There are several methods to measure college football strength of schedule, and the win/loss method is commonly used, such as on the NCAA’s official website.
The win/loss method is exactly as it sounds — it’s based on wins and losses. In order to look ahead before any games are played, the win/loss method is based solely on a team’s opponents’ win/loss record from the previous season.
According to this method, the South Carolina Gamecocks have the toughest 2023 football schedule, while the Ohio Bobcats have the easiest 2023 schedule. The Georgia Bulldogs, the reigning national champions, have the 63rd ranked schedule per this method.
The Big 12 and SEC lead with four teams in the Top 10 of the rankings. Big 12 teams with a Top 10 toughest schedule include West Virginia (3), Houston (6), Iowa State (8), and Kansas State (10), while the SEC teams include South Carolina (1), Ole Miss (4), Missouri (5), and Florida (6).
Below are the teams with the toughest schedules in each conference in 2023 (overall rank in parantheses):
- ACC – Virginia (19)
- American – East Carolina (34)
- Big 12 – West Virginia (3)
- Big Ten – Michigan State (2)
- C-USA – Sam Houston (39)
- Independent – Notre Dame (18)
- MAC – Western Michigan (49)
- MWC – Boise State (42)
- Pac-12 – California (12)
- SEC – South Carolina (1)
- Sun Belt – Texas State (29)
Listed below are the complete strength of schedule rankings with win/loss record and winning percentage of each team’s 2023 opponents (includes all games played; numbers compiled by Phil Steele).
2023 College Football Strength of Schedule | Win/Loss Method
1. South Carolina: 103-53 (66.0%)
2. Michigan State: 96-57 (62.7%)
3. West Virginia: 98-59 (62.4%)
4. Ole Miss: 95-58 (62.1%)
5. Missouri: 97-60 (61.8%)
6. Houston: 96-60 (61.5%)
6. Florida: 96-60 (61.5%)
8. Iowa State: 97-61 (61.4%)
9. Ohio State: 94-60 (61.0%)
10. Kansas State: 96-62 (60.8%)
11. Kentucky: 93-61 (60.4%)
12. California: 93-62 (60.0%)
12. Auburn: 93-62 (60.0%)
14. Texas Tech: 94-63 (59.9%)
15. Stanford: 92-62 (59.7%)
16. Tennessee: 90-62 (59.2%)
17. Baylor: 92-64 (59.0%)
18. Notre Dame: 90-63 (58.8%)
19. Virginia: 88-62 (58.7%)
20. Arizona: State: 90-64 (58.4%)
21. Texas: 92-66 (58.2%)
22. Wake Forest: 87-64 (57.6%)
22. Texas A&M: 87-64 (57.6%)
24. Army: 88-65 (57.5%)
25. Minnesota: 89-67 (57.1%)
26. North Carolina: 85-64 (57.0%)
27. Indiana: 87-66 (56.9%)
27. Mississippi State: 87-66 (56.9%)
29. Colorado: 88-67 (56.8%)
29. Texas State: 88-67 (56.8%)
31. Duke: 86-66 (56.6%)
31. Northwestern: 86-66 (56.6%)
31. Alabama: 86-66 (56.6%)
34. East Carolina: 87-67 (56.5%)
35. Clemson: 85-66 (56.3%)
35. Georgia State: 85-66 (56.3%)
37. Georgia Tech 86-67 (56.2%)
37. Utah: 86-67 (56.2%)
39. Sam Houston: 84-66 (56.0%)
40. Tulane: 80-63 (55.9%)
41. South Alabama: 85-67 (55.9%)
42. UCF: 86-68 (55.8%)
42. Boise State: 86-68 (55.8%)
42. Vanderbilt: 86-68 (55.8%)
45. Southern Miss: 84-67 (55.6%)
46. Purdue: 85-68 (55.6%)
47. Florida Atlantic: 86-69 (55.5%)
48. BYU: 83-67 (55.3%)
49. Western Michigan: 85-69 (55.2%)
50. Pitt: 83-68 (55.0%)
50. Arkansas: 83-68 (55.0%)
52. Michigan: 83-69 (54.6%)
53. Kansas: 84-70 (54.5%)
54. San Jose State: 85-71 (54.5%)
55. Oklahoma State: 83-70 (54.2%)
55. Central Michigan: 83-70 (54.2%)
55. Washington: 83-70 (54.2%)
58. UAB: 84-71 (54.2%)
58. Oklahoma: 84-71 (54.2%)
60. NC State: 81-69 (54.0%)
61. Arizona: 82-70 (53.9%)
62. Old Dominion: 79-69 (53.4%)
63. Oregon State: 80-70 (53.3%)
63. LSU: 80-70 (53.3%)
63. Georgia: 80-70 (53.3%)
66. Appalachian State: 81-71 (53.3%)
67. Syracuse: 80-71 (53.0%)
67. Virginia Tech: 80-71 (53.0%)
