College football strength of schedule: 2024 Win/Loss method

By Kevin Kelley -

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 Florida Gators have the toughest 2024 football schedule, while the Florida Atlantic Owls have the easiest 2024 schedule. The Michigan Wolverines, the reigning national champions, have the 10th ranked schedule per this method.

The Big Ten leads with six teams in the Top 10 of the rankings, while the SEC has three and the ACC one. Big Ten teams with a Top 10 toughest schedule include USC (2), Northwestern (3), Oregon (5), Washington (7), UCLA (8), and Michigan (10). SEC teams include Florida (1), Vanderbilt (6), and Alabama (9), while the lone ACC team is Georgia Tech (4).

Below are the teams with the toughest schedules in each conference in 2024 using the win/loss method (overall rank in parentheses):

  • ACC – Georgia Tech (4)
  • American – Memphis (61)
  • Big 12 – BYU (26)
  • Big Ten – USC (2)
  • CUSA – Middle Tennessee (31)
  • Independent – UMass (20)
  • MAC – Akron (70)
  • MWC/Pac-12 – Nevada (28)
  • SEC – Florida (1)
  • Sun Belt – Georgia Southern (24)

Listed below are the complete strength of schedule rankings with win/loss record and winning percentage of each team’s 2024 opponents (includes all games played; numbers compiled by Phil Steele).

