Evaluating Strength of Schedule for College Football Playoff Top 25
The second edition of the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings just dropped, and it’s already stirring up plenty of chatter. Strength of schedule is still a huge deal for teams hoping to make the playoffs.
This week, there’ve been some pretty big shifts, especially for a few ACC teams. Let’s take a look at how each team stacks up in terms of schedule strength, from the weakest to the toughest, based on the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI).
If you’re curious about the full rundown, check out the On3 article. We’ll talk about teams like Ohio State, Georgia Tech, and Texas Tech, and maybe try to guess what could be coming for them down the stretch.
Contents
Strength of Schedule: The Critical Factor
Strength of schedule isn’t just some trendy phrase—it’s actually a key thing the selection committee looks at. Sometimes, a tough slate can be the line between making the playoffs and sitting at home.
This week, the ACC saw a few of its top contenders slip, which shook up the rankings in a noticeable way.
ACC Teams: A Mixed Bag
Virginia, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, and Louisville have all been bouncing around in terms of schedule strength. Virginia slid down eight spots, which really shows how tough things are for ACC squads right now.
Pittsburgh had the worst strength of schedule last week and, honestly, they’re still struggling to climb out of that hole. Georgia Tech got a bit of a boost, mostly because Louisville and Virginia lost.
Louisville’s schedule rating dropped almost 10 spots. Still, they’ve got a couple of decent games left, so maybe things won’t get worse from here.
- Virginia: Games Remaining: @ Duke, Virginia Tech
- Pittsburgh: Games Remaining: Notre Dame, @ Georgia Tech, Miami
- Georgia Tech: Games Remaining: @ Boston College, Pittsburgh, Georgia
- Louisville: Games Remaining: Clemson, @ SMU, Kentucky
South Florida and Cincinnati: Climbing the Ranks
South Florida and Cincinnati are hanging around in the mix, though their schedules aren’t exactly murderer’s row. South Florida’s got two “good” losses—if that’s a thing—to Miami and Memphis, which has kept them floating in the CFP rankings.
Cincinnati managed to sneak into the rankings this week. They’ve got some tougher games coming up, so we’ll see if they can hang on.
- South Florida: Games Remaining: @ Navy, @ UAB, Rice
- Cincinnati: Games Remaining: Arizona, BYU, @ TCU
Top Contenders: Ohio State, Utah, and Texas Tech
Ohio State, Utah, and Texas Tech are all in the thick of things, but their schedules aren’t created equal. Ohio State’s game against Purdue didn’t really shake up their ranking, but their next few games might.
Utah jumped up a couple spots, though their remaining schedule is just so-so. Texas Tech saw a nice jump this week, mostly because they beat BYU.
Ohio State: The Road Ahead
Ohio State actually has one of the weaker schedules among the playoff hopefuls. But if they keep winning, nobody’s going to care.
They’ve got UCLA, Rutgers, and Michigan coming up. Those games could end up being huge.
- Ohio State: Games Remaining: UCLA, Rutgers, @ Michigan
Utah: Steady Climb
Utah’s schedule rating got a little better. Their last few games are fine, but there’s no big ranked opponent left to really move the needle.
- Utah: Games Remaining: @ Baylor, Kansas State, @ Kansas
Texas Tech: Significant Boost
Texas Tech got a real boost this week. That win over BYU was a big deal for their resume.
- Texas Tech: Games Remaining: UCF, @ West Virginia
Other Notable Teams
There are a few others worth mentioning, like Miami, USC, Indiana, and Ole Miss. Miami’s schedule took a hit after Louisville and Florida State lost, but they’ve still got a shot to improve.
USC, Indiana, and Ole Miss all have pretty different schedule strengths, which is definitely affecting their CFP rankings.
- Miami: Games Remaining: NC State, @ Virginia Tech, @ Pittsburgh
- USC: SOS: 34, CFP Ranking: 17
- Indiana: SOS: 33, CFP Ranking: 2
- Ole Miss: SOS: 32, CFP Ranking: 7
Notre Dame, BYU, and Iowa
Notre Dame, BYU, and Iowa are all in interesting spots. Notre Dame’s got a strong schedule and sits ninth in the CFP.
BYU and Iowa don’t have quite as tough a slate, but they’re still hanging around in the rankings.
- Notre Dame: SOS: 30, CFP Ranking: 9
- BYU: SOS: 28, CFP Ranking: 12
- Iowa: SOS: 27, CFP Ranking: 21
SEC Powerhouses: Georgia and Alabama
Georgia and Alabama, no surprise, have some of the toughest schedules out there. Georgia’s sitting at fifth in the CFP, and Alabama is just ahead at fourth.
Their remaining games could end up deciding everything for their playoff hopes.
- Georgia: SOS: 11, CFP Ranking: 5
- Alabama: SOS: 6, CFP Ranking: 4
Conclusion
Strength of schedule is always shifting in the College Football Playoff rankings. This week, ACC teams saw some big changes.
Ohio State’s schedule? Honestly, it’s not the toughest out there. Meanwhile, Texas Tech is suddenly looking a lot stronger.
Every team’s road to the playoffs feels a little different. If you want the full breakdown, check out the On3 article.
