The past 3 seasons have been around the middle of what we've seen the last 20 years. This next year may end up being truly "tough".

On paper the schedules the last 3 years have looked tough and they look to improve going forward, but so far they haven't always played out that way. Wisconsin was predicted to be a playoff contender---ended up being 8-5. Arizona was going to push the south and didn't make a bowl. Similar to how Michigan State went from the playoff to a 3 win team when we played them.

In 2017 we essentially played a MW schedule (6 MW teams, 1 FCS, 2 bottom 10 teams ECU and UMass, a .500 Utah team, a losing record USU team etc.) and several still blame the struggles on the schedule being "too tough".

We aren't 20-19, 1-8 vs. rivals, abysmal at home (haven't beat a team ranked higher than #117 in two seasons) etc. because the schedule is "too difficult". There are still plenty of winnable games out there----Washington was the only P5 team that ended being ranked that we played last season.

Sagarin SOS last 20 years.

KS 71.5 avg BM 64.8 avg and GC 48.5 avg.

1998 - #88 (9-5)
1999 - #45 (8-4)
2000 - #51 (6-5)
2001 - #83 (12-2)
2002 - #86 (5-7)
2003 - #14 (4-8)
2004 - #11 (5-6)
2005 - #65 (6-6)
2006 - #74 (11-2)
2007 - #59 (11-2)
2008 - #74 (10-3)
2009 - #61 (11-2)
2010 - #55 (7-6)
2011 - #90 (10-3)
2012 - #63 (8-5)
2013 - #38 (8-5)
2014 - #69 (8-5)
2015 - #65 (9-4)
2016 - #75 (9-4)
2017 - #74 (3-9)
2018 - #69 (7-6)