Strength Of Schedule Metric Highlights Difficulty Of 2022 BYU Football Schedule
Apr 25, 2022, 11:59 AM
WACO, TEXAS - OCTOBER 16: Quarterback Jaren Hall #3 of the Brigham Young Cougars scrambles with the ball against linebacker Garmon Randolph #55 of the Baylor Bears in the second half at McLane Stadium on October 16, 2021 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – The 2022 BYU football schedule will be BYU’s final season as an FBS Independent. When BYU declared its football independence in 2010, many in the college football world wondered how will they get games?
#BYU officially releases the 2022 football schedule.
Utah State game moves to Thursday, Sept. 29, and ECU on Friday, Oct. 28.#BYUFootball @kslsports pic.twitter.com/GpTOKy6Meu
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 15, 2022
We’ve learned over the past decade and change that those worries were much ado about nothing. Instead, BYU has carved out challenging schedules that feature Power Five programs.
The 2022 BYU football schedule could be the toughest, with data to back up those claims.
Strength of Schedule based on toughest opponent winning percentage
College football magazine publisher Phil Steele aggregated the NCAA’s strength of schedule ratings which combines the opponents’ records from the previous season for each team heading into this fall.
BYU enters the 2022 season with the 13th toughest schedule in college football using this calculation. BYU’s 2022 opponents combined to win 60.8% of their games (93-60) during the 2021 season.
Last year, BYU finished with the 63rd toughest schedule per the Sagarin ratings. So if this top-15 strength of schedule holds up into the fall, it would be a big jump in level of play for a BYU program looking for its third consecutive double-digit win season.
Nine teams from BYU’s 2022 schedule qualified for a bowl game in 2021
The 2022 slate is headlined by games against defending Big 12 Champion Baylor, Pac-12 North division champ Oregon, Notre Dame, and Arkansas from the SEC.
#BYU Cougar Club passing out fliers promoting the 2022 BYU home football schedule.#BYUFootball @kslsports pic.twitter.com/Bd9ZQVTnOa
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 25, 2021
Being an Independent helps BYU’s cause to be high in these standings. Unlike teams in a league that will face squads who were at the bottom of a conference a season ago, BYU has a hodgepodge grouping of quality teams from coast-to-coast.
Nine teams on BYU’s schedule qualified for bowl games a season ago.
BYU football will face five teams that finished in the Top 25 last season
BYU is also one of six teams to face five squads in 2022 that finished in the final AP Top 25 poll last year. Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Louisville, Texas Tech, and Syracuse are the only other teams with that claim heading into the 2022 season.
Coming off a 10-3 record in 2021, BYU’s win/loss percentage helps its 2022 opponents in these strength of schedule standings.
Arkansas plays the toughest schedule in 2022 out of the teams BYU will face this fall. The Razorbacks come in at No. 3 in these SOS metrics. Boise State, who BYU will meet on the blue turf for possibly the final time in November, has the fifth toughest schedule.
BYU opens the 2022 football season on Saturday, September 3, against USF in Tampa, Florida.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
