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Proof Alabama football plays the toughest schedules among Power 5 teams

By Ronald Evans

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide leads his team out of the tunnel prior to the game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP National Championship presented by AT
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide leads his team out of the tunnel prior to the game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP National Championship presented by AT /
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Alabama football is continually challenged for playing too many weak teams. In fact, among the top Power Five teams, the Tide plays more tough games than any other program.

Last season was not an exception with its repeated question, “who has Alabama played.” The fallacious contention Alabama football schedules don’t measure up to other Power Five teams goes back many seasons.

The facts tell a far different story. Based on the last three seasons, Alabama football has played far more ranked teams than any other top Power Five program. Using data from sports-reference.com, we tracked the Alabama schedules from 2015-2017 and compared them to 17 other top Power Five programs.

It is important to remember college football scheduling has many challenges. Most games are set many years in advance. No one can predict how tough an opponent will be five to ten years in the future. Conference and division opponents can adversely impact schedule quality. Our review does not suggest any of the 18 teams are avoiding tough opposition. Additionally, teams that play in conference championship games and the CFB Playoff gain more opportunities at ranked opposition.

Nick Saban is the most vocal proponent of making schedules tougher. He has lobbied for a nine or even ten game SEC schedule. Saban also believes Power Five teams should only play other Power Five teams. So far, Nick’s is a lone voice.

The toughest games are defined as those against ranked teams

Using the source cited above, here is a list of 18 top Power Five programs and how many ranked teams each have played in 2015-2017. Each team’s record in those games is added.

  1.  Alabama – 25 ranked teams and a 22-3 record
  2. Oklahoma – 18 ranked teams and a 14-4 record
  3. USC – 18 ranked teams and a 8-10 record
  4. Michigan – 16 ranked teams and a 6-10 record
  5. Clemson – 16 ranked teams and a 14-2 record
  6. Auburn – 16 ranked teams and a 6-10 record
  7. Michigan State – 14 ranked teams and a 8-6 record
  8. Oklahoma State – 14 ranked teams and a 7-7 record
  9. Ohio State – 13 ranked teams and a 10-3 record
  10. TCU – 13 ranked teams and a 6-7 record
  11. Stanford – 13 ranked teams and a 8-5 record
  12. Notre Dame – 13 ranked teams and a 5-8 record
  13. Georgia – 13 ranked teams and a 6-7 record
  14. Wisconsin – 13 ranked teams and a 7-6 record
  15. Washington – 12 ranked teams and a 7-5 record
  16. Florida State – 12 ranked teams and a 5-7 record
  17. Penn State – 11 ranked teams and a 4-7 record
  18. Miami – 10 ranked teams and a 4-6 record

For good measure, we add UCF with five games against ranked teams in the last three seasons. The UCF schedule is not what we define as a path to a CFB Playoff berth.

Alabama football fans, feel free to use this data in tweets anytime a naysayer spouts otherwise. Stealing a line from the old Aaron Sorkin movie, A Few Good Men, “these are the facts and they are not in dispute.”

Next: Alabama Hate is Silly and Sublime

A little more gloating before we close – three losses in three seasons against 25 ranked teams is sensational. Clemson’s stellar 14-2 record is a distant second.

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