The 2025 college football season is in the books, and as the offseason begins to slow down, all eyes turn to the 2026 season. The Transfer Portal is closed, and for the most part, all rosters are set giving everyone a great idea of how each team stacks up heading into the year. Part of the fun of the offseason is the schedules being released giving everyone an idea of which teams have the toughest draw.
Flying under the radar is the fact that the SEC moves to a 9-game league schedule this season, making every team's schedule tougher. In this new, expanded SEC season, several teams got a much tougher draw than they would've hoped for.
New head coaches face the most difficult SEC schedules
5. Texas Longhorns
Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns have high hopes of making it back to the College Football Playoff, and it won't be an easy path. This season, the Longhorns will atleast have a tune-up game, but they'll face a talented Ohio State team in the second game of the season. SEC play brings games against 3 teams coming off of Playoff appearances in Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M, while LSU, Florida, and Tennessee aren't easy outs.
4. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Jeff Lebby has made progress at Mississippi State, but the schedule is going to continue to keep everyone from seeing it. Next season, the Bulldogs face 3 teams coming off trips to the Playoff in Oklahoma, Alabama, and Ole Miss with all 3 having a great chance to make it back. Add in facing LSU and Texas, who will be loaded, and it's hard to see anything above .500 in 2026.
3. Ole Miss Rebels
Pete Golding won't have an easy start to his Ole Miss tenure as the Rebels have a difficult schedule in 2026. Opening the season against Louisville will be far from a tune-up game, which will tell us a lot about this team. In SEC play, Texas, Georgia, LSU, and a road game to the Swamp are all seriously tough games.
2. Oklahoma Sooners
If Brent Venables is going to take his team back to the College Football Playoff, it isn't going to come easy. The Sooners will have to face Georgia, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M, fresh off their runs to the Playoff, along with Texas. Add in having to travel to Ann Arbor to face Michigan, and this is an incredibly tough schedule.
1. Arkansas Razorbacks
Ryan Silverfield has to jump from the American to the SEC, and he's going to face the challenges of the job in his first season. The Razorbacks face two Playoff teams in Texas A&M and Georgia along with two of the best teams on paper in LSU and Texas. Add in having to go on the road to face teams like Utah, Auburn, and Vanderbilt, and it's hard to see this team finishing .500 or better.