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CBS Sports Ranks College Football's Toughest Schedules For CFP Contenders In 2026

by Staff Reporter

May 4, 202610 Comments

Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

LSU checked in at No. 7 on CBS Sports' rankings of college football's toughest 2026 schedules for top CFP contenders after spring practices:

quote:
7. LSU
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 6

Challenges are baked into SEC schedules, but LSU drew a version that stacks good teams and offers very little margin for error for Lane Kiffin in his first season. The Tigers could face stretches in which multiple ranked opponents appear in consecutive weeks, leaving no time to reset -- Ole Miss and Texas A&M in September, along with a November trifecta that includes Texas and Alabama. That's where the SEC grind shows up most -- not just in who you play, but how often you're asked to play at a near-perfect level.

Top 12:

1. Texas
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 8

2. Oklahoma
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 7

3. Ohio State
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 6

4. Michigan
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 6

5. Ole Miss
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 6

6. Texas A&M
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 6

7. LSU
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 6

8. USC
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 5

9. Georgia
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 5

10. Alabama
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 4

11. Oregon
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 4

12. Indiana
Number of ranked opponents in post-spring top 25: 4

Filed Under: LSU Football

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10 Comments

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Bucky_B•9 hours

if you look at Bama's schedule...as always... they only ever play 4 ranked teams and 8 HS teams

Bucky_B•8 hours

.....and other than those four SEC teams....4 of the other 5 SEC teams combine for 5 SEC wins last year. LSU could finish at the top every year if we played last years Arkansas team every game.

Banned•6 hours

This is the dumbest post I've seen on here .... Good job on being this sites dumb arse.

texastigerr•10 hours

And it is the order of the schedule and where you play that should be the real factor when ranking the toughest schedule. When do you have your open date(s), how many of these ranked teams do you play consecutively, Just saying ranked teams could mean teams ranked between 20 and 25 or 15 and 25. How many of these ranked teams are top 10 or top 5. Does the schedule allow you to ramp up or are you coming out of the shoot playing a top program first game out. This determines how tough schedules are.

Jabontik•6 hours

Hmm where's Notre Dame on that list...

HoustonTigerNKaty•6 hours

Then leaving Auburn off the list doesn’t account for the general lack of success we have at Jordan Hare. In the 2000s when that game basically determined the SEC east we struggled there. Especially when their refs suited up War Eagle.

TheWalrus•2 hours

I guess Auburn isn’t considered a CFP contender

Spankum•1 hour

The list doesn’t account for anything that happened in the past…..totally forward-looking.

Bayou_Bengal44•20 min

Just win!!

Datbayoubengal•59 min

Taking the rankings out, Texas and Oklahoma almost have the same exact hard arse schedule. Ohio St comes to Texas, Oklahoma goes to Michigan. Oklahoma plays at UGA, Texas plays at LSU. They both play Mizzou and Florida where Texas goes to Mizzu and Oklahoma goes to Florida. They both play Ole Miss and Miss St at home. You can even balance out that even though Texas goes to TAMU, they have Arkansas (the worst team this year IMO) at home. Even though Oklahoma plays TAMU at home, they have to play Kentucky who definitely should be better with a better offense. Tennessee at South Carolina should be a wash with South Carolina getting a new OC and bringing back the QB and top pass catcher. Tennessee losing both.