College football will be here before we know it, but it’s never too early to start anticipating the season ahead. For the first time, College Football Network has painstakingly gone through every team’s schedule — welcome Kennesaw State — and analyzed the toughest roads ahead for each FBS team.
Introducing, the first-of-its-kind, CFN Strength of Schedule for the 2024 season.
College Football Strength of Schedule for 2024
CFN’s exclusive strength of schedule metric was crafted carefully using as many resources as possible ahead of the 2024 season. Using a bevy of metrics such as returning production, roster projections, coaching staff, incoming talent, home-field advantage, and other factors, the CFN SOS analyzes which teams have the most difficult and easiest schedules this season.
CFN’s strength of schedule metric included each team’s transfer portal classes, valued quarterbacks returning to their school, and continuation among the coaching staffs into the ranking.
These factors all awarded schedule difficulty more heavily based on merit and projection, as opposed to looking back at results from last season, though those results were factored in moderately.
Here’s how the teams ranked ahead of the 2024 season.
1) Florida Gators
Toughest Game: @ Florida State
Easiest Game: vs. Samford
S.O.S. Score: 27.42
2) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Toughest Game: @ Georgia
Easiest Game: vs. VMI
S.O.S. Score: 25.29
3) Oklahoma Sooners
Toughest Game: @ Ole Miss
Easiest Game: vs. Maine
S.O.S. Score: 24.54
4) USC Trojans
Toughest Game: @ Michigan
Easiest Game: vs. Utah State
S.O.S. Score: 24.25
5) Houston Cougars
Toughest Game: @ Arizona
Easiest Game: vs. Rice
S.O.S. Score: 23.92
T6) Alabama Crimson Tide
Toughest Game: vs. Georgia
Easiest Game: vs. Mercer
S.O.S. Score: 23.83
T6) Vanderbilt Commodores
Toughest Game: vs. Alabama
Easiest Game: vs. Alcorn State
S.O.S. Score: 23.83
8) Colorado Buffaloes
Toughest Game: @ Arizona
Easiest Game: vs. North Dakota State
S.O.S. Score: 23.79
9) Arkansas Razorbacks
Toughest Game: vs. Texas
Easiest Game: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
S.O.S. Score: 23.71
10) Purdue Boilermakers
Toughest Game: @ Ohio State
Easiest Game: vs. Indiana State
S.O.S. Score: 26.67
11) Mississippi State Bulldogs
Toughest Game: @ Georgia
Easiest Game: vs. Eastern Kentucky
S.O.S. Score: 23.33
12) UCLA Bruins
Toughest Game: vs. Oregon
Easiest Game: @ Hawaii
S.O.S. Score: 23.08
13) Georgia Bulldogs
Toughest Game: @ Alabama
Easiest Game: vs. Tennessee Tech
S.O.S. Score: 23.00
14) Wisconsin Badgers
Toughest Game: vs. Oregon
Easiest Game: vs. South Dakota
S.O.S. Score: 22.96
15) Arizona State Sun Devils
Toughest Game: @ Arizona
Easiest Game: vs. Wyoming
S.O.S. Score: 22.58
T16) Kentucky Wildcats
Toughest Game: @ Texas
Easiest Game: vs. Murray State
S.O.S. Score: 22.58
T16) South Carolina Gamecocks
Toughest Game: @ Alabama
Easiest Game: vs. Wofford
S.O.S. Score: 22.58
