ESPN's strength of schedule metric is all about the SEC, while Indiana is left behind

The annual hype surrounding the SEC's strength of schedule is nothing new in the college football world. Over the years, ESPN has greatly inflated just how strong the SEC is. Look no further than the last three national champions coming from the Big Ten. Yet, the SEC continues to receive plenty of bias in the preseason strength of schedule rankings. This year is no different.

ESPN has released both its preseason strength of schedule rankings and its FPI rankings. Both show extreme bias toward the SEC.

Big Ten, Indiana receive little love in ESPN's strength of schedule rankings

According to ESPN, the seven hardest schedules in all of college football belong to SEC teams. Arkansas has the toughest schedule, while Oklahoma, Texas, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Florida are all near the top of the board.

3 bold predictions for the rest of Indiana's 2027 recruiting class

Furthermore, the SEC boasts 14 of the top 15 toughest schedules in the SEC according to ESPN's metrics. Other SEC programs in that group include Texas A&M, South Carolina, LSU, Missouri, Auburn, Tennessee, and Alabama.

The only non-SEC team featured in the Top-15 is Ohio State with the 8th-toughest schedule in the country. That kind of bias is simply egregious.

ESPN saying that an entire conference dominates the toughest schedules in all of college football is unfortunately nothing new. Yet, ESPN has yet to adjust.

Last season, the SEC underperformed once again which led to the conference going just 5-9 in the postseason. In addition, the Big Ten went 3-1 in head-to-head matchups against the SEC, which was highlighted by Indiana's emphatic 38-3 victory over Alabama in the Rose Bowl. While the SEC is trending down, it's clear that the overwhelming bias the league is still receiving is a bit out of hand.

Indiana's toughest matchups on the 2026 schedule

Given the current direction of both the SEC and Big Ten, there needs to be more parity in ESPN's strength of schedule rankings. The SEC boasting 14 of the 15 toughest schedules is just too much. The Big Ten has more than proven that it deserves more love.

Indiana football prediction from Athlon Sports would sting for all the wrong reasons

According to ESPN, Indiana has the 33rd-toughest schedule in the country for the upcoming season. That is 11th out of 18 Big Ten teams.

Indiana's schedule is definitely manageable, but there are still several marquee matchups that will make or break the season. The non-conference slate consisting of matchups with North Texas, Howard, and Western Kentucky should provide little resistance, but IU's Big Ten schedule has the potential to cause problems.

Indiana's Big Ten opponents: Northwestern, at Rutgers, at Nebraska, Ohio State, at Michigan, Minnesota, USC, at Washington, Purdue

Back-to-back road games are never easy, so while Indiana should be heavily favored over both Rutgers and Nebraska, the Hoosiers cannot take them lightly. The biggest matchup of the season comes on October 17 when Ohio State comes to Bloomington. That has serious Game of the Year potential not just in the Big Ten, but in the entire country. Indiana heads to Michigan the following week, which creates a brutal combination of back-to-back games. Other contests against USC and at Washington create interesting dynamics as well.

Indiana begins the new season on Saturday, September 5 against North Texas.

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