The Washington Huskies have the toughest 2015 football schedule according to the NCAA’s strength of schedule method. The NCAA method is based solely on the opponents’ win/loss record from the previous season.
The SEC leads with six teams in the Top 10 of the rankings — Arkansas (2), Alabama (4), Kentucky (5), Auburn (8), Texas A&M (10), and Georgia (10). The Big Ten and Pac-12 are second with two teams each, followed by the ACC with one.
Marshall, which won the Conference USA championship last season, has the easiest schedule according to the NCAA.
Listed below are the complete 2015 NCAA strength of schedule rankings with won/loss record and winning percentage of opponents.
Note: The NCAA method uses winning percentage of opponents, but excludes records of FCS teams and FBS Transitional teams. The data below includes these items.
2015 Preseason SOS Rankings
1. Washington – 101-56, 64.33%
2. Arkansas – 99-57, 63.46%
3. Miami, FL – 97-58, 62.58%
4. Alabama – 96-58, 62.34%
5. Kentucky – 95-58, 62.09%
6. Purdue – 97-61, 61.39%
7. California – 95-61, 60.90%
8. Auburn – 92-60, 60.53%
9. Michigan St – 95-62, 60.51%
10. Texas A&M – 93-61, 60.39%
10. Georgia – 93-61, 60.39%
12. Virginia – 94-62, 60.26%
13. Maryland – 95-63, 60.13%
14. Kansas – 93-62, 60.00%
14. Georgia Tech – 93-62, 60.00%
16. Boston College – 91-62, 59.48%
17. Iowa State – 92-63, 59.35%
17. BYU – 92-63, 59.35%
19. Utah – 93-65, 58.86%
20. Minnesota – 90-63, 58.82%
21. USC – 91-65, 58.33%
22. South Carolina – 89-64, 58.17%
22. UConn – 89-64, 58.17%
24. Tennessee – 89-65, 57.79%
25. Clemson – 88-65, 57.52%
26. Texas Tech – 89-66, 57.42%
26. Mississippi State – 89-66, 57.42%
28. LSU – 87-65, 57.24%
29. Vanderbilt – 87-66, 56.86%
29. West Virginia – 87-66, 56.86%
31. Michigan – 88-67, 56.77%
31. Arizona State – 88-67, 56.77%
33. Ole Miss – 87-67, 56.49%
33. Western Michigan – 87-67, 56.49%
35. Utah State – 88-68, 56.41%
36. SMU – 85-66, 56.29%
37. Stanford – 87-68, 56.13%
37. UNLV – 87-68, 56.13%
39. Colorado – 94-74, 55.95%
40. Florida State – 85-67, 55.92%
41. Florida – 86-68, 55.84%
42. Ohio State – 86-69, 55.48%
42. Washington State – 86-69, 55.48%
44. UTSA – 84-68, 55.26%
44. Texas – 84-68, 55.26%
46. Virginia Tech – 86-70, 55.13%
47. Southern Miss – 83-68, 54.97%
47. Louisville – 83-68, 54.97%
49. Fresno State – 85-70, 54.84%
50. Georgia State – 82-69, 54.30%
50. Penn State – 82-69, 54.30%
52. Northwestern – 83-70, 54.25%
52. Pittsburgh – 83-70, 54.25%
52. Illinois – 83-70, 54.25%
52. North Carolina – 83-70, 54.25%
52. Indiana – 83-70, 54.25%
57. San Jose State – 84-71, 54.19%
58. Arizona – 82-70, 53.95%
58. Oregon – 82-70, 53.95%
60. Louisiana Tech – 81-70, 53.64%
61. Notre Dame – 82-71, 53.59%
61. Wake Forest – 82-71, 53.59%
61. Nc State – 82-71, 53.59%
61. Rutgers – 82-71, 53.59%
65. Air Force – 83-72, 53.55%
66. FIU – 80-70, 53.33%
67. Nebraska – 82-72, 53.25%
68. Syracuse – 81-72, 52.94%
69. Oklahoma State – 79-72, 52.32%
69. Army – 79-72, 52.32%
71. Florida Atlantic – 77-71, 52.03%
72. USF – 79-73, 51.97%
73. Missouri – 78-73, 51.66%
74. Wyoming – 79-74, 51.63%
75. Miami, OH – 76-72, 51.35%
76. Ohio – 77-73, 51.33%
77. Troy – 76-73, 51.01%
78. Oregon State – 78-76, 50.65%
79. Idaho – 74-73, 50.34%
79. Central Michigan – 74-73, 50.34%
81. Middle Tennessee – 76-75, 50.33%
82. Hawaii – 84-84, 50.00%
82. Tulane – 75-75, 50.00%
82. UCLa – 76-76, 50.00%
82. New Mexico – 76-76, 50.00%
86. North Texas – 76-77, 49.67%
86. Boise State – 76-77, 49.67%
88. Baylor – 75-76, 49.67%
88. Tulsa – 75-76, 49.67%
88. Oklahoma – 75-76, 49.67%
91. Kansas State – 75-77, 49.34%
92. Kent State – 74-77, 49.01%
93. TCU – 74-78, 48.68%
94. South Alabama – 72-76, 48.65%
95. Wisconsin – 74-79, 48.37%
96. Eastern Michigan – 72-78, 48.00%
97. Rice – 71-77, 47.97%
98. Bowling Green – 70-77, 47.62%
99. Arkansas State – 70-79, 46.98%
100. Iowa – 65-74, 46.76%
101. WKU – 70-80, 46.67%
102. Northern Illinois – 70-81, 46.36%
102. Duke – 70-81, 46.36%
104. Temple – 69-80, 46.31%
105. New Mexico State – 68-79, 46.26%
105. Texas State – 68-79, 46.26%
107. Ball State – 70-82, 46.05%
108. Cincinnati – 69-81, 46.00%
109. Old Dominion – 68-80, 45.95%
110. Houston – 68-81, 45.64%
111. ULM – 73-88, 45.34%
112. Buffalo – 68-82, 45.33%
113. San Diego State – 64-78, 45.07%
114. East Carolina – 67-82, 44.97%
115. Colorado State – 69-85, 44.81%
116. Charlotte – 65-81, 44.52%
117. Toledo – 67-84, 44.37%
118. Appalachian State – 65-82, 44.22%
119. Navy – 65-84, 43.62%
120. Memphis – 65-85, 43.33%
121. UCF – 64-85, 42.95%
122. Nevada – 65-87, 42.76%
123. UL Lafayette – 62-86, 41.89%
124. Georgia Southern – 61-86, 41.50%
125. UMass – 58-88, 39.73%
126. Akron – 58-90, 39.19%
127. UTEP – 56-91, 38.10%
128. Marshall – 54-89, 37.76%
(h/t PhilSteele.com)