[OutsiderFan]

Next year, we'll likely face the most difficult schedule in the history of college football with out-of-conference games against Notre Dame, UCF and Northwestern. Those teams are currently ranked #3, #8 and #20, respectively. Combined with 9 conference games, I can't imagine any team has ever navigated a gauntlet like that.

This claim would have a lot more merit if we were not in the Pac-12. While that is a really challenging out-of-conference slate (assuming those teams are this good next year), our in-conference games are obviously all Pac-12 teams (including Oregon State, Colorado, UCLA, and Arizona). Hard to claim the "most difficult schedule in the history of college football" when many consider the Pac-12 to be the weakest power 5 conference.

I'm glad that we don't play Utah next year.

Honest question: has a team ever played a regular season schedule that included 12 Power 5 caliber (I realize UCF isn't technically P5 but they haven't lost since 2016) opponents? I don't know how to research something like that, but I have to think the answer is no. Even SEC West teams almost always face an FCS cupcake every year.

Go to http://fbschedules.com for quick reference guide.

But I feel confident saying no SEC team has or ever will do that.

USC has probably come the closest to playing 12 real teams in a season, and 11 when only 11 games.

[OutsiderFan]

Next year, we'll likely face the most difficult schedule in the history of college football with out-of-conference games against Notre Dame, UCF and Northwestern. Those teams are currently ranked #3, #8 and #20, respectively. Combined with 9 conference games, I can't imagine any team has ever navigated a gauntlet like that.

This claim would have a lot more merit if we were not in the Pac-12. While that is a really challenging out-of-conference slate (assuming those teams are this good next year), our in-conference games are obviously all Pac-12 teams (including Oregon State, Colorado, UCLA, and Arizona). Hard to claim the "most difficult schedule in the history of college football" when many consider the Pac-12 to be the weakest power 5 conference.

I'm glad that we don't play Utah next year.

Honest question: has a team ever played a regular season schedule that included 12 Power 5 caliber (I realize UCF isn't technically P5 but they haven't lost since 2016) opponents? I don't know how to research something like that, but I have to think the answer is no. Even SEC West teams almost always face an FCS cupcake every year.

Go to http://fbschedules.com for quick reference guide.

But I feel confident saying no SEC team has or ever will do that.

USC has probably come the closest to playing 12 real teams in a season, and 11 when only 11 games.