Hindsight: Which SEC teams played the toughest schedules in 2017?

Strength of schedule is always an interesting topic of discussion throughout the season, but which team truly had the toughest schedule in 2017?

Strength of schedule is one topic that must be revisited throughout the year. After all, Alabama began the season with what appeared to be a strong win over then No. 3 Florida State, but that Seminoles team is now sitting at 5-6. Georgia also looked to have a difficult schedule with SEC East rivals Florida (No. 17) and Tennessee (No. 25) ranked in the preseason AP Poll. However, those two teams finished 2017 with four wins apiece.

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, California had the toughest SOS heading into the season. Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and LSU were also ranked in the top 10 of toughest schedules heading into this year.

The Jeff Sagarin Ratings at USA TODAY revisited the topic of SOS and ranked the toughest schedules in terms of how the season ended. According to this system, Maryland faced the toughest schedule this season and no SEC team finished in the top 10 for toughest schedule in the country.

Here is how the SEC teams and their schedules ranked on the Sagarin system:

• Arkansas: 13
• Auburn: 15
• Florida: 32
• Texas A&M: 44
• Georgia: 48
• Tennessee: 52
• Mississippi State: 53
• Alabama: 54
• Ole Miss: 58
• South Carolina: 60
• LSU: 62
• Vanderbilt: 63
• Kentucky: 65
• Missouri: 68

Do you agree with these rankings?

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.