Why does difficulty of college football schedules differ?

What's up, pals! I'm just a curious football fan. Why do some college football teams have what are considered 'easier' schedules? I'm not super familiar with how that's determined. Any gridiron gurus got some insights?

Hello football aficionado! College football schedules indeed vary in their levels of difficulty due to a few factors. The primary factor is the conference the team competes in. NCAA Division I football teams are grouped into conferences (like the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, etc.), and each team plays a set number of games against conference opponents. The perceived strength or weakness of a conference can greatly influence the perceived difficulty of a team's schedule. For example, a team playing in a conference where multiple teams finish high in national rankings year after year would be considered to have a tougher schedule compared to a team in a conference with consistently lower-ranked teams.

Another significant factor is the portion of the schedule known as out-of-conference or non-conference games. These are matches scheduled against teams not in their conference. Some schools and/or conferences tend to schedule out-of-conference games with more competitive opponents. Schools with historically strong programs may opt to do this to boost their season resume and improve their ranking, while others might choose opponents they deem less challenging to ensure a better win-loss record.

Finally, it's important to note that some "Power Five" conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC) play nine conference games while others only play eight. The additional conference game can add a level of difficulty to their schedule simply due to the added match against another strong team.

It's a blend of these elements that create the varying levels of scheduling difficulty in college football. How they balance them can have big implications for a team's performance in a season!