Going back many decades, college football games in which one team has no chance, huge underdogs have been referred to as 'sisters of the poor'. For Alabama in the 2026 season, that team is Chattanooga. The Crimson Tide and other SEC teams are often criticized for playing such weak teams. The only reason an Alabama fan would love such a game is the low price of a ticket on the resale market.
Nick Saban said for years that the then-Power Five should play only Power Five teams. Almost no other head coaches agreed. One argument for the games is the financial boost gained by a weak sister for enduring a butt-kicking.
A quick digression - there is a Catholic organization, the Little Sisters of the Poor, that does great work for low-income elderly people in poor health. They are not weak sisters.
Getting back to football, Bill Connelly does a monumental annual task ranking every college football team. This season, the rankings are the SP+ Top 771. Most college football fans have never heard of many of the 771 teams. Along with FBS and FCS teams, the list includes D2, D3, and NAIA teams, plus three teams with no precise affiliation.
In Connelly's 2026 preseason rankings, Ohio State is the top team, and Maine Maritime is No. 771. In Connelly's tweet introducing the rankings, he added that if the Buckeyes were to play Oberlin, ranked No. 765, the point spread would be Ohio State minus-148. Apparently, the Oberlin Yeoman, who beat Ohio State in 1921, could run enough clock during their three-and-outs that the Buckeyes would not have time to score 22 touchdowns.
The weakest sister Ohio State plays this season is Ball State, ranked No. 169. Alabama's November opponent, Chattanooga, is ranked No. 209.
SEC vs. Big Ten Comparison
Among the Power Two's, Texas plays the best weak team, No. 77-ranked Texas State. Six SEC teams: Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Tennessee, and South Carolina play teams ranked from No. 132 to No. 197. Beginning with Chattanooga's No. 209 ranking, seven more SEC teams: LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Florida, Georgia, Texas A&M, and Auburn played teams ranked No. 212 to No. 299. Missouri has the weakest opponent, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, ranked No. 379.
Penn State has the Big Ten's best weak opponent: Temple at No. 101. Nine more B1G teams played teams ranked No. 103 to No. 185. Seven Big Ten teams play opponents ranked No. 210 to No. 284. Maryland has the B1G's weakest opponent, Hampton, ranked No. 332.
Saban was right. The now Power Fours should at least only play FBS teams. Programs like Oberlin and 500 to 600 others exist in other college sports worlds. Oberlin's budget for 21 teams is estimated to be around $5 million. Some Power Four players make close to that, and a few make more.
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