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%)