27 CMU
57 WMU
59 Ball St-tie
59 Kent St-tie
74 BGSU
75 U Buffalo
95 U Akron
107 Ohio U
111 U Toledo
117 Sac St
118 Miami U
121 EMU
126 U Mass

(10-25-2026 11:09 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  27 CMU
57 WMU
59 Ball St-tie
59 Kent St-tie
74 BGSU
75 U Buffalo
95 U Akron
107 Ohio U
111 U Toledo
117 Sac St
118 Miami U
121 EMU
126 U Mass

This looks like it might be an naive rank by opponent winning percentage or something like that. I mean by that method a D3 school might play the toughest schedule in the whole of the NCAA. It is probably correct by whatever method it is using but I am not sure of what use it is for anything.

ESPNs looks a little different:

47 Ball St
52 Kent St
62 CMU
92 BGSU
96 U Akron
97 WMU
110 Ohio U
111 Miami U
114 U Buffalo
118 EMU
134 U Toledo
136 Sac St
138 U Mass

https://www.espn.com/college-football/fp...nk/dir/asc

(10-25-2026 06:26 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  ESPNs looks a little different:

47 Ball St
52 Kent St
62 CMU
92 BGSU
96 U Akron
97 WMU
110 Ohio U
111 Miami U
114 U Buffalo
118 EMU
134 U Toledo
136 Sac St
138 U Mass

https://www.espn.com/college-football/fp...nk/dir/asc

Look how they figure that- how an average top 25 would do playing that schedule.

(10-25-2026 07:18 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(10-25-2026 06:26 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  ESPNs looks a little different:

47 Ball St
52 Kent St
62 CMU
92 BGSU
96 U Akron
97 WMU
110 Ohio U
111 Miami U
114 U Buffalo
118 EMU
134 U Toledo
136 Sac St
138 U Mass

https://www.espn.com/college-football/fp...nk/dir/asc

Look how they figure that- how an average top 25 would do playing that schedule.

That’s Strength of Record (SOR) which is different:

69 Ohio Bobcats
72 Toledo Rockets
75 Western Michigan Broncos
86 Miami (OH) RedHawks
90 Buffalo Bulls
113 Kent State Golden Flashes
114 Ball State Cardinals
116 Central Michigan Chippewas
118 Eastern Michigan Eagles
120 Massachusetts Minutemen
131 Bowling Green Falcons
136 Akron Zips
137 Sacramento State Hornets

SOR:Strength of Record rank. Reflects chance that an average Top 25 team would have team's record or better, given the schedule.

(10-25-2026 08:22 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  

(10-25-2026 07:18 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(10-25-2026 06:26 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  ESPNs looks a little different:

47 Ball St
52 Kent St
62 CMU
92 BGSU
96 U Akron
97 WMU
110 Ohio U
111 Miami U
114 U Buffalo
118 EMU
134 U Toledo
136 Sac St
138 U Mass

https://www.espn.com/college-football/fp...nk/dir/asc

Look how they figure that- how an average top 25 would do playing that schedule.

That’s Strength of Record (SOR) which is different:

69 Ohio Bobcats
72 Toledo Rockets
75 Western Michigan Broncos
86 Miami (OH) RedHawks
90 Buffalo Bulls
113 Kent State Golden Flashes
114 Ball State Cardinals
116 Central Michigan Chippewas
118 Eastern Michigan Eagles
120 Massachusetts Minutemen
131 Bowling Green Falcons
136 Akron Zips
137 Sacramento State Hornets

SOR:Strength of Record rank. Reflects chance that an average Top 25 team would have team's record or better, given the schedule.

Polish Hammer's ranking is SOS.
SOS:Ranking among all FBS teams' already played schedule from the perspective of an average Top 25 team.

(10-25-2026 07:18 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(10-25-2026 06:26 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  ESPNs looks a little different:

47 Ball St
52 Kent St
62 CMU
92 BGSU
96 U Akron
97 WMU
110 Ohio U
111 Miami U
114 U Buffalo
118 EMU
134 U Toledo
136 Sac St
138 U Mass

https://www.espn.com/college-football/fp...nk/dir/asc

Look how they figure that- how an average top 25 would do playing that schedule.

Most SOS rankings are a straight average of a power ranking. Every MAC team is below FBS average in almost all power rankings so by the end of the season all MAc teams will almost certainly rank 90+ in a ranking like that. I guess this is fine, and it works much, much better than doing something like what a 3rd grader would do for their homework if asked and figure the winning percentage of their opponents.

But your comment brings up more questions that can be asked if you want to dig into it. Schedule "difficulty" means difficulty for whom (a good team? a bad one?) trying to do what (go undefeated? get bow eligible, win a game?). If schedule A is 6 games against the top 6 and 6 against the bottom 6 and schedule B is 12 games against##63 through #74 the average power rating of these is almost identical. But they are very different schedules. If you are a top ten team trying to go unbeaten then B is easier. If you are a lousy team just trying to win some games then A is easier.