ESPN’s Bill Connelly released his post-spring SP+ rankings on Thursday, checking off another offseason period, the end of spring practice, and the transfer cycle.
The 2025 college football season will kick off in just over three months with a Week 0 Big 12 showdown between Iowa State and Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland. Colorado will open their campaign at home six days later against Georgia Tech.
In February, we used Connelly’s initial SP+ rankings to decipher the difficulty of every Big 12 team’s schedule. Here is the method we used to determine each team’s strength of schedule:
Using the SP+ power rankings, each team is given a numerical value. The higher the number, the more challenging the matchup. We added every opponent’s SP+ rating together to find a total opponent score. That number was divided by 12 (number of games) to find the average opponent score — a number that can then be compared to the SP+ leaderboard to see, on average, the caliber of opponent every team will face each week.
(Note: Home and away are not factored into the model, so this exercise does not account for every variable. Also, Football Championship Subdivision opponents are not listed in Connelly’s SP+. Every FCS opponent was assessed a “minus-15” rating, likening them to the 120th-ranked team in the Football Bowl Subdivision.)
After every team’s SP+ rating received an update following spring camp and the recent transfer portal window, here is an updated look at the Big 12’s strength of schedule rankings for the 2025 season.
Total Opponent Score: 14.2
Average Opponent Score: 1.18 (akin to the 55th-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 56.5 (Eighth-easiest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Utah (11.0)
- Houston (0.9)
- Kansas (3.0)
- Arizona State (12.2)
- Oklahoma State (0.9)
- Kansas State (15.6)
- BYU (11.5)
- UCF (0.4)
- West Virginia (1.0)
Nonconference Schedule:
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff (FCS -15)
- Kent State (-24.9)
- Oregon State (-2.4)
Total Opponent Score: 15
Average Opponent Score: 1.25 (akin to the 57th-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 48.2 (the easiest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Colorado (2.6)
- Texas Tech (11.8)
- Oklahoma State (0.9)
- Arizona (0.7)
- Arizona State (12.2)
- West Virginia (1.0)
- UCF (0.4)
- TCU (11.1)
- Baylor (7.5)
Nonconference Schedule:
- Stephen F. Austin (FCS -15)
- Rice (-15.8)
- Oregon State (-2.4)
Total Opponent Score: 21.5
Average Opponent Score: 1.79 (akin to the 55th-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 49.3 (Second-easiest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Colorado (2.6)
- West Virginia (1.0)
- Arizona (0.7)
- Utah (11.0)
- Iowa State (11.0)
- Texas Tech (11.8)
- TCU (11.1)
- Cincinnati (-0.3)
- UCF (0.4)
Nonconference Schedule:
- Portland State (FCS -15)
- Stanford (-6.2)
- East Carolina (-6.6)
Total Opponent Score: 28.5
Average Opponent Score: 2.38 (akin to the 53rd-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 51.9 (Fifth-easiest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Kansas State (15.6)
- Kansas (3.0)
- Cincinnati (-0.3)
- Baylor (7.5)
- West Virginia (1.0)
- Houston (0.9)
- Texas Tech (11.8)
- Oklahoma State (0.9)
- BYU (11.5)
Nonconference Schedule:
- Jacksonville State (-10.4)
- North Carolina A&T (FCS -15)
- North Carolina (2.0)
Total Opponent Score: 34
Average Opponent Score: 2.83 (akin to the 52nd-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 57.6 (Sixth-toughest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Baylor (7.5)
- TCU (11.1)
- Utah (11.0)
- Texas Tech (11.8)
- Houston (0.9)
- Iowa State (11.0)
- West Virginia (1.0)
- Colorado (2.6)
- Arizona (0.7)
Nonconference Schedule:
- Northern Arizona (FCS -15)
- Mississippi State (-1.4)
- Texas State (-7.2)
Total Opponent Score: 37.3
Average Opponent Score: 3.11 (akin to the 49th-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 57.1 (Eighth-toughest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Kansas (3.0)
- Iowa State (11.0)
- UCF (0.4)
- Oklahoma State (0.9)
- Baylor (7.5)
- Utah (11.0)
- Arizona (0.7)
- BYU (11.5)
- TCU (11.1)
Nonconference Schedule:
- Nebraska (8.9)
- Bowling Green (-13.7)
- Northwestern State (FCS -15)
Total Opponent Score: 38.4