67. UMass: 80-71 (53.0%)
70. Jacksonville State: 78-70 (52.7%)
71. USF: 80-72 (52.6%)
71. UCLA: 80-72 (52.6%)
73. Cincinnati: 81-73 (52.6%)
73. Buffalo: 81-73 (52.6%)
73. San Diego State: 81-73 (52.6%)
76. Boston College: 77-70 (52.4%)
76. Louisiana: Tech 77-70 (52.4%)
78. Rice: 79-73 (52.0%)
78. Florida State: 79-73 (52.0%)
80. Illinois: 80-74 (51.9%)
81. WKU: 75-70 (51.7%)
82. UTEP: 76-71 (51.7%)
83. James Madison: 77-72 (51.7%)
83. Troy: 77-72 (51.7%)
85. FIU: 76-72 (51.4%)
86. Bowling Green: 77-75 (50.7%)
86. Arkansas State: 77-75 (50.7%)
88. Marshall: 68-67 (50.4%)
89. Rutgers: 75-74 (50.3%)
90. Penn State: 76-75 (50.3%)
91. UTSA: 77-76 (50.3%)
91. Wisconsin: 77-76 (50.3%)
91. Ball State: 77-76 (50.3%)
94. Maryland: 73-73 (50.0%)
95. Middle Tennessee: 72-73 (49.7%)
96. Kent State: 76-78 (49.4%)
97. Oregon: 75-77 (49.3%)
98. North Texas: 74-76 (49.3%)
98. Utah State: 74-76 (49.3%)
98. USC: 74-76 (49.3%)
98. Louisiana: 74-76 (49.3%)
98. ULM: 74-76 (49.3%)
103. Coastal Carolina: 71-73 (49.3%)
104. Miami (FL): 73-76 (49.0%)
105. TCU: 74-78 (48.7%)
106. Nebraska: 74-79 (48.4%)
107. Tulsa: 73-79 (48.0%)
108. Georgia Southern: 70-76 (47.9%)
109. Iowa: 72-79 (47.7%)
110. Colorado State: 72-80 (47.4%)
111. UNLV: 71-79 (47.3%)
112. Wyoming: 71-80 (47.0%)
113. Washington State: 69-79 (46.6%)
114. Nevada: 71-82 (46.4%)
115. Louisville: 67-78 (46.2%)
116. SMU: 70-82 (46.1%)
117. Miami (Ohio): 69-81 (46.0%)
118. Liberty: 67-79 (45.9%)
119. Navy: 69-82 (45.7%)
120. Akron: 68-82 (45.3%)
121. Toledo: 66-82 (44.6%)
121. Northern Illinois: 66-82 (44.6%)
123. Hawaii: 71-89 (44.4%)
124. New Mexico: 67-84 (44.4%)
125. UConn: 65-82 (44.2%)
126. Eastern Michigan: 64-82 (43.8%)
127. Fresno State: 65-85 (43.3%)
128. Air Force: 63-83 (43.2%)
129. Memphis: 65-87 (42.8%)
130. Charlotte: 63-86 (42.3%)
131. Temple: 62-88 (41.3%)
132. New Mexico State: 62-94 (39.7%)
133. Ohio: 58-89 (39.5%)
With portal transfers and recruiting on top of graduation losses, the method of using records from the previous season is more bogus than ever. Teams rebuild every season. Now, more than ever. On top of that, the wins the year before may have been based on weak schedules. Do FCS wins count in the total? Points should be based on the amount of wins each team’s opponents accumulate during the course of the year that they play them and be considered for rankings in the season being played. FCS wins should not be counted. How can Army be ranked 24th with only six wins in 2022 – two against FCS teams (Villanova 6-5 and Colgate 3-8) and one against 1-11 UMASS. This process is a joke. It should not be used and a new one among “academians” running NCAA should put some real thoughts into a process for a change.
It’s really just for fun/reference. Even though the NCAA uses it on their website, it doesn’t factor into anything.
Here’s what’s wrong with this system: of 107 wins counted for South Carolina with their “toughest schedule”, their opponents accumulated 29 wins against FCS teams in 2022. Wins over FCS teams should not be counted. They played two. Furman won 10 games last year against FCS opponents and Jacksonville State won nine. All South Carolina SEC opponents each had wins over one FCS opponent. Games against FCS teams who play with many less scholarship players should not be counted to make this determination within the FBS. They are not competing for bowl games. Transfer portals have made basing the previous season record a moot point as well. Figure something more relevant to consider toughest schedules after rosters are intact right before the season starts.