Not directly admissions related, but I'm a massive college football fan and I'm curious: anyone got a clue about which college football team generally has the easiest schedule? Not changing my college choice because of this, but would be fun to know!
Sure, while it may vary from year to year, college football teams from the Group of Five conferences (American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference, and Sun Belt Conference) usually tend to have easier schedules compared to those from the Power Five conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC), simply due to the strength of their competitors. Additionally, within Power Five conferences, some teams may have easier schedules depending on the rotation of cross-division games, their selected non-conference games, and the strength of their division.
For example, a team like the University of Alabama has a traditionally strong football program and plays in the SEC, so while they may be a dominant force on the field, their schedule is typically filled with equally competitive teams. On the other hand, a team from a smaller conference or a less dominant program within a Power Five conference - let's say Kansas in the Big 12 - might have an easier path due to playing less competitive teams.
It's also worth noting that schedules can change and it's hard to predict the strength of a team year over year, but you can spot trends in certain programs based on their historical performance. It's all part of the fun of following college football! Stay tuned to the season schedule releases usually made in the early part of the calendar year to get a sense of who might have an easier or harder road in any given season.
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