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College football's easiest schedules for 2016

Joe Robbins / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The importance of schedules in college football is paramount. When it comes down to selecting the teams for the College Football Playoff, a program's schedule can make or break their chances of playing for a national championship.

Here are the schools with the easiest schedules in 2016:

South Carolina

As far as SEC schedules go, it doesn't get much easier than South Carolina's in 2016.

The Gamecocks have the luxury of avoiding both Alabama and LSU, two typical powerhouses in the conference. Sure, they still have to deal with the likes of Georgia and Florida, among others, but avoiding Les Miles' and Nick Saban's crews is a big win.

The Gators and Bulldogs have unanswered questions at quarterback, too, so the defensive-minded Will Muschamp may be able to orchestrate an upset or two there.

South Carolina won't be in the conversation to win the conference, but returning to a bowl game is a real possibility with this schedule.

Purdue

If anyone needed a soft schedule this season, it's the Boilermakers.

Purdue managed only two wins last year, but they'll have a good chance to improve on that in 2016. Darrell Hazell and company won't see Michigan, Ohio State, or Michigan State - a bonus for a squad that has quickly become the laughing stock of the Big Ten.

The Boilermakers' non-conference schedule is also friendly, with winnable games against East Carolina, Cincinnati, and Nevada to start the campaign. Maryland and Illinois are up next, so it's not crazy to think Purdue could have a winning record in mid-October.

If they can build off a positive start and pick up a few more wins along the way, Purdue may have a shot at bowling in December, or, at the very least, they can do enough to save Hazell's job.

Boise State

The Broncos were once the darlings of the BCS, but it's hard to imagine them ever seeing the college playoff.

This year's schedule won't do the popular underdogs any favors, as Boise State's toughest opponent might be Washington State. Even if they run table and post an undefeated campaign, it would still be a long shot for the voters to even consider the Broncos for one of the top four spots based on their strength of schedule.

Boise State will close with San Jose State, Hawaii, UNLV, and Air Force, which, to put it mildly, isn't exactly a group of college football's elite.

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