<\/p>\n
Just how important is strength of schedule? It’s a question asked every year when the College Football Playoff\u00a0<\/a>Selection Committee judges one 10-2 record against another, or when it judges a 9-3 team better than a 10-2 one.<\/p>\n It’s difficult to judge because the game is fluid. Preseason expectations or recruiting rankings don’t always accurately tell how good a team is on the field. Still, it’s a worthwhile endeavor to look at what should be the five toughest schedules in college football this season.<\/span><\/p>\n Texas opens the season with Texas State<\/a><\/span>, which will give it its best shot, but should be overwhelmed. After that, things get interesting, with Ohio State coming down to Austin.\u00a0<\/p>\n SEC play then includes several helmet games to keep an eye on. The first road trip is in Knoxville against\u00a0<\/span>Tennessee<\/a>. Then, the Longhorns have to play\u00a0<\/span>Oklahoma<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Ole Miss<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Texas A&M<\/a>, all of whom were in the College Football Playoff last season. Not to mention what should be a much-improved\u00a0<\/span>LSU<\/a>\u00a0team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It’s three non-conference games this season for Michigan, including one that the Wolverines are going to have circled. Oklahoma is coming to the Big House. A year removed from going to the College Football Playoff and better on paper than it was a year ago, it’s a major test for new head coach Kyle Whittingham<\/span>.<\/p>\n There are a couple of question marks to play in the Big Ten, including\u00a0<\/span>Iowa<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Penn State<\/a>. A few teams that won’t be question marks are\u00a0<\/span>Indiana<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Oregon<\/a>\u00a0and Ohio State. It’s a murderers’ row in Big Ten play.<\/span><\/p>\n Opening the season with North Alabama<\/a><\/span>, Arkansas needs to get its footing under new head coach Ryan Silverfield quickly. In non-conference play, it is quickly going to have to go on the road to Utah<\/a><\/span>, which expects to compete at the top of the Big 12. There’s no rest for the weary, though, as one week later, Arkansas hosts Georgia<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n SEC play has some hard hitters, like Texas A&M, coming off a trip to the College Football Playoff. That’s before considering the likes of Tennessee, Texas and LSU. It’s a challenge being picked 16th in the SEC. You’re looking up at everyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The non-conference slate for Ohio State includes a couple of usual suspects, with two MAC schools. It also includes a road trip to Texas that’s impossible to ignore.<\/p>\n Big Ten play is no easier. There’s a road trip to defending national champion Indiana in October. Not to mention back-to-back weeks against\u00a0<\/span>USC<\/a>\u00a0and Oregon. At least the Buckeyes get what should be an improved Michigan at home this year.<\/span><\/p>\n On paper, the non-conference schedule isn’t devastating for Missouri. Certainly, a road trip to rival Kansas<\/a><\/span> is tricky. There’s a lot of passion there, but the Jayhawks are coming off a down year.<\/p>\n It’s SEC play where Missouri is going to run into issues. Four schools that played in the College Football Playoff a season ago are sitting on the schedule. That’s before considering Texas, which is regarded as being in\u00a0<\/span>championship-or-bust mode<\/a>. That’s not an easy schedule to bounce back against.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n