The release of the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll means the college football season is rapidly approaching, and while all teams are eagerly awaiting to kick off the new campaign, some are dreading the daunting slate awaiting them.
The inaugural edition of the 2025 season’s Top 25 gives everyone an early look at how difficult the path to success will be. But for a select group of squads, the preseason poll marks the realization of the gauntlet the year is going to be. There are marquee non-conference matchups, hostile road trips or brutal stretches.
Granted, the preseason rankings aren’t 100% accurate. But as it stands with less than a month to go before the season begins, there’s some difficult schedules several teams.
So who has the toughest? Here’s the top 10 based on the preseason coaches poll.
10. Purdue
Barry Odom gets a difficult welcome as he takes over a Purdue team that went 1-11 last season and hasn’t beaten an Bowl Subdivision team since November 2023. After starting Big Ten play against Southern California, the Boilermakers travel to No. 5 Notre Dame on Sept. 20, which is followed by a home game against No. 12 Illinois. There’s a brutal end to the season where Purdue plays three of its last four games against ranked opponents. It starts at No. 14 Michigan and then No. 2 Ohio State at home the following week, and the season ends with a visit from in-state rival No. 19 Indiana.
9. Rutgers
After getting Rutgers into a bowl game in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013-14, Greg Schiano has a tall task if he wants to do it in three consecutive campaigns. While the front half of the schedule is favorable, the second half that could have the Scarlet Knights getting bruised. They host No. 7 Oregon and two weeks later play at No. 12 Illinois. After hosting Maryland, the Scarlet Knights have a tough finish with a trip to Ohio State on Nov. 22 and Penn State coming to town in the season finale.
8. Vanderbilt
Diego Pavia brought life to the Commodores with their first bowl win since 2013. There’s momentum in Nashville, and it’ll be a challenge to deliver on it. Vanderbilt opens SEC play at No. 13 South Carolina, and Oct. 4 marks the beginning of a tough month-long stretch where it will play at No. 8 Alabama, home against No. 9 LSU and at No. 1 Texas. Then there’s the annual season finale against No. 18 Tennessee at rowdy Neyland Stadium.
7. Texas A&M
The No. 21 ranked team in the preseason poll will be fighting all season to make sure it stays in the Top 25. The Aggies have a highly anticipated non-conference matchup on Sept. 13 at No. 5 Notre Dame. From there, there’s four other ranked matchup sprinkled throughout the rest of the season, with No. 17 Florida visiting on Oct. 11 and a trip to face No. 9 LSU on Oct. 25. No. 13 South Carolina comes into town Nov. 15, and the season ends with the first trip to Austin since 2010 to play No. 1 Texas.
6. Arkansas
Arkansas was able to survive playing seven ranked opponents in 2024, and it will have to almost perform the same task with six games against teams in the preseason poll. The Razorbacks start conference play at Mississippi, and two weeks later, will play host to No. 5 Notre Dame. It starts a three-game stretch against ranked opponents with a trip to No. 18 Tennessee followed a home matchup with No. 21 Texas A&M. Then comes one of the hardest back-to-back road trips by visiting No. 9 LSU and No. 1 Texas in November.
5. Kentucky
Mark Stoops is coming off his worst season at Kentucky since his first in 2013. The Wildcats will play six ranked teams thanks to a rough conference slate. After facing No. 15 Mississippi in Week 2, Kentucky is at South Carolina and then travels to No. 4 Georgia the following week. The Wildcats return home to square off with No. 1 Texas and No. 18 Tennessee. A 0-5 SEC start very possible. If that stretch wasn’t enough, there’s a home game against No. 17 Florida in November.
4. Wisconsin
Luke Fickell’s seat is hot after Wisconsin wasn’t bowl eligible for the first 2001. The Badgers play at No. 8 Alabama on Sept. 13 before starting a rigorous Big Ten schedule that includes three teams from last year’s playoff. The first ranked opponent comes with a visit to No. 14 Michigan on Oct. 4. Two weeks later, the Badgers host No. 2 Ohio State and No. 7 Oregon in back-to-back games. Before playing Minnesota for Paul Bunyan’s Axe in the season finale, Wisconsin has to face No. 19 Indiana on the road and No. 12 Illinois in the final home game.
3. Mississippi State
The Bulldogs were picked to finish last in the SEC after failing to win a conference game in Jeff Lebby’s debut season. The schedule doesn’t do them any favors with seven games against teams in the preseason poll. Mississippi State hosts No. 11 Arizona State on Sept. 6 and three weeks later is the start of a four-game stretch against ranked foes. It hosts No. 18 Tennessee and then travels o No. 21 Texas A&M. After a bye week, the Bulldogs go into The Swamp to face No. 17 Florida before returning home to play No. 1 Texas. On Nov. 8, they welcome No. 4 Georgia and play the annual Egg Bowl against No. 15 Mississippi on Black Friday.
2. Oklahoma
The expectation is for Brent Venables to turn things around in Norman with a loaded roster, but he will face several tests that could derail those hopes. No. 14 Michigan comes to town Week 2 and the Red Rivalry matchup in Dallas against No. 1 Texas on Oct. 11 starts a monstrous second half with six of the final seven games against ranked opposition. After facing their biggest rival, the Sooners head to No. 13 South Carolina before returning home to play No. 15 Mississippi. They have consecutive road games at No. 18 Tennessee and No. 8 Alabama. The final two games at home aren’t much easier with a visit from Missouri and a matchup with. 9 LSU in the regular-season finale.
1. Florida
There’s palpable hype in Florida after the strong finish to last season, and the Gators get rewarded with the toughest schedule in the country. Week 3 starts a stretch of three consecutive games against top 10 opponents: at No. 9 LSU and at No. 10 Miami ahead of a home game with No. 1 Texas. The grind doesn’t stop afterward with a trip to No. 21 Texas A&M the following week. There’s the annual meeting with No. 4 Georgia to start a November schedule tht also includes heading to No. 15 Mississippi and playing host to No. 18 Tennessee.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football toughest schedules based on preseason poll