18) Michigan Wolverines
Toughest Game: @ Ohio State
Easiest Game: vs. Arkansas State
S.O.S. Score: 22.42
19) West Virginia Mountaineers
Toughest Game: @ Arizona
Easiest Game: vs. Albany
S.O.S. Score: 22.29
20) Clemson Tigers
Toughest Game: @ Florida State
Easiest Game: vs. The Citadel
S.O.S. Score: 21.54
T21) Florida State Seminoles
Toughest Game: @ Notre Dame
Easiest Game: vs. Charleston Southern
S.O.S. Score: 21.46
T21) Illinois Fighting Illini
Toughest Game: @ Oregon
Easiest Game: vs. Eastern Illinois
S.O.S. Score: 21.46
23) Kansas State Wildcats
Toughest Game: vs. Arizona
Easiest Game: vs. UT Martin
S.O.S. Score: 21.38
24) TCU Horned Frogs
Toughest Game: @ Utah
Easiest Game: vs. Long Island
S.O.S. Score: 21.33
T25) LSU Tigers
Toughest Game: vs. Alabama
Easiest Game: vs. Nicholls
S.O.S. Score: 21.21
T25) Texas A&M Aggies
Toughest Game: vs. Texas
Easiest Game: vs. McNeese
S.O.S. Score: 21.21
27) BYU Cougars
Toughest Game: @ Utah
Easiest Game: vs. Southern Illinois
S.O.S. Score: 21.17
28) Washington Huskies
Toughest Game: @ Oregon
Easiest Game: vs. Weber State
S.O.S. Score: 21.13
29) Stanford Cardinal
Toughest Game: @ Clemson
Easiest Game: vs. Cal Poly
S.O.S. Score: 21.00
30) Oregon Ducks
Toughest Game: @ Michigan
Easiest Game: vs. Idaho
S.O.S. Score: 20.92
31) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Toughest Game: vs. Ole Miss
Easiest Game: vs. North Carolina A&T
S.O.S. Score: 20.83
T32) Baylor Bears
Toughest Game: @ Utah
Easiest Game: vs. Tarleton State
S.O.S. Score: 20.46
T32) Northwestern Wildcats
Toughest Game: @ Michigan
Easiest Game: vs. Eastern Illinois
S.O.S. Score: 20.46
T34) Ohio State Buckeyes
Toughest Game: @ Oregon
Easiest Game: vs. Akron
S.O.S. Score: 20.29
T34) Texas Longhorns
Toughest Game: @ Michigan
Easiest Game: vs. UL-Monroe
S.O.S. Score: 20.29
T34) Boston College Eagles
Toughest Game: @ Florida State
Easiest Game: vs. Duquesne
S.O.S. Score: 20.29
37) Duke Blue Devils
Toughest Game: vs. Florida State
Easiest Game: vs. Elon
S.O.S. Score: 20.08
T38) Minnesota Golden Gophers
Toughest Game: @ Michigan
Easiest Game: vs. Rhode Island
S.O.S. Score: 19.88
T38) Michigan State Spartans
Toughest Game: @ Oregon
Easiest Game: vs. Prairie View A&M
S.O.S. Score: 19.88
40) Texas Tech Red Raiders
Toughest Game: @ Arizona
Easiest Game: Abilene Christian
S.O.S. Score: 19.75
41) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Toughest Game: vs. Florida State
Easiest Game: vs. Stanford
S.O.S. Score: 19.71
42) Utah Utes
Toughest Game: @ Oklahoma State
Easiest Game: vs. Southern Utah
S.O.S. Score: 19.67
T43) Auburn Tigers
Toughest Game: @ Georgia
Easiest Game: vs. Alabama A&M
S.O.S. Score: 19.50
T43) Virginia Cavaliers
Toughest Game: @ Clemson
Easiest Game: vs. Richmond
S.O.S. Score: 19.50
T45) Penn State Nittany Lions
Toughest Game: vs. Ohio State
Easiest Game: vs. Kent State
S.O.S. Score: 19.46
T45) Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Toughest Game: vs. Florida State
