Three years ago, I came up with a scoring system to determine preseason strength of schedule.

Obviously that’s just a projection, and strength of schedule doesn’t really matter until after the games are played, but this scoring system is meant to settle some of the debates that I have with myself. It takes a lot of the subjectivity out of it.

It’s easy to let the nonconference slate skew one’s perception of schedule strength when in reality, that only accounts for 1/3 of it. Sometimes even a crossover draw can skew how a schedule is perceived in the preseason. Or, because a team is so dominant (Alabama, Georgia, LSU), we tend to think a schedule is easier than it is. It’s easier for me to score it using a system.

Oh, right. What does that entail?

Here’s the scoring system:

Today, we’re just going to focus on the SEC East (tomorrow will be the West). I’ll start with the easiest schedule — based on that formula — and get to the toughest. In parenthesis is the total points for the 2020 schedule. The more points, the tougher the schedule.

Easy enough? Good. Let’s get started.

7. Florida (355)

  • vs. Eastern Washington (10)
  • vs. Kentucky (30)
  • vs. South Alabama (10)
  • at Tennessee (50)
  • vs. South Carolina (20)
  • vs. LSU (50)
  • at Ole Miss (30)
  • vs. Georgia in Jacksonville (55)
  • at Vanderbilt (30)
  • vs. Mizzou (20)
  • vs. New Mexico State (10)
  • at Florida State (40)

Worth noting — Only having 4 true road games in a season is a nice little benefit to Florida, as is that trio of 10-point games. It probably also helps that the crossover draw this year as against Ole Miss in Year 1 of the Lane Kiffin era. Actually, Florida will face 3 first-year Power 5 head coaches in the latter half of the schedule, which actually looks pretty manageable of the Gators can end the streak against Georgia. That’s obviously a huge “if.”

6. Georgia (390)

  • vs. Virginia in Atlanta (35)
  • vs. East Tennessee State (10)
  • at Alabama (60)
  • vs. UL Monroe (10)
  • vs. Vanderbilt (20)
  • vs. Auburn (40)
  • at Mizzou (30)
  • vs. Florida in Jacksonville (55)
  • at South Carolina (30)
  • vs. Tennessee (40)
  • at Kentucky (40)
  • vs. Georgia Tech (20)

Worth noting — Working in Georgia’s favor is the fact that it doesn’t have a 40-point nonconference game and it only has 4 true road games. That’s the good. But not only is Georgia facing a pair of preseason top 10 teams away from home, the Dawgs have 4 games of the 40-plus point variety. That actually doesn’t include a neutral-site game against a Virginia team that just went to a New Year’s 6 Bowl. This is a great example of why Group of 5 teams simply don’t get the time of day from the selection committee. On paper, Georgia has at least 5 games where a slip-up wouldn’t be totally out of the question, yet it’ll need to win at least 4 of them plus a conference championship to make the Playoff.

5. Vanderbilt (400)

  • vs. Mercer (10)
  • at Mizzou (30)
  • at Kansas State (40)
  • vs. Colorado State (10)
  • at Georgia (60)
  • vs. Ole Miss (20)
  • at Kentucky (40)
  • vs. South Carolina (20)
  • vs. Florida (50)
  • at Texas A&M (50)
  • vs. Louisiana Tech (30)
  • vs. Tennessee (40)

Worth noting — All things considered, this is by no means a gauntlet draw. Would Vandy have loved to have a home game against Kansas State and a crossover draw against Arkansas instead of at A&M? For sure. And starting with road games in 2 of the first 3 games isn’t ideal, either. But half of those first 8 games are of the 10-20 point variety. If this is a pressure season for Derek Mason, it’s an easier sell to the team/fans/administration if there’s at least some sort of postseason possibility heading into November.

T3. Mizzou (410)

  • vs. Central Arkansas (10)
  • vs. Vanderbilt (20)
  • at South Carolina (30)
  • vs. Eastern Michigan (30)
  • at Tennessee (50)
  • at BYU (40)
  • vs. Georgia (50)
  • vs. Kentucky (30)
  • at Mississippi State (40)
  • at Florida (60)
  • vs. Louisiana (30)
  • vs. Arkansas (20)

Worth noting — On the surface, it really doesn’t look that bad at all. The nonconference slate of opponents doesn’t feature a Power 5 team and a crossover draw of MSU could be far worse. But that’s still a schedule that features 8 bowl teams, including 3 in nonconference play. The good news? That first month is about as manageable as you can ask for as a new SEC coach and new QB. Those are all plenty winnable before things get tough with that challenging 6-game stretch.

T3. Tennessee (410)

  • vs. Charlotte (30)
  • at Oklahoma (60)
  • vs. Furman (10)
  • vs. Florida (60)
  • vs. Mizzou (20)
  • at South Carolina (30)
  • vs. Alabama (50)
  • at Arkansas (30)
  • vs. Kentucky (30)
  • at Georgia (60)
  • vs. Troy (10)
  • vs. Vanderbilt (20)

Worth noting — This would actually be the type of schedule that the Playoff selection committee would love to see. It features a big nonconference showdown at Oklahoma, and matchups with 3 preseason top 10 teams in the SEC would leave no doubt about Tennessee’s credentials. The Vols, in all likelihood, aren’t going to be in the Playoff conversation. Not yet. Shoot, if they got to that Alabama game with just 1 loss, that would be impressive. But I wouldn’t necessarily bet the farm on that. The good news for the Vols is that only 4 games are more than 30 points.

T1. Kentucky (430)

  • vs. Eastern Michigan (30)
  • at Florida (60)
  • vs. Kent State (30)
  • vs. South Carolina (20)
  • at Auburn (50)
  • vs. Eastern Illinois (10)
  • vs. Vanderbilt (20)
  • at Mizzou (30)
  • at Tennessee (50)
  • vs. Mississippi State (30)
  • vs. Georgia (50)
  • at Louisville (50)

Worth noting — The system isn’t perfect. Yes, I also find it odd that a home game vs. Georgia can be scored the same as a road game vs. Louisville. It also feels strange to say a road game at Mizzou gets just as many points as a home game against Eastern Michigan. Obviously, the Mizzou matchup is tougher. But I still think the system shows why Kentucky has a tough schedule. A nonconference road game vs. a preseason Top 25 team like Louisville combined with road games at preseason Top 25 foes like Florida, Auburn and Tennessee will make that slate brutal. Add in the Georgia game and that’s easily 5 games in which Kentucky is at least a preseason underdog. And who said playing in the SEC East is easy?

 T1. South Carolina (430)

  • vs. Coastal Carolina (10)
  • vs. East Carolina (10)
  • vs. Mizzou (20)
  • at Kentucky (40)
  • at Florida (60)
  • vs. Tennessee (40)
  • vs. Texas A&M (40)
  • at Vanderbilt (30)
  • vs. Georgia (50)
  • at LSU (60)
  • vs. Wofford (10)
  • at Clemson (60)

Worth noting — So, when are things gonna get easier? Sure, South Carolina swapped out the UNC game for ECU, which should help, but man. A crossover draw at LSU is brutal, as is the fact that the Gamecocks have to travel to The Swamp and to Clemson this year. That’s 3 road games vs. preseason top 10 teams. That doesn’t include a trip to Kentucky, or home games against preseason Top 25 Tennessee and A&M. In other words, this is not the type of schedule that you’d want to have if you were a coach on the hot seat.