Ranking college football's 10 hardest schedules in 2023

The road to the College Football Playoff begins with a quality schedule, and these 10 teams could have the hardest path of any

James Parks | Aug 15, 2023

Ranking college football's 10 hardest schedules in 2023 /

Playing a quality schedule is more important now than ever before, with good competition a major factor the College Football Playoff selection committee uses to judge whether a team belongs in the rankings. But how can you assess which schedules are toughest in the offseason? One way is to add up how many games your opponent won and lost last year.

More: College football strength of schedule rankings for 2023

Granted, simply tallying up the wins and losses of teams from a year ago is far from a scientific or satisfactory method of judging those teams right now. Teams that looked like the next big thing can slip and lose their momentum (Texas A&M last year), and then there are schools that nobody expected would or could take a turn for the better and shock the world (like Kansas or TCU).

But at this stage of the offseason with no actual tape to watch of teams in their current form, adding up the Ws and the Ls for each team on the schedule is simply the best we can do with the information we actually have.

10. Kentucky

Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Tayvion Robinson catches a pass during a college football game in the SEC. — USA Today Images

Opponents record: 93-61

Opponents win pct: 60.4%

Hardest game: Oct. 7 at Georgia

Need to know: Now with Devin Leary in at quarterback and Liam Coen back at coordinator, the Wildcats face five teams that were in the AP rankings last fall and seven teams that finished with winning records. UK goes on the road to Georgia and welcomes Tennessee to Lexington two weeks later, with a home date against Alabama two weeks after that on Nov. 11.

9. Kansas State

Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Will Howard attempts a pass during a college football game in the Big 12. — USA Today Images

Opponents record: 96-62

Opponents win pct: 62.7%

Hardest game: Nov. 4 at Texas

Need to know: The defending Big 12 football champions come into 2023 with a chance to repeat in a more wide-open league race if also losing some key pieces, and looking ahead to a schedule loaded with elite competition. K-State plays three teams that were ranked a year ago, eight teams that had winning records, and a whopping 11 teams that played in a bowl game last year. Games against Troy and at Missouri stick out in the non-conference slate and the Wildcats go to Oklahoma State and Texas Tech in consecutive weeks.

8. Ohio State

Ohio State Buckeyes star TreVeyon Henderson in action against Penn State during a college football game in the Big Ten. — USA Today Images

Opponents record: 94-60

Opponents win pct: 61.0%

Hardest game: Nov. 25 at Michigan

Need to know: Three tough games on the road will prove if the Buckeyes deserve College Football Playoff consideration, with dates at Notre Dame, at Wisconsin, and at Michigan to close out. Ohio State will face nine teams that had winning records last fall and eight of them played in bowl games.

More: 2023 Ohio State football schedule

7. Iowa State

Opponents record: 97-61

Opponents win pct: 61.4%

Hardest game: Sept. 30 at Oklahoma

Need to know: Matt Campbell steps into Year 8 on the job in Ames with expectations trending down after a 4-8 campaign last fall and facing a schedule that includes 11 bowl teams and nine opponents with winning records last season. The Cyclones gets a shot at Iowa in Week 2 at home and goes right into a tough stretch, hosting Oklahoma State, going to OU, playing TCU at home, and traveling to Cincinnati and Baylor in back-to-back weeks.

T-6. Florida

Opponents record: 96-60

Opponents win pct: 61.5%

Hardest game: Oct. 28 vs. Georgia

Need to know: Billy Napier is installing a new quarterback and is coming off a meager 6-win debut with the Gators, and now looks ahead to a slate with eight winning teams from a year ago, including national champion Georgia, dates at Kentucky, at South Carolina, and at LSU, plus a finale against a much-improved Florida State. And it all begins on the road against Pac-12 champion Utah.

More: 2023 Florida football schedule

T-6. Houston

Houston has improved under coach Dana Holgorsen and feels it can make a push in the College Football Playoff rankings.

Opponents record: 96-60

Opponents win pct: 61.5%

Hardest game: Oct. 21 vs. Texas

Need to know: Dana Holgorsen is 27-20 in four years at Houston and brings the program into the Big 12 this season, facing a higher caliber opponent, including 10 that were in bowl games a year ago. After opening up against a good UTSA team, the Cougars host TCU two weeks later, with dates against Texas and on the road to Kansas State and Baylor after that with a trip to UCF to close out the season.

5. Missouri

Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook attempts a pass during a college football game in the SEC. — USA Today Images

Opponents record: 97-60

Opponents win pct: 61.8%

Hardest game: Nov. 4 at Georgia

Need to know: Big 12 champion Kansas State comes to Faurot Field in the third week of the season in an intriguing non-conference matchup that gives Mizzou a chance to make a real statement. One it will prefer to have made heading into a brutal second half: vs. LSU, at Kentucky, vs. South Carolina, at Georgia, vs. Tennessee, vs. Florida, at Arkansas.

4. Ole Miss

Ole Miss Rebels running back Quinshon Judkins on a rushing attempt during a college football game in the SEC. — USA Today Images

Opponents record: 95-58

Opponents win pct: 62.1%

Hardest game: Nov. 11 at Georgia

Need to know: After sorting out arguably the biggest quarterback battle in college football, the Rebels will embark on a characteristically tough SEC schedule featuring road trips to both Alabama and Georgia, and home tilts against LSU and Texas A&M. But those games will only matter if the Rebs can win an early season non-con game against AAC and Cotton Bowl champion Tulane.

3. West Virginia

Opponents record: 98-59

Opponents win pct: 62.4%

Hardest game: Sept. 2 at Penn State

Need to know: Neal Brown steps into his fifth year three games under .500 but with plenty of opportunities to prove he should stay in the position, including a tough opener on the road to a good Penn State team and a date against rival Pittsburgh at home two weeks later. West Virginia goes to TCU and Houston in consecutive weeks and to Oklahoma and UCF late in the season. In all, the Mountaineers play 11 bowl teams and nine that were winners last fall.

2. Michigan State

Opponents record: 96-57

Opponents win pct: 62.7%

Hardest game: Nov. 11 at Ohio State

Need to know: An early season home date against a very good, dynamic Washington team could set the tone for the Spartans' season, as the trip to Seattle did a year ago. Sparty gets Michigan and Penn State at home, but goes to Ohio State, in all playing eight teams that had winning records last fall and put together is the toughest schedule in the Big Ten by this metric.

1. South Carolina

South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler throws a pass during a college football game in the SEC. — USA Today Images

Opponents record: 103-53

Opponents win pct: 66.0%

Hardest game: Sept. 16 at Georgia

Need to know: After losing two key pieces to the portal — tight end Jaheim Bell and edge rusher Jordan Burch — the Gamecocks look ahead to what could be college football's toughest schedule: opening against North Carolina and then going to Georgia just two weeks later, and then to Tennessee two weeks after that, with home dates against Kentucky and Clemson to close out.

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