Easiest Game: vs. Florida A&M
S.O.S. Score: 19.46
47) Tennessee Volunteers
Toughest Game: @ Georgia
Easiest Game: vs. Chattanooga
S.O.S. Score: 19.08
48) UCF Knights
Toughest Game: @ Utah
Easiest Game: vs. New Hampshire
S.O.S. Score: 18.96
49) Maryland Terrapins
Toughest Game: @ Oregon
Easiest Game: vs. Villanova
S.O.S. Score: 18.88
50) Oklahoma State Cowboys
Toughest Game: vs. Utah
Easiest Game: vs. South Dakota State
S.O.S. Score: 18.83
51) Iowa State Cyclones
Toughest Game: @ Utah
Easiest Game: vs. North Dakota
S.O.S. Score: 18.75
52) Iowa Hawkeyes
Toughest Game: @ Ohio State
Easiest Game: vs. Illinois State
S.O.S. Score: 18.74
53) Ole Miss Rebels
Toughest Game: vs. Georgia
Easiest Game: vs. Furman
S.O.S. Score: 18.71
54) Louisville Cardinals
Toughest Game: @ Clemson
Easiest Game: vs. Austin Peay
S.O.S. Score: 18.54
55) Nebraska Cornhuskers
Toughest Game: @ Ohio State
Easiest Game: vs. Northern Iowa
S.O.S. Score: 18.00
56) Indiana Hoosiers
Toughest Game: @ Ohio State
Easiest Game: vs. Western Illinois
S.O.S. Score: 17.96
57) Cincinnati Bearcats
Toughest Game: @ Kansas State
Easiest Game: vs. Towson
S.O.S. Score: 17.88
58) North Carolina Tar Heels
Toughest Game: @ Florida State
Easiest Game: vs. NC Central
S.O.S. Score: 17.83
59) California Golden Bears
Toughest Game: @ Florida State
Easiest Game: vs. UC Davis
S.O.S. Score: 17.75
60) Arizona Wildcats
Toughest Game: @ Utah
Easiest Game: vs. Northern Arizona
S.O.S. Score: 17.54
61) Kansas Jayhawks
Toughest Game: @ Kansas State
Easiest Game: vs. Lindenwood
S.O.S. Score: 17.50
62) ODU Monarchs
Toughest Game: @ App State
Easiest Game: vs. ECU
S.O.S. Score: 17.49
63) Syracuse Orange
Toughest Game: @ NC State
Easiest Game: vs. Holy Cross
S.O.S. Score: 17.38
64) Pittsburgh Panthers
Toughest Game: vs. Clemson
Easiest Game: vs. Youngstown State
S.O.S. Score: 17.25
65) Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Toughest Game: @ USC
Easiest Game: vs. Howard
S.O.S. Score: 17.17
66) Georgia Southern Eagles
Toughest Game: @ Ole Miss
Easiest Game: vs. South Carolina State
S.O.S. Score: 17.08
67) UMass Minutemen
Toughest Game: @ Georgia
Easiest Game: vs. Central Connecticut
S.O.S. Score: 16.77
68) Tulane Green Wave
Toughest Game: @ Oklahoma
Easiest Game: vs. SE Louisiana
S.O.S. Score: 16.75
69) Memphis Tigers
Toughest Game: @ Florida State
Easiest Game: vs. North Alabama
S.O.S. Score: 16.74
70) Appalachian State Mountaineers
Toughest Game: @ Clemson
Easiest Game: vs. East Tennessee State
S.O.S. Score: 16.71
71) NC State Wolfpack
Toughest Game: @ Clemson
Easiest Game: vs. Western Carolina
S.O.S. Score: 16.67
72) Marshall Thundering Herd
Toughest Game: @ Ohio State
Easiest Game: vs. Stony Brook
S.O.S. Score: 16.58
73) USF Bulls
Toughest Game: @ Alabama
Easiest Game: vs. Bethune-Cookman
S.O.S. Score: 16.50
74) Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Toughest Game: @ Ole Miss
Easiest Game: vs. Tennessee Tech
S.O.S. Score: 16.33
75) Akron Zips
