There are some things you just can’t control when it comes to making a run to the College Football Playoff national championship, and it’s no different with a program like Ohio State. You have to get some luck, you have to remain relatively healthy, and then there’s the schedule. We’ve seen many teams make a run through a relatively easy schedule and have a better shot of making the playoff because of it, and then we’ve seen teams try to navigate a gauntlet and experience too many losses to be considered.
It’s not as bad as when we had a four-team playoff, but it still exists, especially since the conferences have expanded and added some historically good programs that are now a part of the schedule.
CBS Sports took a look at the teams it defined as CFP contenders this fall and tried to rank them based on the toughest schedules, and it’s no surprise that Ohio State was near the top if you’ve even mildly glanced at the slate of places and teams the Buckeyes have to deal with in 2026. There are road games at Texas, Iowa, Indiana, and USC, and home contests against Illinois, Oregon, and Michigan. OSU will have earned it if it makes it into the CFP this year, to say the least.
So, where does Brad Crawford have Ohio State when stacking up the Buckeyes’ schedule against Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, and USC — teams he has identified as contenders? How about No. 3 behind the Longhorns (1) and Sooners (2)?
Here’s what Crawford says about the OSU schedule:
“The good news? The Buckeyes are at their pinnacle under Ryan Day, an elite coach who already has a national title to his credit and is churning out first-rounders with impressive prevalence,” Crawford said. “The bad? The 2026 slate is the toughest he’s seen at Ohio State. It includes a trip to potential preseason No. 1 Texas, along with destination games at Iowa, Indiana, and USC. Toss in November home bouts with Oregon and Michigan for variety, and that’s potentially a half-dozen matchups with nationally-ranked competition.”
He’s not wrong, but we could even make the case that Ohio State’s schedule is right there with the top two. I mean, at what point does the SEC stop getting the benefit of the doubt? It sure feels like Texas and Oklahoma are put ahead of the Buckeyes because of what the SEC has historically been, and not what has been over the last couple of years. Regardless, here’s how Crawford ranks all eleven contenders when it comes to strength of schedule for a 2026 run to glory:
What do you think? Does Crawford have it about right here? For sure, Indiana has gotten an easier schedule over the last few years because of where it was historically before Curt Cignetti, but much of this beyond that is very debatable, and that’s what makes college football so intriguing and fun.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: CBS Sports has Ohio State among top 5 CFP contender toughest schedules
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
