Ranking College Football’s Toughest Schedules for 2025

Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Ohio
Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. Miami (Ohio)
Saturday, Sept. 13 vs. Norfolk State
Saturday, Sept. 20 vs. Iowa
Saturday, Sept. 27 at Minnesota
Saturday, Oct. 11 at Washington
Saturday, Oct. 18 vs. Oregon
Saturday, Oct. 25 at Purdue
Saturday, Nov. 1 at Illinois
Saturday, Nov. 8 vs. Maryland
Saturday, Nov. 22 at Ohio State
Saturday, Nov. 29 vs. Penn State

The Scarlet Knights’ nonconference schedule isn’t easy with games against MAC champion Ohio and runner-up Miami (Ohio). But things really ramp up in Big Ten play, where Rutgers will see reigning conference champion Oregon, defending national champion Ohio State and semifinalist Penn State. In total, the Scarlet Knights will play five teams that won 10-plus games in 2024.

9. Purdue

Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Ball State
Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. Southern Illinois
Saturday, Sept. 13 vs. USC
Saturday, Sept. 20 at Notre Dame
Saturday, Oct. 4 vs. Illinois
Saturday, Oct. 11 at Minnesota
Saturday, Oct. 18 at Northwestern
Saturday, Oct. 25 vs. Rutgers
Saturday, Nov. 1 at Michigan
Saturday, Nov. 8 vs. Ohio State
Saturday, Nov. 15 at Washington
Saturday, Nov. 29 vs. Indiana

The Boilermakers just went winless against FBS competition and ended the year on an 11-game losing streak. In 2025, they will once again play reigning national champion Ohio State, runner-up Notre Dame and rival Indiana, another College Football Playoff team. Those teams outscored Purdue 177-7 last season. The Boilermakers also face Illinois and Michigan, two of the top teams in the Big Ten.

8. Vanderbilt

Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Charleston Southern
Saturday, Sept. 6 at Virginia Tech
Saturday, Sept. 13 at South Carolina
Saturday, Sept. 20 vs. Georgia State
Saturday, Sept 27 vs. Utah State
Saturday, Oct. 4 at Alabama
Saturday, Oct. 18 vs. LSU
Saturday, Oct. 25 vs. Missouri
Saturday, Nov. 1 at Texas
Saturday, Nov. 8 vs. Auburn
Saturday, Nov. 22 vs. Kentucky
Saturday, Nov. 29 at Tennessee

The Commodores won’t be catching anyone by surprise this fall after their best season in a decade. Many of their toughest games were in Nashville, including their historic upset of top-ranked Alabama. This year, those games will be on the road with trips to Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Alabama, Texas and Tennessee. Making it back to a bowl game might be a tough task.

7. Arkansas

Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Alabama A&M
Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. Arkansas State
Saturday, Sept. 13 at Ole Miss
Saturday, Sept. 20 at Memphis
Saturday, Sept. 27 vs. Notre Dame
Saturday, Oct. 11 at Tennessee
Saturday, Oct. 18 vs. Texas A&M
Saturday, Oct. 25 vs. Auburn
Saturday, Nov. 1 vs. Mississippi State
Saturday, Nov. 15 at LSU
Saturday. Nov. 22 at Texas
Saturday, Nov. 29 vs. Missouri

The Razorbacks’ conference schedule is a difficult one with games against Texas, Tennessee, LSU and Missouri. Arkansas gets no reprieve in nonconference play, either. The Hogs go on the road to Memphis in September before Notre Dame visits Fayetteville. All told, half of Arkansas’ 2025 opponents won 10-plus games a season ago.

6. Kentucky

Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Toledo
Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. Ole Miss
Saturday, Sept. 13 vs. Eastern Michigan
Saturday, Sept. 27 at South Carolina
Saturday, Oct. 4 at Georgia
Saturday, Oct. 18 vs. Texas
Saturday, Oct. 25 vs. Tennessee
Saturday, Nov. 1 at Auburn
Saturday, Nov. 8 vs. Florida
Saturday, Nov. 15 vs. Tennessee Tech
Saturday, Nov. 22 at Vanderbilt
Saturday, Nov. 29 at Louisville

The Wildcats’ nonconference schedule is not especially challenging, though Louisville did beat them soundly last season for the first time since 2017. However, Kentucky’s SEC draw is brutal. All three CFP teams from the conference — Georgia, Texas and Tennessee — are on UK’s schedule as well as playoff hopefuls Ole Miss, South Carolina and Florida.

