Steve Spurrier loves to quote one of his old bosses, Pepper Rodgers, who was quick to tell you that a football coach was only as good as his players and his schedule.
So before we dive too heavily into breaking down depth charts, returning starters and key newcomers for the 2018 college football season, maybe we first ought to look at who faces the toughest three-game stretches next season without a bye. You know, the kind of grind that can turn a promising season into a disappointing season in a hurry.
We've ranked the toughest three-game stretches the past couple of years, and it's worth noting that only one of the teams that made the top 10 a year ago managed a winning record during that stretch, and five of the 10 teams went winless during their toughest stretch.