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Mike takes a look at the toughest schedules for the 2026 College Football season. Whose road to the championship will be the toughest in 2026?
Toughest schedules are hard to gauge. They are all subjective, based on a ranking system that is biased toward teams that did well the previous season or toward teams that are traditionally good. Don't even get me started on the conference bias. Nine SEC teams are ranked in the AP top 25. Five are in the top 10.
Unbalanced conferences have caused this. We have some Power 4 teams who will not even face a ranked team this year! Conference realignment broke college football, and the CFP committee is content to let it stay broken. We're not here for that argument. That's for another time.
These are based on the preseason AP rankings, which we may not all agree on. It does at least provide a common baseline. Many of you will think my rankings are crazy as well. That's just the way it is. None of us know anything about how 2026 will turn out. For the moment, these are the 25 teams that the AP thinks will have the toughest road to glory in 2026. Many of the teams on this list struggled last year. Only one team in the top eight made the CFP (Oklahoma). That said, A&M's schedule looked tough in the preseason last year, but it ended up being a conference cakewalk until rivalry week.
25. Illinois
Minnesota plays five ranked teams, but only one is in the top 15. By contrast, Illinois only plays three ranked teams, but has to travel to No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Oregon. Which is worse? I'm saying Illinois. At least they get No. 22 Iowa at home.
24. Vanderbilt
The Commodores play four ranked teams this season, starting with an October 3 trip to No. 3 Georgia. The very next week, No. 9 Mississippi heads up to Nashville for the second time in 2026. No. 13 Alabama comes calling on November 14 before a trip to No. 20 Tennessee to close the season.
23. Stanford
Stanford is the only ACC or Big 12 team to make the list. Don't you just love the AP Poll? Not only do they completely snub the Group of 6, but they make things really easy for the "Big 2." The "Power 4" is college football's biggest myth.
The ACC schedule isn't enough to get Stanford on the list by itself, but the Cardinal make a trip to No. 4 Notre Dame on October 10. They also host No. 7 Miami on September 4. Stanford heads to No. 24 Louisville on Halloween. No. 19 SMU heads to Palo Alto to close the season on November 28.
22. Tennessee
Tennessee faces four teams within the top 13, but three of those games are at home. They get No. 5 Texas on September 26, No. 13 Alabama on October 17, and No. 11 LSU on November 21.
The only road game against a ranked team is at No. 8 Texas A&M on November 14. As far as SEC schedules go, this is manageable if Faizon Brandon is as good as scouts say he is.
Faizon Brandon oh my goodness pic.twitter.com/xzXUZpbZcJ
— Joey Petersen (@joeypetersen8) August 11, 2026
21. Alabama
Alabama only faces four ranked teams, but they get bumped up a touch on the list since they are all four in a row without an off week.
It starts on October 10 when No. 3 Georgia comes to town, followed by a trip to No. 20 Tennessee. The third leg of this is a visit from No. 8 Texas A&M. The month of terror ends with a trip to No. 11 LSU on November 7.
20. Michigan State
Michigan State only faces four ranked teams, but one is a road trip to No. 4 Notre Dame on September 19. They also get a visit from the second-ranked Ducks on November 20.
Before that short week against Oregon on a Friday, the Spartans welcome No. 17 Washington on November 14 after a trip to No. 16 Michigan on November 7.
19. Purdue
Purdue's Big Ten (18) schedule isn't that bad, but a trip from No. 4 Notre Dame to close September moves the Boilermakers up the list. Purdue welcomes No. 17 Washington on October 16 before heading to No. 18 Penn State on Halloween. A trip to No. 22 Iowa and No. 6 Indiana awaits in November.
18. Washington
The Huskies will have time to get in sync before the tough part of the schedule hits. They play five ranked teams, but the first isn't until No. 14 USC comes to Seattle on October 3. A trip to No. 22 Iowa comes on a short week the following Friday.
The schedule really hits in November. No. 18 Penn State comes to town on November 7. They close the season with No. 6 Indiana visiting before a road trip to No. 2 Oregon to end the season.
17. South Carolina
LaNorris Sellers is reportedly down to “6 percent” body fat ahead of next season.
