CFB 2017 Strength of Schedule Rankings

[LafayetteBear]

Here's a list for your perusal. It is admittedly somewhat subjective to put these together, especially before the season starts, but it is at least a discussion starter. PSU is ranked as having the 60th toughest schedule. Guess where Cal comes in. LOL...

http://www.fbschedules.com/2017/08/2017-college-football-strength-of-schedule-rankings-espn-fpi/

 

[pandaczar12]

Once again, Pitt drags PSU down. There is no upside to scheduling Pitt.

 

[psuro]

Let's look at this list again December 15

 

[LukeIamYourFather]

No B1G until #38? 50% of the top 10 hardest schedules in the PAC 10? Every single team in their top 20 hardest schedules from either the PAC 10, SEC, or ACC?

There is some engineering going on with this list that is not so thinly veiled. Seems ESPN wants a PAC 10, SEC, and ACC playoff and they know that the PAC 10 may be the hardest sell if USC doesn't win it.

 

[phillybillyreprise]

If a league has 4 teams on the top 10, how can its highest ranked team by strength of schedule be 38th?

 

[Obliviax]

I am not buying it. That stretch, NW/UM/tOSU/MSU/Rutgers/Neb is as tough as any in the nation. While we may be light at the top (Akron, Pitt, GaSt) that middle stretch is really tough.

 

[PS4814]

11 out of 14 B1G teams between #52 & #65. No major players beyond #65 as well. It's almost as though whoever was making the list forgot about the B1G and just threw the whole conference in midway down hoping no one would notice. That, or the usual espin anti B1G bias that was mentioned will be used to keep the conf. out of the playoff. Though that's what happens when O$U screws the pooch to the tune of 0 points - thanks Delany.

 

[LukeIamYourFather]

"Journalists" now a days seem to start by thinking how they can justify their desired conclusion and then they try to sell the sheep on it with a bunch of crap they made up. It's circular logic at best and dishonest reporting more likely.

 

[Nit777]

No B1G until #38? 50% of the top 10 hardest schedules in the PAC 10? Every single team in their top 20 hardest schedules from either the PAC 10, SEC, or ACC?

There is some engineering going on with this list that is not so thinly veiled. Seems ESPN wants a PAC 10, SEC, and ACC playoff and they know that the PAC 10 may be the hardest sell if USC doesn't win it.

Agree, list is total BS.

However, Maryland is 25th.

Surprised Rutgers is not higher up. They get highly ranked Washinton and all the BIG east division tough teams. Maybe they play three western division patsies.

I was listening to Colin Cowherd last night and he was saying how hard the PSU schedule is.

Away games with OSU, Iowa, NW, Michigan State and Maryland and home games with Michigan and Nebraska.

Other than Wisky, we play the next three best teams in the west division.

Every game is a playoff elimination game and I am confidential that Franklin will always be on them about that.

 

[LukeIamYourFather]

Agree, list is total BS.

However, Maryland is 25th.

Surprised Rutgers is not higher up. They get highly ranked Washinton and all the BIG east division tough teams. Maybe they play three western division patsies.

I was listening to Colin Cowherd last night and he was saying how hard the PSU schedule is.

Away games with OSU, Iowa, NW, Michigan State and Maryland and home games with Michigan and Nebraska.

Other than Wisky, we play the next three best teams in the west division.

Every game is a playoff elimination game and I am confidential that Franklin will always be on them about that.

True. Missed Maryland, probably saw them and thought ACC.

 

[PS4814]

True. Missed Maryland, probably saw them and thought ACC.

I think the person making this list did the same thing.

 

[Bob78]

Here's a list for your perusal. It is admittedly somewhat subjective to put these together, especially before the season starts, but it is at least a discussion starter. PSU is ranked as having the 60th toughest schedule. Guess where Cal comes in. LOL...

http://www.fbschedules.com/2017/08/2017-college-football-strength-of-schedule-rankings-espn-fpi/

If I am reading this right, these rankings are based on the pre-season projected W-L records for each team. So, "best guess" is the initial premise, and then this list is derived from that.
Hmmmm. What I'm not seeing is how a 8-4 record in the B1G compares to a 10-2 record in a G5 conference. It's reasonable to think that the 8-4 team could well be a better team, and a much tougher game than the 10-2 G5 team. Maybe it's in the overall factors, but I'm not seeing it explicitly.

As Ro said, let's see what this ranking looks like on Dec. 15, after real results have displaced guesswork. I look at our schedule, and I see tough games all over the place. Not sure I'd want anything much tougher than what we already have to keep a realistic chance at the year-end 4-team invitational.

 

[LafayetteBear]

No B1G until #38? 50% of the top 10 hardest schedules in the PAC 10? Every single team in their top 20 hardest schedules from either the PAC 10, SEC, or ACC?

There is some engineering going on with this list that is not so thinly veiled. Seems ESPN wants a PAC 10, SEC, and ACC playoff and they know that the PAC 10 may be the hardest sell if USC doesn't win it.

Have to agree with this. Just the fact that PSU plays tOSU, Michigan and Nebraska ought to put their SOS higher than No. 60.