Ranking Strength of Schedule for first College Football Playoff Top 25 from weakest to strongest

The first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings debuted on Tuesday night, giving fans an idea how the postseason picture might play out. Of course, there’s still plenty to dissect and strength of schedule is a huge factor.

Much of the conversation around strength of schedule will revolve around the ACC, which has two teams ranked among the worst in the current CFP rankings. Of course, schedules will change as the rest of the season plays out.

On3 stops to take a look at each team in the College Football Playoff ranking in terms of strength of schedule according to the ESPN FPI. Here are each team’s strength of schedule, ranked from weakest to strongest, to this point.

Pittsburgh – SOS: 86

CFP Top 25 Ranking: 24

Pittsburgh has the current worst strength of schedule among the 25 teams in the first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings. The team’s best win is likely a win over once-ranked Florida State, but that one has lost some luster. The back end of the schedule should boost the strength of schedule metric considerably, though.

Games Remaining: Notre Dame, @ Georgia Tech, Miami

Virginia – SOS: 85

CFP Top 25 Ranking: 14

Virginia is just a hair better than Pittsburgh in strength of schedule. It also has a win over once-ranked Florida State, but nothing else of note on the schedule. Unlike Pittsburgh, the schedule isn’t really getting any more difficult the rest of the way.

Games Remaining: Wake Forest, @ Duke, Virginia Tech

Georgia Tech – SOS: 84

CFP Top 25 Ranking: 17

Another ACC team struggling in the strength of schedule department, Georgia Tech boasts a win over once-ranked Clemson. It will get a couple big games at the end of the season with Pittsburgh and Georgia coming up still.

Games Remaining: @ Boston College, Pittsburgh, Georgia

Texas Tech – SOS: 58

CFP Top 25 Ranking: 8

The Red Raiders will almost certainly get a big boost this weekend, but there was already a large gap between Texas Tech and the three aforementioned ACC teams. A game against BYU will be a tough one, and Texas Tech needs to capitalize given the rest of the schedule is pretty so-so. A road win over Utah was big, though.

Games Remaining: BYU, UCF, @ West Virginia

Louisville – SOS: 56

CFP Top 25 Ranking: 15

Sensing a theme yet? The ACC teams are struggling with strength of schedule at the moment. Louisville lost to a ranked Virginia team, but it has also gotten a nice road win at Miami. The rest of the schedule should improve the metric here a good bit.

Games Remaining: California, Clemson, @ SMU, Kentucky

Utah – SOS: 54

CFP Top 25 Ranking: 13

Utah has actually played four games against opponents that were ranked at the time, so it’s a little surprising to see the Utes this low in ESPN’s metrics. The metric isn’t likely to strengthen the rest of the way based on the opponents, either.

Games Remaining: @ Baylor, Kansas State, @ Kansas

BYU – SOS: 46

CFP Top 25 Ranking: 7

The only unbeaten team in the Big 12 right now, BYU has a big game this weekend on the road at Texas Tech. That should provide a lift to the strength of schedule metric. So, too, should a late-season road trip to Cincinnati.

Games Remaining: TCU, @ Cincinnati, UCF

Iowa – SOS: 43

CFP Top 25 Ranking: 20

The first entry from the Big Ten in the College Football Playoff rankings, Iowa checks in with a respectable mark. And it’s one that’s likely to improve in the next two weeks as a home date with Oregon and a road trip to USC get added. Iowa could be a big mover going forward.

Games Remaining: Oregon, @ USC, Michigan State, @ Nebraska

Indiana – SOS: 39

CFP Top 25 Ranking: 2

At 9-0 and with most of the tough tests behind it, Indiana is sitting in great position when it comes to the playoff picture. The strength of schedule is what it is; a road trip to Penn State will help but this is probably around where Indiana will hover the rest of the year.

Games Remaining: @ Penn State, Wisconsin, @ Purdue

Oregon – SOS: 36

CFP Top 25 Ranking: 9

Oregon has a pretty respectable strength of schedule considering it has only played two ranked teams to date. Unlike Indiana, its path going forward is pretty difficult and should definitely help boost the metrics for the Ducks quite a bit.

Games Remaining: @ Iowa, Minnesota, USC, @ Washington

Remaining CFP teams’ strength of schedule

Missouri | SOS: 35 | CFP Ranking: 22
Ohio State | SOS: 33 | CFP Ranking: 1
Washington | SOS: 31 | CFP Ranking: 23
Miami | SOS: 29 | CFP Ranking: 18
Michigan | SOS: 28 | CFP Ranking: 21
USC | SOS: 27 | CFP Ranking: 19
Ole Miss | SOS: 24 | CFP Ranking: 6
Notre Dame | SOS: 23 | CFP Ranking: 10
Tennessee | SOS: 18 | CFP Ranking: 25
Texas A&M | SOS: 15 | CFP Ranking: 3
Vanderbilt | SOS: 14 | CFP Ranking: 16
Oklahoma | SOS: 12 | CFP Ranking: 12
Texas | SOS: 11 | CFP Ranking: 11
Georgia | SOS: 9 | CFP Ranking: 5
Alabama | SOS: 4 | CFP Ranking: 4