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Ranking college football's 10 hardest schedules in 2024

The road to the expanded College Football Playoff starts with a quality schedule, and these teams could have the most difficult path in 2024
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Playing a quality schedule is more important now than ever before, with good competition being a key metric for the College Football Playoff selection committee to determine whether a team belongs in the rankings. Now as the playoff expands from four to 12 teams this postseason, that allows for a little more leeway in the committee's decision, but looking good on the field will always be a top priority.

Thanks to that expansion, we should finally see what would be the very first two-loss team quality for the College Football Playoff. And possibly our first three-loss teams. But the name of the game is still to win all you can. These teams could have the most difficult path when the 2024 season kicks off.

10. USC

USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss looks downfield to attempt a pass during a college football game.

USC schedule: LSU, Utah State, at Michigan, Wisconsin, at Minnesota, Penn State, at Maryland, Rutgers, at Washington, Nebraska, at UCLA, Notre Dame

Need to know: Opening up in Vegas against LSU with a good showing will be crucial for the Trojans looking ahead to their debut season in the Big Ten that includes a trip to the Big House and a home tilt against what should be a highly-ranked Penn State team.

9. UCLA

UCLA Bruins wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant catches a pass during a college football game.

UCLA schedule: at Hawaii, Indiana, at LSU, Oregon, at Penn State, Minnesota, at Rutgers, at Nebraska, Iowa, at Washington, USC, Fresno State

Need to know: New head coach DeShaun Foster faces arguably the toughest schedule in the Big Ten as the Bruins make the conference switch. No Michigan or Ohio State, but UCLA gets a brutal stretch early starting at LSU and then goes to Washington.

8. Vanderbilt

Scenes at a Vanderbilt Commodores college football game in the SEC.

Vanderbilt schedule: Virginia Tech, Alcorn State, at Ga. State, at Missouri, Alabama, at Kentucky, Ball State, Texas, at Auburn, South Carolina, at LSU, Tennessee

Need to know: Clark Lea loses his quarterback and top receiver and inherits a tough schedule that often finds Vandy on these preseason lists. Even the opener is a tough date leading into the SEC debut against a strong Missouri team and three dates against likely top-10 teams.

7. Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King attempts a pass during a college football game in the ACC.

Georgia Tech schedule: Florida State (Dublin), Ga. State, at Syracuse, vs. VMI, at Louisville, vs. Duke, at North Carolina, vs. Notre Dame, at Virginia Tech, vs. Miami, vs. NC State, at Georgia

Need to know: Not only will the Yellow Jackets have to play some of the best teams in the ACC this year, it also has to deal with two other highly-ranked opponents in the Fighting Irish and rival Bulldogs.

6. Georgia

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck attempts a pass during a college football game in the SEC.

Georgia schedule: Clemson, Tenn. Tech, at Kentucky, at Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State, at Texas, Florida, at Ole Miss, Tennessee, UMass, Georgia Tech

Need to know: Georgia plays five of the toughest games away from home in college football this season, including the opener in Atlanta, with three of those matchups likely being against top-10 ranked teams.

5. Mississippi State

Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Jaden Walley after catching a pass during a college football game in the SEC.

Mississippi State schedule: Eastern Ky., at Arizona State, Toledo, Florida, at Texas, at Georgia, Texas A&M, Arkansas, UMass, at Tennessee, Missouri, at Ole Miss

Need to know: New coach Jeff Lebby gets important tests right away in the non-conference schedule before a tough mid-season stretch with road dates at Texas and Georgia, and closes out against three of the SEC's top teams, two of them on the road.

4. South Carolina

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer on the sideline during a college football game in the SEC.

South Carolina schedule: Old Dominion, at Kentucky, LSU, Akron, Ole Miss, at Alabama, at Oklahoma, Texas A&M, at Vanderbilt, Missouri, Wofford, at Clemson

Need to know: It's always tough for the Gamecocks, including a month-long tilt that includes consecutive road dates against the Crimson Tide and Sooners, a total of a projected five opponents that should be ranked inside the top-15 nationally.

3. Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Gavin Freeman runs down the sideline during a college football game.

Oklahoma schedule: Temple, Houston, Tulane, Tennessee, at Auburn, Texas, South Carolina, at Ole Miss, Maine, at Missouri, Alabama, at LSU

Need to know: OU gets a long home-stand to start out life in the SEC but it gets a lot harder from there, going to the Rebels and facing a tough late stretch that includes two out of three on the road.

2. Arkansas

Arkansas Razorbacks tight end Luke Hasz catches a pass during a college football game in the SEC.

Arkansas schedule: Ark. Pine Bluff, at Oklahoma State, UAB, at Auburn, Texas A&M, Tennessee, LSU, at Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas, Louisiana Tech, at Missouri

Need to know: An early road date against the Big 12 runner-up Cowboys is a very tough test for the Hogs' run defense and that's before they face as many as four likely top-10 teams in SEC play.

1. Florida

Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz attempts a pass during a college football game in the SEC.

Florida schedule: Miami, Samford, Texas A&M, at Mississippi State, UCF, at Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, at Texas, LSU, Ole Miss, Florida State

Need to know: Billy Napier has a vote of confidence from his AD, but the Gators' schedule could put his tenure on the brink, facing a tough non-conference slate, a trip to Rocky Top, and a late-season stretch that should be against five straight top-10 teams.

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