2024 College Football Strength of Schedule | Win/Loss Method

1. Florida: 106-50 (67.9%)
2. USC: 106-53 (66.7%)
3. Northwestern: 104-53 (66.2%)
4. Georgia Tech: 103-54 (65.6%)
5. Oregon: 101-57 (63.9%)
6. Vanderbilt: 97-57 (63.0%)
7. Washington: 98-58 (62.8%)
8. UCLA: 99-59 (62.7%)
9. Alabama: 97-58 (62.6%)
10. Michigan: 98-59 (62.4%)
11. Oklahoma: 96-58 (62.3%)
12. Wisconsin: 96-60 (61.5%)
13. Mississippi State: 94-59 (61.4%)
14. Iowa: 95-60 (61.3%)
15. Illinois: 93-60 (60.8%)
16. Minnesota: 94-61 (60.6%)
17. Virginia: 94-62 (60.3%)
18. Florida State: 92-62 (59.7%)
19. Michigan State: 92-63 (59.4%)
20. Arkansas: 90-63 (58.8%)
20. Georgia: 90-63 (58.8%)
20. UMass: 90-63 (58.8%)
23. Boston College: 91-64 (58.7%)
24. Georgia Southern: 91-65 (58.3%)
25. South Carolina: 89-64 (58.2%)
26. BYU: 90-65 (58.1%)
27. Arizona State: 89-65 (57.8%)
28. Nevada: 98 72 (57.6%)
29. Kentucky: 88-65 (57.5%)
30. Miami FL: 89-66 (57.4%)
31. Middle Tennessee: 86-64 (57.3%)
32. Duke: 87-66 (56.9%)
33. Penn State: 88-67 (56.8%)
34. Stanford: 87-67 (56.5%)
34. ULM: 87-67 (56.5%)
36. West Virginia: 88-68 (56.4%)
37. LSU: 85-66 (56.3%)
37. Baylor: 85-66 (56.3%)
39. Texas A&M: 85-67 (55.9%)
40. New Mexico: 86-68 (55.8%)
41. Purdue: 84-67 (55.6%)
42. Louisville: 85-68 (55.6%)
43. Colorado: 86-69 (55.5%)
43. Washington State: 86-69 (55.5%)
45. Fresno State: 87-70 (55.4%)
46. Kansas State: 83-68 (55.0%)
46. Ole Miss: 83-68 (55.0%)
46. WKU: 83-68 (55.0%)
49. Houston: 84-69 (54.9%)
49. Indiana: 84-69 (54.9%)
49. Texas: 84-69 (54.9%)
52. Auburn: 83-69 (54.6%)
52. North Carolina: 83-69 (54.6%)
54. Maryland: 84-70 (54.5%)
54. Appalachian State: 84-70 (54.5%)
54. Notre Dame: 84-70 (54.5%)
57. Ohio State: 83-71 (53.9%)
57. Arkansas State: 83-71 (53.9%)
57. Coastal Carolina: 83-71 (53.9%)
57. Southern Miss: 83-71 (53.9%)
61. California: 81-71 (53.3%)
61. Memphis: 81-71 (53.3%)
63. Iowa State: 81-72 (52.9%)
64. Old Dominion: 82-73 (52.9%)
65. Rutgers: 80-73 (52.3%)
66. Pitt: 81-74 (52.3%)
67. San Jose State: 78-72 (52.0%)
68. Tennessee: 79-73 (52.0%)
69. Troy: 80-74 (51.9%)
70. Akron: 78-73 (51.7%)
70. Charlotte: 78-73 (51.7%)
72. Clemson: 79-74 (51.6%)
73. Georgia State: 80-75 (51.6%)
74. South Alabama: 76-72 (51.4%)
75. Kennesaw State: 77-73 (51.3%)
75. Louisiana: 77-73 (51.3%)
77. TCU: 78-74 (51.3%)
77. Sam Houston: 78-74 (51.3%)
77. Syracuse: 78-74 (51.3%)
80. NC State: 77-74 (51.0%)
80. Eastern Michigan: 77-74 (51.0%)
82. Boise State: 78-75 (51.0%)
83. Nebraska: 76-74 (50.7%)
84. Oklahoma State: 76-75 (50.3%)
84. Central Michigan: 76-75 (50.3%)
86. Navy: 75-75 (50.0%) 5 6 1
86. North Texas: 75-75 (50.0%)
88. Jacksonville State: 75-76 (49.7%)
89. UTEP: 73-74 (49.7%)
90. Miami OH: 75-77 (49.3%)
90. San Diego State: 75-77 (49.3%)
92. Wake Forest: 74-77 (49.0%)
92. Bowling Green: 74-77 (49.0%)
92. Marshall: 74-77 (49.0%)
92. Toledo: 74-77 (49.0%)
96. Kent State: 73-76 (49.0%)
97. Oregon State: 74-78 (48.7%)
98. Cincinnati: 73-77 (48.7%)
98. Temple: 73-77 (48.7%)
100. Colorado State: 73-78 (48.3%)
101. USF: 72-78 (48.0%)
101. Ball State: 72-78 (48.0%)
103. Utah State: 72-79 (47.7%)
104. Tulane: 71-78 (47.7%)
104. New Mexico State: 71-78 (47.7%)
106. Buffalo: 71-79 (47.3%)
107. UTSA: 68-76 (47.2%)
108. SMU: 70-79 (47.0%)
108. East Carolina: 70-79 (47.0%)
110. Wyoming: 70-80 (46.7%)
111. Texas Tech: 69-79 (46.6%)
111. Arizona: 69-79 (46.6%)
113. Virginia Tech: 71-82 (46.4%)
114. Hawaii: 64 74 (46.4%)
115. Utah: 69-80 (46.3%)
116. UCF: 68-79 (46.3%)
117. UNLV: 70-82 (46.1%)
118. Northern Illinois: 69-81 (46.0%)
119. Rice: 68-80 (45.9%)
119. UAB: 68-80 (45.9%)
121. Louisiana Tech: 67 79 (45.9%)
122. Texas State: 69-82 (45.7%)
123. Air Force: 67-80 (45.6%)
124. James Madison: 69-83 (45.4%)
125. Kansas: 66-81 (44.9%)
126. Ohio: 67-83 (44.7%)
127. Missouri: 66-83 (44.3%)
128. FIU: 64-82 (43.8%)
129. Army: 63-84 (42.9%)
129. Liberty: 63-84 (42.9%)
131. Western Michigan: 62-87 (41.6%)
132. Tulsa: 59-84 (41.3%)
133. UConn: 61-87 (41.2%)
134. Florida Atlantic: 54-91 (37.2%)

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Comments (5)

I prefer Steele’s own method. The NCAA’s method doesn’t really work because teams change from year to year. A bad team one year can be a good one the following year and vice versa.

Marcus Jackson,
Is the above Not Phil Steele’s own method?
Or is the NCAA™️ a User of the win/loss method?
Do U mind giving me a short summary of what Phil STEELE’s Method is?
I appreciate it.
Herr Tod Knaupp

Steele uses his own method. He combines a lot of stats like returning players, new players, strength of opponents, etc. I’ll post that ranking next week.

@KevinKelleyFB,
Dan-ke.

I saw a Shelby Cobra up close in the parking lot of a restaurant I visited last week.
The color matters.
I forgot the color because I was looking @ all the exterior details.