CFB expert Phil Steele ranks toughest schedules in the SEC for 2020
By SDS Staff
Published:
The SEC schedule is always difficult, but 2020’s conference-only slate of 10 games instead of 8 conference games and 4 non-conference games is giving SEC teams the toughest schedules in the country.
College football expert Phil Steele recently updated his Strength of Schedule rankings for the 2020 season, ranking just the 76 FBS teams set to play this fall. A familiar team sits on top:
- Arkansas – No. 1 overall
- Vanderbilt – No. 2
- Auburn – No. 3
- South Carolina – No. 4
- Missouri – No. 5
- Mississippi State – No. 6
- Ole Miss – No. 7
- Tennessee – No. 8
- Alabama – No. 9
- Kentucky – No. 10
- Texas A&M – No. 11
- Florida – No. 17
- Georgia – No. 23
- LSU – No. 25
Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek made headlines when he called the Razorbacks’ 2020 schedule “the most challenging in college football history.” While all-time might be open for debate, Steele isn’t the first to call the Hogs’ schedule the nation’s toughest in 2020. ESPN’s FPI also ranks Arkansas No. 1 in the strength of schedule rankings. Arkansas tied a record for most preseason Associated Press Top-15 opponents (6).
With all the players LSU continues to lose from its 2019 national championship squad, Ed Orgeron’s squad could probably use a break having only the 25th-toughest schedule in the country.
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
