LSU's Week 2 visit to Texas was the non-conference college football game entering the 2019 season, and it lived up to its novelty billing. What's the non-conference college football game of 2020?
We ranked the top 10 FBS vs. FBS non-conference games of 2020:
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10. Florida State vs. West Virginia
Week 1 – Atlanta, Ga.
Two bad teams in a neutral-site game. Pass, right? Florida State's coaching situation is the only reason this game makes the list. All eyes will be on Mike Norvell as the Seminoles look to stop sucking at football.
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9. Penn State at Virginia Tech
Week 2 – Blacksburg, Va.
Despite recent struggles, Virginia Tech has a premier college football environment at Lane Stadium, which hosts Penn State for the first time ever. The two programs, separated by just 370 miles, have never met.
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8. Virginia vs. Georgia
Week 2 – Atlanta, Ga.
Take your neutral-site garbage, burn it, and throw it off a cliff. This game, Georgia and Virginia's first meeting since 2000, should be played in Athens (or Charlottesville).
Flaming garbage.
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7. Army vs. Navy
Week 16 – Philadelphia, Pa.
I don't know where to rank the Army-Navy Game. It's the coolest and most unique college football game each season but doesn't carry conference-title or playoff stakes and isn't always the prettiest or most entertaining game.
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6. Notre Dame at USC
Week 14 – Los Angeles, Calif.
The most consistently overhyped game each season is still a notable game each season, regardless of stakes. And like Florida State, all eyes will be on, presumably, USC's new head coach as he closes out year one (Editor's Note: Clay Helton was retained by USC). Notre Dame has won three straight in the series (pre-2019 matchup) and seven of their last 10 meetings.
If Urban Meyer is on the sideline, this game moves far up the list.
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5. Michigan at Washington
Week 1 – Seattle, Wash.
Announced in 2014, Michigan and Washington play the first half of a home-and-home series in Seattle in 2020. They'll play in Ann Arbor in 2021. They haven't met since 2001, the eighth meeting in 25 years, and have played in Seattle only four times, which they've split.
For Jim Harbaugh, it's another shot at a road ranked win (1-7 in his five seasons) and potentially top-10 win (2-8). For Washington, it's a chance to avoid another early-season stumble and stay near the top of the playoff conversation all season.
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4. Clemson at Notre Dame
Week 10 – South Bend, Ind.
Because of Notre Dame's ACC agreement, this doesn't feel like a true non-conference game. Still, it's a huge game as Clemson and Notre Dame meet in South Bend for the second time ever and first time since 1979. What should be one of Trevor Lawrence's final college games should have playoff implications.
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3. Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin
Week 5 – Green Bay, Wisc.
Wisconsin won the last (and only major) college football game played at Lambeau Field, a win over LSU in 2016, and should be the favorites to beat Notre Dame in Green Bay next season. They met in three consecutive seasons from 1962-64 (and 16 times from 1900-64) but haven't played since.
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2. Texas at LSU
Week 2 – Baton Rouge, La.
One year after playing their first regular-season game in 46 years, LSU and Texas will finish the second half of a home-and-series in Baton Rouge, where they haven't played since 1953. Joe Burrow will be gone but Sam Ehlinger and Tom Herman's revamped staff will face Ed Orgeron, Joe Brady and Co. in another potential top-10 matchup.
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1. Ohio State at Oregon
Week 2 – Eugene, Ore.
Eight years after announcing a home-and-series, Ohio State and Oregon will finally meet in Eugene in 2020 before closing the series in Columbus in 2021.
They haven't played since the 2014 national championship and haven't met in the regular season since 1987, the last of seven meetings over 30 years. Ohio State is 9-0 all-time vs. the Ducks.
