The 2025 college football season is finally ready to get underway. In a season that will culminate in the second year of the expanded College Football Playoff, it seems like an open field this year. That means that, for many teams, their strength of schedule could become vital at the end of the season, either […]
The 2025 college football season is finally ready to get underway. In a season that will culminate in the second year of the expanded College Football Playoff, it seems like an open field this year. That means that, for many teams, their strength of schedule could become vital at the end of the season, either because it costs them an extra loss or helps cement their resume.
With that in mind, USA Today shared the Top 10 hardest schedules in college football ahead of the 2025 college football season. It’s a list dominated by the Power Four, unsurprisingly, and in particular the SEC and the Big Ten. In fact, only two of the teams on the list don’t come from one of those two conferences and the Big 12 isn’t represented at all.
USA Today looked at both conference and non-conference games. These toughest schedules are largely based on preseason rankings and expectations. That means that there could be some shifting throughout the season if, for instance, a team underperforms or overperforms those expectations. For now, though, here’s how things shake out ahead of the college football season.
1. Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers top USA Today’s list of the toughest college football schedules in the country. That’s not a good place to be for the Badgers, coming off a season where they missed going to a bowl game entirely. So, getting saddled with a difficult schedule isn’t going to help them bounce back.
Early in the season, Wisconsin has what promises to be a very difficult non-conference test against Alabama. In Big Ten play, things arguably get harder. Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois, Oregon, and Indiana all headline the conference slate of games, which totals in 10 against P4 opponents.
2. Florida Gators
There is some hope that Billy Napier and Florida can take a leap forward in 2025. Certainly, the roster seems poised to do that. However, Florida is facing one of the toughest schedules in college football, which isn’t going to help matters.
Being in the SEC is always tough, but Florida even got a tough draw among SEC schools. That includes both Texas and Georgia, who played for the SEC Championship last season. Then, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Texas A&M all come into the season ranked. There’s no let up in the non-conference either, with a ranked Miami team and a potentially improved Florida State team there.
3. Mississippi State Bulldogs
The Mississippi State Bulldogs are currently in a full rebuild. Still, there is an expectation that in his second season, Jeff Lebby will have an improved team. That’s not going to be made easier by having one of the toughest schedules in college football.
The Bulldogs, like Florida, have one of those very difficult SEC schedules. Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas highlight it. USA Today also emphasized that six of their eight conference games come against opponents ranked in the preseason coaches poll. That’s before considering that Arizona State, last year’s Big 12 champion, is going to add a tough P4 non-conference game.
4. Arkansas Razorbacks
The third SEC school in the top four of USA Today’s ranking of the toughest schedules in college football is Arkansas. This comes in a year where head coach Sam Pittman enters on the hot seat and needs to see some consistency. So, that schedule isn’t going to help matters.
Again, in SEC play, they’ll face a row of teams that are starting the preseason ranked. LSU, Texas, Ole Miss, and Tennessee highlight conference play. Even in the non-conference slate, Arkansas needs to deal with Notre Dame coming off a run to the national championship game.
5. Syracuse Orange
The Syracuse Orange are the first ACC team to make the toughest schedule rankings. This comes a year removed from going 10-3 in their first season under Fran Brown. The Orange are undergoing some roster changes, but do want to build on that too.
For Syracuse, it’s an incredibly difficult non-conference slate that makes for one of the toughest schedules in college football. In particular, they’ll see both Notre Dame and Tennessee this season. Add in Clemson during the conference slate, not to mention SMU and Miami, and it’s easy to see why USA Today slotted the Orange here.
6. LSU Tigers
The LSU Tigers have helped make a few other schedules very difficult going into the 2025 season. After all, LSU expects to not just compete for the SEC but get to the College Football Playoff. That’s never easy, though, especially against one of the toughest schedules in the country.
LSU opens the regular season with a road game against Clemson, another College Football Playoff hopeful. That’s before getting into SEC play. There, the Tigers are set to face Florida, Ole Miss, and Alabama, among other tough tests.
7. Stanford Cardinal
The Stanford Cardinal had a difficult offseason. The program was forced to part with Troy Taylor for off-field issues late in the cycle, replacing him with Frank Reich on an interim basis. Coming off a 3-9 season, it seems like it could be a long year for the Cardinal.
Then, Stanford drew a difficult ACC schedule. SMU and Miami highlight their ACC slate, both of whom are College Football Playoff hopefuls. Then, the non-conference slate is a unique one, starting in Week 0 against Hawaii and with P4 games against BYU and Notre Dame sprinkled in. Add in their extensive travel being in the ACC, and it could be brutal.
8. UCLA Bruins
UCLA managed to have a very active offseason. In particular, they were busy in the Transfer Portal, landing Nico Iamaleava. He’s ready to start for the Bruins now, but it’s going to have to be against one of the toughest schedules in all of college football.
Like Stanford, UCLA has to deal with tons of travel in its new conference. UCLA has multiple trips to the Midwest to take on teams in the more traditional Big Ten footprint. That’s tough before considering that it includes games against Penn State, Indiana, and Ohio State. That’s before considering the chance teams like Utah, Washington, and USC have bounce back seasons.
9. Ohio State Buckeyes
Coming off a national championship season, it’s a good time to be an Ohio State Buckeye. Now, they’re looking to keep the good times going and find a way back to the College Football Playoff. However, they’re doing that with plenty of roster turnover and a very difficult schedule.
That schedule opens in Week 1 against the Texas Longhorns, who Ohio State met in the College Football Playoff last season. That’s before getting into Big Ten play. There, Ohio State will take on a highly touted Penn State team. They’ll also see Illinois and Michigan, both of whom are going to give the Buckeyes their best shot and want to push for the Playoff themselves.
10. South Carolina Gamecocks
A year ago, South Carolina caught the college football world by storm and made it to the edge of the Playoff. Now, they’re hoping to breakthrough and make their first Playoff as a program. In their way, however, is one of the toughest schedules in the country.
It seems like South Carolina always faces an incredibly difficult schedule. The Gamecocks see Clemson in their non-conference slate annually. That’s before considering the SEC schedule, which is highlighted by Alabama, LSU, and Ole Miss this season.
Category: General Sports
