College football strength of schedule: 2026 Win/Loss method

There are several ways to measure college football strength of schedule, and one of the most common is the straightforward win/loss method, used on the NCAA’s official website.

As the name suggests, the win/loss method evaluates schedule difficulty strictly through wins and losses. When projecting future seasons—before any games are played—the metric relies entirely on each team’s opponents’ records from the previous year.

By this measure, North Carolina enters 2026 with the nation’s toughest schedule, while Buffalo draws the easiest. Indiana, the reigning national champion, checks in with the 11th‑toughest slate.

Conference‑wise, the Big Ten leads the field with four teams in the Top 10, followed by the Big 12 with three, the ACC with two, and the SEC with one. Top‑10 teams by conference include:

• Big Ten: Ohio State (2), Nebraska (4), Michigan (6), Northwestern (6)
• Big 12: Baylor (8), West Virginia (8), Arizona (10)
• ACC: North Carolina (1), Stanford (3)
• SEC: Mississippi State (5)

Below are the teams with the toughest schedules in each conference in 2026 using the win/loss method (overall rank in parentheses):

• ACC – North Carolina (1)
• American – Charlotte (20)
• Big 12 – Baylor (8)
• Big Ten – Ohio State (2)
• CUSA – Missouri State (54)
• Independent – Notre Dame (112)
• MAC – Bowling Green (60)
• MWC – Air Force (67)
• Pac-12 – Oregon State (21)
• SEC – Mississippi State (5)
• Sun Belt – Southern Miss (37)

Listed below are the complete strength of schedule rankings with win/loss record and winning percentage of each team’s 2026 opponents (includes all games played; numbers compiled by Phil Steele).

2026 College Football Strength of Schedule | Win/Loss Method

1. North Carolina: 103-55 (65.2%)
2. Ohio St: 102-56 (64.6%)
3. Stanford: 101-56 (64.3%)
4. Nebraska: 102-57 (64.2%)
5. Mississippi St: 100-57 (63.7%)
6. Michigan: 99-60 (62.3%)
6. Northwestern: 99-60 (62.3%)
8. Baylor: 95-59 (61.7%)
8. West Virginia: 95-59 (61.7%)
10. Arizona: 94-59 (61.4%)
11. Indiana: 94-61 (60.6%)
11. Kentucky: 94-61 (60.6%)
13. Arkansas: 92-61 (60.1%)
14. Texas: 94-63 (59.9%)
14. Duke: 94-63 (59.9%)
16. Syracuse: 92-62 (59.7%)
17. Cincinnati: 91-62 (59.5%)
18. Oklahoma: 92-63 (59.4%)
19. Purdue: 91-63 (59.1%)
20. Charlotte: 92-64 (59.0%)
21. Washington: 93-65 (58.9%)
21. Oregon St: 93-65 (58.9%)
23. Tennessee: 90-64 (58.4%)
23. Rice: 90-64 (58.4%)
25. USC: 91-66 (58.0%)

26. LSU: 90-66 (57.7%)
27. TCU: 87-64 (57.6%)
28. Michigan St: 88-65 (57.5%)
28. Florida: 88-65 (57.5%)
28. UTSA: 88-65 (57.5%)
31. Temple: 89-66 (57.4%)
31. Memphis: 89-66 (57.4%)
31. Louisville: 89-66 (57.4%)
34. Wake Forest: 90-67 (57.3%)
35. Missouri: 88-66 (57.1%)
36. Ole Miss: 87-66 (56.9%)
37. Southern Miss: 88-67 (56.8%)
38. Alabama: 86-66 (56.6%)
39. Boston College: 87-67 (56.5%)
40. Utah St: 88-68 (56.4%)
41. Florida St: 89-69 (56.3%)
42. Georgia: 87-68 (56.1%)
43. Boise St: 89-70 (56.0%)
44. Colorado: 85-67 (55.9%)
45. South Carolina: 86-68 (55.8%)
46. Vanderbilt: 87-69 (55.8%)
47. Colorado St: 86-69 (55.5%)
48. Florida Atlantic: 84-68 (55.3%)
49. Georgia Southern: 86-70 (55.1%)
50. Texas A&M: 84-70 (54.5%)

