Ohio State Football: Real strength of schedule of each Top 10 team
Many think the Ohio State football team has put up big numbers this season because of a weak schedule. Let’s see how it stacks up to ones of other Top 10 teams.
There has been plenty of talk about the Ohio State football team being the best in the country the first half of the season. Detractors point to the weak schedule the Buckeyes have played.
Well, let’s look at the strength of schedule of each Top 10 team, not by ratings of those who crunch all kinds of numbers with computers but by just using a simple formula.
Wins minus losses by FBS opponents in other games they played gives a team a point for each. They get a point for every Power 5 team they played and another for a team currently ranked in the AP Poll.
The team will be docked one point for every FCS team on their schedule. No powerhouse should play a team that’s not allowed to have 85 scholarship players on the roster.
Here we go, you may be surprised at these strength of schedule rankings. I will start with the team that has the weakest and move on to the team who has played the most difficult one.
Oklahoma: -1 point for win-loss, 4 for Power 5 teams, 1 for a ranked team and -1 for playing an FCS team. Total score 3 points.
Georgia: 1 point for win-loss, 4 for Power 5 teams, 1 for a ranked team and -1 for playing an FCS team. Total score 5 points.
Clemson: No points for win-loss, 5 for Power 5 teams. Total score 5 points.
Alabama: 2 points for win-loss, 4 for Power 5 teams. Total score 6 points.
LSU: 3 points for win-loss, 3 points for Power 5 teams, 2 for ranked teams. Total score 8 points.
Penn State: 4 points for win-loss, 4 for Power 5 teams, 2 for ranked teams and -1 for playing an FCS team. Total score 9 points.
Florida: 6 points for win-loss, 4 for Power 5 teams, 2 for ranked teams and -2 for playing FCS teams. Total score 10 points.
Notre Dame: 8 points for win-loss, 4 for Power 5 teams and 1 for a ranked team. Total score 13.
Wisconsin: 9 points for win-loss, 3 for Power 5 teams and 1 for a ranked team. Total score 13 points.
Ohio State: 14 points for win-loss, 3 for Power 5 teams and 1 for a ranked team. Total score 18 points.
College football mid-season recap. dark. Next
Whether or not you believe the Ohio State football team has played the most difficult schedule through seven weeks of the season is up to you. But don’t get mad at me, blame the numbers.