Toughest Game: @ Ohio State
Easiest Game: vs. Colgate
S.O.S. Score: 16.25
76) Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Toughest Game: @ JMU
Easiest Game: vs. SE Louisiana
S.O.S. Score: 16.17
77) South Alabama Jaguars
Toughest Game: @ App State
Easiest Game: vs. Northwestern State
S.O.S. Score: 16.13
78) Missouri Tigers
Toughest Game: @ Alabama
Easiest Game: vs. Murray State
S.O.S. Score: 16.08
79) Virginia Tech Hokies
Toughest Game: vs. Clemson
Easiest Game: vs. ODU
S.O.S. Score: 16.04
80) Ball State Cardinals
Toughest Game: @ JMU
Easiest Game: vs. Missouri State
S.O.S. Score: 16.03
81) Charlotte 49ers
Toughest Game: @ Memphis
Easiest Game: vs. Gardner-Webb
S.O.S. Score: 16.00
82) Kent State Golden Flashes
Toughest Game: @ Penn State
Easiest Game: vs. St. Francis (PA)
S.O.S. Score: 15.92
83) UL-Monroe WarHawks
Toughest Game: @ Texas
Easiest Game: vs. Jackson State
S.O.S. Score: 15.85
84) Northern Illinois Huskies
Toughest Game: @ Notre Dame
Easiest Game: vs. Western Illinois
S.O.S. Score: 15.79
85) SMU Mustangs
Toughest Game: vs. Florida State
Easiest Game: vs. Houston Christian
S.O.S. Score: 15.68
86) Navy Midshipmen
Toughest Game: vs. Notre Dame
Easiest Game: vs. Bucknell
S.O.S. Score: 15.67
87) Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Toughest Game: @ JMU
Easiest Game: vs. William & Mary
S.O.S. Score: 15.46
88) Miami (OH) RedHawks
Toughest Game: @ Notre Dame
Easiest Game: vs. UMass
S.O.S. Score: 15.38
89) Rice Owls
Toughest Game: @ Tulane
Easiest Game: vs. Texas Southern
S.O.S. Score: 15.21
90) Georgia State Panthers
Toughest Game: @ App State
Easiest Game: vs. Chattanooga
S.O.S. Score: 15.20
91) Temple Owls
Toughest Game: @ Oklahoma
Easiest Game: @ ECU
S.O.S. Score: 15.13
92) Bowling Green Falcons
Toughest Game: @ Penn State
Easiest Game: vs. Fordham
S.O.S. Score: 14.96
93) UAB Blazers
Toughest Game: @ Memphis
Easiest Game: vs. Alcorn State
S.O.S. Score: 14.95
94) UTEP Miners
Toughest Game: @ Tennessee
Easiest Game: vs. Southern Utah
S.O.S. Score: 14.79
95) Western Michigan Broncos
Toughest Game: @ Ohio State
Easiest Game: vs. Bethune-Cookman
S.O.S. Score: 14.67
96) Oregon State Beavers
Toughest Game: vs. Oregon
Easiest Game: vs. Idaho State
S.O.S. Score: 14.21
97) Sam Houston Bearkats
Toughest Game: vs. Liberty
Easiest Game: @ Kennesaw State
S.O.S. Score: 14.17
98) Nevada Wolf Pack
Toughest Game: @ Boise State
Easiest Game: vs. Eastern Washington
S.O.S. Score: 14.15
99) Arkansas State Red Wolves
Toughest Game: @ Michigan
Easiest Game: vs. Central Arkansas
S.O.S. Score: 14.13
100) Central Michigan Chippewas
Toughest Game: @ Miami (OH)
Easiest Game: vs. Central Connecticut
S.O.S. Score: 14.08
101) Utah State Aggies
Toughest Game: @ USC
Easiest Game: vs. Robert Morris
S.O.S. Score: 14.00
102) UTSA Roadrunners
Toughest Game: @ Texas
Easiest Game: vs. Kennesaw State
S.O.S. Score: 13.96
103) New Mexico Lobos
Toughest Game: @ Arizona
Easiest Game: vs. Montana State
