The LSU Tigers have the toughest 2016 football schedule according to the win/loss method of measuring strength of schedule. This method is based solely on a team’s opponents’ win/loss record from the previous season.
The SEC leads with five teams in the Top 10 of the rankings — LSU (1), Arkansas (2), Ole Miss (3), Auburn (4), and Alabama (8). The Big Ten is second with two teams, followed by the ACC, Pac-12, and FBS Independents with one each.
UTEP has the easiest 2016 schedule according to the win/loss method.
Listed below are the complete strength of schedule rankings with win/loss record and winning percentage of each team’s 2016 opponents (includes all games played; numbers compiled by Phil Steele).
2016 College Football Strength of Schedule – Win/Loss Method
1. LSU – 108-52, 67.5%
2. Arkansas – 104-52, 66.7%
3. Ole Miss – 102-52, 66.2%
4. Auburn – 100-56, 64.1%
5. USC – 101-58, 63.5%
6. Wisconsin – 98-57, 63.2%
7. BYU – 97-57, 63.0%
8. Alabama – 97-58, 62.6%
9. Northwestern – 97-59, 62.2%
10. Florida State – 96-61, 61.1%
11. Iowa State – 95-61, 60.9%
12. Ohio State – 95-61, 60.9%
13. SMU – 93-60, 60.8%
14. Illinois – 94-61, 60.6%
15. Texas A&M – 91-60, 60.3%
16. Kent State – 93-62, 60.0%
17. Pittsburgh – 92-62, 59.7%
18. Michigan State – 90-61, 59.6%
19. Syracuse – 93-64, 59.2%
20. Georgia Tech – 91-63, 59.1%
21. Oregon State – 91-64, 58.7%
22. Kansas – 89-63, 58.6%
23. South Carolina – 89-63, 58.6%
24. NC State – 90-64, 58.4%
25. Notre Dame – 91-65, 58.3%
26. Texas – 89-64, 58.2%
27. Tennessee – 89-64, 58.2%
28. Colorado – 90-65, 58.1%
29. North Carolina – 88-64, 57.9%
30. Mississippi State – 87-64, 57.6%
31. California – 90-67, 57.3%
32. Washington – 88-66, 57.1%
33. Rutgers – 88-66, 57.1%
34. Penn State – 88-67, 56.8%
35. Arizona State – 87-67, 56.5%
36. Oklahoma – 87-67, 56.5%
37. Virginia – 88-68, 56.4%
38. Vanderbilt – 85-66, 56.3%
39. Arizona – 87-69, 55.8%
40. Purdue – 85-68, 55.6%
41. Utah State – 86-69, 55.5%
42. Akron – 83-67, 55.3%
43. UCLA – 86-70, 55.1%
44. Texas Tech – 83-68, 55.0%
45. ULM – 82-68, 54.7%
46. West Virginia – 82-68, 54.7%
47. Miami (FL) – 83-69, 54.6%
48. UCF – 83-69, 54.6%
49. North Texas – 83-69, 54.6%
50. Memphis – 84-70, 54.5%
51. Kentucky – 84-70, 54.5%
52. Duke – 82-69, 54.3%
53. Louisville – 83-70, 54.2%
54. Bowling Green – 81-69, 54.0%
55. Miami (OH) – 83-71, 53.9%
56. Kansas State – 81-70, 53.6%
57. Tulsa – 81-70, 53.6%
58. Hawaii – 89-77, 53.6%
59. Washington State – 82-71, 53.6%
60. Stanford – 83-72, 53.5%
61. Oklahoma State – 80-71, 53.0%
62. Navy – 81-72, 52.9%
63. Utah – 82-73, 52.9%
64. Virginia Tech – 79-71, 52.7%
65. Nebraska – 80-72, 52.6%
66. UL Lafayette – 78-71, 52.3%
67. USF – 79-73, 52.0%
68. Western Michigan – 77-72, 51.7%
69. TCU – 78-73, 51.7%
70. Texas State – 78-73, 51.7%
71. Iowa – 79-74, 51.6%
72. Cincinnati – 78-74, 51.3%
73. San Jose State – 79-75, 51.3%
74. Indiana – 77-74, 51.0%
75. Rice – 76-74, 50.7%
76. Old Dominion – 76-74, 50.7%
77. Oregon – 78-76, 50.6%
78. Michigan – 78-76, 50.6%
79. Toledo – 77-76, 50.3%
80. Troy – 76-76, 50.0%
81. Missouri – 75-75, 50.0%
82. Georgia State – 75-75, 50.0%
83. Northern Illinois – 75-77, 49.3%
84. Georgia – 74-76, 49.3%
85. Fresno State – 75-79, 48.7%
86. East Carolina – 74-78, 48.7%
87. Minnesota – 73-77, 48.7%
88. South Alabama – 73-77, 48.7%
89. Wyoming – 75-80, 48.4%
90. Tulane – 73-78, 48.3%
91. Wake Forest – 73-78, 48.3%
92. Baylor – 72-77, 48.3%
93. New Mexico State – 72-77, 48.3%
94. Marshall – 72-78, 48.0%
95. Louisiana Tech – 72-78, 48.0%
96. Army – 71-77, 48.0%
97. Florida Atlantic – 71-78, 47.7%
98. Ball State – 71-79, 47.3%
99. Houston – 71-79, 47.3%
100. UConn – 71-79, 47.3%
101. Maryland – 71-80, 47.0%
102. Boston College – 71-80, 47.0%
103. Florida – 69-78, 46.9%
104. UTSA – 70-80, 46.7%
105. Charlotte – 70-80, 46.7%
106. UNLV – 70-82, 46.1%
107. Western Kentucky – 68-81, 45.6%
108. Clemson – 67-81, 45.3%
109. Middle Tennessee – 67-82, 45.0%
110. Colorado State – 68-84, 44.7%
111. Eastern Michigan – 67-83, 44.7%
112. Georgia Southern – 66-82, 44.6%
113. Arkansas State – 66-82, 44.6%
114. Buffalo – 66-85, 43.7%
115. FIU – 65-85, 43.3%
116. Appalachian State – 65-85, 43.3%
117. Boise State – 66-87, 43.1%
118. Air Force – 65-86, 43.0%
119. UMass – 64-85, 43.0%
120. San Diego State – 65-87, 42.8%
121. Central Michigan – 63-85, 42.6%
122. Ohio – 63-85, 42.6%
123. Idaho – 62-86, 41.9%
124. Nevada – 62-88, 41.3%
125. Southern Miss – 59-85, 41.0%
126. New Mexico – 62-90, 40.8%
127. Temple – 56-91, 38.1%
128. UTEP – 52-94, 35.6%