Who has the toughest college football schedules? We ranked the 10 most difficult

USA Today

10 hours ago

A rundown of college football's toughest schedules in 2025 could just list every team in the SEC, and to a slightly lesser extent the Big Ten.
That's life in these two heavyweight conferences, where adding teams such as Texas and Oklahoma in the SEC and Southern California, Oregon and more to the Big Ten has cranked up the level of regular-season difficulty.
USA TODAY Sports has a preseason glance at the Bowl Subdivision's most difficult slates includes plenty of teams from the SEC and Big Ten, including Wisconsin, Florida, Arkansas and Ohio State.
But there are multiple teams in the ACC staring down a rocky road from September to December. One, Stanford, will face off with Notre Dame and other difficult games under interim coach Frank Reich.
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Beginning with Wisconsin, these Power Four teams are set to tussle with the unfriendliest schedules of the 2025 season – on paper, at least:
Wisconsin
Three toughest games: at No. 8 Alabama, at No. 14 Michigan, vs. No. 2 Ohio State.
After getting started with Miami (Ohio) and Middle Tennessee, the Badgers cap non-conference play with a trip to Tuscaloosa before taking on an absolutely brutal run in the Big Ten. In addition to the Wolverines and Buckeyes, Wisconsin takes on Maryland, Iowa, Washington and No. 12 Illinois at home, and No. 7 Oregon, No. 19 Indiana and Minnesota on the road. Luke Fickell's program has to show progress in his third season; this schedule won't help the Badgers turn the corner in the standings.
No. 17 Florida
Three toughest games: at No. 9 LSU, vs. No. 1 Texas, vs. No. 4 Georgia (in Jacksonville, Florida).
Florida was able to grab eight wins last season against a similarly hard SEC slate, salvaging Billy Napier's rapidly diminishing job security and creating pretty massive expectations for 2025. The Gators will have to navigate through rocky waters once again, with a schedule also featuring No. 21 Texas A&M, No. 15 Mississippi and No. 18 Tennessee in addition to No. 10 Miami and Florida State in non-conference action.
Mississippi State
Three toughest games: vs. Tennessee, vs. Georgia, vs. Texas.
The Bulldogs' schedule almost guarantees another year spent at the bottom of the SEC. Six of Mississippi State's eight conference opponents are in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. There are also games against No. 11 Arizona State and Northern Illinois in September.
Arkansas
Three toughest games: vs. No. 5 Notre Dame, at LSU, at Texas.
At least Arkansas draws Mississippi State, ensuring at least one SEC win. There are another two non-conference wins in Alabama A&M and Arkansas State. Everything else is brutal. Here's the run after meeting the Red Wolves: Mississippi (road), Memphis (road), Notre Dame, Tennessee (road), A&M, Auburn, Mississippi State, LSU (road), Texas (road), Missouri.
Syracuse
Three toughest games: vs. Tennessee (in Atlanta), at No. 5 Clemson, at Notre Dame.
Syracuse will have a hard time matching last year's very impressive 10-win finish under rookie coach Fran Brown while taking on two high-profile playoff contenders in the Volunteers and Irish in non-conference play. It's not much easier in the ACC, where the Orange take on Clemson, No. 16 SMU and Miami.
No. 9 LSU
Three toughest games: at Clemson, vs. Florida, at Alabama.
A potential make-or-break year for coach Brian Kelly opens with a referendum game at Clemson. (Losing season openers has kind of been the program's thing under Kelly.) With Clemson, the Gators and Mississippi coming in the first five weeks, we'll have a very clear picture of what the Tigers are about by the end of September. The season finale at Oklahoma could end up as an at-large playoff elimination game should the Sooners rebound after a rocky SEC debut.
Stanford
Three toughest games: at SMU, at Miami, vs. Notre Dame.
Offseason attrition, a late-in-the-game coaching change and this schedule combine to place Stanford at or near the bottom of the Power Four power rankings heading into the regular season. In addition to the Mustangs, Hurricanes and Irish, the Cardinal have road trips to Hawaii, No. 23 Brigham Young, Virginia and North Carolina.
UCLA
Three toughest games: vs. Penn State, at Indiana, at Ohio State.
Nico Iamaleava's arrival from Tennessee has made UCLA a trendy pick to add a win or two to last year's record and reach the postseason. Can the Bruins find those wins somewhere on this schedule? They get started with Utah and a trip to UNLV, one of the best teams in the Group of Five, and then close the season with Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio State, Washington and rival Southern California.
No. 2 Ohio State
Three toughest games: vs. Texas, vs. Penn State, at Michigan.
The Buckeyes started by hosting Texas in one of the biggest games of the regular season in the FBS. Ohio State close with rival Michigan, winners of four in a row in the rivalry. Between, there's another hugely impactful matchup with Penn State and a road trip to Illinois. If for nothing else, the schedule is noteworthy for pitting OSU against two of the top three teams in the preseason Coaches Poll.
No. 13 South Carolina
Three toughest games: at LSU, vs. Alabama, vs. Clemson.
Almost any SEC team could fit in this spot. But the Gamecocks should be highlighted for bookending the regular season against ACC opponents in Virginia and Clemson while taking on the most difficult seven-game stretch of any team in the FBS. After a friendlier start, Carolina ends the year with LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ole Miss (road), A&M (road), Coastal Carolina and the Tigers.