S.O.S. Score: 13.92
104) Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Toughest Game: @ Alabama
Easiest Game: vs. Eastern Kentucky
S.O.S. Score: 13.83
105) Boise State Broncos
Toughest Game: @ Oregon
Easiest Game: vs. Portland State
S.O.S. Score: 13.54
106) San Diego State Aztecs
Toughest Game: @ Boise State
Easiest Game: vs. Texas A&M-Commerce
S.O.S. Score: 13.46
107) UNLV Rebels
Toughest Game: @ Kansas
Easiest Game: vs. Utah Tech
S.O.S. Score: 13.42
108) North Texas Mean Green
Toughest Game: @ Memphis
Easiest Game: vs. Stephen F. Austin
S.O.S. Score: 13.41
109) Jacksonville State Gamecocks
Toughest Game: @ Louisville
Easiest Game: @ Kennesaw State
S.O.S. Score: 13.38
110) ECU Pirates
Toughest Game: vs. App State
Easiest Game: vs. Norfolk State
S.O.S. Score: 13.08
111) Fresno State Bulldogs
Toughest Game: @ Michigan
Easiest Game: vs. San Jose State
S.O.S. Score: 12.79
112) Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Toughest Game: vs. Oklahoma State
Easiest Game: Northwestern State
S.O.S. Score: 12.78
113) San Jose State Spartans
Toughest Game: @ Oregon State
Easiest Game: vs. Kennesaw State
S.O.S. Score: 12.75
114) Troy Trojans
Toughest Game: @ Memphis
Easiest Game: vs. Nevada
S.O.S. Score: 12.71
115) New Mexico State Aggies
Toughest Game: @ Texas A&M
Easiest Game: vs. SE Missouri State
S.O.S. Score: 12.63
116) Ohio Bobcats
Toughest Game: @ Miami (OH)
Easiest Game: vs. Morgan State
S.O.S. Score: 12.55
115) Eastern Michigan Eagles
Toughest Game: @ Washington
Easiest Game: vs. St. Francis (PA)
S.O.S. Score: 12.54
118) Toledo Rockets
Toughest Game: @ Western Kentucky
Easiest Game: vs. Duquesne
S.O.S. Score: 12.46
119) Washington State Cougars
Toughest Game: @ Boise State
Easiest Game: vs. Portland State
S.O.S. Score: 12.45
120) JMU Dukes
Toughest Game: @ App State
Easiest Game: vs. Gardner-Webb
S.O.S. Score: 12.33
121) Wyoming Cowboys
Toughest Game: vs. Boise State
Easiest Game: vs. Idaho
S.O.S. Score: 12.32
122) Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns
Toughest Game: vs. App State
Easiest Game: vs. Grambling
S.O.S. Score: 12.29
123) Colorado State Rams
Toughest Game: @ Texas
Easiest Game: vs. Northern Colorado
S.O.S. Score: 12.21
124) Buffalo Bulls
Toughest Game: @ Missouri
Easiest Game: vs. Lafayette
S.O.S. Score: 12.13
125) Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Toughest Game: @ NC State
Easiest Game: vs. Nicholls
S.O.S. Score: 11.75
126) FAU Owls
Toughest Game: vs. USF
Easiest Game: vs. Wagner
S.O.S. Score: 11.74
127) Kennesaw State Owls
Toughest Game: vs. Liberty
Easiest Game: vs. UT Martin
S.O.S. Score: 11.69
128) Army Black Knights
Toughest Game: vs. Notre Dame
Easiest Game: vs. Lehigh
S.O.S. Score: 11.29
129) Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Toughest Game: vs. Boise State
Easiest Game: vs. Delaware State
S.O.S. Score: 10.96
130) Texas State Bobcats
Toughest Game: vs. Louisiana
Easiest Game: vs. Lamar
S.O.S. Score: 10.83
131) FIU Panthers