Average Opponent Score: 3.2 (akin to the 49th-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 49.3 (Third-easiest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Iowa State (11.0)
- Oklahoma State (0.9)
- BYU (11.5)
- Houston (0.9)
- Colorado (2.6)
- Kansas (3.0)
- Cincinnati (-0.3)
- Baylor (7.5)
- Arizona State (12.2)
Nonconference Schedule:
- Hawaii (-11.5)
- Weber State (FCS -15)
- Kansas State (15.6)
Total Opponent Score: 42
Average Opponent Score: 3.5 (akin to the 47th-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 64.9 (Second-toughest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Texas Tech (11.8)
- West Virginia (1.0)
- Arizona State (12.2)
- BYU (11.5)
- Colorado (2.6)
- Cincinnati (-0.3)
- Baylor (7.5)
- Kansas State (15.6)
- Kansas (3.0)
Nonconference Schedule:
- UCLA (2.9)
- Cal Poly (FCS -15)
- Wyoming (-10.8)
Total Opponent Score: 43.4
Average Opponent Score: 3.61 (akin to the 47th-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 52.1 (sixth-easiest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- West Virginia (1.0)
- Cincinnati (-0.3)
- UCF (0.4)
- Texas Tech (11.8)
- Kansas State (15.6)
- Oklahoma State (0.9)
- Arizona (0.7)
- Iowa State (11.0)
- Utah (11.0)
Nonconference Schedule:
- Fresno State (-6.2)
- Wagner (FCS -15)
- Missouri (12.5)
Total Opponent Score: 43.8
Average Opponent Score: 3.65 (akin to the 47th-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 57.3 (Seventh-toughest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Kansas State (15.6)
- Arizona (0.7)
- Cincinnati (-0.3)
- Colorado (2.6)
- BYU (11.5)
- Arizona State (12.2)
- TCU (11.1)
- Kansas (3.0)
- Oklahoma State (0.9)
Nonconference Schedule:
- South Dakota (FCS -15)
- Iowa (11.4)
- Arkansas State (-9.9)
Total Opponent Score: 44.7
Average Opponent Score: 3.72 (akin to the 47th-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 50.6 (Fourth-easiest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Baylor (7.5)
- Arizona (0.7)
- Houston (0.9)
- Cincinnati (-0.3)
- Texas Tech (11.8)
- Kansas (3.0)
- Kansas State (15.6)
- UCF (0.4)
- Iowa State (11.0)
Nonconference Schedule:
- UT Martin (FCS -15)
- Oregon (24.7)
- Tulsa (-15.6)
Total Opponent Score: 45.4
Average Opponent Score: 3.3 (akin to the 51st-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 60.3 (Fifth-toughest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Iowa State (11.0)
- UCF (0.4)
- Baylor (7.5)
- West Virginia (1.0)
- TCU (11.1)
- Kansas (3.0)
- Texas Tech (11.8)
- Oklahoma State (0.9)
- Utah (11.0)
- Colorado (2.6)
Nonconference Schedule:
- North Dakota (FCS -15)
- Army (-0.6)
- Arizona (0.7)
Total Opponent Score: 48.5
Average Opponent Score: 4.04 (akin to the 47th-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 64.5 (Third-toughest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Kansas (3.0)
- Utah (11.0)
- BYU (11.5)
- UCF (0.4)
- TCU (11.1)
- Houston (0.9)
- Colorado (2.6)
- Arizona State (12.2)
- Texas Tech (11.8)
Nonconference Schedule:
- Robert Morris (FCS -15)
- Ohio (-4.4)
- Pittsburgh (3.4)
Total Opponent Score: 55.9
Average Opponent Score: 4.65 (akin to the 46th-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 75 (First — the toughest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Houston (0.9)
- BYU (11.5)
- TCU (11.1)
- Iowa State (11.0)
- Utah (11.0)
- Arizona (0.7)
- West Virginia (1.0)
- Arizona State (12.2)
- Kansas State (15.6)
Nonconference Schedule:
- Georgia Tech (4.7)
- Delaware (FCS -13)
- Wyoming (-10.8)
Total Opponent Score: 62.1
Average Opponent Score: 5.17 (akin to the 41st-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 62 (Fourth-toughest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Arizona State (12.2)
- Colorado (2.6)
- Kansas State (15.6)
- Baylor (7.5)
- West Virginia (1.0)
- Iowa State (11.0)
- BYU (11.5)
- Houston (0.9)
- Cincinnati (-0.3)
Nonconference Schedule:
- North Carolina (2.0)
- Abilene Christian (FCS -15)
- SMU (13.1)
1. Baylor Bears
Total Opponent Score: 62.4
Average Opponent Score: 5.2 (akin to the 41st-best team in the country)
Conference Schedule Score: 52.5 (Seventh-easiest conference schedule)
Conference Schedule (with SP+ rating):
- Arizona State (12.2)
- Oklahoma State (0.9)
- Kansas State (15.6)
- TCU (11.1)
- Cincinnati (-0.3)
- UCF (0.4)
- Utah (11.0)
- Arizona (0.7)
- Houston (0.9)
Nonconference Schedule:
- Auburn (11.8)
- SMU (13.1)
- Samford (FCS -15)
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