorbacks
3. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
2. South Florida Bulls
1. South Carolina Gamecocks
Personally, I wouldn't put too much stock in results from last season. Going to be a fantastic season and back to normalcy so to speak when the season starts. I'm seriously hoping that App State has some magic to knock of Wisconsin... I don't know why teams continue to schedule them.
I apologize if this list was posted before. The full article is here: Ranking every FBS college football team's strength of schedule (espn.com)
but is behind a paywall.
Ohio State is ranked #43 btw...
Ah the benefits of not having to play Ohio State
Ohio State is scared. They never schedule Ohio State.
Ah the benefits of having to play Michigan.
Especially when you come to the Big House with an 0-5 record.
Perks of being a top 3 team, most teams are easy compared to you especially in the big ten
When every other team in your own conference is five or six pegs below you, and your toughest OOC opponent, while good, comes to your house and has no idea who its QB is going to be, yeah that explains why their schedule is where it is.
OSU is never going to have a top-10 schedule in terms of difficulty unless either:
1) Its going to play Alabama (which, to their credit, they will be doing in a few years) or Clemson on the road. Or:
2) The rest of the conference bluebloods start pulling their own weight and being an actual challenge to OSU on a regular basis.
OSU's strength of schedule isn't really their fault. They can't play themselves.
Not a road game versus Washington. Not sure it moves the needle though.
Because it's a year old as someone mentioned haha. I was wondering. I saw it said Nebraska was 5-7 and raised an eyebrow.
It also says we play Minnesota which we ... don't.
Dated "April 21, 2020."
This is from a year ago.
Or are you from the future? It's cool, you don't have to tell me. ?
Uh, I don’t need to re-live 2020 again
Phil Steele wrote this? 6 of my 8 sets of power rankings still LOL at Gamecocks as a 40 year old man.
Since OP apparently didn't read the date and realize that this list is from last year.....here's the updated rankings for this year: https://www.espn.com/college-football/fpi/_/view/resume/sort/resume.sosremainingrank/dir/asc
We dropped down to 31st, which is fine with me. Ohio State dropped back into the 50's.
This list was made in April of 2020. Fake news
Fake gnus
No gnus is good gnus.
What a strange show that was. I loved it
I predict Michigan will not lose at either Washington or Ohio State!
Will the season be canceled?
Can we get the OSU game canceled again?
Oh man, got a good laugh out of this. Talk about embarrassing.
So who wins the final Clemson or Bama. Stay tuned.
Sorry guys just realized this was last years. Let me update.
2021 Season
So who wins the final Clemson or Bama. Stay tuned.
It's beyond me why Michigan plays in the East and play Wisconsin every god damn year while Ohio State and Penn State play them who knows when.
Agree. Give us Illinois or Purdue more often.
THis looks like it is last years rankings with this years date- We do not open at Washington on the road- it is a night game in A2