ESPN ranked the top 25 hardest schedules in college football going into the 2024 season and there are contenders and teams that could surprise on the list.
When you go through the top 10 schedules, there are some national title contenders on the list as well. Safe to say, they’ll have to prove themselves.
Let’s dive into ESPN’s top 25 hardest schedules going into the 2024 college football season.
1. Florida
The hardest schedule in the country, per ESPN’s FPI and boy, Florida Gator fans better brace themselves. It opens up with Miami on August 31st.
Miami takes on Texas A&M once again and has road dates with Tennessee and Texas within the SEC. Georgia is always on the schedule and the Gators also have to play host to LSU and Ole Miss. Good luck.
2. Mississippi State
The Bulldogs take a road trip to Arizona State for Game 2 and have a brutal road stretch at the end of September going into October. Any interest in going to Texas and then Georgia?
Not only that, but the Bulldogs play traditional SEC West opponents Arkansas, Texas A&M and Ole Miss. The Egg Bowl is always a doozy, but it’ll be on the road this year.
3. Georgia
Speaking of Georgia, these Bulldogs actually have a hard schedule coming up. They open up with Clemson and also have road games against Kentucky and Alabama in September.
Georgia also has to go to Texas and Ole Miss later in the season. Sheesh. Oh yeah, the rivalry game against Florida can also be interesting. Still, Georgia is the favorite to win it all, but it won’t be easy.
4. Kentucky
Kentucky has to host Georgia on its schedule, as noted above. But the Wildcats also have to travel to Ole Miss in the first half of the season.
It’s the back half that could give them trouble with road dates at Florida, Tennessee and Texas while hosting Auburn and Louisville. Can Mark Stoops lead this team to eight-plus victories?
5. Auburn
Auburn opens with five straight home games so that’s good! But Oklahoma comes to town to end the month of September.
Then, the difficulty level might as well have been turned up to Heisman on EA’s College Football 25. The schedule is unforgiving with road games at Georgia, Missouri and Kentucky all in a row. Oh yeah, the Iron Bowl is at Alabama this year.
6. Alabama
Alabama doesn’t get a cakewalk schedule in Kalen DeBoer’s first season at the helm. The Crimson Tide go to Wisconsin and host Georgia in back to back weeks.
Not to mention, Alabama has to go to Tennessee, host Missouri and go to LSU in three out of four weeks to go into November. Oh yeah, at Oklahoma and hosting Auburn to end the season. This could end up being a grind.
7. Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s schedule heats up with the SEC opener against Tennessee on September 21. Then, it’s a road date with Auburn, a bye week then it’s red river against Texas.
But late in the season is where it can get dicey. At Ole Miss, at Missouri, hosting Alabama and at LSU highlight four of the last five games.
8. Tennessee
The Volunteers have a sneaky tough game on September 7th when NC State comes to town. Then the schedule heats up in the SEC.
Road games against Oklahoma and Arkansas followed by a stretch of Florida, Alaba,a and Kentucky. Man that’s tough. Oh yeah, Tennessee has to go to Georgia on November 16th, prime playoff positioning time.
9. Georgia Tech
The poor Yellow Jackets start out rough with Florida State on August 24th. That’s three weeks from now!
Georgia Tech also goes to Sryacuse and Lousivlle before October. Not only that, but there are road games against North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Georgia. Rough. Notre Dame and NC State come to town as well.
10. Texas
Texas’ schedule was alluded to in this top 10 at times. How about going to Michigan on September 7th? Not only is that a tough game, but it’s probably going to be must-see TV.
Red River against Oklahoma and hosting Georgia highlight October. But, it’s late in the year when it gets spicy with games at home against Florida and Kentucky while going on the road at Arkansas and Texas A&M.
Rest of Top 25 Hardest Schedules
11. Purdue
12. UCLA
13. Washington
14. Vanderbilt
15. Illinois
16. Ohio State
17. South Carolina
18. Michigan
19. Michigan State
20.
21. Arkansas
22. Ole Miss
23. LSU
24. Wisconsin
25. Maryland
ESPN’s FPI ranked these but it could certainly change. Some teams will be better than anticipated while some may disappoint. Just a few weeks away.
