College football strength of schedule continues to be a hot topic this season as the third edition of the 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) approaches. With the first set of CFP rankings released Tuesday, let’s take a look at the strength of schedule rankings (SOS) as they stand now.
There are several sources for strength of schedule, including ESPN and the computer components that were formerly part of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) rankings. Note that these rankings are for strength of schedule to date and will differ from preseason rankings, such as Phil Steele’s.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Rankings through Week 9
ESPN FPI
According to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), the Mississippi State Bulldogs have played the toughest schedule so far this season. Among the teams Mississippi State has played are No. 5 Alabama, No. 7 Texas, and No. 14 LSU.
1. Mississippi State
2. Auburn
3. Florida
4. Ole Miss
5. Oklahoma
6. Stanford
7. Alabama
8. Kentucky
9. Texas
10. Ohio State
ESPN SOS rankings for other CFP Top 10 teams include Miami (49), Georgia (35), Utah (83), Indiana (31), UCLA (77), and BYU (45).
JEFF SAGARIN
Jeff Sagarin’s ratings also have Mississippi State with the toughest schedule in the country. Auburn, Florida, and Ole Miss, ranked two trough four in the ESPN FPI, are the same here.
1. Mississippi State
2. Auburn
3. Florida
4. Ole Miss
5. Alabama
6. Oklahoma
7. Texas
8. Purdue
9. Kentucky
10. Oregon
Sagarin SOS rankings for other top CFP Top 10 teams include Miami (58), Georgia (39), Utah (60), Indiana (38), UCLA (61), and BYU (41).
COLLEY MATRIX
Texas tops the strength of schedule rankings in the Colley Matrix while Mississippi State is third. The Longhorns’ schedule is ranked No. 7 by Sagarin and No. 9 in the ESPN FPI. See Colley’s site for an explanation of FCS Groupings.
1. Texas
2. Oklahoma
3. Mississippi State
4. Michigan State
5. Florida
6. Auburn
7. Alabama
8. Oregon
9. FCS Group 14
10. Ole Miss
BILLINGSLEY RANKINGS
Billingsley is the only computer index to rank Auburn’s schedule as the toughest. Nine schools in their Top 10 are SEC teams.
1. Auburn
2. Texas
3. Oklahoma
4. Mississippi State
5. Alabama
6. Ole Miss
7. Florida
8. Stanford
9. Arkansas
10. LSU
MASSEY RATINGS
Massey joins Billingsley in ranking Auburn’s schedule as the toughest. Eight schools in their Top 10 are SEC teams.
1. Auburn
2. Mississippi State
3. Florida
4. Alabama
5. Texas
6. Ole Miss
7. Oklahoma
8. Kentucky
9. Ohio State
10. Colorado
Looking at each of the rankings, Mississippi State and Auburn appear to have played the toughest schedules, with each claiming top spots in two computer rankings. Other toughest schedules played, per the computer indexes, include Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas.
The Miami Hurricanes, ranked No. 1 in the initial CFP rankings released Tuesday evening, are outside the Top 10 in each of the SOS rankings. Miami’s best schedule ranking is No. 45 via Colley, while their lowest is No. 58 in the Sagarin ratings.
Top 5 teams Georgia, Indiana, and Utah are also well outside the Top 10 in each of the SOS rankings.
One of the biggest surprises of the initial rankings is 6-2 Alabama, coming it at No. 5. The Crimson Tide have played one of the toughest schedules in the country so far per the computer rankings, coming in as high as No. 4 (Massey) and no lower than seventh.