With the playoff and bowls right around the corner, college football strength of schedule among the top teams is a major topic of discussion.
The NCAA publishes a strength of schedule ranking, but it is solely based on the winning percentage of the opponents that a team has played against. It’s not very scientific, so most people look to the various computer rankings.
One source, the Sagarin Ratings, has been featured in USA Today since 1985. In those ratings, Alabama has the 5th toughest schedule in the country, while Clemson, the current top-ranked team, has the 47th toughest.
Below are the Sagarin strength of schedule rankings for the College Football Playoff Top 25 (from Nov. 24) and also the Top 25 toughest schedules played overall.
Sagarin Strength of Schedule – CFP Top 25
*SOS ranking in parentheses.
1. Clemson (47)
2. Alabama (5)
3. Oklahoma (20)
4. Iowa (62)
5. Michigan State (53)
6. Notre Dame (19)
7. Baylor (58)
8. Ohio State (61)
9. Stanford (16)
10. Michigan (42)
11. Oklahoma State (37)
12. Florida (46)
13. Florida State (57)
14. North Carolina (63)
15. Navy (75)
16. Northwestern (44)
17. Oregon (25)
18. Ole Miss (22)
19. TCU (36)
20. Washington State (49)
21. Mississippi State (28)
22. UCLA (33)
23. Utah (26)
24. Toledo (86)
25. Temple (85)
Sagarin Strength of Schedule – Overall Top 25
1. Iowa State
2. Kansas
3. Texas
4. Maryland
5. Alabama
6. Arkansas
7. California
8. LSU
9. USC
10. Georgia Tech
11. Auburn
12. Oregon State
13. South Carolina
14. Virginia
15. Texas Tech
16. Stanford
17. Arizona State
18. Vanderbilt
19. Notre Dame
20. Oklahoma
21. Washington
22. Ole Miss
23. Pittsburgh
24. Miami (FL)
25. Oregon