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These are the 10 toughest schedules in college football this season, when looking at ESPN's preseason rankings. Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

College football strength of schedule rankings, per ESPN's top 25

Originally posted on CFB-HQ on SI | By James Parks | Last updated Jun 6, 2025 3:51 PM ET

A key moment in the offseason is here as ESPN has revealed its preseason 136-team college football rankings, a big pile of analytics that includes, among other metrics, a preliminary strength of schedule rankings for every team in the country.

ESPN’s Football Power Index model defines its measurement as a “rank among all FBS teams of remaining schedule strength, from the perspective of an average FBS team.”

As it often does, the SEC leads the way in these rankings, owing to the quality of competition each team plays every season.

In fact, the conference completely owns the top of the rankings, comprising every one of the top 10 spots, indeed the top 11 spots, and 16 of the top 25 places entering this season.

The easiest schedule in college football this year? That honor goes to Liberty, which plays its third season as members of Conference USA in 2025.

College football strength of schedule rankings

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index

10. Alabama

Will McLelland-Imagn Images

Need to know: Alabama should be favored in its non-conference slate before taking on a big road trip against SEC title hopeful Georgia, but its other toughest games come at home this season.

9. Texas A&M

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Need to know: A major test for the Aggies comes on the road under the eyes of Touchdown Jesus against a good Irish roster, while two other critical road matchups find A&M tangling with LSU in Death Valley and heading to the Forty Acres in the finale.

8. Georgia

Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Need to know: Those brutal road games the Bulldogs had to play last season, in which they went 1-2, are all between the hedges this time around, a vital home field advantage as Georgia looks to reassert its place atop the SEC pecking order.

7. Kentucky

Brett Patzke-Imagn Images

Need to know: A very tough time ahead for the Wildcats right from the jump against the Rebels before a six-game stretch midseason that could derail everything.

6. Mississippi State

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Need to know: The SEC’s only winless team in conference play a year ago will have a tough time scratching together league wins against this slate, as it’s hard to see one of these SEC games where the Bulldogs will be remotely favored.

5. Arkansas

Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Need to know: The Razorbacks might be under .500 after their first seven games and that’s before another tough end of season stretch with two road games against some of the SEC’s best competition.

4. Texas

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Need to know: A rematch of the semifinal against the Buckeyes is a big litmus test for Arch Manning, and the Longhorns, considered a favorite to win the SEC title this year, face two other major road games against the Gators and the Bulldogs.

3. Oklahoma

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Need to know: John Mateer and Jaydn Ott are big upgrades for the Sooners’ offense, and this unit will have to be in top form against another brutal SEC slate in the second half of the season, and that’s after a home tilt against what should be an improved Michigan team.

2. Vanderbilt

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Need to know: Two key road games could have the Commodores at .500 after the first month before facing a tough second half schedule with big road engagements against the Crimson Tide and Longhorns before closing out against the Vols.

1. Florida

Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Need to know: Once again the Gators face a gauntlet with road tests against LSU and the Aggies in consecutive weeks and a big matchup at Ole Miss in a schedule that will test young quarterback DJ Lagway, arguably the SEC’s top returning signal caller.