For reference, that would make Sellers one of the LEANEST NFL QB’s of all-time.
Not to mention, Sellers was also reportedly clocked reaching speeds up to 22 MPH on the GPS this offseason.
Which… pic.twitter.com/0nJrJPx1Gd
— Rookie Watch (@RookieWatxh) August 12, 2026
Many are predicting a rebound season for LaNorris Sellers and the Gamecocks, but the schedule is not favorable. The Gamecocks face five top-20 teams, starting at the end of September with a trip to Tuscaloosa.
No. 20 Tennessee comes calling on October 24, followed by a trip to Norman on Halloween. The No. 8 Aggies are in town the very next weekend. No. 3 Georgia also visits Columbia on November 21 before the annual tilt with Clemson to close the season, this time on the road.
16. Auburn
I'm high on Auburn this year, but the schedule is rough. They have trips to No. 20 Tennessee and No. 3 Georgia in October. Don't worry, it gets worse. The rest of October features No. 11 LSU at home, followed by a trip to No. 9 Mississippi.
The Iron Bowl to end the season is also on the road at No. 13 Alabama. Auburn plays five top-20 teams. Four of them are on the road.
15. USC
Lincoln Riley described new DC Gary Patterson as a “psycho” and it’s showing by the way he has lived at USC the past few months to get players more acclimated with his system
Crazy USC has a Hall of Fame coach coming in at DC and it’s being somewhat ignored ?✌? pic.twitter.com/TeOZ2KmrJz
— Arrogant Nation✌? (@FightOnRusty) August 7, 2026
Gary Patterson is going to have his work cut out for him. He has to try to defend against the Oregon offense in the Coliseum on September 26. No. 17 Washington comes calling the next week, but then comes a trip to No. 18 Penn State.
The top-ranked Buckeyes head to the Coliseum on Halloween. The Trojans do get a week off before heading to Bloomington on November 14.
14. LSU
Lane Kiffin has to visit both cities he ghosted this year, starting with Oxford, Mississippi, on September 19. No. 8 A&M visits Death Valley the next weekend.
It's a lean October, but November makes up for it. No. 13 Alabama comes calling on November 7, followed by Texas the next week. Then comes the dreaded trip to Knoxville.
Lane named his son after Knoxville. There can't possibly be any hard feelings there, right?
13. Florida
The Gators are once again on this list, but compared to the last two years, this schedule is easy. Florida still plays five ranked teams. Four of them are in the top 10.
No. 9 Ole Miss visits the Swamp on September 26. Florida heads to No. 25 Missouri the next week. They have to play in Austin this year. Third-ranked Georgia awaits in Jacksonville on Halloween.
The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party on Halloween is going to be an adventure. The next week, Oklahoma comes to the Swamp. The schedule gets comparatively easy after that.
12. Nebraska
Nebraska's chance to take a big step under Matt Rhule was last year. This year, the schedule isn't just a bear; it's a grizzly bear who just downed a homewrecker of Crown and is telling anyone who's not Canadian to get off his lawn.
The schedule starts easily enough, but No. 6 Indiana comes to Lincoln on October 10. The next weekend, the Huskers travel to No. 2 Oregon. No. 17 Washington visits Lincoln for the first time since 2011 on Halloween.
Top-ranked Ohio State heads to Lincoln on November 21 before the annual beatdown at the hands of No. 22 Iowa. The game is in Iowa City this year. On the bright side, this is the first time that Nebraska has been ranked in anything football-related for a while.
11. Texas A&M
The Aggies are one of six teams to play six ranked opponents, but they face only two top-10 teams. A&M has No. 11 LSU, No. 25 Missouri, and No 13 Alabama on the road before welcoming No. 20 Tennessee in mid-November.
The end of the schedule is rough, with a trip to Norman on November 21, followed by a rivalry game against No. 5 Texas to end the regular season.
10. Northwestern
Even if the Wildcats improve this season, we'll have a hard time noticing. The Wildcats play No. 6 Indiana, No. 2 Oregon, and top-ranked Ohio State all on the road this year.
The latest at new Ryan Field, set to open Oct. 2 when Northwestern hosts Penn State. pic.twitter.com/49JSEZ8ord
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) July 21, 2026
At least they have home games against No. 18 Penn State and No. 22 Iowa, along with the Land of Lincoln trophy game.
