ESPN’s Football Power Index believes Georgia will be one of the top teams in the country at the start of the 2026 season.
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Below are the Top 25 toughest schedules for the 2026 season according to the ESPN FPI:
1. Arkansas 2. Oklahoma 3. Texas 4. Kentucky 5. Ole Miss 6. Mississippi State 7. Florida 8. Ohio State 9. Texas A&M 10. South Carolina 11. LSU 12. Missouri 13. Auburn 14. Tennessee 15. Alabama 16. Michigan 17. Northwestern 18. Vanderbilt 19. USC 20. Georgia 21. Nebraska 22. Florida State 23. Purdue 24. Boston College 25. Washington
What's interesting is 14 out of the Top 15 teams are from the SEC. Ohio State is the lone B1G representative.
As far as Georga's schedule goes, we still play Ole Miss, Bama, and Oklahoma and have an easier schecule than we have had over the last few years. But, I wouldn't call it easy. It is manageable, which is good.
Something tells me the CFP rankings this season STILL won't reflect the reality on the playing field…now which conference is the toughest?
Thanks MountainDawg…….this really helped seeing the list and I’m happy to see we may have an easier schedule after the past 3 years. Also, we all know this rating can (and will) change once the season gets cranked-up. Go Dawgs!!!
Cool info and thanks for the share! I am really surprised that as demanding as Texas is about being royalty that they were not successful to lobby for another easy schedule.
Arkansas number 1. That figures. SEC bias alive and well. If you’re expected to lose every game then yes, every game will be the hardest. I would have the Mighty Minutemen of Mass at numero uno, but what do I know.
The SEC’s easiest schedule is still tougher than the typical schedule in every other conference.
You should see UMass’s schedule, talk about tough. Back to back 0 and 12 I say.
So where is Indiana on this list ? They and most of the Big Ten have the easiest schedule and It is ok?
All 16 SEC TEAMS in top 20 toughest.
According to AP preseason poll that came out this week, the Dawgs play 8 teams in the top 25. Doesn’t strike me as easy.
@JBMDawg46…the AP doesn't release their official Top 25 pre-season poll until mid-August. However, SI and ESPN have released their rankings, and they have the Dawgs at #5. And we would be playing (6) of their Top 25 pre-season teams.
Lol...I'd like to know how OSU...is the only team ranked in the toughest 10 schedules.
Don't they play the same BIG10 Teams, everybody else in their Conference plays?
Unless i missed something...I don't see how it's possible for OSU to have the 8th toughest schedule.…when only 3 of the 16 Teams in their Conference are considered to play a tough schedule...against each other.
9 of their games will be against B10 Teams. If they are 8th....who do they play that's tougher than everybody else in their Conference? To the tune of 8 spots harder than Michigan and 11 spots tougher than USC(?).
Lmao...none of it makes sense...and it probably won't even be used for ranking purposes anyway. I guess if you're in the Big10...and you play Notre...that makes your schedule 10 spots tougher.
OSU has no business being ranked with the 8th toughest schedule. Just sayin'.
I believe they also play Texas too
All of their schedules are easy except the ones playing out of conference Big 10 games. The sec is soft and just pumps themselves up claiming everyone they play in the conference is good. Then gets blown out in the cfp.
But they are SEC ranked. So not really good, just get a bump because they are in the sec.
It's laughable. Can't even beat the big 10 but we are the beat conference. Makes no sense.
