Of the 68 FBS programs now classified as Power conference teams, only five—a mere seven percent—will play 11 Power opponents during the 2026 regular season.
The group includes three ACC teams, one Big 12 team, and one Big Ten team. Notably, no SEC program appears on the list.
Two ACC members, Boston College and Georgia Tech, will play eight league games plus three Power non‑conference opponents. Louisville goes even further, pairing nine ACC games with two Power non‑league matchups. Colorado (Big 12) and Purdue (Big Ten) each face nine conference games and two Power opponents outside the league.
Scheduling 11 Power opponents is not mandated by any conference and can create a competitive disadvantage or derail conference title pursuits and post-season appearances. It can also influence coaching stability and contribute to movement within the annual coaching carousel.
ACC opponents: vs. Virginia Tech, at SMU, vs. Pitt, at Georgia Tech, at Duke, vs. Florida State, vs. Syracuse, at Miami (FL)
Power opponents: at Cincinnati, vs. Rutgers, at Notre Dame
Non‑Power opponent: FCS Maine
Boston College has played 10 Power opponents in each of the last two seasons, posting a combined 9–16 record. With 11 Power opponents and one FCS team in 2026, the Eagles will not face a single Group of Six opponent.
BC could repeat the 11‑Power‑opponent feat in 2027. The Eagles are slated for nine ACC games and currently have two Power non‑conference matchups scheduled—at Rutgers and vs. Cincinnati. UTEP and FCS Rhode Island are also on the docket, meaning one of the four non‑league games must eventually be removed.
Big 12 opponents: at Baylor, vs. Texas Tech, vs. Utah, at Oklahoma State, vs. Kansas State, at Arizona State, vs. Houston, at Cincinnati, vs. UCF
Power opponents: at Georgia Tech, at Northwestern
Non‑Power opponent: FCS Weber State
Colorado last played 11 Power opponents in 2023, the final season of the Pac‑12. The Buffaloes faced 10 Power opponents in both 2024 and 2025, even adding a matchup with then‑FCS powerhouse North Dakota State in 2024.
Looking ahead, Colorado is not scheduled to reach 11 Power opponents again until 2030 and 2031, when home‑and‑home series with Missouri and SMU begin.
ACC opponents: at Stanford, vs. Duke, at Virginia Tech, vs. Boston College, at Pitt, vs. Louisville, at Clemson, vs. Wake Forest
Power opponents: vs. Colorado, vs. Tennessee, at Georgia
Non‑Power opponent: FCS Mercer
Georgia Tech aggressively upgraded its non‑conference slate, adding Colorado (Big 12) and Tennessee (SEC) alongside its annual rivalry game with Georgia. Those three Power opponents complement an eight‑game ACC schedule.
Like Boston College, Georgia Tech currently has one excess non‑conference game scheduled for 2027 and could again reach 11 Power opponents. The Yellow Jackets are set to visit Tennessee and Notre Dame, while Georgia and Hampton are scheduled to come to Atlanta.
ACC opponents: vs. SMU, vs. Wake Forest, at NC State, vs. Florida State, at Syracuse, vs. Stanford, at Georgia Tech, at North Carolina, vs. Pitt
Power opponents: vs. Ole Miss (in Nashville), at Kentucky
Non‑Power opponent: FCS Villanova
Beyond its ACC slate, Louisville will face Ole Miss at a neutral site and close the season at in‑state rival Kentucky. The Cardinals played nine Power opponents last season after playing 10 in 2024.
Louisville is scheduled to return to the 11‑Power‑opponent club in 2028 (at Texas A&M, at Kentucky), 2029 (hosting Texas A&M and Kentucky), and 2030 (Notre Dame and Kentucky).
Big Ten opponents: at UCLA, at Illinois, vs. Minnesota, vs. Washington, at Penn State, vs. Maryland, at Iowa, vs. Wisconsin, at Indiana
Power opponents: vs. Wake Forest, vs. Notre Dame
Non‑Power opponent: FCS Indiana State
Purdue has long been one of college football’s most aggressive schedulers, playing 11 Power opponents every regular season from 2017 through 2023 (excluding the COVID‑impacted 2020 season). The Boilermakers had 11 Power opponents lined up in 2024 as well, but the Pac‑12’s collapse removed Oregon State’s Power designation.
Absent future changes, Purdue is set to rejoin the list in 2027 (Notre Dame, North Carolina) and again in 2028 (Wake Forest, Notre Dame).
HONORABLE MENTION: OREGON
Oregon gets an honorable mention, as it hosts the team widely regarded as the top Group of Six program, the Boise State Broncos. The Ducks add a trip to face Oklahoma State before playing their nine-game Big Ten slate that includes Michigan and Washington at home, with Ohio State and USC on the road.
