ESPN's Top 40 strength of schedule ratings for 2025 college football season revealed

ESPN released its strength of schedule ratings for the 2025 college football season and the top 40 were revealed. It’s an interesting look at difficult schedules and the expected win total for those teams.

“Reminder: The SOS rating is the projected win% an average top-5 team could expect against your schedule,” ESPN’s Bill Connelly explained. “OU and Florida will need to be top-5 caliber to go even 9-3.”

We’ll start with the No. 1 schedule on the list, owned by Oklahoma, and work our way down. Some of these teams will have to grind.

1. Oklahoma

Oklahoma has the toughest schedule in 2025, per these metrics. The Sooners have a projected win total of 6.3 with the strength of schedule rating coming in at 0.771.

Oklahoma welcomes Michigan and Auburn in September but have road games at South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama once we hit October and November. Not to mention games against rival Texas, Ole Miss and LSU.

2. Florida

Florida has the second most difficult schedule on the docket and funny enough, this is a string of SEC teams at the top. The SOS is the same as Oklahoma’s, the Gators are projected to win 6.6 games this season.

Florida is at LSU and Miami in September and will host Texas after a week off following those games. The Gators also have to go to Texas A&M and Ole Miss this coming season. Oh yeah, cocktail party against Georgia!

3. Arkansas

The Razorbacks come in third on this list of schedules with a 0.775 rating. However, Arkansas is only expected to earn 5.3 wins against this schedule, not becoming bowl eligible.

Arkansas is at Ole Miss and hosts Notre Dame in September over the span of three weeks. They also have to travel to Tennessee, LSU and Texas. Sheesh.

4. Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s schedule is the first Big Ten slate on the list here. The SOS rating came out to be 0.786 per the metrics.

The Badgers are projected to only earn 5.1 wins next season. They have to go to Alabama in September and have conference games at Michigan, home against Ohio State and at Oregon all in October.

5. Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt actually had a solid season in 2024, but their ‘25 schedule does them no favors. The Commodores have an SOS of 0.793 and are projected to get just 4.6 wins.

They’ll have tough road games in September with Virginia Tech and South Carolina. They’ll also travel to Alabama, Texas and Tennessee. Not to mention LSU and Missouri make a visit to the Nashville area.

6. Mississippi State

Mississippi State struggled last season and it looks like that’ll be the case again in 2025. This schedule is tough with an SOS of 0.794 and projected win total of 4.1.

The Bulldogs host CFP participant and Big 12 champ Arizona State in September and also have Tennessee coming to town. Road games at Florida and Missouri will be tough. Also, Texas and Georgia are on the docket in Starkville.

7. South Carolina

Whether or not South Carolina deserved to make the playoff last year is a moot point. This year’s schedule is going to be tough. The SOS is at 0.795 and they’re projected to get 7.2 wins.

The Gamecocks will need more than seven wins to make the bracket! They’ll play Virginia Tech in Atlanta and have road games at LSU and Ole Miss later in the season. They also host Alanama and Clemson at the end of October and November.

8. Kentucky

Kentucky looks for a bounce back season this year, but the schedule doesn’t do them any favors. The SOS is 0.798 and they’re projected to get 5.2 wins this year.

The Wildcats host Ole Miss in September before getting road games at South Carolina and Georgia back to back. Following a bye week, Kentucky has Texas and Tennessee at home before hitting the road against Auburn and then hosting Florida. Brutal stretch.

9. LSU

LSU is trying to get over the hump and get to the playoff under Brian Kelly. The schedule never really gets easier does it? The SOS is 0.805 and LSU is projected to get 8.3 wins.

So that’s actually pretty good for the Tigers considering the schedule. They are at Clemson to host the season, at Ole Miss in September and have to go to Alabama in November. 

10. Texas A&M

Texas A&M could get a decent win total despite this difficult schedule coming up. The SOS is listed at 0.807 and their projected win total is 8.1

The Aggies have to take a trip to Notre Dame in September, have a road date with LSU in October and will go to Texas to end the season. The good news is, some difficult games are at home, such as Florida and South Carolina.

ESPN Top 40 Strength of Schedule Ratings

11. Alabama
12. Texas
13. Georgia
14. Syracuse
15. Auburn
16. Rutgers
17. Purdue
18. Northwestern
19. UCLA
20. USC
21. Ohio State
22. Iowa
23. Ole Miss
24. Tennessee
25. Missouri
26. Michigan State
27. Minnesota
28. Washington
29. Penn State
30. Florida State
31. Indiana
32. Oregon
33. Stanford
34. Clemson
35. Nebraska
36. Miami
37. Boston College
38. Michigan
39. NC State
40. Illinois