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    Big 12 Strength of Schedule: Houston Heads Into Big 12 Hotbeds

    The new-look Big 12 offers serious intrigue ahead in 2024. Let the Big 12 Strength of Schedule give a clear indicator of who has the toughest journey ahead of them.

    Like so many other conferences in college football, the Big 12 forever changed this offseason. Gone are two perennial powers, but here to stay are multiple new teams that you may not associate with the Big 12 … yet.

    So with Houston, Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado joining the mix, which teams have the hardest schedules in 2024? The Big 12 Strength of Schedule aims at answering just that.

    2024 Big 12 Strength of Schedule

    Before we get to the rankings, we need to examine how we arrived at the metrics that produce the numbers.

    From our cross-conference strength of schedule:

    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. They’ve also been updated following all the reports from spring practice, final transfer portal class numbers, and the most up-to-date roster and depth chart files we have on hand.

    MORE: Strength of Schedule for All 134 Teams

    Here’s how the Big 12 teams stack up ahead of the 2024 season:

    1) Houston Cougars

    Toughest Game: @ Arizona
    Easiest Game: vs. Rice
    S.O.S. Score: 17.10
    National Rank: 17th

    MORE: Houston’s 2024 Football Schedule

    2) West Virginia Mountaineers

    Toughest Game: @ Arizona
    Easiest Game: vs. Albany
    S.O.S. Score: 17.00
    National Rank: T18th

    MORE: West Virginia’s 2024 Football Schedule

    3) Arizona State Sun Devils

    Toughest Game: @ Arizona
    Easiest Game: vs. Wyoming
    S.O.S. Score: 16.52
    National Rank: 27th

    MORE: Arizona State’s 2024 Football Schedule

    4) Colorado Buffaloes

    Toughest Game: @ Arizona
    Easiest Game: vs. North Dakota State
    S.O.S. Score: 15.92
    National Rank: 33rd

    MORE: Colorado’s 2024 Football Schedule

    5) TCU Horned Frogs

    Toughest Game: @ Utah
    Easiest Game: vs. Long Island
    S.O.S. Score: 15.79
    National Rank: 35th

    MORE: TCU’s 2024 Football Schedule

    6) BYU Cougars

    Toughest Game: @ Utah
    Easiest Game: vs. Southern Illinois
    S.O.S. Score: 15.58
    National Rank: T38th

    MORE: BYU’s 2024 Football Schedule

    7) Iowa State Cyclones

    Toughest Game: @ Utah
    Easiest Game: vs. North Dakota
    S.O.S. Score: 15.25
    National Rank: 44th

    MORE: Iowa State’s 2024 Football Schedule

    8) Baylor Bears

    Toughest Game: @ Utah
    Easiest Game: vs. Tarleton State
    S.O.S. Score: 15.19
    National Rank: 45th

    MORE: Baylor’s 2024 Football Schedule

    9) Kansas State Wildcats

    Toughest Game: vs. Arizona
    Easiest Game: vs. UT Martin
    S.O.S. Score: 14.60
    National Rank: 53rd

    MORE: Kansas State’s 2024 Football Schedule

    10) UCF Knights

    Toughest Game: @ Utah
    Easiest Game: vs. New Hampshire
    S.O.S. Score: 14.31
    National Rank: 54th

    MORE: UCF’s 2024 Football Schedule

    11) Cincinnati Bearcats

    Toughest Game: @ Kansas State
    Easiest Game: vs. Towson
    S.O.S. Score: 14.29
    National Rank: T54th

    MORE: Cincinnati’s 2024 Football Schedule

    12) Kansas Jayhawks

    Toughest Game: @ Kansas State
    Easiest Game: vs. Lindenwood
    S.O.S. Score: 13.98
    National Rank: 58th

    MORE: Kansas’ 2024 Football Schedule

     

    13) Oklahoma State Cowboys

    Toughest Game: vs. Utah
    Easiest Game: vs. South Dakota State
    S.O.S. Score: 13.90
    National Rank: 59th

    MORE: Oklahoma State’s 2024 Football Schedule

    14) Utah Utes

    Toughest Game: @ Oklahoma State
    Easiest Game: vs. Southern Utah
    S.O.S. Score: 13.85
    National Rank: 60th

    MORE: Utah’s 2024 Football Schedule

    15) Texas Tech Red Raiders

    Toughest Game: @ Arizona
    Easiest Game: Abilene Christian
    S.O.S. Score: 13.65
    National Rank: 62nd

    MORE: Texas Tech’s 2024 Football Schedule

    16) Arizona Wildcats

    Toughest Game: @ Utah
    Easiest Game: vs. Northern Arizona
    S.O.S. Score: 13.63
    National Rank: 63rd

    MORE: Arizona’s 2024 Football Schedule

    KEEP READING: Top 10 Easiest College Football Schedules in 2024

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