Courtesy of the oddsmakers at SportsBettingDime, Ohio State football will play the 14th-toughest schedule this coming season based on a proprietary strength-of-schedule formula.

The SportsBettingDime “strength of schedule” formula is based upon opponent efficiency ratings from last season, minus the production lost from the 2019 team; recruiting rankings from the past four years; major transfers added and lost.

The formula, which ranks all 130 Division I teams, is then adjusted for each game based upon home and road. The toughest possible schedule score is a 693.1 total. Purdue comes in with the hardest SOS this season at 255.22, meaning the Boilermakers’ schedule is 37 percent of the hardest-possible stretch.

A whopping 10 of the top 20 most-difficult schedules this season belong to teams in the Big Ten; Purdue (1), Michigan (3), Nebraska (4), Iowa (6), Michigan State (7), Wisconsin (10), Northwestern (12), Ohio State (14), Indiana (17) and Maryland (19). Scroll down for the full list of 25 hardest schedules, along with the five easiest.

OSU will have a massive non-conference test early on when they travel out west to Oregon on September 12, although Autzen Stadium may not end up being as raucous as it normally would due to health and safety restrictions.

Ohio State will also visit Michigan State (10/17) and Penn State (10/24) in consecutive weeks while also hosting Iowa and Michigan at home in the Horseshoe. The Buckeyes won every game by double digits last fall and are currently co-favorites with Clemson to win the national championship.

VIEW FULL SCHEDULE HERE

Quarterback Justin Fields will likely be a Heisman front-runner for the potent squad, as the junior was joined on the Walter Camp Preseason All-American list by a pair of classmates in right guard Wyatt Davis and cornerback Shaun Wade. The Buckeyes are scheduled to open preseason camp on Friday, August 7.

TOUGHEST 2020 SCHEDULES:

1. Purdue (255.22)

2. Georgia Tech (223.97)

3. Michigan (211.92)

4. Nebraska (210.8)

5. Vanderbilt (195.22)

6. Iowa (190.39)

7. Michigan State (183.86)

8. Colorado (179.85)

9. South Carolina (179.19)

10. Wisconsin (170.24)

11. Arkansas (159.38)

12. Northwestern (139.78)

13. Houston (135.17)

14. Ohio State (133.95)

15. Alabama (133.05)

16. South Florida (132.41)

17. Indiana (129.67)

18. Kansas (129.51)

19. Maryland (128.16)

20. LSU (122.13)

21. West Virginia (116.39)

22. USC (115.12)

23. Notre Dame (113.13)

24. TCU (109.85)

25. Georgia (108.32)

EASIEST 2020 SCHEDULES:

126. Louisiana Tech (-296.21)

127. Ohio (-298.99)

128. Liberty (-316.48)

129. Nevada (316.64)

130. UAB (-319.64)

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