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Oklahoma football: Sooners’ strength of schedule in 2020 ranked 38th

By Chip Rouse

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 23: Safety Pat Fields #10, and offensive lineman Marcus Alexander #74 of the Oklahoma Sooners run onto the field for a game against the TCU Horned Frogs on November 23, 2019 at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. OU held on to win 28-24. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 23: Safety Pat Fields #10, and offensive lineman Marcus Alexander #74 of the Oklahoma Sooners run onto the field for a game against the TCU Horned Frogs on November 23, 2019 at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. OU held on to win 28-24. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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One of the critical factors that the College Football Playoff selection committee considers in its evaluation criteria is strength of schedule, and in the 2020 season, the Oklahoma football team may not have that in its favor.

The past three seasons, at season’s end the Sooners’ strength of schedule has ranked as one of the 15 most difficult in college football. This is based on a post-season evaluation of the teams Oklahoma played during the season and the teams those teams played and how they did against them.

Strength of schedule looms large when there two or more teams in consideration for one or more of the four Playoff spots. The Sooners have been the final team to make the CFP cutline in two of the last three seasons. Both times, strength of schedule, including who OU beat and who it lost to, was a key deciding factor.

The ESPN Football Power Index has come up with a preseason ranking based on the perceived schedule strength of all 130 FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) teams for the 2020 season.

Oklahoma’s 2020 schedule was rated the 38th most difficult. Based on this evaluation, only two other Big 12 teams (Texas Tech at No. 38 and Oklahoma State, No. 42) have what is perceived to be an easier schedule than the Sooners.

Part of the reason the Sooners’ 2020 schedule is not rated higher in terms of its projected difficulty is because of a less challenging nonconference schedule as compared to previous seasons.

Oklahoma plays Tennessee at home in the second game of the coming season. The Volunteers were just 8-5 last season are 1-3 all-time against the Sooners. Two weeks later, OU is scheduled to travel to West Point to play Army, which gave the Sooners fits two years ago in Norman. Based on the 2018 game in Norman, which the Sooners won in overtime, the game with the Black Knights of the Hudson would be considered a big challenge for Lincoln Riley and Oklahoma, but Army was just 5-8 a year ago and is not thought to be as good a team as it was the last time these two teams met.

The ESPN FPI has four Big 12 teams ranked in the top 25 of what are projected as the hardest 2020 schedules. That is third most among the Power Five conferences. The SEC has nine teams in the top 25, followed by the Big Ten with eight.

Texas, which has to go to LSU this season, is rated as having the 17th hardest 2020 schedule, West Virginia is No. 21, Baylor No. 23 and Kansas No. 25.

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