Toughest Game: @ Liberty
Easiest Game: vs. Monmouth
S.O.S. Score: 10.75
132) Liberty Flames
Toughest Game: @ App State
Easiest Game: vs. Campbell
S.O.S. Score: 10.29
133) UConn Huskies
Toughest Game: @ Maryland
Easiest Game: vs. Merrimack
S.O.S. Score: 9.92
134) Air Force Falcons
Toughest Game: vs. Oregon State
Easiest Game: @ New Mexico
S.O.S. Score: 9.83
2024 ACC Strength of Schedule
- 1) Georgia Tech
- 2) Clemson
- 3) Florida State
- 4) Stanford
- 5) Wake Forest
- 6) Boston College
- 7) Duke
- 8) Virginia
- 9) Miami (FL)
- 10) Louisville
- 11) North Carolina
- 12) California
- 13) Syracuse
- 14) Pittsburgh
- 15) NC State
- 16) Virginia Tech
- 17) SMU
2024 Big Ten Strength of Schedule
- 1) USC
- 2) Purdue
- 3) UCLA
- 4) Wisconsin
- 5) Michigan
- 6) Illinois
- 7) Washington
- 8) Oregon
- 9) Northwestern
- 10) Ohio State
- 11) Minnesota
- 12) Michigan State
- 13) Penn State
- 14) Maryland
- 15) Iowa
- 16) Nebraska
- 17) Indiana
- 18) Rutgers
MORE: Top 10 Hardest College Football Schedules in 2024
2024 Big 12 Strength of Schedule
- 1) Houston
- 2) Colorado
- 3) Arizona State
- 4) West Virginia
- 5) Kansas State
- 6) TCU
- 7) BYU
- 8) Baylor
- 9) Texas Tech
- 10) Utah
- 11) UCF
- 12) Oklahoma State
- 13) Iowa State
- 14) Cincinnati
- 15) Arizona
- 16) Kansas
2024 Pac-12 Strength of Schedule
- 1) Oregon State
- 2) Washington State
2024 SEC Strength of Schedule
- 1) Florida
- 2) Oklahoma
- 3) Alabama
- 4) Vanderbilt
- 5) Arkansas
- 6) Mississippi State
- 7) Georgia
- 8) Kentucky
- 9) South Carolina
- 10) LSU
- 11) Texas A&M
- 12) Texas
- 13) Auburn
- 14) Tennessee
- 15) Ole Miss
- 16) Missouri
2024 AAC Strength of Schedule
- 1) Tulane
- 2) Memphis
- 3) USF
- 4) Charlotte
- 5) Navy
- 6) Rice
- 7) Temple
- 8) UAB
- 9) UTSA
- 10) North Texas
- 11) ECU
- 12) Tulsa
- 13) FAU
- 14) Army
2024 Conference USA Strength of Schedule
- 1) Middle Tennessee
- 2) UTEP
- 3) Sam Houston
- 4) Western Kentucky
- 5) Jacksonville State
- 6) New Mexico State
- 7) Louisiana Tech
- 8) Kennesaw State
- 9) FIU
- 10) Liberty
2024 MAC Strength of Schedule
- 1) Akron
- 2) Ball State
- 3) Kent State
- 4) NIU
- 5) Miami (OH)
- 6) Bowling Green
- 7) Western Michigan
- 8) Central Michigan
- 9) Ohio
- 10) Eastern Michigan
- 11) Toledo
- 12) Buffalo
KEEP READING: Top 10 Easiest College Football Schedules in 2024
2024 Mountain West Strength of Schedule
- 1) Nevada
- 2) Utah State
- 3) New Mexico
- 4) Boise State
- 5) San Diego State
- 6) UNLV
- 7) Fresno State
- 8) San Jose State
- 9) Wyoming
- 10) Colorado State
- 11) Hawaii
- 12) Air Force
2024 Sun Belt Strength of Schedule
- 1) ODU
- 2) Georgia Southern
- 3) Appalachian State
- 4) Marshall
- 5) Southern Miss
- 6) South Alabama
- 7) UL-Monroe
- 8) Coastal Carolina
- 9) Georgia State
- 10) Arkansas State
- 11) Troy
- 12) JMU
- 13) Louisiana
- 14) Texas State
2025 Independent Strength of Schedule
- 1) Notre Dame
- 2) UMass
- 3) UConn
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