51. Virginia Tech: 85-71 (54.5%)
52. BYU: 81-68 (54.4%)
53. Arizona St: 82-69 (54.3%)
54. NC State: 83-70 (54.2%)
54. Georgia Tech: 83-70 (54.2%)
54. Missouri St: 83-70 (54.2%)
57. Delaware: 84-71 (54.2%)
58. Auburn: 85-72 (54.1%)
59. Kansas St: 82-70 (53.9%)
60. Bowling Green: 82-71 (53.6%)
60. Jacksonville St: 82-71 (53.6%)
62. South Alabama: 83-72 (53.5%)
63. Iowa: 81-71 (53.3%)
63. Army: 81-71 (53.3%)
63. Kent St: 81-71 (53.3%)
66. Central Michigan: 82-72 (53.2%)
67. Air Force: 80-71 (53.0%)
68. UCLA: 81-72 (52.9%)
68. UAB: 81-72 (52.9%)
70. Illinois: 81-73 (52.6%)
70. Nevada: 81-73 (52.6%)
72. North Texas: 82-74 (52.6%)
72. WKU: 82-74 (52.6%)
74. Oklahoma St: 79-72 (52.3%)
74. SMU: 79-72 (52.3%)
74. UNLV: 79-72 (52.3%)
74. Utah: 79-72 (52.3%)
74. USF: 79-72 (52.3%)

79. California: 80-73 (52.3%)
79. Troy: 80-73 (52.3%)
81. Sam Houston St: 81-74 (52.3%)
82. Kansas: 78-72 (52.0%)
83. Oregon: 80-74 (51.9%)
83. Texas St: 80-74 (51.9%)
85. Iowa St: 77-73 (51.3%)
86. Minnesota: 79-75 (51.3%)
86. Tulane: 79-75 (51.3%)
88. Arkansas St: 78-75 (51.0%)
88. Liberty: 78-75 (51.0%)
90. UCF: 76-74 (50.7%)
91. Washington St: 77-75 (50.7%)
91. Western Michigan: 77-75 (50.7%)
93. Georgia St: 78-76 (50.6%)
94. East Carolina: 77-76 (50.3%)
95. Northern Illinois: 78-77 (50.3%)
96. San Jose St: 82-81 (50.3%)
97. UTEP: 74-74 (50.0%)
97. Akron: 77-77 (50.0%)
97. New Mexico St: 76-76 (50.0%)

100. James Madison: 76-77 (49.7%)
101. Clemson: 76-78 (49.4%)
102. Ball St: 74-76 (49.3%)
103. Fresno St: 75-78 (49.0%)
104. Wyoming: 74-77 (49.0%)
105. San Diego St: 75-79 (48.7%)
106. Miami, Fl: 73-77 (48.7%)
106. New Mexico: 73-77 (48.7%)
106. Sacramento St: 73-77 (48.7%)
109. Rutgers: 74-79 (48.4%)
110. Penn St: 72-77 (48.3%)
110. Navy: 72-77 (48.3%)
112. Notre Dame: 73-80 (47.7%)
112. Old Dominion: 73-80 (47.7%)
114. Maryland: 72-79 (47.7%)
114. Miami, Oh: 72-79 (47.7%)
114. Appalachian St: 72-79 (47.7%)
114. Kennesaw St: 72-79 (47.7%)
118. Marshall: 72-80 (47.4%)
119. Massachusetts: 70-78 (47.3%)
120. Pittsburgh: 72-81 (47.1%)
120. Louisiana Tech: 72-81 (47.1%)
120. ULM: 72-81 (47.1%)
123. Ohio: 71-80 (47.0%)
124. Wisconsin: 69-79 (46.6%)
125. FIU: 70-81 (46.4%)

126. Hawaii: 69-80 (46.3%)
126. Toledo: 69-80 (46.3%)
128. Texas Tech: 69-82 (45.7%)
128. Virginia: 69-82 (45.7%)
130. Eastern Michigan: 68-81 (45.6%)
131. Coastal Carolina: 69-83 (45.4%)
132. Connecticut: 68-82 (45.3%)
133. Middle Tennessee: 66-85 (43.7%)
134. Houston: 65-84 (43.6%)
135. Tulsa: 66-86 (43.4%)
135. Louisiana: 66-86 (43.4%)
137. North Dakota St: 64-86 (42.7%)
138. Buffalo: 64-88 (42.1%)