Ranking 2022 SEC football schedules from easiest to hardest
There’s no such thing as an easy SEC schedule, but it’s certainly true that some are easier than others.
Both Alabama and Georgia will typically have an easier conference schedule than the rest of the conference due to the fact that, well, they don’t play themselves. Now when you look at, say, Mississippi State for example, the poor Bulldogs not only have to play their regular SEC West schedule which obviously includes Alabama, but they also get to play Georgia.
There’s the out-of-conference matchups as well. South Carolina has the toughest of anyone in the SEC this year – a visit to Clemson to close out the season. Alabama plays Texas which is a game that will receive a ton of hype just for the Tide to beat the Longhorns by four touchdowns. And there’s Georgia vs. Oregon, but I’m not so sure how exciting that one will be. Oregon only ranks No. 23 in ESPN’s preseason FPI rankings.
Auburn’s schedule is no joke with games against Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M and a non-conference battle with Penn State. Props to the Tigers for scheduling the Nittany Lions on top of its already tough schedule, but also…uhmmm…there goes Auburn’s 2022 season.
Here’s a look at every SEC team’s 2022 schedule, ranked from easiest to hardest.
Georgia
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Schedule: vs. Oregon, Samford, at South Carolina, Kent State, at Missouri, Auburn, Vanderbilt, vs. Florida, Tennessee, at Mississippi State, at Kentucky, Georgia Tech
Cross-divisional games: Auburn, at Mississippi State
Non-conference games: Oregon (Atlanta), Samford, Kent State, Georgia Tech
Hardest games: Oregon (Atlanta), Auburn, Florida (Jacksonville), Tennessee
Analysis: Georgia should be double digits favorites in every game it plays this season. Oregon is a solid season opener, but the Ducks may not even be ranked in the top-25 to open the season. The Bulldogs always beat Auburn, and Florida should not be too much to handle.
Kentucky
Schedule: Miami (OH), at Florida, Youngstown State, NIU, at Ole Miss, South Carolina, Mississippi State, at Tennessee, at Missouri, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Louisville
Cross-divisional games: at Ole Miss, Mississippi State
Non-conference games: Miami University, Youngstown State, Northern Illinois, Louisville
Hardest games: at Florida, at Ole Miss, at Tennessee, Georgia
Analysis: Drawing Ole Miss and Mississippi State out of the SEC West was a nice break for Kentucky. It’s only really tough game is against Georgia.
Florida
Syndication: Gainesville Sun
Schedule: Utah, Kentucky, USF, at Tennessee, Eastern Washington, Missouri, LSU, vs. Georgia, at Texas A&M, South Carolina, at Vanderbilt, at Florida State
Cross-divisional games: LSU, at Texas A&M
Non-conference games: Utah, USF, Eastern Washington, at Florida State
Hardest games: Kentucky, at Tennessee, LSU, Texas A&M, Georgia (Jacksonville)
Analysis: Florida should not be very good this year, so despite having a relatively navigable schedule, the Gators could easily lose 4+ games in 2022. But then again, can I really call a schedule that includes Georgia, LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M navigable? There’s no such thing as an “easy” SEC schedule. At least they avoid Alabama and at least FSU is still bad.
Alabama
Syndication: Gainesville Sun
Schedule: Utah State, at Texas, ULM, Vanderbilt, at Arkansas, Texas A&M, at Tennessee, Mississippi State, at LSU, at Ole Miss, Austin Peay, Auburn
Cross-divisional games: Vanderbilt, at Tennessee
Non-conference games: Utah State, at Texas, ULM, Austin Peay
Hardest games: at Texas, Texas A&M, at Tennessee, at LSU, Auburn
Analysis: Alabama does not have to play itself, which gives it the easiest schedule in the SEC West.
It does travel to Texas, which is a game that will receive a ton of hype. But let’s be real, Bama will beat the Longhorns by 28 points. That does not take away from how tough of a game it is, though, although Texas is always overrated. Compared to the rest of its division, Alabama has it easy. Like I said, it does not have to play itself and it lucked out by getting Vanderbilt out of the East. And when was the last time it lost to Tennessee?
Missouri
Schedule: Louisiana Tech, at Kansas State, Abilene Christian, at Auburn, Georgia, at Florida, Vanderbilt, at South Carolina, Kentucky, at Tennessee, New Mexico State, Arkansas
Cross-divisional games: at Auburn, Arkansas
Non-conference games: Louisiana tech, at Kansas State, Abilene Christian, New Mexico State
Hardest games: at Auburn, Georgia, at Florida, Kentucky, at Tennessee
Analysis: This Missouri team won’t be any good this year, which makes this schedule all that more difficult. Out of the West it draws Auburn and Arkansas, which are surely going to be losses. It has to play Georgia, and make visits to Gainesville and Knoxville as well.
Ole Miss
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Schedule: Troy, Central Arkansas, at Georgia Tech, Tulsa, Kentucky, at Vanderbilt, Auburn, at LSU, at Texas A&M, Alabama, at Arkansas, Mississippi State
Cross-divisional games: Kentucky, at Vanderbilt
Non-conference games: Troy, Central Arkansas, at Georgia Tech, Tulsa
Hardest games: Auburn, at LSU, at Texas A&M, Alabama
Analysis: The Rebels close out their season with the following games:
Auburn, at LSU, at Texas A&M, Alabama, at Arkansas, Mississippi State.