5. Syracuse

Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Tennessee*
Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. UConn
Friday, Sept. 12 vs. Colgate
Saturday, Sept. 20 at Clemson
Saturday, Sept. 27 vs. Duke
Saturday, Oct. 4 at SMU
Saturday, Oct. 18 vs. Pittsburgh
Saturday, Oct. 25 at Georgia Tech
Friday, Oct. 31 vs. North Carolina
Saturday, Nov. 8 at Miami
Saturday, Nov. 22 at Notre Dame
Saturday, Nov. 29 vs. Boston College

The Orange will play a team that made the CFP in each month of the 2025 season. Syracuse’s campaign starts in August against Tennessee, September brings a trip to Clemson, SMU comes to town in October, and November includes an away game at Notre Dame. All but one of the Orange’s games (FCS Colgate) will be against a team that went bowling last year.

4. Wisconsin

Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Miami (Ohio)
Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. Middle Tennessee
Saturday, Sept. 13 at Alabama
Saturday, Sept. 20 vs. Maryland
Saturday, Oct. 4 at Michigan
Saturday, Oct. 11 vs. Iowa
Saturday, Oct. 18 vs. Ohio State
Saturday, Oct. 25 at Oregon
Saturday, Nov. 8 vs. Washington
Saturday, Nov. 15 at Indiana
Saturday, Nov. 22 vs. Illinois
Saturday, Nov. 29 at Minnesota

The Badgers missed a bowl game for the first time since 2001 and could do so in consecutive years for the first time since the beginning of Barry Alvarez’s tenure. Save for Penn State, Wisconsin faces the best the Big Ten has to offer, including back-to-back games against Ohio State and Oregon in Madison. The Badgers also play at Alabama in nonconference play.

3. Florida

Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Long Island
Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. South Florida
Saturday, Sept. 13 at LSU
Saturday, Sept. 20 at Miami
Saturday, Oct. 4 vs. Texas
Saturday, Oct. 11 at Texas A&M
Saturday, Oct. 18 vs. Mississippi State
Saturday, Nov. 1 vs. Georgia*
Saturday, Nov. 8 at Kentucky
Saturday, Nov. 15 at Ole Miss
Saturday, Nov. 22 vs. Tennessee
Saturday, Nov. 29 vs. Florida State

After playing one of the hardest schedules in the country in 2024, Florida has largely the same slate of opponents on deck in the fall. The Gators have a particularly trying monthlong stretch early on that includes trips to LSU, Miami and Texas A&M and a visit from Texas. One fourth of the team’s UF will play reached the CFP a season ago and two more barely missed the cut.

2. Oklahoma

Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Illinois State
Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. Michigan
Saturday, Sept. 13 at Temple
Saturday, Sept. 20 vs. Auburn
Saturday, Oct. 4 vs. Kent State
Saturday, Oct. 11 vs. Texas*
Saturday, Oct. 18 at South Carolina
Saturday, Oct. 25 vs. Ole Miss
Saturday, Nov. 1 at Tennessee
Saturday, Nov. 15 at Alabama
Saturday, Nov. 22 vs. Missouri
Saturday, Nov. 29 vs. LSU

After two losing seasons in three years, the pressure is on Brent Venables to turn things around in Norman. However, the Sooners’ face one of the most intimidating stretches in the country. Starting with the Red River Rivalry against Texas, OU might face seven straight top-25 teams in addition to September visits from Michigan and Auburn.

1. Mississippi State

Saturday, Aug. 30 at Southern Miss
Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. Arizona State
Saturday, Sept. 13 vs. Alcorn State
Saturday, Sept. 20 vs. Northern Illinois
Saturday, Sept. 27 vs. Tennessee
Saturday, Oct. 4 at Texas A&M
Saturday, Oct. 18 at Florida
Saturday, Oct. 25 vs. Texas
Saturday, Nov. 1 at Arkansas
Saturday, Nov. 8 vs. Georgia
Saturday, Nov. 15 at Missouri
Saturday, Nov. 29 vs. Ole Miss

One third of the Bulldogs’ 2025 opponents reached the CFP last season. Though Mississippi State’s games against Arizona State, Tennessee, Texas and Georgia are all in Starkville, Jeff Lebby’s team also has road trips to Texas A&M, Florida and Missouri before the season finale against Ole Miss. Few teams will have to contend with that much top-flight talent.