Ranking each SEC football schedule in 2022, easiest to hardest

It's always a tough slog in the SEC. Which teams have it easiest and hardest for the 2022 college football season?

Winning 12 of the last 16 national championships, the SEC has clearly established itself as the best conference in college football these days.

Last season saw two SEC teams play each other for the national championship, with Georgia edging out (then-defending national champion) Alabama. 

This season shouldn't be much different with both those teams vying for spots in the College Football Playoff, along with what could be a few new contenders, too.

Playing a strong schedule is a key piece to earning a spot in the final four. How will things look in the conference for the 2022 season?

Scroll through to see what each SEC team is up against this fall.

14. Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia football 2022 schedule: vs. Oregon, Samford, at South Carolina, Kent State, at Missouri, Auburn, Vanderbilt, vs. Florida, Tennessee, at Mississippi State, at Kentucky, Georgia Tech

What to expect: The defending national champions open up against a potential contender from the Pac-12, but otherwise are looking at a very favorable first half of the season. Expect to see Georgia easily favored in every game on this slate, while the trip to Kentucky should likely decide the SEC East.

13. Florida Gators

Florida football 2022 schedule: Utah, Kentucky, USF, at Tennessee, Eastern Washington, Missouri, LSU, vs. Georgia, at Texas A&M, South Carolina, at Vanderbilt, at Florida State

What to expect: First-year coach Billy Napier gets a tough out in Week 1 against Pac-12 champion Utah, but also leaves the state of Florida just once until November. But the Gators also have to deal with a brutal three-week stretch against LSU, Georgia, and Texas A&M. 

12. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama football 2022 schedule: Utah State, at Texas, ULM, Vanderbilt, at Arkansas, Texas A&M, at Tennessee, Mississippi State, at LSU, at Ole Miss, Austin Peay, Auburn

What to expect: Another tough early season game for the Tide, but not in the opener: a trip to Texas comes in Week 2 for a major on-campus, non-conference tilt, but this should still be an undefeated team going into a home game against A&M. There's a two week stretch at LSU and then Ole Miss, but Bama shouldn't have too great a hurdle to jump getting back to the SEC title game.

11. Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky football 2022 schedule: Miami (OH), at Florida, Youngstown State, NIU, at Ole Miss, South Carolina, Mississippi State, at Tennessee, at Missouri, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Louisville

What to expect: The first two and four of Kentucky's first six SEC games come on the road, but it went 3-1 against those teams a year ago. UK needs to play its best football going into late November when it hosts Georgia and Louisville to close out.

10. Missouri Tigers

Missouri football 2022 schedule: Louisiana Tech, at Kansas State, Abilene Christian, at Auburn, Georgia, at Florida, Vanderbilt, at South Carolina, Kentucky, at Tennessee, New Mexico State, Arkansas

What to expect: It's not out of the picture that Missouri opens up 0-3 in SEC play looking at the early slate, making a good September start more important than ever. A late season road trip will help determine how the second-tier of the East Division looks.

9. Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss 2022 football schedule: Troy, Central Arkansas, at Georgia Tech, Tulsa, Kentucky, at Vanderbilt, Auburn, at LSU, at Texas A&M, Alabama, at Arkansas, Mississippi State

What to expect: Don't expect a lot of tough outings early on for the Rebs, who can be an undefeated team going into a mid-October date with Auburn. That game sets up a second half of the season that will test how well Ole Miss has replaced its skill position group and where this team will end up in the West Division.

8. LSU Tigers

LSU football 2022 schedule: Florida State, Southern, Mississippi State, New Mexico, at Auburn, Tennessee, at Florida, Ole Miss, Alabama, at Arkansas, UAB, at Texas A&M

What to expect: Brian Kelly should finish his first month undefeated before traveling to an Auburn team that is an open question. LSU may not play a ranked team until going to Florida on Oct. 15, but from there it gets tough. Alabama comes to Death Valley, but the Tigers have to go to Fayetteville and College Station.

7. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State 2022 football schedule: Memphis, at Arizona, at LSU, Bowling Green, Texas A&M, Arkansas, at Kentucky, at Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, ETSU, at Ole Miss

What to expect: Another brutal slate for Mike Leach and his Bulldogs with what could be as many as seven ranked teams on tap, including a month and a half against a murderer's row of SEC competition. And that's after opening against a decent Memphis and a trip out to Arizona.

6. Tennessee Volunteers

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Tennessee football 2022 schedule: Ball State, at Pitt, Akron, Florida, at LSU, Alabama, UT Martin, Kentucky, at Georgia, Missouri, at South Carolina, at Vanderbilt

What to expect: UT can possibly close out the first month undefeated if it can knock off a new-look Pitt on the road. But it'll be a tough three-game stretch in conference that will show exactly what progress Josh Heupel has made in Year 2. At home to Florida, at LSU, and back in Neyland against the Crimson Tide. And then a date with Kentucky and on the road to Georgia.

5. South Carolina Gamecocks

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South Carolina 2022 football schedule: Georgia State, at Arkansas, Georgia, Charlotte, SC State, at Kentucky, Texas A&M, Missouri, at Vanderbilt, at Florida, Tennessee, at Clemson

What to expect: Shane Beamer draws a pair of up-and-coming SEC West opponents in Year 2, early on at Arkansas and against A&M. That's in addition to standard East foes Georgia, Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee. That could find the Gamecocks against five ranked teams, making it tough to match their 7-win outing in 2021.

4. Auburn Tigers

Auburn football 2022 schedule: Mercer, San Jose State, Penn State, Missouri, LSU, at Georgia, at Ole Miss, Arkansas, at Mississippi State, Texas A&M, WKU, at Alabama

What to expect: Bryan Harsin could sure use a 5-0 start in a must-win Year 2, and he could actually get it done with five straight at home, including against a pair of winnable games against Penn State and LSU. Auburn will need it with dates at Georgia and at Ole Miss coming after that, kicking off a pretty tough second half in the black and blue division of college football.

3. Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M football 2022 schedule: Sam Houston, App State, Miami (FL), Arkansas, at Mississippi State, at Alabama, at South Carolina, Ole Miss, Florida, at Auburn, UMass, LSU

What to expect: Good thing Jimbo Fisher signed the best recruiting class in modern history, because he's gonna need it. A&M should be favored against App State and the Hurricanes, but these are not automatic Ws, either. Especially not Miami, which underwent a major coaching facelift this offseason and should be one of the top teams in the ACC this fall. Then comes the weekly SEC fistfight. If this is really a College Football Playoff team, it'll have to earn every bit of it.

2. Vanderbilt Commodores

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Vanderbilt football 2022 schedule: at Hawaii, Elon, Wake Forest, NIU, at Alabama, Ole Miss, at Georgia, at Missouri, South Carolina, at Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee

What to expect: Not even the non-conference offers much solace for the Dores, who have to go out to Hawaii and tangle with ACC runner-up Wake and its ferocious offense. Then comes three SEC Goliaths, two on the road. Looking at this roster, it's tough to see where Vandy will improve from its 0-8 SEC record from a year ago.

1. Arkansas Razorbacks

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Arkansas football 2022 schedule: Cincinnati, South Carolina, Missouri State, Texas A&M, Alabama, at Mississippi State, at BYU, at Auburn, Liberty, LSU, Ole Miss, at Missouri

What to expect: Playing these kinds of schedules is par for the course at Arkansas, who this season will not only slog through the SEC West slate, but also against three tough non-conference foes, including a Cincy team that was in the College Football Playoff and a very good BYU. At least the Hogs won't have to face Georgia or Florida.

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