I don’t envy them.
LSU
Schedule: Florida State, Southern, Mississippi State, New Mexico, at Auburn, Tennessee, at Florida, Ole Miss, Alabama, at Arkansas, UAB, at Texas A&M
Cross-divisional games: Tennessee, at Florida
Non-conference games: Florida State (New Orleans), Southern, New Mexico, UAB
Hardest games: FSU, at Auburn, Tennessee, at Florida, Alabama, at Texas A&M
Analysis: FSU should be a win, but at least it’s a big name for Brian Kelly to brag about beating in his LSU-opener. Games against Alabama and Texas A&M will be the Tigers’ toughest of the year, but a three week stretch of games at Auburn, vs. Tennessee and at Florida before playing Alabama make this your typical, tough SEC schedule.
Tennessee
Syndication: The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Schedule: Ball State, at Pitt, Akron, Florida, at LSU, Alabama, UT Martin, Kentucky, at Georgia, Missouri, at South Carolina, at Vanderbilt
Cross-divisional games: at LSU, Alabama
Non-conference games: Ball State, at Pitt, Akron, UT Martin
Hardest games: Florida, at LSU, Alabama, at Georgia
Analysis: They play Alabama every year from the West, but this year they also gets LSU. Not to mention Georgia. I feel for any team who has to play both Alabama and Georgia. Tennessee may be underdogs in their Week 2 game at Pittsburgh as well.
Texas A&M
Schedule: Sam Houston, App State, Miami (FL), Arkansas, at Mississippi State, at Alabama, at South Carolina, Ole Miss, Florida, at Auburn, UMass, LSU
Cross-divisional games: at South Carolina, Florida
Non-conference games: Ball State, at Pitt, Akron, UT Martin
Hardest games: Miami, at Alabama, Florida, at Auburn, LSU
Analysis: I have high hopes for the Aggies this year, but they have a tough road ahead of them. Both App State and Miami are solid enough to give Jimbo Fisher trouble. Of course there’s the game in Tuscaloosa, plus Florida, LSU and a visit to Auburn.
Mississippi State
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Schedule: Memphis, at Arizona, at LSU, Bowling Green, Texas A&M, Arkansas, at Kentucky, at Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, ETSU, at Ole Miss
Cross-divisional games: at Kentucky, Georgia
Non-conference games: Memphis, at Arizona, Bowling Green, East Tennessee State
Hardest games: at LSU, Texas A&M, at Alabama, Auburn, Georgia
Analysis: An SEC West schedule that also gets to play Georgia and Kentucky from the East. The 2022 Mississippi State team may be the best eight-loss team you’ll ever see.
South Carolina
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Schedule: Georgia State, at Arkansas, Georgia, Charlotte, SC State, at Kentucky, Texas A&M, Missouri, at Vanderbilt, at Florida, Tennessee, at Clemson
Cross-divisional games: at Arkansas, Texas A&M
Non-conference games: Georgia State, Charlotte, South Carolina State, at Clemson
Hardest games: Georgia, Texas A&M, at Florida, Tennessee, at Clemson
Analysis: It’s the game against Clemson that moves South Carolina up on this list. There’s the obvious one: Georgia. And then there’s the ones against TAMU, Florida, and Tennessee. But Clemson will be playing for a spot in the Playoff come the end of the regular season. That’s the toughest non-conference opponent of anyone in the SEC.
Arkansas
Schedule: Cincinnati, South Carolina, Missouri State, Texas A&M, Alabama, at Mississippi State, at BYU, at Auburn, Liberty, LSU, Ole Miss, at Missouri
Cross-divisional games: South Carolina, at Missouri
Non-conference games: Cincinnati, Missouri State, at BYU, Liberty
Hardest games: Cincinnati, Texas A&M, Alabama, at Auburn, LSU
Analysis: Well, at least Arkansas does not have to play Georgia again. But it does still have the regulars, plus a tough game against a Cincinnati team that was in the College Football Playoff last season. It lucked out with its SEC East draws, though.
Auburn
Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser
Schedule: Mercer, San Jose State, Penn State, Missouri, LSU, at Georgia, at Ole Miss, Arkansas, at Mississippi State, Texas A&M, WKU, at Alabama
Cross-divisional games: Missouri, at Georgia
Non-conference games: Mercer, San Jose State, Penn State, WKU
Hardest games: Penn State, LSU, at Georgia, Texas A&M, Alabama
Analysis: Like I said, if you have to play both Alabama and Georgia, like Auburn does every year, I feel for you. That, plus an SEC West schedule, PLUS Penn State. Yikes.
Vanderbilt
Syndication: Gainesville Sun
Schedule: at Hawaii, Elon, Wake Forest, NIU, at Alabama, Ole Miss, at Georgia, at Missouri, South Carolina, at Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee
Cross-divisional games: at Alabama, Ole Miss
Non-conference games: at Hawaii, Elon, Wake Forest, at Northern Illinois
Hardest games: at Hawaii, Wake Forest, at Alabama, at Georgia, Florida, Tennessee
Analysis: I mean, I genuinely just feel for Vandy at this point. It does not help that their the worst team in the league by a good margin, but it really does not help that it drew Alabama from the SEC West. Alabama, Ole Miss and Georgia in a four-week stretch may be enough to actually break this team.
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