SEC football schedule 2020: Ranking every schedule from toughest to weakest

Ranking the strength of schedule for every SEC football team for the unique 2020 season that sees every team play 10 conference games, but some schedules are much harder than the others.

The 2020 college football season will be one that sticks out in the history books because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has already seen the Big Ten, Pac-12, MAC and Mountain West postpone the season to the spring. The SEC, ACC, Big 12 and the remaining Group of Five leagues are still pressing forward with their plans of playing football in the fall.

The SEC football schedule will be unique because there won’t be any non-conference games this year and every league team will play 10 SEC games. For the critics of the SEC, this means there won’t be the “cupcake week” before rivalry week, but it also takes away some notable challenges to start the season vs. non-conference opponents.

As a result, the original SEC football schedule has been revised to add two additional opponents to the SEC portion of the first schedule release. Some schools like Arkansas and Missouri basically added two losses to their schedule because of the imbalance while others got two games they’ll be big favorites.

In short, not all SEC football schedules are created equally. There are some challenging schedules and there are some that are far more manageable. Naturally, if you’re a great team like Alabama or Georgia, the schedule has more inferior opponents than if you’re a rebuilding team like Arkansas or Vanderbilt where every week presents a daunting challenge.

SEC football schedule strength ranked from toughest to weakest

1. Arkansas: If there’s a silver lining to the Arkansas football schedule, it’s that Sam Pittman’s team gets Alabama and LSU at home. I guess that’s a good thing for Hogs fans to see a great team in person this year, but it may be ugly. Additionally, Arkansas gets Georgia and Florida from the SEC East. If Arkansas wins a game this year, it’ll be a minor miracle.

2. Tennessee: Having Alabama as their permanent crossover opponent always is tough for the Vols. The rest of the Tennessee football schedule has tough road dates with Georgia and Auburn could be two more losses for Jeremy Pruitt’s team. Manageable road games with Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Kentucky are must-wins, and getting Florida in Neyland Stadium could present an upset opportunity.

3. Vanderbilt: The good thing is Vanderbilt doesn’t have to play Alabama. The bad thing is they have to play at Georgia and Texas A&M. The Dores host Florida and LSU where they will be significant underdogs. However, there could be some upset potential with home games vs. Ole Miss, Tennessee and South Carolina.

4. Missouri: The Tigers have a right to be upset about the revised schedules with LSU and Alabama added to Eliah Drinkwitz’s headaches. Nick Saban’s squad coming to Faurot Field will allow fans to get a glimpse of what could be the nation’s No. 1 team. But if not them, it could be Kirby Smart‘s Georgia Bulldogs who also visit.

5. Ole Miss: Alabama, Florida, Auburn and rival Mississippi State come through Oxford this fall. If they win the Egg Bowl, that may be a winnable scenario for first-year head coach Lane Kiffin. Going to LSU and Texas A&M will be tough environments for an upset special.

6. Mississippi State: Mike Leach is in for a rude awakening in the SEC. The Bulldogs welcome Alabama, Georgia and LSU to Starkville and not even the cowbells can slow down that tough trio. Plus, they have to travel to Oxford for the annual Egg Bowl vs. Ole Miss.

7. South Carolina: The Gamecocks schedule isn’t as brutal as it has been in the past. It’s not easy with road games at Florida and LSU but hosting the likes of Auburn, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Georgia is where the season will be won or lost. If Will Muschamp‘s team can split those four games, it’ll be a success.

8. Alabama: Saban’s team didn’t get Florida added to the updated schedule, which is a win for the Tide. They are already hosting Georgia, which could be the game of the year, but also host Auburn and Texas A&M. The toughest game will be at a Joe Burrow-less LSU team.

9. Auburn: LSU, Texas A&M and LSU come to Auburn in games the Tigers will need to rely on their home-field advantage to come away with a win. Road dates with Alabama and Georgia could be tough to overcome for Gus Malzahn’s team depending on how much Bo Nix has improved over the offseason.

10. Georgia: Going to Tuscaloosa is the toughest road game for Georgia this fall. If the Dawgs can win that game, they just need to worry about beating Florida again in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party and they should be playoff-bound. Avoiding LSU and Texas A&M from the west is a good break for Smart’s Dawgs.

11. LSU: Florida, Auburn and Texas A&M will be tough road games for Ed Orgeron’s reigning national champions. However, the Tigers get to host Alabama this year as they look to win two in a row vs. the Crimson Tide

12. Kentucky: Mark Stoops has built Kentucky football from pushover to a team you can’t dismiss. Road games with Alabama, Auburn and Florida will be tough to overcome. So too will a home test vs. Georgia, but there are winnable games to emerge with a winning record.

13. Texas A&M: Expectations are high for Jimbo Fisher’s Aggies with quarterback Kellen Mond returning for another year under center. The schedule welcomes LSU and Florida to College Station in what amount to as must-wins if they want to live up to the hype. Road games with Alabama and Auburn are tough tests, but if they can split them, the Aggies could be in good shape.

14. Florida: Avoiding Alabama, which had been a rumored opponent on the revised schedule, is a win for Dan Mullen‘s Florida Gators. The toughest road game is at Texas A&M, excluding the neutral site affair with Georgia. LSU coming to Gainesville sets up nicely for the Gators to challenge for the SEC East by avoiding a trip to Death Valley.

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