9. Missouri
The good news is that Missouri "only" plays five ranked teams. The bad news is that all five are top-10 teams!
The first of those isn't until October 10 when No. 8 Texas A&M comes calling. The Tigers could have superstar RB Ahmad Hardy back by then. They have a trip to No. 9 Mississippi the next week.
November starts rough with No. 5 Texas coming to town before a trip to No. 3 Georgia. The Tigers close out the season with No. 10 Oklahoma in town.
8. Mississippi
The Rebels open with No. 24 Louisville in Nashville. September 19 is a game against No. 11 LSU that has been circled on the calendar since last year's Egg Bowl when Kiffin bolted to Baton Rouge.
The Rebels get No. 25 Missouri at home before a trip to No. 5 Texas on October 24. Ole Miss hosts No. 3 Georgia on November 7 with a trip to No. 10 Oklahoma the next week. Closing the season with Wofford and the Egg Bowl is a little easier than most.
7. Mississippi State
As bad as Mississippi State's schedule is, it was worse last year. This year's "easier" schedule still includes three top-10 teams, along with No. 11 LSU and No. 13 Alabama. The Bulldogs get a little easier September before a trip to No. 25 Missouri on September 26.
October is a brute, opening with Alabama, then a trip to LSU, No. 10 Oklahoma at home, and finishing with a trip to Austin on Halloween. They also get the Egg Bowl on the road to close the season.
6. Michigan
Michigan plays four of the top 10 teams, including both of the top two teams on the road in November. Fortunately, those are the only road games against ranked teams.
Michigan welcomes No. 10 Oklahoma and No. 22 Iowa in September. No. 18 Penn State and No. 6 Indiana visit the Big House in consecutive weeks in mid-October.
5. Ohio State
No one can accuse the Buckeyes of an easy schedule. The first four of the six ranked teams the Buckeyes face are all on the road, starting in Week 2 with a trip to No. 5 Texas.
The Buckeyes travel to No. 22 Iowa, No. 6 Indiana, and No. 14 USC in October before opening November with a home game against second-ranked Oregon. The Buckeyes get a bit of a break before closing the season in the Big House on November 28.
4. Oklahoma
Oklahoma had the third toughest schedule of 2025 and still managed a playoff berth. This schedule may be even worse. Oklahoma faces four top-10 teams.
They have road games against No. 16 Michigan and No. 25 Missouri. The Sooners play No. 3 Georgia in Athens for the first-ever regular-season game between the Sooners and Bulldogs in late September.
They have No. 5 Texas in the Red River Shootout. Oklahoma closes the season against three straight ranked teams. No. 9 Mississippi is in Norman on November 14. No. 8 Texas A&M is in town the next week, followed by the Missouri game to close the season.
3. Kentucky
Kentucky has a tough September with a home game against Alabama on September 12, followed by a trip to College Station the next weekend. LSU visits Lexington on October 10, followed by a trip to Norman the next weekend.
Three of the four November games are against ranked teams (at 20 Tennessee, at 25 Missouri, home against 24 Louisville to send the season). The one game against an unranked team is against a Florida team that has owned Kentucky for half a century.
2. Arkansas
Arkansas plays seven ranked teams this year. It's going to be hard to show progress with that kind of a schedule.
It starts with a trip to (underrated) No. 21 Utah on September 12. They play at home against No. 3 Georgia the next week. That's a tough September!
October opens with a trip to College Station, followed by a home game with No. 20 Tennessee. Arkansas closes October with the Battle Line game with Missouri.
Arkansas closes the season with a trip to Austin on November 21 before the Battle of the Boot at home against LSU to end the season.
1. Texas
Three teams play seven ranked teams this season. Texas plays five of the top 11 teams. It starts with Ohio State visiting the 40 Acres in September.
The Horns close September with a trip to Knoxville. They have the Red River Shootout in October, along with Ole Miss at home.
Texas travels to Missouri and LSU the first two weeks of November before closing the season with the rivalry game at No. 8 Texas A&M. If Texas goes 9-3 this season, they deserve a CFP bid.
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