The likely first loss for each AP top 25 team in 2016

The reigning National Champions have another tough schedule this season. There are three road games circled on the Tide's schedule: Ole Miss (Sept. 17), Tennessee (Oct. 15) and LSU (Nov. 5). Though, as it stands now, Alabama is likely to be favored in each game. Reloading this year, the Tide could run the table.

The Tigers have a major advantage over Alabama by playing in a much easier conference. The game most will circle is Oct. 29 at Florida State, and the winner could be destined for a College Football Playoff appearance. The last time Clemson lost a regular-season game was Nov. 15, 2014, at Georgia Tech.

The Sooners hope to return to the College Football Playoff, and even a loss against Ohio State wouldn't be certain to stop them. It's easily the Sooners' toughest matchup of the year with a schedule that also includes Houston (Sept. 3), at TCU (Oct. 1) and vs. Baylor (Nov. 12).

The Seminoles are favored by about a field goal in the season opener despite the absence of starting quarterback Sean Maguire. The game will be a tough test to open the year. If Florida State can survive, its other difficult games include at Louisville (Sept. 17), vs. North Carolina (Oct. 1), vs. Clemson (Oct. 29) and vs. Florida (Nov. 26).

Les Miles continues to try to get over the hump that is Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide. The Tigers have a favorable schedule this season with no out-of-conference games against ranked teams, avoiding Tennessee, and both Ole Miss (Oct. 22) and Alabama at home. Those two SEC games will still be huge tests, but the Tigers are loaded with talent.

It would be quite a feat if the Buckeyes are able to run the table during the regular season, but they're highly capable. Their major tests will be at Oklahoma (Sept. 17), at Michigan State (Nov. 19) and vs. Michigan (Nov. 26). Ohio State lost running back Ezekiel Elliott, but expect better quarterback play this year with J.T. Barrett as a full-time starter.

The Wolverines overachieved in Jim Harbaugh's first season and now have much loftier expectations this year. Harbaugh brought in an elite recruiting class, but that class needs time to mesh with the program. Michigan will visit East Lansing for a rematch of the historic letdown against Michigan State Oct. 29, go to Iowa Nov. 12 and visit Ohio State Nov. 26. It's not a good sign that clearly the three toughest games on the schedule are away from Ann Arbor.

The Pac-12 is deep again this season, and the Cardinal has USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon on its slate, not to mention a visit to South Bend to face Notre Dame. It will be a war of attrition for Stanford this season.

The Vols are expected to make a big jump this season after losing four games last season by a total of 17 points, two of which came vs. eventual College Football Playoff teams. Tennessee has a relatively easy SEC schedule, with key games vs. Florida (Sept. 24), at Georgia (Oct. 1), at Texas A&M (Oct. 8) and vs. Alabama (Oct. 15). The Volunteers are the clear favorites to win the SEC East, and the matchup vs. Alabama could be a preview of the SEC Championship Game.

Relative to their usual schedules, the Fighting Irish have an easy slate on paper this season. They play only three teams that opened the season on the AP top 25. Those games are vs. Michigan State (Sept. 17), vs. Stanford and at USC (Nov. 26). They go into the season with a quarterback timeshare between DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire, which could be a good thing, or it could backfire, like Ohio State's situation last season.

The Rebels have a brutal schedule, opening against No. 4 Florida State (Sept. 5), then Alabama two weeks later, followed by Georgia (Sept. 24). The good news is that none of those games are at the opponent's home, but it would be quite a feat if Ole Miss survives all three games. If that's not enough, the Rebels visit Death Valley to play LSU Oct. 22.

The Spartans are expected to regress after losing quarterback Connor Cook and top wideout Aaron Burbridge, among others, but there's still plenty of talent on this squad to make noise. They have three top 10 opponents on their schedule, starting with a visit to South Bend. Later in the year they face Michigan (Oct. 29) and Ohio State (Nov. 19) in home games.

The Horned Frogs lost star quarterback Trevone Boykin and wideout Josh Doctson, but their schedule is manageable. Key games for TCU include Arkansas (Sept. 10), Oklahoma, at Baylor (Nov. 5) and Oklahoma State (Nov. 19).

The Huskies are expected to be one of the most improved teams in college football, with their young stars progressing one more year. A very easy out-of-conference schedule to open the year should give them some momentum for their Pac-12 slate. The game to circle is vs. Stanford on Sept. 30, but even if they win, they could have a following-week letdown at Oregon. The only other ranked opponent on their schedule in USC (Nov. 12).

Houston has no time to waste, with clearly the most difficult game of the season in Week 1 vs. Oklahoma. Houston only has one other ranked team on its schedule, which doesn't come until Nov. 17 vs. Louisville.

Despite being ranked, the Bruins open the season as underdogs against the unranked Aggies. They won't have much time to celebrate if they can pull out a victory, visiting BYU two weeks later and then Stanford on Sept. 24. Visits to Arizona State (Oct. 8), Washington State (Oct. 15) and vs. USC (Nov. 19) could also trip them up.

The Hawkeyes have a soft schedule yet again, though a late-season game against Michigan (Nov. 12) makes the schedule tougher this time. Visits to Minnesota and Penn State (Nov. 5) will be very tough tests before the Hawkeyes.

The Kirby Smart era starts with a tough game vs. North Carolina on Sept. 3, and the Bulldogs' early season schedule also includes Ole Miss and Tennessee (Oct. 1). If they're somehow able to clear all of those hurdles, Florida awaits them on Oct. 29.

Louisville is on the up and up under head coach Bobby Petrino, but are the Cardinals ready to be in the top 10 conversation? A win vs. Florida State or at Clemson (Oct. 1) would spark them. A late-season game at Houston on Nov. 17 adds another major test.

The Trojans could have the toughest schedule in the country, with six games against ranked opponents. It doesn't get tougher than opening the season vs. Alabama. They'll visit Stanford two weeks later, then have a four-week murderer's row of Oregon, at Washington, at UCLA and Notre Dame to finish the regular season.

The Cowboys are trying to get back in the the national consciousness and have a favorable schedule to make it happen. Their out-of-conference games vs. Central Michigan (Sept. 10) and Pitt (Sept. 17) won't be cakewalks, but the first huge test comes at Waco. Their regular season concludes at TCU (Nov. 19) and at Oklahoma (Dec. 3). 

The Tar Heels nearly pulled out a miracle win vs. Clemson in the ACC Championship Game last year but had significant losses on offense. They don't have much time to see what they have with a season opener vs. Georgia. The only other ranked team on their schedule is Florida State at Tallahassee Oct. 1.

The Bears have had a distracting and unfortunately eventful offseason but will try to focus on football with what is still a load of talent. Their out-of-conference schedule is easy, but the Big 12 schedule is far from it, with games vs. Oklahoma State (Sept. 24), TCU and at Oklahoma (Nov. 12).

The Ducks are coming off a disappointing season and will turn to their third quarterback in three years. Their out-of-conference schedule has some challenges vs. Virginia (Sept. 10) and at Nebraska (Sept. 17). The Pac-12 slate is very tough, as usual, with key games at Washington State (Oct. 1), vs. Washington, at USC (Nov. 5) and vs. Stanford (Nov. 12).

The Gators face a big challenge for the SEC East in Tennessee, and the visit to Knoxville could be especially challenging this year. The difficult matchups don't stop there, with games vs. LSU (Oct. 8), vs. Georgia (Oct. 29) and at Florida State (Nov. 26).